Participatory Design for Surgical Innovation in the Developing World

Abstract

The field of surgery is very much a technology-mediated practice. Unfortunately, locally appropriate medical equipment is largely unavailable, or in the case of Western donated devices, is non-functional in much of the developing world. This paper presents two critical challenges that face medical device man-ufacturers and designers looking to innovate in international surgery, and proposes a methodology to address these concerns. First, designers approach the process with a set of embedded assumptions and biases that are rooted in their experience of traditional markets, thus delimiting the solution space too narrowly. Second, designers working cross-culturally with expert users face numerous difficulties in understanding the problem space. Through a reflective process within both a Canadian and Ugandan context, this study proposes that the assumptions Western designers hold can be challenged to co-create and uncover innovative technology solutions in international surgery.