Building a shared vision for human-tech collaboration
As digital transformation accelerates, the conversation around the future of work is no longer about whether machines will replace humans, but how they can work together.
During June, the TechConnect consortium came together in Västerås, Sweden for a pivotal consortium meeting that brought together academic researchers, healthcare professionals and industry experts. Hosted by Mälardalen University, the meeting served as a milestone moment for the initiative as we aligned on a shared vision for human-tech collaboration.
Reimagining Human-Tech synergy in practice
The event spotlighted insights from the hospital´s case studies (Tallaght University Hospital, Region Västmanland, UMC Utrecht and Hospital Universitario Ramon y Cajal), each one exploring how technologies are deployed in real-world healthcare environments across Europe. These studies are helping understand the nuances of how tools like clinical decision support systems or automation in care logistics are changing the nature of work, for better or worse.
They shared updates on both ongoing challenges and emerging innovations. Each offered perspectives on their institutions’ digital transformation journeys. Through informal, cross-hospital dialogue, enabling partners to reflect, question, and learn from each other’s experience.
Designing the TechConnect Index
Our contribution focused on the development of the TechConnect Index, a novel tool that aims to measure how human skills and digital technologies complement each other. Led by an interactive workshop to map user roles and value propositions for the index. We explored:
- Who the Index is for: from hospital administrators to policy-makers and tech developers.
- What value it brings: such as decision-making support, workforce planning insights, and responsible tech adoption strategies.
This session laid the groundwork for ensuring the Index is not just a theoretical construct, but a practical, co-designed instrument that delivers real-world value.
Towards a human-centric digital future
As digital transformation accelerates, it’s more important than ever to ask: are we designing systems that truly support human wellbeing and professional purpose?
Our time in Västerås reminded us that collaboration is key, across disciplines, sectors, and borders. And weremain committed to ensuring that human voices are not only heard, but deeply embedded in the design of the digital tools shaping our world.