Facilities case study
Formara Consulting – Putting our advanced Medtech facilities to the test
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Formara Consulting partners with global medical technology (MedTech) companies, supporting them to go beyond compliance and deliver medical devices that work for people every time.
By combining deep Human Factors expertise with practical, real-world insight, Formara reduce risk for their partners, accelerating approval and improving outcomes.
Utilising the University’s facilities enabled Formara to deliver a research experience for their client that exceeded their expectations.
As part of a new client project, Formara was planning a controlled usability study to test a medical device in realistic conditions. The company needed an environment that could replicate real-world use, while still enabling observation and data capture.
They identified some key environmental specifications: the space had to feel natural and immersive rather than clinical but also provide discreet observation capabilities for researchers and stakeholders. Practical considerations such as accessibility and parking were also essential.
Without access to this type of environment, Formara risked limiting the realism of their testing, potentially affecting the quality of feedback delivered to their client and slowing the path to successful roll-out of the new device.
Formara approached the University to explore whether our facilities could meet these complex requirements.
A tour of the Allam Medical Building enabled us to identify a unique opportunity for Formara to use our advanced simulated healthcare environments. The building offers a wide range of realistic clinical and domestic settings, including hospital wards, intensive care and specialist simulation suites designed to replicate real-world conditions.
We developed a bespoke package of support, centring on the hire of a simulation and observation room over a five-day period. These spaces enabled Formara to recreate a realistic usage scenario, testing how users interacted with a medical device (a nebuliser) in a kitchen-style environment. This allowed participants to engage with the product naturally, as if they were at home.
A key benefit was access to the University’s SMOTS (Scotia Medical Observation and Training System), which enabled high-quality session recordings. Unlike static setups, participants were able to move around the space, while the system allowed unobtrusive observation through flexible camera movement. This helped to minimise the “observer effect” and capture more authentic user behaviour.
The combination of specialist facilities, flexible set-up and our supportive team created a tailored solution that directly aligned with Formara’s project goals and helped them provide a next level service to their client.
By leveraging our world-class simulation environments, Formara was able to enhance its service offering without the need for substantial capital investment in infrastructure. This not only reduced overheads but also allowed the company to respond quickly to client needs with a high-quality solution.
The realistic setting improved the quality of insights, supporting more accurate evaluation of how people interact with medical devices in everyday contexts. Ultimately contributing to safer, more intuitive products and reducing the risk of user-related errors or product recalls.
Formara’s access to the University of Hull’s advanced simulation suite for usability testing helps deliver insights for our clients that are grounded in real-world context and support the development of safe, effective medical solutions.Reece Knight
Founder, Formara Consulting
Following this initial collaboration with Formara, we’re exploring the potential to involve our students in simulations to create even more dynamic, real-world scenarios, such as busy ward environments, further strengthening the realism and value of testing.
As Formara continues to work with global clients, access to our unique facilities will enable them to work in increasingly sophisticated testing environments, providing exemplary human factors research that delivers confidence beyond compliance.
Reece Knight, the Founder of Formara Consulting, said: “At Formara, we’re always looking to provide a next-level human factors service to our MedTech partners. The facilities at the University of Hull’s Allam Medical Building are a real step above standard market research environments, enabling us to deliver richer, more realistic insights for our clients. ”
There are only a handful of places globally offering this level of capability, and this partnership with the University of Hull gives us a genuine opportunity to push boundaries and attract international clients.Reece Knight
Founder, Formara Consulting
