Co-Develop-IT! Unifying Methodological Guideline for the Co-Design, Development, and Evaluation of Individually...

Area of Science:

• Digital Health Technologies (DHTs)
• Health Promotion and Disease Prevention
• User-Centered Co-Design

Background:

• Official bodies recommend digital health technologies (DHTs) for health promotion and disease prevention.
• User-centered co-design is best practice for developing complex DHT interventions.
• Existing guides are often too generic or too specific, leaving a methodological gap.

Purpose of the Study:

• To present a unifying, consensus-based methodological guideline for multidisciplinary teams developing individually tailored DHTs.
• To provide operational guidance for the full lifecycle of DHT-enhanced training and rehabilitation concepts.

Main Methods:

• The Co-Develop-IT guideline was created through a structured expert consensus process.
• This involved biweekly hybrid meetings and written feedback between August 2024 and February 2025.
• The process integrated, refined, and expanded upon existing guides and frameworks.

Main Results:

• The Co-Develop-IT guideline features 8 iterative phases, applicable to diverse users, contexts, and goals.
• It includes 5 preparatory contextual research phases before codevelopment.
• Proof of concept was demonstrated through 2 application examples.

Conclusions:

• The Co-Develop-IT guideline offers comprehensive, actionable guidance for developing tailored DHTs.
• It balances scientific frameworks with real-world needs, addressing the evidence-to-practice gap.
• It promotes the practical application and impact of purpose-developed DHTs.