Faults in consumer products are difficult to diagnose, and design is to blame: A user observation study

The process of fault diagnosis is an essential first step when repairing a product: it determines the condition of the parts and identifies the origin of failure. We report on how product users go through the process of fault diagnosis in consumer products and the influence of design features on this process. Two groups of 12 participants were...

Practices of fault diagnosis in household appliances: Insights for design

Fault diagnosis is the process of identifying and characterising a fault when a failure occurs. It is, therefore, an essential step to take before product-repair. In this study, we ask how conventional users diagnose faults in household appliances and how the design of these appliances facilitates or hampers the process of fault diagnosis.To...

ePartner for Self-Care: How to Enhance eHealth with Personal Computer Assistants

There is a shift in traditional health care, from one-side dictated treatment to a situation wherein the patient is involved, self-determined, and performs self-care activities. This new patient role is complex, but by deploying Information and Communication Technology (ICT) in the medical domain, eHealth services can stimulate maintaining a...