What Do We Do? Lessons Learned from Conducting Systematic Reviews to Improve HCI Dissemination

Systematic reviews are essential in helping researchers address pre-defined research questions through explicit, methodical, and reproducible techniques for identifying studies and comprehensively synthesizing their findings. We highlight our experiences conducting two systematic review studies in HCI: (1) women's reproductive health research in HCI and (2) the intersection of identity and older adults in health research. We identify patterns and lessons that can be applied to enhance the reporting and communication of our research. While these lessons may not be universally applicable, they provide HCI researchers with the opportunity for introspection regarding how we convey our findings to the broader research community. Additionally, these lessons contribute to upholding transparency and integrity in our work, rendering it more long-lasting and beneficial for secondary purposes, like literature reviews and study replication. We provide recommendations and, where feasible, good examples of how to effectively report participants' demographics and study methodology in our HCI work.