Papers by Patrizia D'Olivo
In this paper we propose a preliminary design framework on how to enhance the development and wel... more In this paper we propose a preliminary design framework on how to enhance the development and well-being of teenagers with cancer through playful experiences. In particular, the contribution focuses on how to foster psychological and social development through play and the role of ambiguity and connectedness as a design strategy. The paper concludes with a discussion on how ambiguity and connectedness can be concretely applied to generate playful experiences and which research questions need to be addressed to further advance the framework.
Childhood cancer is a disruptive life event that creates high levels of stress and anxiety in fam... more Childhood cancer is a disruptive life event that creates high levels of stress and anxiety in families. It turns everyday routines up-side-down, and can block the child’s psychosocial development when families have difficulties to emotionally cope with this potentially traumatic event. D’Olivo developed three interactive objects aimed at preserving space for quality time and stimulate interpersonal communication between family members. These objects were deployed in the homes of children who are receiving cancer treatment in order to better understand how families responded to them, and whether they were appropriate to support their situation. The broader question addressed by the work is ‘how can vulnerable users be empowered by design in sensitive settings?’. Tactfulness was found to be a critical expressive design quality of such objects, leading to the idea of Tactful Objects as a design perspective on interactive artefacts that function in sensitive settings. According to this ...
Supportive Care in Cancer, 2021
Purpose It is important to support families in dealing with the distress that comes along with th... more Purpose It is important to support families in dealing with the distress that comes along with the diagnosis and treatment of childhood cancer. Therefore, we developed a playful tool that families can use at home to support their family functioning and safeguard their normal family life. We pilot tested this new tool called Mr.V and describe how families used and evaluated the tool, and how it could be further improved. Methods Mr.V is an interactive dispenser that looks like a spaceman and proposes family activities. These activities are suggested by family members themselves and dispensed by the machine at unexpected moments. Mr.V produced data on how it was used, and a questionnaire and a semi-structured interview were used to evaluate the experiences of families and the potential of this tool. Results Ten families with a child with cancer between 5 and 9 years old (Mage = 6.7 years) who were in active treatment (mixed diagnoses) participated (n = 47; npatients = 10, nsiblings = ...
Design for Health, 2018
Design research in healthcare can be demanding. We report on eight challenges that designers and ... more Design research in healthcare can be demanding. We report on eight challenges that designers and design researchers face when working on healthcare projects. We conducted four workshops with design researchers active in healthcare: six PhD candidates, a mixed group of thirteen design researchers, twelve design students, and eight design practitioners. Participants shared critical events from recent projects and reflected collaboratively to identify common challenges across different design approaches or disciplines. An analysis of the workshop materials resulted in eight themes of challenges, divided into three clusters. The first cluster, challenges in practice, includes (1) conducting fieldwork, (2) involving end users, and (3) dealing with sensitive situations. The second cluster, managerial challenges, includes (4) managing relations, (5) building understanding, and (6) communicating value. Finally, in the third cluster, generic challenges, includes (7) attuning to time and financial restrictions and (8) establishing rapport. This overview can contribute to design education and practice by helping both novice and experienced designers recognize and anticipate potential hurdles when engaging with the complexities of the healthcare environment.
She Ji: The Journal of Design, Economics, and Innovation, 2018
What can design do to address adverse life events like childhood cancer? Cancer is not just a hea... more What can design do to address adverse life events like childhood cancer? Cancer is not just a health matter-it strains family relationships and profoundly disrupts the stability of everyday routines. In this article, we introduce a socio-ecological perspective that untangles the systemic complexity of the challenges families face when confronted with childhood cancer. We use this lens to identify potential design opportunities for reconfiguring a "new normal" in their lives. We present and discuss the results of a participant observation of childhood cancer survivors at a large support group conference. These findings we analyze and organize into five themes corresponding to specific coping strategies: accepting the transformation of one's body, avoiding avoidance, maintaining interest in social activities, retaining a sense of belonging to one's social networks, and dealing with social stigma. These themes reveal opportunities for design innovation in sensitive settings that traverse the fields of interaction design, developmental psychology, and pediatric oncology.
She Ji: The Journal of Design, Economics, and Innovation, 2021
Advances in biodesign offer opportunities for developing materials for everyday products from liv... more Advances in biodesign offer opportunities for developing materials for everyday products from living organisms, such as fungi, algae, and bacteria. Gaining widespread acceptance of new materials from the general public can be a lengthy process, making biodesign a high-risk pursuit with potentially significant economic, ecological, and social impacts. In this article, we conceptualize the notion of materials framing-combining knowledge from materials science, product design, and innovation management to create a communications strategy that accelerates popular adoption of novel materials. Which of its qualities will help orient users' understanding of the new material? What is the best way to present those qualities? An extensive analysis of nine biodesign companies' text and visual web communications revealed three core materials framing categories: material origins, fabrication processes, and material outcomes. We argue that these three categories expand the audiences' focus beyond mere outcomes to include an organism's design potential-a lens with which to gain a more comprehensive view of the possibilities the material from a living organism affords.
Proceedings of the 2017 Conference on Designing Interactive Systems
Proceedings of the 11th Nordic Conference on Human-Computer Interaction: Shaping Experiences, Shaping Society
This paper offers a product design perspective to emerging material-oriented design methods in HC... more This paper offers a product design perspective to emerging material-oriented design methods in HCI. It outlines a research process for facilitating the design of connected objects that deliberately use material traces as texture for communication and interaction. In doing so, it reports on initial findings on how materials are perceived to ‘mature’ with use, and discusses a design concept related to such findings.
Proceedings of the 2014 conference on Designing interactive systems - DIS '14, 2014
This paper offers a product design perspective to emerging material-oriented design methods in HC... more This paper offers a product design perspective to emerging material-oriented design methods in HCI. It outlines a research process for facilitating the design of connected objects that deliberately use material traces as texture for communication and interaction. In doing so, it reports on initial findings on how materials are perceived to ‘mature’ with use, and discusses a design concept related to such findings.
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Papers by Patrizia D'Olivo