Designing for Healthy Cognitive Ageing Project: Workplace Ethnographies Data, 2022-2023

The DesHCA research aimed to develop designs for homes that could support people as they age, including if they develop cognitive, physical and/or sensory challenges. As part of this effort, an understanding of the perspectives and experiences of professionals involved in delivering such homes was important, particularly to consider the challenges and facilitators in the process. To gain an authentic, immersive understanding of this, an ethnographic approach was used in housing provider/developer organisations. The ethnographies aimed to observe home developments in action, and the interactions of those involved, particularly how they facilitated or constrained home design.

Three workplace topic-oriented ethnographies were conducted, to examine the interactive processes involved in delivering projects producing age and cognitively supportive housing. Three researchers studied each of the sites, observing interactions and interviewing a small number of key individuals, spending time within the organisations and observing work practices and interactions in real time.

The archived data includes fieldnotes and transcribed interviews.