Human-centered design (HCD) has been part of Jacaranda’s approach to providing high-quality, affordable maternal health care since our inception. In the past year and a half we have consistently used design sessions to understand healthseeking behaviors and develop our model. During one of our HCD sessions, two participants role-played the typical interaction between a clinician and a patient, demonstrating a “good” and a “bad” nurse. The group then put themselves in the shoes of a patient to envision how they would like to be treated. During another exercise, Jacaranda staff generated strategies for increasing male involvement in maternity care. They talked to men on the street, in barbershops, and in bars to develop a deeper understanding of male views on maternity and how we can provide more inclusive services.We have always been driven by the pursuit of understanding those we serve, and hold the core belief that our clients hold the knowledge about how to best design an effective service delivery system.
In knowledge management (KM), we often talk about audience/user engagement, and more specifically “active engagement.” What does this mean, and why should we care about it?
Participation in communities of practice is a key element of KM. The social aspect and common history/context of these groups can lead to “active engagement” – an individual’s readiness to share his/her own experiences and respond to those of others. This is the goal of much of our KM work – but what does it really lead to?
