How can medical devices be developed to not only be safe and effective but also drive user acceptance?
When developing a medical device, the emphasis is often on making it mechanically sound, pharmacologically effective, and safe. But what about whether people actually want to use the product?
Engagement with a product - the way a user interacts, adopts, and continues to use it - is often overlooked, left to the unpredictable and chaotic combination of preferences and biases that comprise human behaviour.
At TTP, we design engagement into medical technologies from the outset. Because engagement isn’t just a feature - it’s fundamental to success. An engaged user is more likely to use their device correctly and consistently, leading to better health outcomes.
Our Design for Engagement framework helps us embed these considerations early in the development process, addressing the challenges that would otherwise undermine a product's effectiveness.
Our framework breaks down the process of engagement into four stages of use: Task Orientation, Intention, Action, and Completion. Each represents a critical touchpoint where a user may struggle or disengage.
By understanding all stages, we can design better products that actively support the user.
This is about knowing when and why to take medication. How does a user know it's time for a dose? We’ve found that people often rely on context cues, physiological signals, or third-party reminders. But what happens when these cues fail? For instance, someone working irregular hours may struggle to tie their medication to a daily routine. Understanding these challenges early in device development can guide creative solutions.
Once a user knows it’s time to act, they must also want to do so. Motivation can be intrinsic (such as personal satisfaction) or extrinsic (such as reducing pain or social embarrassment). At this stage, our role is to amplify intrinsic motivators while minimizing the barriers. For example, we design devices to be easy to use in social contexts, to allow users to maintain their autonomy and sense of dignity.
The third stage is about being able to perform the necessary steps. Whether it's taking a pill, administering an injection, or using an inhaler, there may be barriers to successful action: physical limitations, lack of privacy, or even environmental conditions like turbulence on an airplane. We predict these challenges and design solutions – such as intuitive interfaces or ergonomically optimized device shapes that reduce physical strain during use.
The final stage involves ensuring that the user knows the task is complete and that everything went as planned. Without clear confirmation, a user may take an extra dose or miss one entirely, risking their health. Effective feedback needs to be simple, unambiguous, and easily accessible, helping to close the loop and reinforce desired behaviours.
Designing for engagement brings a host of benefits to medical device development and ultimately translates into better patient outcomes. By focusing on how people use a device in the real world, we can create solutions that go beyond mere adherence.
Here’s what makes our approach different.
Early engagement research helps us predict and mitigate common usability issues. Rather than leaving engagement to chance, we take proactive steps - such as user testing and context-driven simulations - to uncover and solve potential problems before they threaten a product’s success.
Not everything can be fixed with design alone. For instance, someone’s work environment or disease that affects memory cannot simply be altered by the device they use. But understanding these realities allows us to design accommodations - such as incorporating reminders or automating repetitive tasks - that help users stay on track.
A key aspect of our framework is the holistic approach.
We balance the technical engineering requirements with the softer, human factors like social context, motivation and convenience. This is where our framework really shines - bridging the gap between technical functionality and the human experience to ensure that devices are not only efficient but also embraced by the people who use them.
Our focus is not just on adherence - which implies a degree of compliance or obligation - but on genuine engagement where users feel involved in their own care. An engaged patient isn’t just following instructions; they are actively participating in managing their health, confident in the technology they use. They trust it, understand it, and most importantly, want to use it.
For example, we emphasise the importance of identity in our designs. A user needs to feel that their medical device fits seamlessly into their life, without labelling them as “sick” or forcing them into uncomfortable situations. Devices that align with a user’s self-image are more likely to be accepted and used in the longer term.
Designing for engagement doesn’t happen by accident. Our Design for Engagement framework provides clients with a clear path from understanding user challenges to embedding design solutions in the development of their product. This reduces the likelihood of disengagement and ultimately improves health outcomes.
When we design for engagement, we’re creating products people want to use, that fit into their lives and empower them to manage their health. By integrating the human elements, we ensure that the technologies we develop are truly transformative for the people who rely on them.
From blank sheet to clinical reality, TTP's Drug Delivery Design and Development team creates ground-breaking solutions to solve the toughest drug delivery challenges. With deep engineering, human factors, and scientific expertise, we guide you through every stage of drug delivery device development - from early exploration to manufacturing and final launch. Backed by an extensive track record we expertly navigate constraints to develop robust, efficient, scalable devices - enabling the delivery of transformative therapies and enhanced patient experiences.
TTP's Drug Delivery team is part of our broader Medical Device Development Consulting team, consisting of 300+ engineers, scientists, and human factors specialists. For nearly four decades we've partnered with clients to develop impactful solutions, helping them achieve commercial success.
