Student designing new product - would you be willing to help?

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Hi everyone,

I'm a mature student completing my final year of the Industrial Design BA degree after a previous career as a human rights lawyer, and have set myself a brief for my Major Project (like a dissertation) to design an inclusive and sustainable urinary incontinence product for collecting urine and/or preventing leaks as a more inclusive, sustainable and empowering/stigma-busting alternative to absorbent pads and underwear, and pessaries. I hope after completing my degree in May to further develop this product and bring it to market.

Input from people experiencing symptoms is vital to help me design the product that’s needed! I’m looking for people with female anatomy who experience urinary incontinence (of any type) to attend a research session with me (in person in/near London or online, as is convenient for you) to take part in a 60-minute session comprising:

1. A 1:1 interview (20-30 minutes) with me to discuss your experience of living with urinary incontinence. Questions will cover the impact of symptoms on your life, products you have used and your opinion of them, your interactions with healthcare, and what products you wish existed. Any questions / topics you would prefer not to discuss will be skipped without question.

2. An informal discussion (30-40 minutes) giving your verbal feedback on the product concept ideas and physical prototypes I have developed so far, including what you like, dislike, and any suggestions you have for how they could be improved. You will not be asked to fit or attempt to use the prototypes; you will only be asked to handle, look at, and, if you are happy to, externally demonstrate fitting the prototypes over your clothing.

If you wish to participate, there will also be 1 - 2 further 30-minute sessions later in Spring to give verbal feedback again on the next iterations of the prototypes.

I'd really appreciate your input. If you are interested in taking part in this, please email me at 1818451@brunel.ac.uk.

Many thanks

Jemma

 

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Unfortunately I have male anatomy. But I wish you well in your project.

 

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I realize that incontinence is more prevalent in women than men so you see a lot of projects and interviews focusing on women but many people seem to forget that it can affect men as well

 

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I would be up for that

 

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Thanks everyone for your replies. @PatRnFl @DPCARE I'm hoping to design a unisex product ultimately -- would you be interested in taking part in the study?

 

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keep me informed

 

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I'd be happy to help out.

 

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My incontinence wear is claimed to be unisex. It works well for me. I would like to help if I can. My only problem is that I am paralysed and housebound. I have a suprapubic catheter which makes my incontinence issues different from those of many other readers.

 

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Hi @JQ_
Your project sounds like it's very well thought out and you've identified a real need for it. So there is a big market that will become even more evident the deeper you get into it.
As I'm a male, I probably would not qualify initially. But if this blossoms into something both genders can use then please count me in!
But regardless, I wish you well in carrying out your plans and great success!!!

 

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Thanks very much @BarrySimpson94 and @billliveshere for offering to help with my study, I'm really grateful for your support and input! I'm waiting for approval from our university research ethics team to include male participants in my study, and will get back in touch to arrange a chat as soon as that's approved.

 

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@billliveshere @BarrySimpson94 thanks for your patience. I've now had university research ethics approval to expand my study and interview male participants too - are you available sometime next week for a video call interview? If you're still happy to take part, please could you send me a direct message with an email address for me to send over more information? Thanks!