Transformative Service Research (TSR) proposes change through improvement of services focused on enhancing the quality of life of both individuals and communities. Current research in the area positions the field of design as an essential tool to create service experiences that enhance well-being because of its transdisciplinary and human-centred perspective, suggesting a transformative by design approach[1].

This poster presents the data collection methods that we strategically combined in a PhD study that takes a transformative design approach to investigate service experiences that affect people’s self-determination and consequently impact their well-being. Premilinary results from the first study are also presented, highlighting potential areas for design intervention based on service users’ needs.

The research focuses on the context of services offered through digital technologies that facilitate journeys to work for people with mobility impairments. Commuting to work is one of the many challenges that people with physical disabilities face to gain and maintain employment. Digital technologies can empower people in their everyday mobility dependent activities by providing self-determination strategies to enable services users to have control over their journeys. However, barriers to successful self-directed interactions with technology still occur because of fragmented and disconnected information, which negatively affect users’ well-being.

To investigate the mobility experience of service users and how digital technologies enhance or hinder their self-determination during journeys, we selected the Critical Incident Technique (CIT) and collaborative design workshop as methods for data collection. The proposed methodology positions participants in the centre of enquiry to give them a voice where they are considered the experts of their experiences and therefore have the power to raise suggestions, concerns, and propose ideas on how to transform services that support their well-being.

Planning When planning the journey, users feel the need to contact service providers to double check information because what is said online is not always accurate.

The preliminary results presented here emerged from the data of the first phase of the broader PhD research which was conducted by applying CIT. The ultimate goal of the research is to develop a transformative service design framework to support the design of digital platforms that enable self-determination for people with a mobility-related disability. The diagram below shows the five different areas where design can improve the interaction between people and digital technologies to facilitate self-determination in everyday journeys.

PARTICIPANTS AS THE EXPERTS: A DESIGN PERSPECTIVE ON TRANSFORMATIVE RESEARCH ENQUIRE

REFERENCESSartori do Amaral, Carla1; Chamorro-Koc, Marianella1; Beatson, Amanda2; Tuzovic, Sven2. 1Design Lab, 2Business School, Queensland University of Technology, Brisbane, Queensland, Australia.

INTRODUCTION

AUTHORS

PRELIMINARY RESULTS

METHODS

[1] Anderson, S., Nasr, L., & Rayburn, S. W. (2018). Transformative service research and service de-sign: synergistic effects in healthcare. The Service Industries Journal, 38(1–2), 99–113. [2] Flanagan, J. C. (1954). The Critical Incident Technique. Psychological Bulletin, 51(4), 327–358.[3] Sangiorgi, D. (2011). Transformative Services and Transformation Design. International Journal of Design, 5(2), 29–40. Retrieved from http://gateway.library.qut.edu.au/login?url=http://search.proquest.com.ezp01.library.qut.edu.au/docview/921470063?accountid=13380Images: Adobe Stock | Icons: Template JJ https://www.iconfinder.com/iconsets/school-82

Study phase one: Critical Incident Technique (CIT)

CIT is an inductive method that supports research participants to recall stories of memorable experiences that can be positive or negative[2]. In this study, we conducted semi-structured interviews with eight people with various mobility abilities in Brisbane, Australia, who were familiar with using digital technology to plan for or during daily journeys. We asked participants to describe typical journeys, highlighting the role digital technologies played in planning and undertaking the journey.

We then transcribed all the interviews and thematically analysed them to identify critical incidents. For this research, the definition of a critical incident was: limiting situations as well as supporting strategies perceived by participants to cause disturbances or to improve their self-determination in the use of digital platforms to prepare for or during journeys.

We identified 54 critical incidents. These incidents were grouped into five categories and 24 sub-categories. These categories represent areas where participants indicated positive or negative impacts to their self-determination; therefore they can be used as an indication for potential design interventions aimed at improving existing services or creating new ones to respond to the needs of users.

Study phase two: collaborative design workshop

For phase two of the study, we will use the five major categories identified in phase one to create different scenarios representing the mobility experience of service users and their use of digital technologies. These scenarios will be presented to stakeholders that provide disability support services to discuss them from their point of view in a collaborative workshop.

The workshop will provide opportunities for discussions about how digital platforms can support both users and service providers. It is expected that the findings from this phase will represent service providers’ perspectives on the barriers they experience from their side of the service delivery when trying to support the self-determination of their services’ users.

Discussion

These methods were selected based on the combination of the human-centred vision of design and the service design approach of capturing both users’ and service providers’ voices. An inductive and collaborative methodology also supports the transformative purpose of allowing participants to have a voice and lead change. The focus on service interactions was determined because services are not only the outcome, they play a role as a tool for societal transformation and as a mechanism to build a more equitable society[3].

Transport optionsPhysical accessibility of public transport is an issue and online services do not provide all the relevant information users need.

TechnologySocial media provides the opportunity and space for users to have a voice, connect and build peer support networks.

In some cases the information about accessibility provided online does not correspond to the specific needs of users, resulting in a place not being accessible to them.

CommunicationInformation provided online about accessibility and transport are not always up to date and do not correspond with reality.

Contact: carla.amaral@hdr.qut.edu.au

Accessibility standards