Using a co-design approach to develop technological interventions to help children with Arthritis to be more active and independent

15,000 Children and Young People (CYP) in the UK have Juvenile Idiopathic Arthritis (JIA). 1,000-1,500 new cases are diagnosed every year. Currently there is no cure for JIA. Management interventions are available, but these are often stigmatising and children disengage. Improving self-management skills for children is particularly important as they transition to adulthood. The aim of this project was to understand different perspectives and needs of all stakeholders affected by JIA, and to develop a design response to better support them. A co-design approach was used to explore these issues and to develop the response. Phase 1 focused on using surveys, with rapid response rates highlighting the lack of current products, 1:1 interviews to establish key areas of unmet need within the different stakeholder groups, as well as storyboarding and rough prototyping. As the prototypes took shape, stakeholders continued to contribute particularly around ergonomic and tactile issues. The different priorities of each stakeholder were emphasised: the children wanted help with their joint pain whilst the healthcare professionals wanted to improve physiotherapy adherence. The parents wanted to keep better track of the condition whilst the teachers wanted to improve communication with the child. Stakeholders initially dismissed other stakeholders’ views, believing they knew best. Through these discussions, the complexity of JIA management was highlighted and therefore the importance of a multi-product approach became apparent. One of the key difficulties in managing chronic illnesses (particularly for children) is the lack of communication between different stakeholder groups but also between healthcare professionals across different disciplines. Through incorporating different stakeholders’ opinions, the technologies created resulted in effective methods to not only address the problems mentioned but also to facilitate discussion around these issues throughout the design process, eliciting previously unknown needs and developing a more engaging and successful product. Further funding is being sought between university and hospital partners to continue developing the products collaboratively with children, families and clinicians.