Co-design for conceptual spaces: an agile design methodology for m-learning

M-learning tools function in a number of different spaces, including physical contexts (visiting, at home, at work, etc.), and application areas (location-based information, communication, in-situ recording, etc). We have been exploring m-learning tools that operate in a conceptual space, in our case mobile tools to assist nursing students on placement. These tools are required to connect the user’s placement experience with the competency models required by the nursing professional bodies and National Health Service. Designing for conceptual spaces requires developers to work closely with domain specialists in order to model the space correctly, and to create functionally valuable tools. In this paper we present an agile co-design approach to developing mobile tools, which focuses on the requirements and analysis stage. This is largely ignored in current methodologies although it is critical for mobile systems working in conceptual spaces. We demonstrate the use of this methodology through the case study of our nursing placement project.