Inside a digital experiment: Co-producing telecare services for older people

The problem of the user remains central to information systems research and practice, more so given the importance now given to user-led innovation. Telecare is a muchvaunted example of e-enabled health and social care which, over the past decade or more has received considerable policy attention and investment in Europe and beyond. However, it appears that the technological opportunities offered have not been taken-up in everyday practice and that the engagement of users-service providers and end users-has been identified as a major barrier. This article presents the experience of a European level project that sought to use a form of co-production to engage users in the development of a telecare system for older people. The outcome was a platform with infrastructural properties and a service-orientated architecture better able to support subsequent innovation in use.