title: The design of neonatal incubators: a systems-oriented, human-centered approach.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  This report describes a multidisciplinary design project conducted in an academic setting reflecting a systems-oriented, human-centered philosophy in the design of neonatal incubator technologies.
  
  
  METHODS
  Graduate students in Architectural Design and Human Factors Engineering courses collaborated in a design effort that focused on supporting the needs of three user groups of incubator technologies: infant patients, family members and medical personnel. Design teams followed established human-centered design methods that included interacting with representatives from the user groups, analyzing sets of critical tasks and conducting usability studies with existing technologies.
  
  
  RESULTS
  An iterative design and evaluation process produced four conceptual designs of incubators and supporting equipment that better address specific needs of the user groups.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  This report introduces the human-centered design approach, highlights some of the analysis findings and design solutions, and offers a set of design recommendations for future incubation technologies.
authors.affiliation: Center for Health Systems and Design, Texas A&M University, College Station, TX 77843-3131, USA. tferris@tamu.edu
authors.forename: T K
authors.initials: TK
authors.lastname: Ferris
authors.forename: M M
authors.initials: MM
authors.lastname: Shepley
mesh_terms: D004867:Equipment Design; D006804:Ergonomics; D006801:Humans; D007186:Incubators, Infant; D013597:Systems Analysis