Presentation
My PhD research, situated within the field of Human-Computer Interaction, investigates how self-care technologies can be designed and evaluated to better support individuals living with chronic conditions in everyday life. As digital health technologies become part of daily life, they intersect with the complex, and often unpredictable, realities faced by people living with chronic conditions and those who support them. Designing for these contexts raises important human-centered design challenges that require sensitivity to how care, coping, and technology unfold in everyday routines.
The thesis is guided by two central research themes: (1) how self-care technologies can be designed to foster technology acceptance, and (2) which design mechanisms are most effective in supporting coping strategies. Together, these concerns reflect a broader interest in how people integrate technology into long-term chronic condition self-care, and how the design of such technology can make that integration more meaningful, manageable, and sustainable.
Drawing from a background in interaction design, I apply and extend participatory approaches to explore these questions. A key methodological component of the thesis involves the design and facilitation of workshop formats with individuals living with chronic conditions - particularly Parkinson’s and cardiac patients as well as with caregivers and healthcare professionals. These workshops serve as a means to investigate how different stakeholders make sense of, shape, and evaluate self-care technologies in relation to their everyday practices.
The research is carried out in collaboration with clinical partners and contributes to ongoing conversations in HCI around patient-driven forms of self-care. In parallel, I teach in undergraduate and graduate programs at Malmö University, coordinate a master’s course in Prototyping Technologies, and supervise bachelor’s thesis projects with a focus on the intersection of HCI and healthcare.
