There is an app for that? Exploring a digital companion for everyday health habits
Initial situation
Almost a third of the Swiss workforce reports a critical level of work-related stress, and a similar proportion report emotional exhaustion, placing them at heightened risk of burnout. Health apps come in all shapes and sizes, and download numbers indicate that there is demand for them. They have the potential to improve health behaviours, but their effectiveness depends on achieving and sustaining sufficient user engagement. However, most users lose interest within weeks and discard these apps too quickly for them to have a lasting effect. Despite this, reviews of persuasive technology in mental and behavioural health platforms suggest that personalised and tailored persuasive strategies are comparatively under-explored in relation to generic behaviour-change techniques, such as gamification or social proof. These strategies are theorised to improve outcomes.
Project goal
The project's main objective was to research and identify potential strategies to ensure long-term user engagement with the application. The focus lay in motivating users to regularly interact with the app to permanently integrate small suggested habits into their everyday lives.
Solution developed and its benefits
The project is subject to strict confidentiality, which is why no specific details about the developed solution and its benefits are being disclosed.
Customer
Dr. med. Christopher Uschnig