24-04-2018
In the database, this interview can be found as: Audio_Interview_24-04-2018_Gerd_InitiationInterview
Description: In this initiation interview, the second contact was established between the researcher and the potential participant, in which primarily the challenges caused by autism were discussed. The interview approximately takes 15 minutes. As stated, the main topic discussed is the challenges that are caused by autism in the life of Gerd. However, collateral information is collected as well in order to place Gerd’s future feedback in better context. Conversation Course: In the interview, Gerd immediately start with discussing in what way autism causes him to experience challenges. Firstly, Gerd explains that it often obstructs him when he needs to leave his apartment. He often does not pay attention when he needs to leave his apartment and then problems occur.
Subsequently, some demographic data is given. Gerd’s highest education degree obtained is VMBO-T, which is the highest Dutch level of vocational education. While discussing the demographic data, one of the rainbow lights turns on, that was planned by Gerd in the interface. Gerd immediately remarks that the rainbow light is not brightening up long enough. He points out that, in his vision, the duration of the rainbow light can even be doubled or lasts for 10 seconds more. He says: “Overkill is better than underkill”. To continue with the interview, the researcher asks about the facility where Gerd is staying. In Dutch, it is called Beschermd wonen, which is literally translated to Protected Living. It basically means that Gerd is living semi-independently with a supervisor available if needed. When asked a possible profession, Gerd states that he currently without a job, as he stays at the
Dagbesteding. Again, a Dutch term that refers to a daily occupation that people with cognitive disabilities often need to participate in in order to receive social securities. Gerd also explains that he is searching for a so-called leerwegtraject. This is some sort of an educational course.
Subsequently, the researcher asks about activities that have proven to be problematic for Gerd. The researcher was prompted to ask this, because during the first meeting on the 19th of April, Gerd failed to give full disclosure on this topic and responded to the question
with: “we will find out”. This time, Gerd gives some disclosure, though. He explains that he has difficulties with getting somewhere on time, prioritizing things and adhering to
agreements in general, such as adhering to appointments made.
The researcher then asks if Gerd has already been using any prior application that can help him with overcoming these challenges. However, he has only been using the agenda on his mobile phone. This often does not work as he tends to forget to look up appointments that he put in his agenda. Afterwards, the researcher addresses a question that was previously asked by Gerd the Friday before: what will happen with the system after
completion of the project? Gerd then confirms that he hopes that the system is the small extra push that helps him to conduct the to be conducted activities.
The following topic discussed again discusses the living context of Gerd. It becomes apparent that Gerd is living there with multiple people with a shared kitchen and a shared bathroom. Subsequently, Gerd returns to a question asked earlier about prior applications that have helped him with attention and organization in the past. He explains that he has used an application that has helped him before with organizing his finances and then he shows an application that did not have anything to do with attention and organization, but what he rather just wished to show the researcher.
The next question is then raised by the researcher. It is asked what a typical day of Gerd looks like. Gerd explains that he stays at the Dagbesteding from 11:00 to 16:00. Afterwards, he does his daily groceries. In the evening, he often catches up with friends where they switch cooking chores. Subsequently, the supervision of Gerd is discussed. He has his own personal supervisor that he meets once a week for one hour. Aside his personal supervisor, he receives support from his parents that help him with organization and
attention. Subsequently, the researcher receives permission from Gerd to get in contact with his supervisor. He does not, however, gets permission to get in contact with his parents. Interesting Points: In the interview, it is clearly clarified that Gerd is limited because of the autism. The biggest challenges experienced by him are problems with being somewhere on time, prioritizing and adhering to agreements made. The latter would be demonstrated by Gerd himself as he failed to show up on a meeting planned the next Monday. He told the researcher that he had no recollection of a planned meeting, even though the meeting had most definitely been planned and was even mentioned a couple of times in the days prior to the meeting.
The challenges caused by autism also influence the social behaviour of Gerd, which can make the co-design process quite problematic. It has already become quite clear that pragmatism and flexibility are two terms that need to be considered whilst co-creating with Gerd. The problems with social interaction has already become clear during the first
interaction the Friday before, a meeting that was accompanied by Shireen. In that meeting, Gerd expressed his discontent with the fact that he had troubles with flirting with girls and he felt bad for still being a virgin, expressions that would not have been made if Gerd had understood the inappropriateness of it in this social context.