BRIDGING THE GAP BETWEEN SELF-DETERMINATION THEORY AND DESIGN PRACTICE : Exploring the Wellbeing Supportive Design Toolkit in E-learning Design

This study explores how the Wellbeing Supportive Design Toolkit (WSD-Toolkit) can contribute to bridging the gap between Self-Determination Theory (SDT) and design practice. An exploratory single-case study was conducted at the e-learning company EduTechSmart, focusing on their CPR training course. The aim was to gain practice-based insight into the WSD-Toolkit’s bridging capabilities by investigating how it was experienced as a tool for learning and adopting SDT. A pilot study (n = 4) was carried out to inform the study design, and the main study included EduTechSmart’s e-learning developers (n = 8). Data were collected through workshop observations, surveys, and semi-structured interviews. Reflexive thematic analysis revealed that the WSD-Toolkit increased SDT awareness and prompted future adoption, although participants expressed a need for clearer guidance on how and why to use it in practice. The study contributes to HCI by highlighting both the potential and limitations of the WSD-Toolkit in translating SDT into design practice.