Injection and drug delivery devices
Plan realistic simulated-use environments to capture the data needed to improve outcomes for your users
We have extensive experience conducting research with a wide range of injection and drug delivery devices. Attention to logistics, thoughtful product and research study design, and iterative user testing of designs can help mitigate user-related risk with these devices.
healthcare and med device research & design engagements
med device, pharma, and medtech companies
years of injection device research experience
%
of our healthcare projects
Considerations for injection and drug delivery devices
Clinical and home use
In clinical settings, delivery device design must account for variable workflows. Most often for home use, untrained use cases must be accounted for.
Form-factor design
Medication delivery and training
Create clarity around injection hold times and any necessary reconstitution procedures.
Instructions for Use
Regulatory guidance
We work with your team to account for all research logistics and answer all simulated use environment-related questions like:
Are you using a placebo or live drug?
Do you need refrigerated storage?
What type of injection pad should be used?
Does the research team have needle safety training?
Is there a first aid kit in the test room?
We partner with you to understand possible areas of interest including:
Injection site and angle
Drug volume and viscosity
Plunger or flange design
Storage and packaging design
Dose and drug differentiation
Design of instructions for use
Training
If training is required, consider decay timing and clinical vs. layperson training differences.
Available resources in a real-world scenario (e.g., help line, tutorial videos) should be available upon request.
Package design and testing
Clearly communicate
Primary (e.g, tray), and secondary (e.g, box) packaging, as well as Quick Start guides and IFUs, collectively communicate device functionality.
Test early and often
Iterative testing can inform layout, design, and language of packaging. Conducting this testing early in the development process is recommended.
Differentiate design
Packaging is important to dose and drug differentiation, particularly in the pharmacy. Elements such as use of color, shape, and text, should be tested to ensure that differentiation errors are minimized.
Validate
At minimum, new packaging and labeling designs should be validated with respect to differentiation. Even minor changes can impact potential for medication errors.
Pharmacy sim-lab
Ensure fidelity of the test environment by incorporating stocked shelves, pharmacy bags, prescription labels, and even testing with dyads (both techs & PharmDs).
We incorporate multiple strategies to encourage natural use behavior for simulated drug delivery. Each user group operates a device in different settings, requiring different environments to put them in their natural state during testing.
Realistic injection locations
Manikins can be used as patients for caregivers and HCPs. Injection pads should be used for patients, which they can place on their thigh, arm, or abdomen depending on their current practice or expectation based on instructional materials.
Injection site
Participants select their preferred injection site prior to placing an injection pad.
Supplies match actual use
Provide gloves, alcohol swabs, hand sanitizer, cotton balls, trash can, sharps container, etc.
Provide context
Deepen understanding of realistic scenario, e.g., ask HCPs to imagine a patient is in the waiting room or to prepare an injection as they would in their office.
Refrigeration
Cold storage affects viscosity and handling and should be incorporated into protocols.
Prescribing scenario
For patients, providing context by simulating a prescribing scenario encourages realistic behavior.
5 tips to mitigate use-related risk for pre-filled syringes and other injection devices
With years of experience conducting human factors research with injection devices, we wanted to share some data-driven insights to those involved in the product development for these devices. We have pulled together five research and design tips to mitigate use-related risk for injection devices.
Featured case studies
Explore our experience with pre-filled syringes and injection devices
A pharmaceutical manufacturer sought to explore the ideal customer journey for a new connected wearable medication delivery system.
A pharmaceutical company sought to understand how people with diabetes use technology to manage their disease.
A medical device manufacturer sought to evaluate the usability and safety of the patch pump and training with potential patients and healthcare providers.
Medical device insights
The time for a better UX in digital therapeutics is now
If history has shown that payer behavior tends to shift once a critical mass has been achieved, and we are on the precipice of achieving that critical mass for digital therapeutics, having a “user friendly solution” is about to replace “having a reimbursable solution” as the #1 factor affecting physician prescribing behavior.
The time for a better UX in digital therapeutics is now
If history has shown that payer behavior tends to shift once a critical mass has been achieved, and we are on the precipice of achieving that critical mass for digital therapeutics, having a “user friendly solution” is about to replace “having a reimbursable solution” as the #1 factor affecting physician prescribing behavior.
