Publications
From Pain Episodes To Next Care Moves: A Metaphor-Based Co-Design Toolkit
Under Review DIS 2026 Authors: Roya Rad, Graham Dove
Chronic pain involves ongoing care work that is hard to explain and easy to overlook. In remote one-on-one co-design sessions with 11 women living with fibromyalgia, we used a metaphor-based generative toolkit and a structured six-step procedure that moves from a recent pain episode to context, relationships, and a “next care move.” The resulting artifacts surface hidden work and unmet needs. We contribute the toolkit and procedure, seven findings drawn from cross-step traces, and five grounded design seed ideas for interaction design in chronic pain management and person-centered care.
Using Metaphor To Frame Care-Centered Design In The Context Of Chronic Pain
Under Review DIS 2026 Authors: Roya Rad, Graham Dove
This paper proposes a method for creating framing metaphors for chronic pain care design, operationalizing Dorst’s frame creation process. Drawing on co-design sessions with 11 women with fibromyalgia, we translate lived metaphors into generative prompts for design in chronic disease management and person-centered care. We contrast this approach with thematic analysis to show how different analytic lenses lead to different design directions.
Making/Unmaking with Metaphors: Generative Co-design with People Living with Chronic Pain
DIS 2025 Authors: Roya Rad, Graham Dove
This work-in-progress presents a Research through Design approach to communicating chronic pain beyond clinical metrics. We propose a multi-stage generative co-design workshop where participants explore metaphor through making and unmaking with physical materials. The goal is to surface new design insights for person-centered healthcare by supporting narrative building, emotional articulation, and self-advocacy. The outcomes will inform interactive systems that help patients, caregivers, and clinicians communicate with more clarity and empathy.
