Now that I’m starting to get deeper into the prototyping process I have decided to create a mind map using physical post-its to visualize the user flow. While I typically rely on digital tools like Miro or Figma for convenience, trying out physical post-its offered a refreshing change. I found that having something tangible in my hands, even if it was just paper and pen, helped boost my creative flow. Within just 10 minutes, I was able to outline the most important aspects of my app.

However, I still prefer digital methods because I enjoy drawing arrows to illustrate connections between different flows, which wasn’t feasible with post-its. For future projects, I might consider using a large sheet of paper to combine the tactile experience with the ability to create more detailed visual connections.

Something that came to mind while thinking through the process was the aspect of gamifying the donation process a little bit. I want to incorporate some statistics and maybe a point system for inviting friends to donate.

I have a confession: I have never donated blood in my life. I have donated plasma around 4 times during my early 20s but my main motivation here was the 40€ that were offered after the donation. I have wanted to donate blood often but it always seemed like a lot of work. There was never the time, the places were too far away or I had just recently got a piercing or tattoo which forbid me to donate…the usual excuses. But I never really actively tried to book an appointment or go to a donation campaign when i was eligible to do so.

In my dream world where there is an e-health application for all things medical, blood donation would be an easy and accessible process where you get a notification every couple of months to remind you to donate blood at a place near you. Not an extra app, website or random instagram post you see and then forget it exists.

How to book an appointment

Option 1: Web

In a quick google search “blut spenden graz” I was directed to the website of the Red Cross. Overall I was pleasantly surprised by how simple it was to book the appointment via the browser. The only thing that was annoying was that the initial page to see available appointments was all appointments in Styria and not filtered by Graz. I would also have loved to have a map and see my location to see where exactly the locations were because I don’t know my way around Graz that well jet. But apart from the fact that the design was a little outdated the process was pretty simple and within 5 minutes I had my appointment booked.

Option 2: Mein Blut App

Next I downloaded two apps from the Red Cross. I was a little confused that there were two apps and I still don’t really know whats the difference but more on the other one later. The Mein Blut app downloaded faster so thats the one I tried first. I quickly created an account and was onboarded into the app. I really liked that different sections were highlighted.

I liked the map feature so I could choose the closest location to me. But even though i granted permission to the app to use my location, I wasn’t able to see my location in the app and had to find my closest location by zooming in from the entirety of the whole Austrian map.

Overall the app had a simple design and was easy to navigate through. Booking an appointment was straightforward but unfortunately I was not able to fill out the questionnaire in this app. I was directed to the “Meine Blutspende” app. Annoying!

Option 3: Meine Blutspende App

I’m guessing that this is the more “official” app. At first glance it seems more outdated. “Mein Blut” is much more modern but I’m assuming that it’s not available in Styria.

QR Code after completing the questionnare revealed that this is only valid for one day. I was not aware of this and now I will have to do the whole thing again the day before my appointment. Annoying!

After testing the different ways for booking donation appointments I can conclude that there is lots of room for improvement with the booking process. Let’s see what I will come up with in my next blog post.

So even though I really liked working with the Pomodoro timer / physical prototyping I’ve decided to move forward in this Blog with the Blood donation App since it ties closer with my idea for my Master’s Thesis.

In this post I want to give a little bit of a summary about why blood donations are important and why we/ Austria struggle with having enough blood reserves.

In short

• Blood donation shortage; one is needed every 90 seconds (1,000 daily).
• Reduced donor participation due to the pandemic and summer vacations.
• Hospitals require more blood especially in summer (higher risk of injuries)
• Donations last a maximum of 42 days, requiring constant replenishment.
• Eligible doners: Ages 18 to 70, must meet health and legal criteria.
• Expanded to include intersex, non-binary, and some previously excluded individuals after assessment.
• Donation takes around 10 minutes
• Donation is about 465 ml of blood

Austria is currently facing a shortage of over 5,000 blood donations. Experts are stressing the urgent need for donations, urging all Austrians to show solidarity and donate blood, as each donation can save a life. Tanner noted that soldiers and civilian staff are leading by example in this initiative, with a total of 135 blood donation events planned across all nine federal states this year.

