The annual meeting of the NIHR-funded ChromaDose project took place this year in a virtual format due to the ongoing Covid-19 pandemic.
In order to balance stakeholder interaction, information transfer and effective use of time, four 90 min events were organised, including three interactive workshops on Public & Patient Involvement (PPI), Technology Development and Translation, as well as a final meeting for all members of the consortium. In total 25 individuals representing 14 different partners of the ChromaDose consortium participated in the events.
The purpose of the workshops was to discuss, advise and generate new ideas by the key project partners. The use of an interactive whiteboard (similar to our methodology for Public & Patient Involvement) facilitated discussions and informed our strategy for upcoming activities. The interdisciplinary background of participants (scientists, engineers, designers, educators, nurses, clinicians, members of the public) ensured that our product is developed in a holistic way, promoting co-creation by all key stakeholders.
The PPI workshop was focussed on patient information materials, where we looked into the current practice of informing patients and their families, what type of materials are available, as well as our research findings on preferences of young persons, patients and their families. This was followed by a discussion on current shortfalls and what should be prioritised for ChromaDose activities.
In the technical workshop, participants were invited to provide feedback on the technology development, including key strategic decisions over system and product architectures. Briefing documents supplied in advance to facilitate the technology review. Core principles of the technology were discussed, and actions were determined to optimise the development for both patient and user.
The translational workshop served to present and discuss key outputs from virtual and in-person ward visits. Furthermore, initial findings on a new methodology were presented to prioritise device attributes, referred to as “pick a feature exercise”. The interactive nature of the session enabled to capture feedback from all participants on how to improve our actions and test new assumptions.
The final Full Consortium Meeting was tailored to provide comprehensive information to all consortium members, including a summary of key project outcomes and activities.