The emergence of various digital channels, the development of different devices and the change in the way we communicate and carry out various types of services have quickly grown and continues to grow. This may offer both new opportunities for inclusion and risks for creating new barriers in the society. In a recent study we have explored the questions: Is the society digitally accessible for persons with mental disabilities? How do persons with mental disabilities cope with their situation? What are the benefits and obstacles they face? Based on the answers to these questions we wanted to explore if there is a digital divide between the citizens in general and the citizens with mental disabilities. And if so; what is the nature of this divide? Methods used in the study were Participatory action research oriented with data collection via research circles. In total over 100 persons participated. The results show that a digital divide is present. Persons with mental disabilities differ from citizens in general in how they have access to digital resources. The result also indicates that services and systems on a societal scale do not deliver the expected efficiency when it comes to supporting citizens with mental disabilities. And finally the results indicate that the special needs this group might have are often not identified in wider surveys on the citizen's use of Internet, digital services and use of different technical devices. Several of the participants describe this as being left outside and not fully participate in a society where digital presence is considered a prerequisite for a full citizenship.

Persons with cognitive or mental disabilities have difficulties participating in or are excluded from IT development and assessments exercises due to the problems finding good ways to efficiently collaborate on equal terms. In this paper we describe how we worked closely together with persons that have mental and cognitive disabilities in order to test and develop methods for participation in assessments and in processes for developing, Information and Communication Technology (ICT) products and services. More than 100 persons with mental and cognitive disabilities participated in the study (people with diagnoses such as depression, anxiety disorder, bipolarity, and schizophrenia). To explore the conditions for a more equal and fair participation we have developed and elaborated a set of methods, tools and approaches. By combining scientific research methods with well-established methods for empowerment and participation we have developed methods that are cost effective and that easily can be incorporated in existing processes. We believe that our approach have taken steps to implement possibilities for persons with mental and cognitive disabilities to take part where user participation is needed in order not to discriminate or exclude but also to improve the overall quality of the end result. The results clearly show that it is possible to include persons with mental and cognitive disabilities. A mixed method -- mixed tool approach can increase the possibility for participation. The results also show that the quality of the analysis phase increases if the collaborative approach is extended to also embrace the data analysis phase.

 The purpose of this study was to identify and synthesize measures for accessibility to electronic communication for people with cognitive disabilities by seeking answers to the following research questions: What measures to make electronic  communication accessible to people with cognitive disabilities are evaluated and reported in the scientific literature? What documented effects do these measures have? Empirical studies describing and assessing cognitive accessibility measures were identified by searches of 13 databases. Data were extracted and methodological quality was assessed. Findings were analyzed and recommendations for practice and research were made. Twenty-nine articles with considerable variations in studied accessibility measures, diagnoses, methods, outcome measures, and quality were included. They address the use of Internet, e-mail, telephone, chat, television, multimedia interfaces, texts and pictures, operation of equipment, and entering of information. Although thin, the current evidence base indicates that the accessibility needs, requirements, and preferences of people with cognitive disabilities are diverse. This ought to be reflected in accessibility guidelines and standards. Studies to systematically develop and recommend effective accessibility measures are needed to address current knowledge gaps.

Författarna har under perioden oktober 2013 – februari 2014 genomfört en systematisk kunskapsöversikt av utvärderade och rapporterade empiriska studier av tillgänglighet till elektronisk kommunikation för personer med kognitiva funktionshinder som inte publicerats vetenskapligt. Resultatet av denna studie presenteras på ett förenklat sätt i denna rapport.

We propose the collaborative activity of mapping design patterns against stakeholder values as a viable method for grounding conceptual design of information and communication technology (ICT) services for heterogeneous sets of stakeholders. Preliminary experiences from designing a case book service for video-mediated gastro-medical team meetings are presented. A diverse set of stakeholders and the challenge to apply novel technologies in a demanding environment have placed more responsibility on the Human Computer Interaction (HCI) team to conceptualise new work practices and their expected effects than what traditional participatory design projects typically entail. By combining the methodologies of genre analysis and pattern languages, design pattern maps have been used to conceptualise solutions that span both work and interface aspects of the solution and that match declared values of the stakeholders concerned. A series of mapping sessions with different stakeholders helped the inter-disciplinary project team to better define, what stakeholder values called for what new work patterns and what kind of supporting interaction design patterns these new work patterns in turn called for.

Författarna har under perioden januari till augusti 2013 genomfört en systematisk kunskapsöversikt av vetenskapligt utvärderade och rapporterade empiriska studier av tillgänglighet till elektronisk kommunikation för personer med kognitiva funktionshinder. Resultaten av denna studie presenteras på ett förenklat sätt i denna rapport.

Among those involved in human-computer interaction (HCI) and user-centred design (UCD) the idea of co-design mainly applies to the software developer organisation and the users. In mainstream HCI research and in the literature only a few attend to the co-creation that occurs between IT acquirers and either users or software developers. Interaction design is central when it comes to designing a system that shows a high degree of use quality; often the interaction designer is working at the IT department and thus is 'owned' by the developers. This paper describes a case study of how procurers and interaction designers view the procurement process, the intention being to inform and improve the way that co-design is performed among procurers and developers. The study is conducted in an organisation that chose to include the interaction design competence as part of the software acquisition organisation; we look at how different actors in the organisation view interaction design and how interaction design contributes to the software acquisition process. The interaction designers wish to work with more experienced procurers who know what they want. The procurers, on the other hand, want more control over the initial process, but are worried about how to present their requirements to the IT developers.

Researchers in Human-Computer Interaction have worked together with physicians to specify and create prototypes of a system to be used primarily during multi-disciplinary team meetings. Physicians will use the system to aggregate and present relevant patient information during discussions on diagnosis and treatment, and also to coordinate the cases during the patient care pathway. In this paper we present the cooperative design process and activities conducted within the project. The results are two-fold; we report on the progress of creating the decision-supportive system, and describe how the physicians experience the design process. The design activities have made the physicians reflect on: the lack or loss of patient information, how patient information can be improved, break-downs in their work process, how they learn from each other, and the design methodology itself.