SELFI

Date of study

2011-2012

Date of market launch

Résultats exploités en interne chez BD depuis 2012

Category

DISPOSITIF MÉDICAL D’INJECTION

The project : Explore the best ergonomics for auto-injectors for patients with disabling conditions.

Our mission : To define a range of suitable ergonomics and validate the proposals through patient studies.

The Use Factory responded to the request from Becton Dickinson, a global leader in injection systems, by creating several hypotheses based on patient observations and exploratory interviews. These hypotheses were refined and realistically prototyped to conduct a study involving 32 patients. This study helped identify the most suitable concepts and qualify the key dimensional parameters of the auto-injectors.

These ergonomic designs have led to multiple patent applications.

1

Initial Observation and Analysis

The team from The Use Factory visited patients in their homes to observe their usage habits. Noting that some patients inject themselves standing by the kitchen table, while others prefer to be semi-reclined on their couch, has significant implications for the device’s design.
Augmented by expert interviews, the analysis of these observations enabled the qualification of the diverse usage patterns and their associated challenges, as well as the characterisation of key parameters.

Creating and Testing Ideas

Creating effective solutions involves using creative methods specifically suited to each study.
By simulating the usage conditions and unique abilities of patients with disabling conditions, the team managed to develop several groups of original concepts.
A quick model-making of these initial ideas followed by presenting them to representative patients provided a first round of evaluations. The most promising ones were chosen for further exploration.

2

CONCEPTION & PROTOTYPING

Detailed design of prototypes and a range of dimensional and ergonomic variants to be tested. The objective is to develop prototypes that can closely simulate real-world handling and usage conditions, including weight, material, dynamic feel of forces, and haptic, auditory, and visual indicators.

3

4

Usability Assessment

Usability testing of the prototypes was conducted in collaboration with the Evalab laboratory at CICIT Lille.
For this study, the Evalab team recruited 32 patients with the targeted conditions and performed the tests.

This study resulted in the co-authoring of a chapter in the book “L’avenir des Silver Tech, Conception, usage, évaluation”, published by Presses de l’EHESP in 2018.