Purpose: The purpose of this study is to understand the activities in nurses' work practices in relation to the design process of a self-monitoring application. Design/methodology/approach: A design ethnographic approach was applied in this study. Findings: To solve the problem of translating highly qualitative phenomena, such as pain, into the particular abstract features of a self-monitoring application, design participants had to balance these two aspects by managing complexity. In turn, the nurses'€™ work practices have changed because it now involves a new activity based on a different logic than the nurses’ traditional work practices. Originality/value: This study describes a new activity included in nurses’ work practices when the nurses became part of a design process. This study introduces a novel way on how to gain a deeper understanding of existing professional practice through a detailed study of activities taking place in a design process. This study explores the possible implications for nurses’ professional practices when they participate in a self-monitoring application design process. Â2020, Emerald Publishing Limited.