‘I went home not feeling prepared from the outset’: describing the co-design of a technological solution to address gaps in the transition from hospital to home for people with ABI

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Published 10th November 2025

People with acquired brain injury (ABI) experience difficulties returning to everyday life post hospital discharge, despite specialised inpatient rehabilitation. This study sought to describe the co-design process of a project that aimed to explore how technology could be used to better prepare people with ABI for the transition home, as well as present participant feedback on experiences of participating in the process. A series of workshops were conducted with people with ABI (n = 4), health professionals (n = 3) and technology designers (n = 2). Participants identified that a smart device application (app) was the preferred medium for the technology solution and that it should house: goal setting, support team information, planning, educational resources and information about life before the ABI.

Two prototypes were developed, providing participants an opportunity to further specify their app preferences, including the need for customisability and intuitive design. Participants felt that the time and length of workshops was ‘just right’, that their contributions were valued and were appreciative of the opportunity to connect with others. The need for flexibility in the co-design process was emphasised, which is something that should be considered by ethics committees. Overall, all participants indicated that they enjoyed the co-design process and that such approaches should be considered when developing smart device apps. Following the co-design process, the smart device app has entered a second stage of development.

Citation

Hodson, T., Gustafsson, L., Shirota, C., Brough, R., Thompson, A., Geraghty, T., & Torrisi‑Steele, G. (2025). ‘I went home not feeling prepared from the outset’: Describing the co‑design of a technological solution to address gaps in the transition from hospital to home for people with acquired brain injury. Brain Impairment, 26(4), IB25006. https://doi.org/10.1071/IB25006

Project

SEED PROJECT: Development of the ROBIN (Returning hOme after Brain INjury) smart device application

Authors

Tim Geraghty

Professor and Director

Louise Gustafsson

Professor

Tenelle Hodson

Rachel Brough