Alastair Macdonald
Alastair Macdonald
- Emeritus Professor
- ORCID
https://orcid.org/0000-0001-9282-6229- Professional Title
- Professor
- Job Title
- Emeritus Professor
- School or Academic Area
- School of Design
- School or Academic Area Supervised for
- School of Design
- A.Macdonald@gsa.ac.uk
- Professional Address
- 164 Renfrew Street, Glasgow, G3 6RF
- Country
- Scotland, UK
Biography
Designer by training, researcher by inclination.
Over 40 years' experience as a tutor and researcher embracing human factors, aesthetics, design for age, health and care. Research primarily conducted within inter- and trans-disciplinary teams, supported by competitive grants from UKRI, NIHR and charitable trusts.
Awarded a personal professorship in 2000 by the University of Glasgow for academic leadership and research at GSA.
Winner ‘Best Research’ category in the inaugural 2018 AHRC/Wellcome Health Humanities Awards.
Research Interests
Design-led and trans-disciplinary, mixed methods approaches for ageing, health and care-related research.
Grants
MOSAEC (Mobilising Scotland’s Assets in equitable ways for Epidemic Control). UKRI Epidemic Preparedness call. Ref: APP32101. £95,879. Co-I. 2024-25
PEOPLE: develoPing and Evaluating multi-faceted evidence-based interventions to prOmote Prudent antimicrobiaL use in community contExts. UKRI Transdisciplinary AMR Network grant. £649,620. Co-I. 2024-25
VIPVis (Veterinary Infection Prevention through Visualisation), AHRC Follow-on grant. Ref: AH/V001795/1. £99,477. PI. 2021
DA-VINCI: Developing a visual identification method for people with cognitive impairment in institutional settings. The Healthcare Improvement Studies Institute. Co-I. 2019-22
Ultrasonic Glasgow. Royal Society of Edinburgh. Arts and Humanities Small Grant. Ref: 58483. £7500. PI. 2018-19
AMRSim: A Microbial Reality Simulator for Veterinary Training and Practice. AHRC AMR Theme 3b grant. Ref: AH/R002088/1. £247,994. PI. 2017-19
HAIVAIRN: Healthcare Associated Infection Visualisation and Ideation Research Network. AHRC Network grant. Ref: AH/N006429/1. £29,264. Joint PI. 2016-17
CREATE: Collaborative Rehabilitation Environments in Acute STrokE: using co-production to improve patient carer and staff experiences in health care organizations: a multi-centre, mixed methods evaluation in inpatient stroke units. NIHR HS&DR - 13/114/95. £683,505. Co-I. 2016-19
VisionOn: The design and evaluation of a dynamic visualisation tool for use in staff training for the prevention of healthcare associated infections. AHRC Follow-on Fund. Ref: AH/M00628X/1. £73,000. PI. 2015-16
SEED: Supporting Excellence in End of life care in Dementia. NIHR Programme Grant. Ref: NIHR RP-PG-0611-20005. £1,927,020. Co-I. 2013-18
mappmal: multidisciplinary approach to develop a prototype for the prevention of malnutrition in older people: products, people, places and procedures. ESRC New Dynamics of Ageing Programme Grant. Ref: RES-354-25-0001. £1,351,764. Co-I. 2008-11
envisage: promoting physical independence by involving users in rehabilitation through dynamic visualisation of biomechanical data. MRC Lifelong Health and Wellbeing Grant. Ref: GO900583. £1,486,463. Co-I 2010-13
envision: innovation in envisioning dynamic biomechanical data to inform healthcare and design guidelines and strategy. ESRC New Dynamics of Ageing Programme. Ref: RES-352-25-0005. £130,000. PI. 2007-09
design+rehab: the use of design approaches to assist spinal cord injuries patients in daily living by using structured design approaches to tackle ‘wicked problems’. Research conducted jointly with the Queen Elizabeth National Spinal Injuries Unit in Glasgow, forming part of a larger nationwide project supported by the Royal Society of Arts and the Sylvia Adams Trust. £5,000. PI. 2011-12
age + japan: a number of small grants supporting research over 11 years into Inclusive approaches to design and technology to support healthcare provision for ageing and disabled populations. Great Britain Sasakawa Foundation (GBSF) Homes for an ageing population (2014, £1K): GBSF Butterfield Award, a 3-year programme for research exchange (2007-10, £12K). Japan Foundation Research Fellowship (2004, £10K), Royal Academy of Engineering, Global Research Award (2004, £1K). PI. 2004-14
vis-invis: visualising the invisible: developing innovative approaches to visualisation to help NHS staff prevent and control healthcare associated infections. AHRC/SFC, A Healthier Scotland initiative. Ref: HR 09032. £99,391. Co-I. 2011-12
ideal states: engaging patients in healthcare pathways through design methodologies. AHRC / EPSRC Designing for the C21st initiative. £50,000. PI. 2005
inclusiveCAD: Integration of biomechanical and psychological parameters of functional performance of older adults into a new CAD package for inclusive design. EPSRC EQUAL (Extending QUAlity of Life) initiative. Ref: GR/R26856/01. £390,000. Co-I. 2002-05
NB funding indicated represents total grant awarded to the study.
