JMIR Publications

ABSTRACT

This paper reports on the reflection of the lead researcher, a 47-year-old with Cystic Fibrosis (CF), and examines the “problem formulation” stage of a 10-month Action Design Research (ADR) project. Playing a dual role, as both a patient and researcher, the lead research reflects on his ADR experience of creating a simple yet impactful check list to aid memory recall of CF patients/carers within the medical appointment. Using Driscoll’s (2001) Model of Reflection, four vignettes are provided to portray a real-life un-sanitised ADR experience. By providing this rich account of “problem formulation” within ADR it is hoped that this reflection will help researchers to avoid making assumptions and becoming “fixated on solutions”, and move instead to an endpoint where several possible ways of examining a problem have been considered, explored, and understood. This paper advocates for the inclusion and portrayal of the actual realities or “ups and downs” of this dynamic and evolving stage of ADR, capturing the often-tacit knowledge of “problem formulation”. Begetting a sense of realism and humanity to ADR, serving as knowledge contributions in their own right. The lead researcher is the patient/researcher in this Action Design Research project. This is my story!