Peer-reviewed research paper

Utilizing ritual in the design of information spaces for the cognitively impaired

Research paper by: Dr. D. Grant Campbell, University of Western Ontario, Faculty of Information and Media Studies

Monday March 26 2007, 2:00 - 2:45PM

This paper examines the potential relevance of ritual in the design of information resources for users suffering from cognitive impairments, particularly Alzheimer's Disease. Using examples that show how patients with cognitive disabilities respond to metaphors, symbols and religious rituals, the analysis suggests that ritual, with its emphasis on repetition and process, its use of symbols that appeal to multiple senses, its themes of plenitude and abundance, and its dialogic relationship between believer and deity, provides clues to the ways in which information systems could be designed to facilitate comprehension and access by those suffering from dementia.