PGR Supervision Interests
Integrating design-led methods into transdisciplinary, mixed methods approaches for ageing, health and care-related research for thesis-based PhDs.
Current PGR Students
Jing Li: Exploring issues of loneliness in the elderly through participatory design methods: a comparative study of two elderly groups in Glasgow.
Shuzhong Wang: Exploring Narrative and Co-design Methods In the Social Care Decision-making Process for Older People.
Former PGR Students
Sondos M Rawas: Negotiating Cultural, Social and Spatial Differences in Cross-Cultural Domestic Interiors: The Case of Saudi Women Migrants in Glasgow. Sponsored by the Ministry of Higher Education in Saudi Arabia and the University of Jeddah. PhD, Completed 2021. Principal supervisor.
Gemma Wheeler: Reconciling traditional healthcare-related and design-based approaches to explore and enhance patient participation in spinal cord injury rehabilitation. AHRC Collaborative Doctoral Award with the Queen Elizabeth National Spinal Injuries Unit, Glasgow. PhD, Completed 2018. Principal supervisor.
Max Kleijberg: Studio DöBra : creating spaces for engaging with end-of-life issues and interacting across generations through community-based arts activities Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm. PhD, co-supervisor 2016 - 2018.
Helena Kjellgren: Not just things: the roles of objects at the end of life. Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm. PhD, co-supervisor 2015 - 2017.
Gayle Rice: Developing an interdisciplinary approach to design for, and evidence, the outcomes of young people and leaving care workers' experiences of conversations about leaving care. PhD, completed 2016. Principal supervisor.
Sandra Neves: Enjoy your meal: design tools and strategies to improve the post-stroke mealtime experience in rehabilitation. Funded by the Ministero da Ciencia, Tecnologia e Ensign Superior Fundacao para a Ciencia e a Tecnologia. PhD, Completed 2014. Principal supervisor.
Ji-Wei Wu: Improving the understanding of the innate abilities and coping strategies of visually impaired people (VIP): an analysis and modelling of the variables and their spatial navigational abilities. PhD, Completed 2014. Principal supervisor.
Andy McDonald: Craft customisation: an investigation into the use of generative systems and physical interfaces to develop co-design experiences that enhance the value of digitally printed textile products. PhD, Completed 2013. Principal supervisor.
David Loudon: Towards a design tool for visualizing the functional demand placed on older adults by everyday living tasks. PhD, Completed 2010. Principal supervisor.
Chris Lim: Age and generation effects: handling complex user interfaces and implications for inclusive design. PhD, Completed 2008. Principal supervisor.
As an external examiner, I have examined PhD theses in the UK, Denmark, Sweden and Holland and have convened PhD vivas at GSA.
Teaching
Taught in further education and at all levels in higher education including first year general, bachelor, integrated masters, postgraduate taught masters and postgraduate research programmes
Lecturer / senior lecturer in GSA's Product Design Engineering joint BEng/MEng programme with University of Glasgow for 7 years before becoming its GSA Head of Department from 1996 to 2006.
I have held external examiner posts for taught UG and PG programmes at: University of Dundee, Loughborough University, Sheffield Hallam University and Royal College of Art.
