Effects-driven IT development in a Clinical and Technological context

The project is researching the problems arising when the healthcare domain and software vendor combine their efforts to develop new IT solutions. The goal is to develop methods allowing the healthcare domain to focus on conceptual requirements instead of a rigid and formal functional specification. It is the hypothesis that the involved end-users become empowered by allowing exemplary concepts form their professional experience as a basis for design. Effects are interpreted in the clinical perspective as the project focuses on the gathering and transformation of information into clinical knowledge and actions. Empirical research is incorporated in the development of the methods to measure and document effects regarding the different aspects of empowerment of either patients or healthcare professionals (doctors and nurses). Experiments are carried out “in situ” on the IT solutions developed incorporating the effects driven methodology.The research questions are focused on 1 and 3: How can methods for measuring effects be developed? How can effects specific to the clinical work process be related to overall strategic and political goals? How can Clinical IT projects be based on Effects-driven contracts? What does Effects-driven contracting entail with regard to organizational consequences, practices for cooperation, development of tools and techniques, and so forth?