Designing Tools Useful for People with Brain Injury:

The Latest & Greatest

McKay Moore Sohlberg, Ph.D.

University of Oregon

Sample Current Projects Involving the Development of Tools

Email tools– Simple email program– Help system

Navigation tools– A device to give directions– A reminder bag

Designing effective tools FOR people with cognitive impairments means…

You must design the tools in partnership WITH the individuals who will be using the tools

Participatory Action Research:The partnership research model

The people who stand to benefit should be involved at all stages of the research (defining the problem, the research methods, analysis etc.)

The research should have some direct & positive benefits to the people who are being studied

Knowledge is more socially usable when it is produced together

The Research Process:Initial Steps

Human Subjects Protection– People must understand exactly what they

are agreeing to do– They must understand their participation is

voluntary– They must understand that they can

withdraw without penalty or feeling uncomfortable at anytime

The Research & Development Process: Initial Steps

Focus Groups

Surveys

Focus Group Example

Group # of Participants

Descriptions Location

#1 8 People living @ assisted

facility

Big city

#2 10 Family, care

providers

Rural town

#3 12 Bus drivers Mid sized town

Research & Development:The next steps

Prototype design

Initial pilot

Initial Pilot Studies

Development of

Sample tools

(Prototype)

Testing out with real people in real environments

Longitudinal Trials

Evaluate the use of tool in real environments over a long period of time

Longitudinal data from a participant using our email tool

Composition Speed

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The GO Device:A Sample Research Project

Survey & Focus GroupPrototype DevelopmentPilot Testing

www.go-outside.org/

Go Device:Surveys & Focus Groups Helped

Identify barriers to navigating in the community when people have memory impairments

Identify possible solutionsSolicit feedback on potential device

ideas

Sample Results for Questions on Transportation Challenges

Fear of getting lostForgetting purpose of tripGetting lost in communityGetting lost in large buildings Expense of taxiHard to ask friends for rides

Initial research steps: Navigational profiles of real people in real environments

Errand 9

Visit Friend4

Church 5

Restaurant 2

MedicalAppointment

2

Number and types of destinations traveled by one of the participants over a 4 month period

Developing Navigational“Wish Lists”

Participants Navigational Wishes

Participant A Wal-Mart, Fred Meyer, Go out more often with other people

Participant B Family’s house, A volunteer job, YMCA, Movie theater, Sightseeing, Festivals

Developed a Prototype Tool

Prototype Tool

Prototype Tool

The Research Questions

Which mode of directions will result in the most efficient/accurate ability to navigate in the community?– Auditory (earpiece) directions– Point of view map showing each step– Text (written) step by step directions– Aerial map (from above) showing each

direction

Preliminary Results

Auditory mode of giving directions seems to be the most helpful

Next steps…

Determine the best “wording” for directions to use in the auditory mode

Hypothesis: Use of Landmarks will be more helpful than non-landmark cues

Next steps…

Develop tools that can be used in combination with the GO Device to help people navigate

We learned that one of the main barriers was getting out the door…so we are working on “The Travel Bag”

The Travel Bag

The Travel Bag

Research Process for the Travel Bag

Survey/Focus Groups

Pilot Work

Prototype Development

More Pilot Testing

Plan for current pilot testing

Your Turn!

We need more input from those who know the best

If you would like, find a buddy and complete the survey in your handout!