Background		knowledge Mapping		In-depth interviews		Concept and testing

Our initial research was quite extensive and included mapping the context, highlighting and clustering of opportunities. We then tried to validate our initial findings through user-research. We conducted a series of eight one-hour long interviews. In addition we were continuoulsly conducting online research, scoping the field for existing research and solutions, and testing our ideas with different protyping techniques..

Mapping knowledge : exploring communications

Everyone is surrounded by people, objects and institutes that support them in times of need. We call them "circles of care"
To learn more about their meaning in our lives we started by mapping the roles of the different circles of care according to various health conditions (light illness, emergency, chronic situation, hospitalization)
we looked at the nature of communication that takes place between the person and their circles of care in each of these situations.
We looked at three stages in people's life:
- Early childhood
- Adolescence
- Maturing adults

Early Childhood

Parents are the center of the universe

Adolescence

First explorations of independence

Maturing adults

Health managers: need to be empowered

During this process we wrote down problem areas and motivations that could turn into service design opportunities later on.

We came up with two main areas which we wanted to investigate further:

1. Patient empowerment
What are the things that empower people regarding their health? How can a patient have greater sense of control?

2. Maintaining the continuum of the patient's life while hospitalized
keeping in touch with friends and family, controlling visits, being updated with news and gossip - having sense of "normality" in an extreme situation.

Next: Interviews and insights