FRIDA, a Framework for Software Design, Applied in the Treatment of Children with Autistic Disorder

Gustavo Eduardo Constain Moreno (), César A. Collazos, Susana Bautista and Fernando Moreira
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Gustavo Eduardo Constain Moreno: Escuela de Ciencias Básicas, Tecnología e Ingeniería, Universidad Nacional Abierta y a Distancia, Popayán 190001, Colombia
César A. Collazos: Facultad de Ingeniería Electrónica y Telecomunicaciones, Universidad del Cauca, Popayán 190001, Colombia
Susana Bautista: Escuela Politécnica Superior, Universidad Francisco de Vitoria, 28223 Pozuelo de Alarcón, Spain
Fernando Moreira: REMIT, IJP, Universidade Portucalense, 4200-072 Porto, Portugal

Sustainability, 2022, vol. 14, issue 21, 1-21

Abstract: The “FRIDA” framework is a guide for the agile development of accessible software for users with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD), as a tool for strengthening emotional and social skills in the treatment of autism. It is based on the use of accessible software for the development of emotional and social skills, and designed with a focus on the user with intellectual disabilities. A mixed quasi-experimental study is carried out with three focus groups: children with ASD, expert therapists in ASD treatments and software designers adapting the Design Thinking model for the co-creation of the functional characteristics of the software and its use in therapies. The findings and results show that using FRIDA facilitates the agile design of accessible apps by reducing their development time by 94% and increasing their usability level by more than 90%. This facilitates the treatment of people with ASD, especially in the development of emotional self-recognition skills and social adaptation. The experience applied collaborative design thinking models and agile software design methodologies, articulating knowledge between software developers, therapists, and families of users with ASD. Users were characterized separately, and the functionalities required for the software that would be developed and linked in the treatment of autism were identified.

Keywords: autism spectrum disorder; emotional skills; framework; human centered design; recommendations for accessible designs (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: O13 Q Q0 Q2 Q3 Q5 Q56 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2022
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