Communication is difficult when people do not attach the same meaning to a word, or perhaps only partially know what something means. It certainly helps to choose an IT partner with the necessary experience in healthcare. But even then: be aware that an IT specialist may think he knows the jargon, but that it may ultimately mean something else. Therefore, always write out abbreviations in full or provide a living glossary.
The last and most important good practice is to ensure direct contact between developers and end users. Whether they are employees of a healthcare organization or patients/clients: it only really comes to life for developers when they speak to the target group and see them in action. Then they can empathize much better with their wishes and needs. And sometimes also with their limitations and possibilities.
I found it very useful to get to know the end users. There I saw that in practice it is just a little bit different than how people talked about it and how it was described. Furthermore, it gave me a lot of energy hospital email database to see who I was doing it all for. – Geert van der Ploeg, developer for our customer 's Heeren Loo
A good example of this is JIP van 's Heeren Loo: the internet portal that we developed for people with an intellectual disability. It was only when our developers saw these people working with a first version of the portal that it really came to life for them. It not only created more understanding, but also motivation. Precisely because they could see how the software they developed could really help this target group.
Hierarchy can be a challenge
It sounds logical. Why wouldn't you put developers and end users together in one room? In practice, however, it is not at all so obvious in healthcare. Healthcare institutions are often not flat organizations: people in top management make decisions for colleagues on the work floor. Of course, this is always well-intentioned, but it is incredibly difficult to properly assess what someone else needs. No matter how well you think you know that person or group of people.