Involving people with dementia in the development of supportive IT applications: a systematic review

Involving people with dementia in research is not self-evident. Inclusion of people with dementia in the development process of user-friendly, supportive IT applications may be especially useful to improve the quality of these applications and may be beneficial to the person with dementia. The aim of this study was to gain insight into the involvement of people with dementia in developing supportive IT applications. The focus of involvement was on phase, methods, role and impact on the quality of the IT application and on the person with dementia.

A systematic search was undertaken using Cochrane Library, PubMED, PsycInfo, EMBASE, and CINAHL. Publications were selected using the following inclusion criteria: publications had to address a development process of an IT application involving people with dementia. The BMJ checklist was used to assess the quality of the included publications.

Twenty-six publications relating to 15 IT programs met the inclusion criteria. People with dementia were mainly involved in the exploratory and technical development phases. The methods most frequently used to involve the participants were interviews, observations and usability try-outs. In most studies, participants were objects of study and informants. People with dementia provided useful feedback and gave valuable recommendations for researchers and designers regarding the development of user-friendly, supportive, IT applications. Involvement in all phases may have empowering effects on people with dementia.

To develop valuable, user-friendly, supportive IT applications that increase the quality of life of people with dementia involvement in all phases of the development process is of great importance.