Engaging Engineering Students in User-Centered Healthcare Design: Towards a Workshop-Based Approach to Teaching UX Principles.

Abstract

This paper presents an iterative, workshop-based educational approach for introducing software engineering students to user-centered design (UCD) and user experience (UX) principles in the context of healthcare software development. Conducted over two years within an eHealth course at the University of Western Macedonia, the approach evolved from traditional lectures to interactive workshops informed by Kolb's Experiential Learning Model. Initial sessions focused on foundational UX concepts and their relevance to healthcare applications, revealing strong student interest but limited practical engagement. Subsequent iterations incorporated team-based activities, including persona development, journey mapping, wireframe design, and value communication. Qualitative feedback and project outcomes suggest that this approach improved students' appreciation for UCD methods and their ability to integrate user insights into design. Future work aims to expand the curriculum, incorporating additional experiential learning cycles and evaluating its long-term impact on student competency in healthcare-focused UX and UCD practices.