The demand for blood is constant, with a blood donation needed every 90 seconds for surgeries, emergency situations, and chronic illness care. The number of donations tends to drop significantly during the summer months due to vacations, even though the need remains high. New eligibility criteria introduced in June aim to enhance donor safety but may restrict donation frequency for some individuals. Therefore, the Red Cross emphasizes the importance of encouraging young people to donate blood. [1]

New regulations for blood donation in Austria have been introduced to enhance safety and increase donor eligibility. Despite the life-saving importance of blood donations, only 3.4% of the population donates regularly. As of early June, individuals are now allowed to donate less frequently—men can donate four times a year, while women can donate three times. This change is based on scientific findings that highlight the risk of iron deficiency from excessive donations.

The new rules have expanded the pool of eligible donors, allowing intersex, non-binary individuals, and those without gender designation to donate. Additionally, people who have previously had malaria or autoimmune diseases can now donate after a medical assessment, as they were previously excluded.

As summer approaches, the Red Cross is particularly urging potential donors to step forward, as the need for blood increases during this season due to a higher incidence of accidents. Blood has a limited shelf life of 42 days, making it essential to maintain a steady supply.

Donating blood not only helps others but also offers health benefits for the donor, as blood is tested, and individuals are notified if any issues are detected. [2]

How does a blood donation work?

The blood donation process begins with the decision to help others, followed by a visit to a donation center where potential donors complete a medical questionnaire. Medical assessments are conducted, including checking blood pressure and hemoglobin levels. The actual donation is quick, taking about 10 minutes, after which donors can relax and enjoy snacks and drinks. [3]

Next steps

I would like to analyze the various methods available for booking a blood donation appointment and assess the user-friendliness of the process. Additionally, I want to explore the motivations behind why individuals choose to donate blood, as well as the factors that deter them from doing so. It is important to consider whether the donation process is perceived as complicated or if there are accessibility issues that may hinder potential donors.

Sources

[1] https://www.derstandard.at/consent/tcf/story/3000000275687/kritische-lage-bei-blutspenden-5000-konserven-fehlen
[2] https://burgenland.orf.at/stories/3308213/
[3] https://www.roteskreuz.at/news/aktuelles/die-blutlagerstaende-sind-zu-niedrig

The talk “Digital Accessibility Meets Physical Accessibility” emphasizes the importance of integrating digital and physical accessibility to create inclusive environments for individuals with disabilities. It discusses the need for digital tools and platforms to be accessible, ensuring they effectively complement physical spaces that are also designed with accessibility in mind. The speaker addresses the challenges and solutions related to merging digital accessibility features, such as screen readers and voice commands, with physical elements like ramps and tactile signage. Overall, the presentation advocates for a holistic approach to accessibility, requiring collaboration among digital developers, architects, and accessibility experts to ensure environments are truly inclusive for all users.

I really liked this talk because it highlighted problems with physical and digital interfaces I have not yet thought about. The speakers showed a lot of real world examples such as package pickup stations or ATMs.

The talk was discussion on accessibility, particularly regarding online shopping and package delivery services. For example, one of the speakers (visually impaired) shares an experience with a personal project involving ordering a package, highlighting the challenges faced with delivery to a lock box. They express frustration with the lock boxes, which often have only touch screens and lack physical buttons or speech output, making them difficult to use for those with disabilities. The other speaker mentions their own struggles as a wheelchair user, emphasizing the importance of considering diverse needs and abilities in accessibility design.

After a few of the real life examples the speakers show a tool they made for accessible screens.

This paper discusses the interspecies musical collaboration between Alon Ilsar and his dog Razzly, exploring creativity, play, agency, and social interaction through improvised performances utilizing a gestural instrument.

Key points of the paper

1. Razzy is a Koolpoodle (quarter Australian Kelpie, quarter Koolie and half Poodle) <3
2. The author of performances with Razzly showcasing interspecies collaboration and improvised music dynamics.
3. Analysis of dog-human play parallels with collaborative musical improvisation and social bonding.
4. Exploration of agency and consent in musical interactions between humans and Razzly the dog.

The gestural Digital Musical Instrument (DMI) used in the performances with Razzly the dog was the AirSticks. This device was integrated into a fetch ball, allowing for an interactive experience where both the dog and the musician could participate in improvisation, merging play with music-making.

Demonstration of the AirSticks: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vWNQA4D_tm0

The ethical considerations in the collaboration between the author and Razzly the dog were taken seriously, ensuring the dog’s well-being throughout the process. The project adhered to best practices for involving animals, promoting consent, and allowing Razzly to express spontaneous behavior. The performances aimed to enhance the quality of life for Razzly while avoiding any distress.

