Designing a preventive health application : How to motivate and empower users

Sammanfattning: As the research field about persuasive technologies is growing there is a need to consider how we design motivating tools that empower users. This paper aims to raise this discussion by analysing the Motivational Technologies framework. With a Research through Design approach, a case about designing a preventive health application for individuals with rheumatoid arthritis is used as an example to drive the discussion. Through interviews, workshops and prototyping, three design concepts were developed: All in One, Healthie and Three Coaches. Findings from the design process support that for building self-determination, the three key aspects customization, navigability and interactivity from the framework could be important. However, the findings also highlight that other aspects, such as transparency, handling of relapses and encouragement are important to consider and that a critical view of social interaction is needed. Thus, the analysis provides new perspectives to the on-going discourse and shows that the framework needs nuancing.