A Practical Guide to Participatory Design Sessions for the Development of Information Visualizations: Tutorial

Area of Science:

• Health Informatics
• Human-Computer Interaction
• Health Communication

Background:

• Participatory design (PD) is crucial for developing health resources, especially information visualizations.
• Existing literature lacks practical details and strategies for internet-based data collection in PD.
• Effective health visualizations can improve comprehension, communication, engagement, and behavior change.

Purpose of the Study:

• To provide a comprehensive, start-to-finish guide on conducting participatory design sessions for health information visualization.
• To offer practical details and address emergent issues in PD for research teams and health professionals.
• To serve as a procedural manual for designing patient-centered health visualizations.

Main Methods:

• The tutorial outlines preparation, including setting objectives and applying theoretical foundations.
• It details planning and conducting design sessions in various formats for diverse populations.
• Methods for effective analysis and implementation under resource constraints are discussed.

Main Results:

• The guide includes practical tools: glossary, pros/cons of session types, consent template, checklist, sample guides, and prompts.
• It demonstrates how surveys can supplement the participatory design process.
• The content addresses resource constraints and varied population needs.

Conclusions:

• This tutorial equips research teams and organizations with practical steps for successful participatory design of health information visualizations.
• Implementing these methods can enhance the development of effective health resources, leading to improved patient comprehension and outcomes.
• The guide supports the creation of user-centered visualizations, addressing practical challenges and resource limitations.