The paper explores themes of creativity, agency, and consent in dog-human interactions during music performances. It highlights the importance of spontaneous play and trust in fostering collaborative musical experiences. Additionally, it reflects on how these interactions can enhance understanding between species and reshape traditional notions of musicality.

Alon Ilsar collaborated with his dog, Razzly, in three distinct performances that evolved over a year and took place in different cities. These gigs served as an exploration of interspecies interaction and musicking, highlighting the dog’s agency and emotional response throughout the process.

The interactions between Razzly the dog and the author enhance understanding between species by emphasizing the importance of play and trust in collaborative endeavors. This reshapes traditional notions of musicality by illustrating how non-human animals can embody creative agency, turning spontaneous interactions into meaningful musical experiences. Such collaborations challenge the anthropocentric view of music, highlighting the richness of interspecies communication.

Razzly expressed himself during the improvised musical performances through his natural behaviors, such as vocalizing during play, engaging in catching and fetching activities, and choosing where to drop the ball, which communicated various emotions like joy and fatigue. His playful energy and interactions with the audience highlighted his agency within the musical process.

https://nime.org/proceedings/2024/nime2024_29.pdf

Hello hello Blog! I’ve missed you <3
In today’s Blog post I will present the three quick and dirty prototypes I made for Birgit’s class a few weeks ago. The assignment was to focus on making something very fast (20 mins if I remember correctly) and bring one of the prototypes to class for a fun speed dating task where we could show each other our weird creations.

The Pomodoro Timer

I struggle A LOT with staying focused on tasks and shifting from task to task trying to do things simultaneously even though it does not work like that. Funnily enough I started writing this post while I was on the finishing line of a work project. Instead of just taking 10 more minutes on the work thing and being done with it I decided naaaah, I’ll start something new (while still thinking about the work thing stressing out about it). Aaaanyway I’ve tried many different focus methods but the one that works best for me is using a Pomodoro Timer.

The Pomodoro Timer is a time management technique where you break down all of your tasks into 25 minute blocks of focused time. Between each time block, there is a five minute break. It’s simple, effective and very easy to implement because you can literally just set a timer on your phone. Of course there are many different apps, youtube videos and physical timers to help with this method. Personally I love the Ultimate Focus app on my iPad next to me while I’m working.

I really love seeing the time go down and how fun it is to drag the red part (= time) around. But I kind of hate that it’s on a screen and that I can’t input the task I’m trying to focus on in text on the screen.

I’ve started looking into physical timers (like the big one we have at FH) for my desk but of course I want it to look cute and I haven’t found one yet that I liked. Soooo I thought I could use it for my prototype. Wow that was a long introduction to this very simple concept. I promise the others will be shorter.

So this is what I came up with. I really would like my hypothetical timer to have chunky physical buttons so that is what I focused on to visualize in this first prototype.

The Tea Bar

My roommates and I drink lots of Tea but I don’t really like how we are currently storing them. I would love to have them displayed on the wall and have easy access to them. Also, sometimes I can’t decide which tea I would like to drink so in my prototype I added one box for a random tea. I also added a honey dispenser and a drip tray to the tea bar.

The Blood Donation Feature

For my master’s thesis I would like to create a concept for an e-health application. This prototype is a scribble of one possible feature of the application. A simple form to register for donating blood.

In this blog post I would like to highlight two ISO (International Organization for Standardization) norms that could create a framework for ensuring the quality and usability of eHealth applications. Quality control is not just a regulatory requirement; it is crucial for enhancing user satisfaction and achieving positive health outcomes. By examining the principles outlined in ISO 9241-210 and ISO 9001, I will explore how these standards can help create applications that are not only functional but also user-friendly and effective.

ISO 9001

ISO 9001 is an international standard that specifies requirements for a quality management system (QMS). It is part of the ISO 9000 family of standards, which focus on various aspects of quality management. Here are some key points about ISO 9001:

1. Quality Management System (QMS): ISO 9001 provides a framework for organizations to establish a QMS that ensures consistent quality in products and services.
2. Customer Focus: One of the main principles of ISO 9001 is a strong focus on customer satisfaction. Organizations are encouraged to understand customer needs and strive to meet or exceed those expectations.
3. Process Approach: The standard emphasizes the importance of managing interrelated processes to achieve desired outcomes efficiently. Organizations are encouraged to identify, manage, and improve their processes.
4. Continuous Improvement: ISO 9001 promotes a culture of continuous improvement within organizations, encouraging them to regularly evaluate and enhance their practices to increase efficiency and effectiveness.
5. Evidence-Based Decision Making: The standard encourages organizations to rely on data and analysis to support decision-making processes, ensuring that actions are based on objective evidence.
6. Risk Management: ISO 9001 incorporates a risk-based thinking approach, helping organizations identify and address potential risks that could affect the quality of products and services.
7. Certification: Organizations can seek certification to ISO 9001 through accredited certification bodies. Having this certification demonstrates a commitment to quality management and can enhance credibility with customers and stakeholders.

