Opportunity

In partnership with a large cancer research center, I was tasked with producing in depth best practice case studies for the cancer center’s new hybrid offerings that blend digital and human services, intended to build ongoing engagement with healthcare consumers starting from before the consumer has cancer and would include things like assessing risk and prevention.

My team and I created a specific framework and recommendations to aid the center in developing a digital/hybrid service that builds ongoing engagement and behavior change with its users. This project took place within the context of an IIT Institute of Design course called Building and Understanding Context in Fall 2020.

Research

The first step was preliminary research on on apps and services with best practices, successful at longitudinal engagement and behavior change. Some beneficial elements included in apps:

  • Reinforcements to shape behaviors

  • Suggestions

  • Features that promote positive outcome expectation

  • Social Comparison

  • Competition

  • Habit

  • Personalization

  • Minimal inputs from users

  • Goal setting

Psychology research on behavior and investment

  • Behavior change techniques

  • Expectation confirmation theory

  • Investment theory

Spectrum of Engagement

Based on our research, we put together a Spectrum of Engagement matrix which would be used in order to determine what depth of engagement is desired for the service.

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Engagement Cycle Framework

The engagement cycle embodies the four elements required to interact with each other to achieve optimal engagement.

Rules of Engagement

The rules of engagement are used to optimize interaction between engagement elements and boost engagement.

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Case Studies

Summaries of established apps and their features which employ engagement tactics.

Higher Engagement Examples

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Lower Engagement Examples

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Limitations and Challenges

  • Duration: Apps that are successful may only be successful in the short term

  • Situation: Apps that are not highly engaging may still have loyal users through event or time specific needs

  • Context: Apps aiming to solve problems are less likely to be used by users not facing those problems; alternatively, users may not rely on app as heavily once problems are solved

Recommendations

  • Locate: Identify where to situate the app(s) on the engagement spectrum and understand associated implications of the position

  • Motivate: Generate an initial motivation for users to start whether or not it reflects the intention of the app

  • Balance: Ensure the user has an investment less than or equal to the value they receive, otherwise the return may feel insufficient

  • Dangle: Reinforce motivation by dangling rewards at arms length

  • Customize: Allow users to execute tasks alongside current behavior

  • Differentiate: Transform content and tasks to keep users interested and reflect the app’s breadth and depth over time