This case study examined the power dynamics between patients, healthcare professionals and family members during participatory design workshops held in four countries. Using participant observation, recordings and facilitator interviews, we analysed the workshops with French and Raven’s Bases of Power framework. Each stakeholder group brought a distinct type of power to the design process, shaping whose voice was heard and how decisions were made.
What was the context of our study?
Adopting digital health requires engagement from patients, healthcare professionals and family members. Participatory design lets these stakeholders co-create tools together, but the relationships between them influence the power dynamics in the room and, ultimately, the design itself.
What did we do?
We explored a series of participatory design workshops with patients, healthcare professionals and family members in four countries. Data were collected through participant observation, recordings and interviews with facilitators, and analysed using French and Raven’s Bases of Power framework.
What did we find?
Each stakeholder group held distinct types of power that affected the design process:
- Patients: Referent and informational power, drawn from their lived experience.
- Healthcare professionals: Expert and legitimate power, linked to their knowledge and formal role.
- Family members: At times, coercive or reward power over the discussion.
Why is this important?
Recognising these dynamics helps facilitators design fairer workshops in which every participant’s perspective counts. This leads to digital health tools that reflect the needs of everyone who will use them, not only the most influential voices.
Reference
Giunti G, Mylonopoulou V, Rivera-Romero O, Isomursu M. Power Dynamics Analysis of Participatory Design in Digital Health Research: Case Study. Studies in Health Technology and Informatics. 2025;328:454–458. https://doi.org/10.3233/SHTI250760