ISO 9001 is applicable to organizations of all sizes and sectors, making it a widely recognized standard for quality management worldwide.

ISO 9241-210

ISO 9241-210, titled “Ergonomics of human-system interaction — Part 210: Human-centered design for interactive systems,” is an international standard that provides guidelines for human-centered design (HCD) processes for interactive systems. This standard is part of the broader ISO 9241 series, which focuses on ergonomics and usability in human-system interactions. Here are some key aspects of ISO 9241-210:

1. Human-Centered Design Principles: ISO 9241-210 emphasizes the importance of placing the user at the center of the design process. It aims to ensure that the needs, preferences, and limitations of users are considered throughout the development lifecycle.
2. Design Process: The standard outlines a structured design process consisting of several essential activities:
   • Understanding and specifying the context of use: Identifying users, their tasks, and the environments in which the system will be used.
   • Specifying user and organizational requirements: Gathering and documenting user needs and preferences to inform the design.
   • Producing design solutions: Creating designs and prototypes that address the identified requirements.
   • Evaluating design solutions: Testing and assessing the usability of the design with real users to gather feedback and make improvements.
3. Iterative Approach: ISO 9241-210 promotes an iterative design process, where designs are continuously refined based on user feedback and evaluation results. This helps ensure that the final product effectively meets user needs.
4. User Involvement: The standard encourages active user involvement throughout the design process. Engaging users helps designers understand their experiences and preferences, leading to more effective design solutions.
5. Multidisciplinary Collaboration: ISO 9241-210 acknowledges that successful human-centered design often requires collaboration among various stakeholders, including designers, developers, users, and subject matter experts.
6. Documentation and Communication: The standard emphasizes the importance of documenting the design process, decisions made, and user feedback. Clear communication among team members and stakeholders is essential for successful design outcomes.
7. Applicability: ISO 9241-210 is applicable to a wide range of interactive systems, including software applications, websites, and hardware interfaces, making it relevant for various industries.

In summary, both ISO 9241-210 and ISO 9001 provide valuable frameworks for enhancing the quality of eHealth solutions, but they focus on different aspects of quality assurance. ISO 9241-210 centers on human-centered design principles, emphasizing usability and user experience in interactive systems. In contrast, ISO 9001 is broader in scope, focusing on quality management systems and organizational processes to ensure consistent quality in products and services. By integrating the insights from both standard into developing eHealth solutions it could be ensured that the applications truly serve the needs of their users, ultimately leading to improved health outcomes and greater user satisfaction.

Resources

https://www.iso.org

ISO 9001:2015 Certification Process: Expert Insights.

In this post I would like to highlight two examples of best practices in eHealth services,

Bettercare

Bettercare is an eHealth solution that focuses on improving healthcare delivery through digital tools. It aims to enhance communication between patients and healthcare providers, streamline workflows, and facilitate access to healthcare services. It was developed in Slovenia in 2016 and since then has claimed their platform users have 70 % less unnecessary outpatient appointments.

As a low code plattform, Bettercare allows healthcare providers to create and customize applications and workflows with minimal coding expertise, enabling faster development and deployment of digital health solutions. This flexibility helps organizations adapt to changing healthcare needs and integrate various digital tools efficiently.

Bettercare uses openEHR, which is an open standard specification for electronic health record (EHR) systems that emphasizes the management of health information over time. It provides a framework for creating, sharing, and managing health data in a way that is interoperable and vendor-independent. openEHR is based on a two-level modeling approach, separating the information model from the application model. This means that clinical data is stored in a standardized format while allowing flexibility in how it is presented and used by different applications.

A standardized design system offers users the possibility to create user friendly and consistent healthcare applications without thinking of the UI Design. The screenshots below show some examples from the design system.

Bettercare claims that it is used in 20+ countries and over 1000 healthcare institutions are connected. However, I wasn’t able to find detailed information on which institutions or countries use Bettercare.

e-nabiz

e-Nabız (translates to e-pulse) is a digital health platform developed in Turkey that serves as a personal health management system. It allows individuals to access their health information, manage their medical records, and communicate with healthcare providers.

