New product to manage urinary incontinence - would you be willing to share your experiences, and your opinion on product concepts?

[Ginger_]

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 [e-mail].

Many thanks

Jemma

[Iupiter]

Hello Jemma! Great to learn that someone is trying to further improve the lives of those suffering from incontinence. I am a male so not a candidate for your research. However, any thoughts on if your technology/product could be applicable for males with this affliction?

Thank you

[Ginger_ in reply to Iupiter]

Hi Lupiter, thanks for your comment. I'm hoping to design a unisex product if possible so the answer is yes! Would you be interested in taking part in the research?