Deriving Requirements for Pervasive Well-Being Technology From Work Stress and Intervention Theory: Framework and...

Area of Science:

• Human-Computer Interaction
• Occupational Health Psychology
• Digital Health

Background:

• Workplace stress and burnout are significant concerns for knowledge workers.
• Emerging technologies like sensors and e-coaching offer potential solutions for well-being management.
• Existing theories on work stress and interventions lack explicit guidance for technology design.

Purpose of the Study:

• To present a comprehensive framework for designing pervasive technologies to reduce stress in knowledge workers.
• To bridge the gap between work stress theory and the design of supportive technological interventions.

Main Methods:

• Conducted a literature review to identify well-being concepts and select work stress models.
• Explored technical aspects of using sensors for stress inference and contextualization.
• Applied intervention theory to specify technology-delivered interventions.

Main Results:

• Developed a framework linking engagement, burnout, and stress, quantifiable via sensors.
• Identified causes of work stress and proposed technology-integrated interventions based on behavioral change theory.
• Derived requirements for the SWELL system, implemented prototypes, and validated interventions through user studies.

Conclusions:

• The framework enables systematic development of theory-based, technology-supported interventions for work stress.
• Identified key research challenges: multidisciplinary research, sensor data interpretation, burnout correlation, human-technology synergy, privacy, and ethics.