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User Requirements
 

In order to be of benefit for people with dementia, technology has to be designed and chosen with uttermost care, and user requirements must be made available.

The user requirement specifications in the project are based on previous work by the partners through experience in practical work with users, research, previous projects and literature search.

The requirements are organised within the framework of the principles for universal design (http://www.design.ncsu.edu/cud/) in order to be easily accessible to designers and producers of new technology. Under each principle, the specific needs and requirements of people with dementia are listed.

Comments regarding each new product are then described. These comments are derived from workshops early in the project, demonstrating and discussing the products with representatives of carers and experts in all four partner countries.

The user requirements are also used as a baseline for choosing products for user trials and for assessing the benefits and drawbacks of the products in actual use.

 
Technology should be "pleasant", and not confusing

 

A brief description from the general requirements (Outi Mäki, TED Project):

Good products and technical solutions for people with dementia often have the following characteristics:

  • They give a feeling of independence to the person
  • They support the person in making choices
  • They have a positive impact in her/his life
  • They support the skills maintained and do not emphasise lost skills
  • They remind of solutions that existed before
  • The use of the products is possible by the information visible/available at all times
A product that is designed for people with dementia, is good for most people. It is easy to use and the functions can be easily understood.

When the project is finished, the revised user requirements will be made available on this web and from the EC and the partners in the project.


Enabling products for persons with dementia

This is the web site of an exciting research project which is aimed at "marrying the new with the familiar" when developing and introducing new technology to people with dementia and their carers.
 
Product of the month: 
Programmable telephone with large buttons
Product of the month
Click for more information
 
Quality of Life
The project aims at facilitating independent living of people with early dementia and to promote their wellbeing through access to enabling systems and products. Pleasure, memory support, entertainment and own activity are key words in the project. The project is funded under the EC Programme Quality of Life and living resources, and will last for three years, starting in March 2001.
 
Five countries, wide experience
The partners are situated in England, Ireland, Finland, Lithuania and Norway, are interdisciplinary and have wide experience in dementia care and research, technology development and human factors.
 
Contact us
We welcome questions and comments!
-> post@enableproject.org

 

Funded by the European Commission under the Programme "Quality of Life and Management of Living Resources", Contract No. QLK6 - 2000 - 00653

 
 
       
Last updated:
24-Oct-2008
 
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