Using a Key Informant Focus Group, Formative User Testing, and Theory to Guide Design of a Sleep Health BCSS

Abstract

Designing effective applications is an important goal for software development researchers as well as practitioners. Researchers in the field of Persuasive Technologies have contributed significant theories intended to guide software developers. Yet due to the comprehensive nature of these theories as well as their recency, many aspects have not received much study—especially aspects that require integration of multiple theoretical perspectives. This paper applies a design science research approach to develop a sleep health app for use by college students. We use this setting to demonstrate how requirements gathered via a key informant focus group and formative user testing can be mapped to both persuasive system design and behavior change support system theories with the result of producing clear guidance for subsequent app design and assessment.