A User-Centered Design Approach to Enhance Sustainability of a Sit Less, Move More Program for Desk-Based Workers

Modifications to evidence-based health-promotion programs are often required to enhance "real-world" sustainability. User-centered design (UCD) methodologies can support these re-design efforts. We describe how UCD methodologies were used to optimize an online, champion-delivered workplace health-promotion sit less/move more initiative (BeUpstanding) to promote sustainability. Three participant groups (core expert group, workplace end users, commercialization partners; n = 16 total) participated in three discovery cycles with data used to develop a working prototype. This prototype was tested in a 3-month beta-testing validation phase, involving four workplaces and 20 champion end users, with qualitative feedback collected. Optimizations were mapped to the RE-AIM (Reach, Effectiveness, Adoption, Implementation, Maintenance) framework, with desirability, viability, and feasibility parameters considered. The discovery cycles highlighted the need for a new user type-an "overseer"-to manage and help engage champions delivering the program. An enhanced user-experience to support implementation across users (i.e., overseers and champions) as well as additional engagement features were other identified requirements. Prototype testing found revised features to be both desirable and useful. Employing UCD methodologies to re-design BeUpstanding helped focus efforts on usability and effectiveness to promote sustainability. Iterative cycles of discovery and validation guided by the RE-AIM framework may provide a comprehensive approach to addressing the evolving needs of workplace health and wellbeing programs.