Relational design in healthcare innovation: Exploring a multi-site context

Healthcare is a critical component of the infrastructure of a welfare state, with public services at its core. However, its challenges are more complex and intractable than those addressed by service design frameworks. The relational design approach, aligned with participatory design principles, could provide insights for service design that promotes a focus on relationships, networks and situated knowledge generation. This study explores situating tactics in the research process of a large EU project focusing on shared decision making in cancer care. By analysing how topic, timescale and methods are situated across two research sites, we discuss how relational sensitivity has been enacted over time. We conclude that focusing on relational qualities may bridge gaps between system requirements and design participant needs, allowing for more nuanced and culturally sensitive solutions.