Research methods from human-centered design: Potential applications in pharmacy and health services research

Challenges faced by health systems have become increasingly complex, and expanding the range of methodological options available via interdisciplinary collaboration is important to enable researchers to address them. As complexity increases, it can be more difficult to ensure solutions remain patient-centered. Human-centered design is an approach that focuses on engaging with and understanding the needs of all services users while retaining a systems perspective. Therefore, design professionals skilled in these approaches are increasingly collaborating within health systems in pharmacy and health research teams. This methodological paper considers the potential contribution of human-centered design approaches to optimising development, implementation, and sustainability of patient-centered interventions in pharmacy and health services research. It provides an overview of human-centered design principles and their application, and outlines the emerging roles of design professionals in pharmacy and health services research. It focuses on three key human-centered design methods that can most readily be used by pharmacy and health services researchers. Journey mapping, prototyping, and user testing are discussed in detail. Journey mapping enables holistic visualisation of patient experience from practical and emotional perspectives. It may be used to visualize current practice or model potential future services, and can be informed by quantitative and qualitative data derived from both primary and secondary research. Prototyping facilitates exploration of interventions such as new services quickly and at low-cost. Health services researchers can utilize prototypes for services, processes, experiences, physical objects, environments, spaces, or digital tools for example. Formative evaluation and user testing supports rapid iteration of prototypes to ensure that they meet patient and healthcare professional needs. Finally, challenges with interdisciplinary collaboration and strategies to maximize the potential of using human-centered design approaches in pharmacy and health services research to address complex challenges, enhance practice and deliver benefits for service users, patients, and health systems are discussed.