Onboarding for mHealth
Onboarding is the first digital touchpoint/interaction between the users and mHealth providers. The design of the onboarding flow supports the onboarding experience and assists the users in learning and using the mHealth app. The experience plays a part in capturing the user to stay interested in a mHealth programme and increase their health awareness by equipping them with the necessary knowledge and tools to make positive changes.
Burns (2020) pointed out there are six states of engagement: Point of Engagement, Sustained Engagement, Limited Engagement, Disengagement and Self-management. These states are not sequential; they are a feature of a user within a wider engagement context. At the ‘Point of Engagement’ state, the user thinks his/her desire to be healthy (user’s goal) could be fulfilled by the features and functionality of the mHealth programme. The user priorities at this state focus on interesting features that the user perceives to be useful, motivating, and supportive. (Burns, 2020)
Incorporating the user priorities above with behaviour change techniques (Michie, 2003), the basic design objectives for mHealth onboarding aims to:
1 Shape Knowledge
This technique provides instructions and information to users on how to use the App in managing the user goal, and how to perform the target behaviours. In a digital setting, the potential design elements are:
- Demo on how to use the features
- Task-oriented onboarding
- Clear micro-copy on how to perform the target behaviour
- Content delivery via illustration or video clips
- Educate the user on health monitoring and tracking features
2 Reward Users
- Instant reward to appreciate actions
- Show how users gain values through performing tasks
- Introduce reward scheme or incentive during onboarding
- Plan expected and unexpected reward sequence
3 Support Users
- Specify ways the user could get support on the device and external to the device.
- Emotional support
Note: This is an exploratory piece to enable the digital health product owners and health programme creators some insights on product design during early-stage MVP. Related articles.
Burns K, Nicholas R, Beatson A, Chamorro-Koc M, Blackler A, Gottlieb U
Identifying Mobile Health Engagement Stages: Interviews and Observations for Developing Brief Message Content. J Med Internet Res 2020;22(9):e15307. URL: https://www.jmir.org/2020/9/e15307
O’Brien H. and Toms E. What is User Engagement? A Conceptual Framework for Defining User Engagement with Technology. Journal of The American Society For Information Science and Technology. 2008, 59(6):938–955.
Michie S, Richardson M, Johnston M, Abraham C, Francis J, Hardeman W, … Wood CE. The Behavior Change Technique Taxonomy (v1) of 93 Hierarchically Clustered Techniques: Building an International Consensus for the Reporting of Behavior Change Interventions. Annals of Behavioral Medicine. 2003; 46(1), 81–95.
