User requirements 102

Initially, a small number of interviews involving a coach, a wheelchair mechanic, and a wheelchair rugby athlete, who was also a wheelchair manufacturer representative for Australia and New Zealand, were performed. From these focused discussions, insight was gained on the main issues surrounding sports wheelchair technology and development. Additionally, potential sample groups for data collection and research partners were identified. Subsequently, a focus group was held at the Victorian Institute of Sports (VIS) with Paralympic level athletes across the wheelchair sports disciplines of basketball, racing and tennis. This was done with the aim of identifying experienced athletes’ comprehension of direction of improvement towards wheelchair sports equipment. From this research, the need of focusing on equipment customisation for prediction of performance based on current wheelchair equipment was evident. Knowledge collected from the focus group allowed comprehension on the specific performance parameters relevant to the different sports, drills, and wheelchair design parameters of interest for functional customisation and performance prediction. This data allowed the design of a sport-and-user specific questionnaire, which was designed as an online survey. The online survey was designed with the aim of capturing International input in characterising wheelchair rugby performance. The Survey link was sent as an invitation for research participation to the main national teams participating in Paralympic wheelchair rugby worldwide. As of March 1, 2009 there were 30 countries listed on the IWRF world rankings, 23 of them participating in wheelchair rugby at a professional level [12]. The survey targeted primarily the top eight countries in the International Wheelchair Rugby Federation (IWRF) 2009 world rankings; in which USA and Australia were first and second respectively at the time [12]; participating teams of the 2008 Beijing

Paralympic games were also targeted. The Paralympic games wheelchair rugby event is a mixed 8-team tournament. The athlete quota for Beijing 2008 event was 88 to 96 male and female athletes [100].

The online surveyed sample (n=75) comprised men and women actively involved in wheelchair rugby; 92.2% of surveyed sample were either athletes or athletes and coaches. The remaining 7.8% were classified in the categories of ‘other’, which was comprised specifically by wheelchair mechanics, manufacturers, game officials or zone president. The majority of athletes were male (94.4%) and age groups were identified as 44.4% for the age bracket of 30-40 years of age, followed by 37% in the 20-30 bracket, and 11.1% in the 40-50 years of age bracket. Further, 34.7% of the input received was from international elite level athletes and coaches.

The surveyed sample was recruited via International wheelchair rugby forums; priority was given to the Americas and Oceania zones on the IWRF Rugby discussion forums as well as the USQRA general and national team forums. Other participants were recruited through circulated club emails or head coaches suggestions. The survey had 82.7% input from athletes and coaches of the top eighth 2009 world ranked countries and 61.33% from the top 2 ranked countries with 32% from USA, and 29.33% from Australia.

A key component of this survey was a user assessment of anthropometric fit and performance requirements of rugby wheelchair equipment encompassing the three categories of rugby wheelchairs (low, mid, and high point chairs). The information provided in the survey for assessment was drawn from the available sports wheelchairs literature, the IWRF wheelchair configuration rules, key manufacturers datasheets, and the qualitative data gathered through the interviews and focus group.

Findings from the survey recognized seventeen valid user requirements as a subjective feel-based indication of product qualities of interest for rugby wheelchair configuration for the three main wheelchair types. Some wheelchair qualities such as stability or safety; and configuration requirements such as footrest height, seat height, etc., had previously been defined for daily wheelchairs in various ISO 7176 standards series for wheelchairs [101, 102] as well as on various AS 3696 series [103, 104]. Due to the lack of standardized data specific to sports wheelchairs the majority some of the definitions and performance requirements were adapted to suit the assessment of rugby wheelchairs.

Findings from the survey in terms of user requirements (n=17) were then composed into a questionnaire for assessment by the Australian Paralympic wheelchair rugby team. A sample of 9 athletes (n=3 per classification group), were asked to rate in terms of importance each of the seventeen parameters, on a likert scale from 1 to 5; 1 (1=low rating). The ratings responded to the question of how important is the listed parameter to the game requirements of the participating athlete (classification specific). Subsequently, a second likert scale from 1 to 5 qualified the level of presence of the specific wheelchair quality in the athletes’ current chair (i.e. From 1-5 please qualify your wheelchair in terms of safety). Finally a third likert scale from 1 to 5 qualified the athlete’s perceived ideal level of the parameter to suit his specific game performance requirements. Table 3.1 presents the user requirements and assessment ratings for the high, mid and low pointer group of athletes. Please note IR=Importance rating, CR=Current chair rating and UI=User ideal rating. The collected values were averaged and grouped according to the main classification groups.

Table 3.1 Elite athletes assessment of wheelchair design requirements

Interpreted Need High Pointer Averages Mid Pointer Averages Low Pointer Averages IR CR UI IR CR UI IR CR UI

Manoeuvrability 4.33 2.67 4.33 3.29 3.33 4.33 3.00 3.25 4.00 Sharp and fast turning on spot 5.00 3.33 5.00 4.29 3.83 4.50 4.00 3.25 4.25 Dynamic stability 3.33 2.33 3.67 3.00 3.50 4.00 3.25 3.25 3.00

Accuracy 4.67 3.33 5.00 4.57 4.00 4.83 4.50 3.75 5.00

Efficient propulsion force 4.33 2.33 4.67 4.14 3.50 4.67 3.75 3.00 4.25 High speed 4.67 3.67 5.00 4.86 3.33 4.67 3.25 3.25 4.25 High acceleration 5.00 3.67 5.00 4.86 3.33 4.67 4.25 3.00 4.50 Design for endurance 3.67 3.00 4.33 3.86 3.67 4.17 4.50 4.25 4.75 Performance customized chair 4.00 3.67 4.67 3.86 3.33 4.83 4.75 3.50 4.75 Performance enhanced frame materials 2.50 4.00 5.00 2.33 3.40 3.80 3.25 2.00 3.50 Adjustment of backrest 4.00 3.67 4.67 3.86 3.50 4.00 4.00 3.25 4.00 Adjustment of seat 4.33 3.00 4.67 4.43 3.67 4.50 4.50 3.50 4.25 Adjustment of footrest 4.50 3.00 4.50 3.71 3.40 4.40 3.25 3.25 3.50 Comfortable seat upholstery 3.33 2.67 4.00 2.86 4.17 4.33 1.75 3.50 3.50 Non-slipping chair straps 4.67 2.00 4.67 3.71 3.50 4.17 3.75 3.50 4.75 Pressure of chair straps 3.00 3.00 3.67 3.00 3.50 4.17 2.50 3.25 3.75 Custom fitted chair for the athlete's body 4.33 3.33 4.67 4.29 3.83 4.67 4.50 3.75 4.50