To Örebro University

Human beings are inherently social creatures, wired biologically and psychologically to seek connections with others. When deprived of social interactions, individuals may experience social isolation and loneliness, leading to various psychological and physiological consequences. People living with Parkinson’s disease (PwP) are particularly vulnerable to these issues due to the nature of their health condition. Information and communication technologies (ICT) have been shown to play an important role in managing social isolation and loneliness. However, it is crucial to recognize that a one-size-fits-all approach may not be effective for all individuals or groups. Instead, ICT solutions must be customized to meet the unique needs, experiences, and preferences of different individuals. Currently, there is a lack of ICT solutions for managing social isolation and loneliness among PwP. Therefore, this thesis aims to address this gap by exploring and designing a customized ICT solution for PwP. To do this, the research presented in this thesis integrates design science research (DSR) and user centred design (UCD) methodologies, employing qualitative interviews, focus group discussions, literature reviews, usability evaluations and co-design workshops. Challenges and needs of PwP were identified and used to develop an initial set of design principles, personas, and scenarios. Subsequently, a prototype was developed, demonstrated, and evaluated with both experts and PwP. The design principles and the prototype were refined in four design cycles. The thesis contributes to both research and practice by producing a prototype as an artefactual contribution and the design principles which represents the first step towards the development of nascent design theory, thereby contributing to a prescriptive knowledge base. Furthermore, the integration of DSR with UCD contributes to an enhanced understanding of how to effectively combine these methodologies to design ICT solutions for PwP. The insights gained also offer valuable implications for the generalizability of these methodologies, extending their applicability to a wider user demographic, such as older adults in general.