CURIOs for care: Designing physical prompts for research

Fennell, Jac

Abstract

As design researchers, we are drawn towards creating tangible artifacts. The CURIOs for Care project embraces this appeal of making physical artefacts as a means of inquiry and as a creative tool to invite stories about individuals' experiences with dementia. By designing and making physical prompts that enable people to share the things that hold significance to them, the approach adds an additional dimension to the personal stories. These prompts, being visual, tangible, and connected representations of a person's life, enhance our ability to explore emotive topics, responses, and attitudes with the individuals involved.

In this project, the prompts have served as catalysts for conversations and as sources of inspiration for design. They have sparked the development of a series of designed prototypes aimed at fostering comfort and connection in the context of dementia diagnosis.
By using these tangible prompts, we have not only gathered insightful narratives but have also used co-creation to build on design addressing the challenges faced by individuals living with dementia. This presents our approach, highlighting the potential of physical prompts as conversation starters and as catalysts for designing innovative solutions that promote well-being and connectivity for dementia care.

Citation

Fennell, J. (2023, November). CURIOs for care: Designing physical prompts for research. Poster presented at UK Dementia Congress, Aston University, Birmingham UK

• Presentation Conference Type: Poster
• Conference Name: UK Dementia Congress
• Conference Location: Aston University, Birmingham UK
• Start Date: Nov 7, 2023
• End Date: Nov 8, 2023
• Deposit Date: Nov 7, 2023
• Publicly Available Date: Nov 7, 2023
• Keywords: Design Research Methods, Dementia Diagnosis
• Public URL: https://uwe-repository.worktribe.com/output/11415416