The paper addresses an ICT-based, user-driven innovation process in the health sector in rural areas in Norway. The empirical base is the introduction of a new model for psychiatric health provision. This model is supported by a technical solution based on mobile phones that is aimed to help the communication between professional health personnel and patients. This innovation was made possible through the use of standard mobile technology rather than more sophisticated systems. The users were heavily involved in the development work. Our analysis shows that by thinking simple and small-scale solutions, including to take the user’s needs and premises as a point of departure rather than focusing on advanced technology, the implementation process was made possible. We show that by combining theory on information infrastructures, user-oriented system development, and innovation in a three-layered analytical framework, we can explain the interrelationship between technical, organizational, and health professional factors that made this innovation a success. 1. Introduction Most innovations take their point of departure from a technological perspective, not least when it comes to the health sector. The main message is that ICT can solve the great challenges we are facing in transforming the health sector and make it more efficient and citizen oriented [1]. However, the implications of this perspective very often seem to entail expert-driven, top-down development work, where neither citizens nor health professionals are involved. However, improving health care is not primarily a matter of technology. Close collaboration with health care providers and cooperation between health professionals and patients are essential factors in achieving better health care. The mobilization of patients’ own resources as well as family and community resources can contribute significantly to the healing process [2, 3]. Our case is an example of a user-driven, bottom-up development process, in which local professional along with organizational needs and user interests have strongly influenced the development process. The catalyst for this process was the introduction of a new health program based on the Parent Management Training-Oregon (PMT-O) model. This is a treatment and prevention program for families with children displaying antisocial behaviour (PMT-O is based on “Social interaction learning theory”, developed by Patterson and co-workers at Oregon Social Learning Center. PMT-O is a detailed program designed to improve parenting practices and indirectly reduces antisocial
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