A Design Framework for Behavioural Change Apps & Wearables

Measured in life expectancy, the difference between a healthy diet and an unhealthy diet is somewhere between 5 to 10 years. The difference between having an excellent level of cardiovascular fitness and a poor level of cardiovascular fitness is about 4 to 5 years. Inspired by these numbers, numerous behavioural change apps and wearables for improving diet and physical activity have been developed. These apps and wearables are typically designed using a selection of behavioural change techniques (BCT) (such as goal setting) that origins from personal interventions supported by healthcare professionals. However, the success of using these technologies is limited. This research reports from a design science research project that aims to provide a more powerful design framework that can complement the reliance on BCTs and hopefully increase the success rate of these apps and wearables. The resulting framework is based on an operationalization of behaviour and behavioural change theory, but also on ways of thinking that have proven their value within other kinds of IT systems. The framework 1) integrates behaviour and behavioural change theory that are neglected in current P-DHI research (e.g. personal identity theory) and 2) key information systems lessons: Make the human behaviour that IT is supposed to change visible and improve human activity using an iterative approach. The research presented here has significant limitations since the framework is untested. Future research will validate the framework by developing and testing new solutions based on the framework.