Exploring and understanding the ‘experience’ in experience-based codesign: a state-of-the-art review

Enhancing user and provider experience are central tenets of value-based healthcare. Gaining access to personal and distinct experiential knowledge is the first stage of an experience-based codesign (EBCD) approach, underpinning the second stage of codesigned improvement: the codesign itself. This state-of-the-art review synthesised the evolving scope and nature of methods to gather experiential knowledge reported in the EBCD literature. Fifty-three of 64 (83%) scholarly EBCD articles reviewed were published since 2017. Methods are evolving to promote inclusivity of diverse user groups and move more rapidly to codesign. However, omitted steps in the methodology undermined fulfilment of core principles of the EBCD approach which may diminish its value as an accepted form of codesign. Experiential knowledge is crucial for designing user-centred health care. The challenge lies in making healthcare experience methods accessible. This review provides guidance on key steps in the first stage of the EBCD approach and modifications that may overcome barriers while upholding core principles and meeting the objectives of the inquiry.