By providing access to personal health information and facilitating communication with healthcare providers, e-Nabız empowers individuals to take an active role in managing their health.

The following screenshots show some of the key features the application offers:

Health Records: Users can view and manage their medical history, including laboratory results, prescriptions, and treatment plans.

Appointment Management: The platform enables users to schedule and manage appointments with healthcare professionals easily.

Telemedicine: e-Nabız supports telehealth services, allowing patients to consult with doctors remotely.

Medication Tracking: Users can keep track of their medications, dosages, and schedules.

Health Monitoring: The platform may integrate with wearable devices or health apps to monitor health metrics and provide insights.

Interoperability: e-Nabız aims to connect with various healthcare institutions, enhancing the accessibility of medical data across different providers.

The platform has won many awards such as the title “Best Health Application” in 2017.

Resources

https://www.dailysabah.com/health/2017/03/23/un-award-for-best-health-app-goes-to-turkey

https://www.better.care/

1. Promoting health and preventing disease

Empowering Self-Management: Applications that enable the tracking of symptoms or monitoring of health parameters can help individuals manage conditions better, promoting self-responsibility.

Enhanced preventative care: Digital tools can aid in informing the population about preventative check-ups and vaccinations, ideally through a central platform.

Improved coordination of care: Digital networking among healthcare providers can enhance the coordination of health measures, allowing for more holistic care that takes into account various aspects of health such as nutrition, exercise, and mental well-being.

Telehealth for wider access: Telehealth solutions offer flexible options for receiving medical support, improving care in rural areas and for those with mobility issues.

Support for chronic conditions: Digital tools can provide continuous support for people managing chronic diseases, integrating both analogue and digital services

There are different opinions about weather or not regular checkups reduce mortality rate.  For example: 

Women who participated in mammography screening (Duffy S. et.al. , 2020)had a statistically significant 41% reduction in their risk of dying of breast cancer within 10 years.

A study from 2021 (Liss D. et.al, 2021) did not show a reduction in mortality or cardiovascular events; however, they were linked to enhanced recognition and treatment of chronic diseases, better control of risk factors, increased uptake of preventive services, and improved patient-reported outcomes. Primary care teams can justifiably provide general health checks, particularly for populations at greater risk of missed preventive services, uncontrolled risk factors, low self-assessed health, or limited access to primary care.

2. Climate factors

Telemedicine not only cuts down on travel but can also reduce the energy and resource use of health facilities. This includes decreasing the consumption of disposable medical products and disinfectants and lowering the overall energy demands of hospitals due to fewer in-person visit.

Electronic health records conserve resources and help avoiding unnecessary or duplicate treatments and tests. While digital solutions offer climate benefits, they should not be implemented without considering access equity, digital skills, and societal values.

3. Gender, equal opportunities and inclusivity

Digitalisation and socio-economic factors: Studies indicate that individuals with higher income and education are more likely to use health apps. Also, older and unemployed individuals tend to have a lower usage of digital health offers.

Data Bias: The document raises concerns about potential gender bias in data sets, noting that women may be underrepresented or that data may lack gender breakdowns7. It also warns that AI systems may not adequately consider the anatomical and physiological needs of different genders if their data sets are biased, which could lead to inappropriate symptom evaluations and therapy.

Duffy, S. W., Tabár, L., Yen, A. M., Dean, P. B., Smith, R. A., Jonsson, H., Törnberg, S., Chen, S. L., Chiu, S. Y., Fann, J. C., Ku, M. M., Wu, W. Y., Hsu, C. Y., Chen, Y. C., Svane, G., Azavedo, E., Grundström, H., Sundén, P., Leifland, K., Frodis, E., … Chen, T. H. (2020). Mammography screening reduces rates of advanced and fatal breast cancers: Results in 549,091 women. Cancer, 126(13), 2971–2979. https://doi.org/10.1002/cncr.32859

Liss, D. T., Uchida, T., Wilkes, C. L., Radakrishnan, A., & Linder, J. A. (2021). General Health Checks in Adult Primary Care: A Review. JAMA, 325(22), 2294–2306. https://doi.org/10.1001/jama.2021.6524

BMSGPK (2024): eHealth-Strategie
Österreich. v1.0 im Juni 2024. Bundesministerium für Soziales, Gesundheit,
Pflege und Konsumentenschutz, Wien

https://www.sozialministerium.at/Themen/Gesundheit/eHealth/eHealth-in-Oesterreich.html