JMIR Publications

ABSTRACT

Background:

The recent Australian National Agenda for Eating Disorders highlights the role technology can play in improving accessibility and service development through online prevention, early access pathways, self-help and recovery assistance. However, engagement with the eating disorders community to co-design, build and evaluate these much-needed technology solutions through participatory design processes has been lacking and, until recently, under-resourced.

Objective:

To customise and configure a technology solution for a non-traditional (online, phone, email) mental health service providing support for eating disorders and body image issues through the use of participatory design processes.

Methods:

Participants were recruited chiefly through the Butterfly National Helpline 1800 ED HOPE (Butterfly’s National Helpline), which is an Australian-wide helpline supporting anyone concerned by an eating disorder or body image issue. Participants included individuals with lived experience of eating disorders and body image issues, and their supportive others (such as family, health professionals, support workers), and staff of The Butterfly Foundation. Participants took-part in participatory design workshops, running up to four hours, which were held nationally in urban and regional locations. The workshop agenda followed an established process of discovery, evaluation and prototyping. Workshop activities included open and prompted discussion, reviewing working prototypes, creating descriptive artefacts, and developing user journeys. The workshop artefacts were used in a knowledge translation process, which identified key learnings to inform user journeys, user personas, and the customisation and configuration of the InnoWell Platform for Butterfly’s National Helpline. Further, key themes were identified using thematic techniques and coded in NVivo 12 software.

Results:

Six participatory design workshops were held, in which 45 participants took part. Participants highlighted there is a critical need to address some of the barriers to care, particularly in regional and rural areas. The workshops highlight seven overarching qualitative themes: (1) identified barriers to care within the current system; (2) need for people to be able to access the right care, anywhere, anytime; (3) recommendations for the technological solution (i.e. InnoWell Platform features and functionality); (4) need for communication, co-ordination and integration of a technological solution when embedded in Butterfly’s National Helpline; (5) need to consider engagement and tone within the technological solution; (6) identified challenges and areas to consider when implementing a technological solution in the Helpline; and, (7) potential outcomes of the technological solution embedded in the Helpline relating to system and service reform. Ultimately, this technology solution should ensure that right care was provided to individuals first time.

Conclusions:

Our findings highlight the value actively engaging stakeholders in participatory design processes for the customisation and configuration of new technologies. End users can highlight the critical areas of need, which can be used as a catalyst for reform through the implementation of these technologies in non-traditional services. Clinical Trial: The research was approved by the University of Sydney Human Research Ethics Committee (Project number: 2018/041).