Designing for Communication, Collaboration, and Coordination in Accessibility and Health

Abstract

Communication, collaboration, and coordination are fundamental to human interaction. As computing increasingly mediates these interactions, it is essential to address the sociotechnical challenges that arise in complex settings, such as accessibility (e.g., interactions among people with and without disabilities) and health (e.g., patients with chronic conditions collaborating with providers for care). This dissertation focuses on the design, implementation, and examination of two systems: (1) Jod, an accessible videoconferencing platform tailored to facilitate communication in mixed hearing groups, and (2) SCOPE, a technology-enhanced platform for collaborative care management for patients with cancer and depression. Grounded in the design and domain theories that informed the development of these feature-rich platforms, this work critically examines these systems through a sociotechnical lens. The complexities of settings like accessibility and health reveal a range of needs for communication, collaboration, and coordination, motivating sociotechnical systems that can adapt according to evolving social dynamics.