“In the Only House in the Whole World but Everyone Doing the Same” Co-designed Animation as a Method of Critical Enquiry to Explore HCI Considerations for Remote Eating Disorder Support

The COVID-19 pandemic accelerated the shift to remote support for Eating Disorders (ED), necessitating innovative integration of digital technologies. The RHED-C (Remote Healthcare for Eating Disorders throughout COVID-19) project builds upon insights from the pandemic to enhance future remote care. Co-designed animation was used as an ethnographic method, capturing experiences of support recipients. Creative workshops generated ideas and guided script/storyboard creation. Unique challenges to the application of animation were unveiled, emphasising careful visual representation of EDs, with a focus towards abstract representation and audio. The animation features voiceovers exclusively by individuals with lived experience. The implications of animation in this space are two-fold: Firstly, as an impactful way to disseminate findings beyond academia, raising awareness of remote support advantages and challenges. Secondly, as an inclusive approach capturing diverse forms of expression and individual preference. An accompanying documentary details the process, advocating for responsible application of co-designed animation in HCI research.