COMPLEXITY HEALTH SECTOR DESIGN RESEARCH THROUGH BELINDA TOBIAS & OLIVIA KIRK DESIGN RESEARCH 2021 EXPLORING 

ABOUT ME... Bel Tobias ● Cofounder and Principal at Tobias ● Public and private sector ● Strategic Design and Research Researcher Hi, I’m 

HUMAN We practice CENTRED DESIGN 

ABOUT ME... Olivia Kirk ● Strategic Design and Research ● Public and private sector Researcher Hi, I’m 

6 OF COUNTRY ACKNOWLEDGEMENT 

Designing for COMPLEXITY 

RESEARCH DO FOR THE HEALTH SECTOR? WHAT CAN DESIGN 

AN INDIVIDUAL’S HEALTH JOURNEY OVER THEIR LIFETIME CAN BE DISJOINTED & DIFFICULT TO NAVIGATE 

So we needed to UNDERSTAND the interconnections of the ecosystem by looking at THE PROVIDERS, THE PRACTITIONERS & THE PATIENTS 

RESEARCH WE MUST BE ADAPTIVE IN 01 

Leave space to TAKE OPPORTUNITIES & make interesting pivots 

CONNECT 02 AUTHENTICALLY QUICKLY & 

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ARE WHERE INSIGHTS LIE 03 LIVED EXPERIENCES 

PROBLEM SPACE in more detail Through design research we can see the 

INCLUSIVITY TO DESIGN FOR INCLUSIVITY 04 WE MUST RECRUIT FOR 

DIFFICULT to find participants first Look for the more 

PERSPECTIVES SYSTEMS THINKING NEEDS MULTIPLE 05 

IMPROVEMENTS or Healthcare is an ecosystem & any INNOVATIONS need to consider all elements involved to work successfully 

CONTEXTUAL Consider LIMITATIONS 

CONTRADICTIONS BEWARE OF BIAS & ALLOW FOR 06 TO EMERGE 

OTHER PEOPLE’S biases than your It’s much easier to see OWN 

KEY TAKEAWAYS - To design for inclusivity, we must recruit for inclusivity - Systems thinking needs multiple perspectives - Beware of bias, and allow for contradictions to emerge - We must be adaptive in research - Connect quickly and authentically - Lived experiences are where the insights lie 

. DESIGN . . TO THRIVE .