User feedback

A 2-stage participant sampling process was then utilised. The first stage consisted of publicising the challenge to students and colleagues working in the various campuses of a university and to residents in the immediate vicinity. This was done via university mailing lists and through a gatekeeper for the campus neighbouring areas. Interested participants were asked to complete a brief online survey, and the findings were published in Adeyeye and She (2015). About 200 responses were received. From this, 12 participants were sampled for the second stage based on the age, gender, anthropometrics, property tenure, bathroom, and water fittings set-up, and logistical issues such as the ability to commit to a 12-week study, distance, and property access.

A pre-commencement workshop was held to formally introduce the participants to the aim and objectives of the project, to issue the study kit, which included shower timers, and to discuss information and feedback requirements. The workshop was also used to establish a weekly diary for delivering the showerheads and collecting the feedback sheets. The study then commenced the following week at the beginning of April and concluded 3 months later in June. This duration and season should be considered in the interpretation of the results. The findings were analysed over a 2-week period. A post-study workshop was then organised with the same set of participants to feedback the findings and clarify gaps/questions in the data. Nine of the 12 participants attended. At the end of the workshop, participants were given the option to choose and keep one of their top three preferred showerheads as the incentive for participating in the study.