A Design Framework for Microintervention Software Technology in Digital Health: Critical Interpretive Synthesis.

Area of Science:

• Digital Health
• Human-Computer Interaction
• Behavioral Science

Background:

• Long-term engagement with digital health interventions remains a significant challenge.
• Microinterventions offer a flexible approach, but integrating them into cohesive narratives requires a structured framework.
• Current research often focuses on individual microinterventions, neglecting the consolidated user experience over time.

Purpose of the Study:

• To introduce a framework for designing microintervention systems and their associated narratives.
• To provide a standardized terminology and structure for the field of microinterventions.
• To facilitate the design, evaluation, and comparison of microintervention systems.

Main Methods:

• A systematic literature review following PRISMA guidelines was conducted across major academic databases.
• Critical interpretive synthesis, including reciprocal translational analysis and refutational synthesis, was employed.
• The developed framework was validated by retroactively applying it to existing microintervention literature.

Main Results:

• The Design for Microintervention Software Technology (D-MIST) framework was developed based on 35 studies, with 80% published post-2020.
• D-MIST structures microintervention systems into three levels: narrative, microintervention, and event.
• The framework defines key components like decision rules, conceptual models, and interaction models for creating consolidated user experiences.

Conclusions:

• The D-MIST framework provides a comprehensive structure for understanding and developing microintervention systems.
• It highlights opportunities for personalizing health narratives and improving distal health outcomes.
• The framework aims to foster collaboration and advance research in digital health microinterventions.