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Accepted for/Published in: JMIR Research Protocols

Date Submitted: Mar 12, 2023
Open Peer Review Period: Mar 12, 2023 - May 7, 2023
Date Accepted: Jun 30, 2023
(closed for review but you can still tweet)

The final, peer-reviewed published version of this preprint can be found here:

Developing A Mobile App With a Human-Centered Design Lens to Improve Access to Mental Health Care (Mentallys Project): Protocol for an Initial Co-Design Process

Vial S, Boudhraâ S, Dumont M, Tremblay M, Riendeau S

Developing A Mobile App With a Human-Centered Design Lens to Improve Access to Mental Health Care (Mentallys Project): Protocol for an Initial Co-Design Process

JMIR Res Protoc 2023;12:e47220

DOI: 10.2196/47220

PMID: 37606978

PMCID: 10481222

Developing A Mobile App With a Human-Centered Design Lens to Improve Access to Mental Health Care (Mentallys Project) : Protocol for an Initial Codesign Process

  • Stéphane Vial; 
  • Sana Boudhraâ; 
  • Mathieu Dumont; 
  • Melanie Tremblay; 
  • Sophie Riendeau

ABSTRACT

Background:

Several benefits of using technologies to enhance access to mental health services can be found in the literature. Yet, issues of user engagement remain, few users are using the mental health apps for a long period of time. Codesigning ehealth solutions with potential users is a promising approach to foster user acceptance and engagement. Surprisingly, there is still poor involvement of designers and design theory and methodologies in e-mental health codesign initiatives.

Objective:

This paper presents the characteristics of a codesign approach in e-mental health rooted in human-centered design and led by design experts alongside health experts. The study focuses on the early stages (Phase 1) of the codesign process of the Mentallys project, which is still ongoing.

Methods:

This paper is based on the Mentallys project, located in Montréal (Canada). The aim of this project is to improve access to mental health care on a large scale through a mobile app. The Phase 1 of the processus focuses on the desirability of the app. Targeted participants included people with a lived experience of mental health trouble, peer support workers and clinicians, and 3 facilitators (all design experts or researcher). Sessions were organized online because of the Covid 19 pandemic, using Miro and Zoom. Data collection was based on comments, thoughts and new ideas of participants around the imaginary prototypes. Thematic analysis was to be done after each session to inform a new version of the prototype.

Results:

Participants included people with a lived experience of mental health trouble (n=2), peer support workers (n=5) and clinicians (n=7). Phase 1 was divided into two stages. Phase 1 was divided into two stages. The objective of Stage 1 was to explore ideas through group codesign workshops (divergent thinking). Six codesign workshops were held, two with only clinicians, two with peer support workers and people with a lived experience of mental health trouble, and two with all of them. A total of six facilitators participated to facilitate activities in subgroups. The objective of Stage 2 was to refinine ideas through dyad 10 codesign sessions (convergent thinking). Stage 2 involved three participants and one facilitator, and was conducted through dyad codesign sessions. Thematic analysis was performed after Stage 1 while analytic questioning was performed for Stage 2. Stage 1 and 2 allowed several iterations of the prototypes.

Conclusions:

The leadership of the design expertise through the process as well as the different forms of codesign activities are key elements in this project.


 Citation

Please cite as:

Vial S, Boudhraâ S, Dumont M, Tremblay M, Riendeau S

Developing A Mobile App With a Human-Centered Design Lens to Improve Access to Mental Health Care (Mentallys Project): Protocol for an Initial Co-Design Process

JMIR Res Protoc 2023;12:e47220

DOI: 10.2196/47220

PMID: 37606978

PMCID: 10481222

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