Fraunhofer Center for Assistive Information and Communication Solutions – AICOS
With COLABORAR we bring humanness to technology
Description:
In 2011, with the advent of smartphones, many research efforts focused on mobile applications designed to address the needs and challenges of older adults, including personal safety and localization, chronic disease self-management, medication adherence, health monitoring, social connectedness, and support for independent living. At that time, design guidelines and usability patterns tailored to this population were still limited. COLABORAR enabled researchers at Fraunhofer Portugal AICOS to adopt a user-centered approach by involving end users early in the co-creation, design, and evaluation of digital solutions.
By integrating users throughout the development process, researchers gained valuable insights into how technologies were used in real-life contexts, allowing them to refine and improve their solutions. Authentic user feedback helped identify unforeseen challenges, usability barriers, and unmet needs that might otherwise have gone unnoticed. This collaborative environment accelerated the development of more inclusive, accessible, and user-friendly technologies.
Over time, COLABORAR evolved into a diverse community of older adults with different characteristics and needs, including active and independent individuals, people living with chronic diseases, and people with dementia. This diversity enabled the Living Lab to support a wide range of research projects and innovation initiatives.
For 15 years, COLABORAR provided a collaborative space where stakeholders, including users, caregivers, designers, developers, healthcare professionals, and researchers, engaged in dialogue, experimentation, and continuous feedback. Beyond supporting the development and validation of digital solutions, COLABORAR played a key role in building institutional expertise in user research and participatory design. It also contributed to the training of numerous Master's students and researchers, fostering skills in user-centered methodologies, co-creation practices, and real-world technology evaluation.
Through this sustained collaboration, COLABORAR helped shape a culture of innovation grounded in users' experiences, ensuring that technology development remained aligned with real needs and everyday realities.
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