Design Workgroups: An Approach to Adapting Evidence-Based Health Interventions

Partnership engagement in the development and adaptation of health interventions offers multiple benefits. A design workgroup is a collective of partners coming together to participate in interactive sessions to address a public health problem. Our paper offers a step-by-step guide to forming and implementing a design workgroup, using an example from a project to develop and adapt tobacco control resources and strategies for Connect to Wellness, an evidence-based workplace wellness program.

Workgroup activities were informed by principles of codesign and previous implementation intervention studies. Meetings were cofacilitated by the research team and a consulting and communications firm. We recruited employers, employees, and health department staff to participate in the workgroup. The design workgroup consisted of 5 monthly, 2-hour virtual meetings.

Meeting content included identifying barriers and facilitators affecting tobacco control EBI success; identifying strategies and resources to improve workplace tobacco control; identifying, developing, and reviewing changes to Connect to Wellness tobacco cessation resources to increase their appeal to employers and employees at small workplaces; and conducting an evaluation of the workgroup, including gathering feedback on successes and opportunities for improvement.

Members felt that their feedback was valued and reflected in changes made to the tobacco cessation resources. Members enjoyed engaging with each other and thought the meetings were productive with clear goals and objectives. Opportunities for improvement described included having meetings closer together, having fewer materials to review prior to each meeting, and streamlining content to avoid repetition across meetings.

We provide detailed information on workgroup member recruitment, meeting content and facilitation, planning and evaluation, and lessons learned. This manuscript can serve as a useful tool for others who are interested in implementing their own design workgroups to adapt and improve implementation of health promotion evidence-based interventions across a wide variety of health topics and settings.