Requirements Modelling

Research Theme: Healthcare Design

Healthcare systems are complex and face many challenges in their attempts to meet the needs and demands of multiple stakeholders. NHS service designers currently have a range of methods and tools to choose from, many adapted from other industries. Advice on their use comes from a number of different agencies. It is not clear how methods are selected, whether they meet the specific needs of healthcare, and how well they work together. This PhD study investigates the current use of design within the NHS, to determine whether a systems approach will support NHS service development and improvement initiatives.

Objectives

  • The aim of this work is to understand how the NHS approaches service development and improvement initiatives, and to identify areas in the design process where stakeholders feel their needs are not being met. In particular, the study focuses on the need to "understand the problem" before finding a solution, and on the use of visualisation, modelling and simulation techniques in requirements definition. The objective is to aid communication, and promote mutual understanding and agreement between various groups with different levels of influence and different agendas.

Method

A flexible research method will be used to carry out observations, semi-structured interviews and surveys to help identify needs. Data will be analysed and evaluated within a grounded theory approach that will guide future phases. An ongoing literature review will focus on current practices within healthcare and other industries, and on other academic disciplines that may help contribute to an improved design process.

Details

In the past, healthcare improvement efforts have focused principally on clinical effectiveness, but the definition of value in healthcare is changing alongside an increasing awareness of the need to understand the needs of all stakeholders. Studies have suggested that healthcare might benefit from the type of design thinking used in Engineering. This would provide a structured process to identify problems and create user-focused solutions.

An effective requirements definition process creates a firm foundation for the rest of the design process. It is at this stage that benefits, demands and needs are fully understood, and validation and verification methods are defined for use throughout the design process. For this reason, the study will be focusing on this area.

Initial work consisted of a literature review and a number of pilot case studies, to narrow down the scope of the study.

The next phase will consist of multiple case studies into how requirements definition is carried out in practice within the NHS and to help determine whether, and how, new tools and techniques should be introduced.

Acknowledgements

Support for this work is being provided by the EPSRC.
Supervision is being provided by Professor P. John Clarkson and Dr. James Ward, and partners include Addenbrooke's Hospital, Cambridge.

Selected Publications

  • Bate, P. and Robert, G. (2006) Experience-based design: from redesigning the system around the patient to co-designing services with the patient. Quality and Safety in Health Care, 15 (5), 307-310
  • Clarkson, J., Buckle, P., Coleman, R., Stubbs, D., Ward, J., Jarrett, J., Lane, R. and Bound, J. (2004) Design for patient safety: a scoping study to identify how the effective use of design could help to reduce medical accidents. EDC, University of Cambridge, Cambridge.
  • Muir Gray, J. (2007) How to get better value healthcare. Offox Press, Oxford.
  • Pidd, M. (2004) Complementarity in Systems Modelling In Pidd, M. (Ed) Systems Modelling: Theory and Practice. John Wiley and Sons Ltd, Chichester.
  • Reid, P., Compton, W., Grossman, J. and Fanjiang, G. (Eds.) (2005) Building a Better Delivery System: A New Engineering/Health Care Partnership, The National Academies Press, Washington, D.C.