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Designing the Parents-to-Infant Bonding Experience in the NICU

Authors:
Sibrecht Bouwstra
Wei Chen
Loe M. G. Feijs
Sidarto Bambang Oetomo
Willeke M. J. H. van der Linden
Wijnand A. IJsselstein

Keywords: experience design; parent-to-infant bonding; case study; disruptive design process; experience flows

Abstract:
This paper describes the research work on the search for design opportunities through explorative interviews within the case study ‘designing the parent-to-infant bonding experience’. In the complete case study we explore how to design for support of such a complex, flexible, individualized and difficult-to-measure process as bonding. Based on a prior literature review, a theoretical design framework was constructed, focusing on experience design as the most suitable design approach. In this paper we report on a set of in-depth interviews conducted to further elucidate parents' experience of bonding during their time at the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU). These experiences are structured in the form of experience flows and used in a creative clustering session to identify design opportunities and as design inspiration. The three resulting opportunities are: (I) specific monitor design for parents as a means to get to know their child, (II) supporting a meaningful and active contribution while sitting next to the incubator and (III) supporting the acknowledgement of the difference the baby knows between parents and medical staff. Furthermore, we share the lessons learnt applying the design method of experience design to the case of parent-to-infant bonding.

Pages: 7 to 13

Copyright: Copyright (c) IARIA, 2012

Publication date: October 21, 2012

Published in: conference

ISSN: 2308-4553

ISBN: 978-1-61208-243-1

Location: Venice, Italy

Dates: from October 21, 2012 to October 26, 2012