As visiting professor, I have taught in Milan, Bratislava, Trier, and Beppu and Kyoto in Japan
Latest Additions
- Macdonald, Alastair (2025) Cognitive Mapping: Enhancing Discussions in the Transdisciplinary Design and Health Research Space? The Design Journal: An International Journal for All Aspects of Design. ISSN 1460-6925 (print) 1756-3062 (online)
- Macdonald, Alastair S., Kuberska, Karolina, Stockley, Naomi and Fitzsimons, Bev (2023) Using experience-based co-design (EBCD) to develop high-level design principles for a visual identification system for people with dementia in acute hospital ward settings. BMJ Open, 13. e069352. ISSN 2044-6055
- Macdonald, Alastair, Poyade, Matthieu, Chambers, Mark, Trace, Christopher and McCorry, Orla (2023) The art of serious storytelling: using novel visual methods to engage veterinary practitioners in reducing infection risk during surgical preparation. In: Teaching, Research, Innovation and Public Engagement. New Paradigms In Healthcare . Springer, Cham, Cham, pp. 91-107. ISBN Hardcover 978-3-031-22451-5; Softcover 978-3-031-22454-6; eBook 978-3-031-22452-2
- Donetto, Sara, Jones, Fiona, Clarke, David J., Cloud, Geoffrey, Gombert-Waldron, Karolina, Harris, Ruth, Macdonald, Alastair, McKevitt, Christopher and Robert, Glenn (2021) Exploring liminality in the co-design of rehabilitation environments: The case of one acute stroke unit. Health and Place, 72 (2021). Art 102695. ISSN 1353-8292
- Clarke, D., Gombert-Waldron, K., Honey, S., Cloud, G., Harris, R., Macdonald, A., McKevitt, C., Robert, G. and Jones, F. (2021) Stroke care could be improved when patients, staff and researchers work together. National Institute for Health Research: Evidence.
- Neves, S., Macdonald, A., Poole, M. and Harrison Dening, K. (2021) Participatory Co-design: Approaches to Enable People Living with Challenging Health Conditions to Participate in Design Research. In: Perspectives on Design and Digital Communication II: Research, Innovations and Best Practices. Springer Series in Design and Innovation, 14 . Springer, Springer, Cham, pp. 193-216. ISBN 978-3-030-75867-7
- Clarke, D.J., Gombert-Waldron, K., Honey, S., Cloud, G.C., Harris, R., Macdonald, A.S., McKevitt, C., Robert, G. and Jones, F. (2021) Co-designing organisational improvements and interventions to increase inpatient activity in four stroke units in England; a mixed-methods process evaluation using Normalisation Process Theory. BMJ Open, 11 (1). e042723. ISSN 2044-6055
- Macdonald, Alastair S., Chambers, Mark A., La Ragione, Roberto, Wyles, Kayleigh, Poyade, Matthieu, Wales, Andrew, Klepacz, Naomi, Kupfer, Tom R., Watson, Fraje and Noble, Shona (2020) Addressing Infection Risk in Veterinary Practice through the Innovative Application of Interactive 3D Animation Methods. The Design Journal, 24 (1). pp. 51-72. ISSN 1460-6925
- Jones, Fiona, Gombert, Karolina, Honey, Stephanie, Cloud, Geoffrey, Harris, Ruth, Macdonald, Alastair, McKevitt, Christopher and Clarke, David (2020) Addressing inactivity after stroke: The Collaborative Rehabilitation in Acute Stroke (CREATE) study. International Journal of Stroke, 16 (6). pp. 669-682. ISSN 1747-4949
- Neves, S., Macdonald, A., McLellan, E., Poole, M., Harrison-Dening, K., Tucker, S., Bamford, C. and Robinson, L. (2020) Co-designing a Care Plan Guide app to support early conversations about end-of-life care in dementia. In: Advances in Design and Digital Communication Proceedings of the 4th International Conference on Design and Digital Communication, Digicom 2020, November 5–7, 2020, Barcelos, Portugal. Springer Series in Design and Innovation (12). Springer, Cham, pp. 325-336. ISBN 978-3-030-61670-0
