The development of 'Make One Small Change': an e-health intervention for the workplace developed using the...

Area of Science:

• Digital health interventions
• Workplace wellbeing programs
• Behavior change science

Background:

• Workplace digital health programs often lack evidence of effectiveness and user retention.
• The person-based approach (PBA) provides a systematic framework for developing effective digital health interventions.
• This paper details the PBA's application in creating 'Make one small change' (Cigna MSC™), an online lifestyle behavior change system.

Purpose of the Study:

• To describe the application of the person-based approach (PBA) in developing a digital workplace intervention.
• To illustrate how a rigorous methodology can create effective digital health solutions.
• To refine an online behavior change system for lifestyle habits.

Main Methods:

• The PBA was applied over four stages, involving 79 Cigna colleagues globally.
• A cyclical process of 'listening, applying, and delivering' was used, informed by qualitative data.
• Methods included literature review, feedback collection on existing interventions, and iterative testing of design elements.

Main Results:

• Key intervention development issues were identified and used to formulate guiding principles.
• Guiding principles ensured intervention objectives translated into relevant and user-centered design features.
• User feedback indicated the intervention should be engaging, user-friendly, and include self-monitoring milestones.

Conclusions:

• The PBA facilitated the creation of a workplace intervention integrating user input and evidence-based theory.
• Rigorous methodology, driven by the PBA, enhances the development of effective digital health interventions.
• The developed intervention allows for refinement at each stage, ensuring user relevance and potential effectiveness.