A presentation at FITC Amsterdam in in Amsterdam, Netherlands by Andréa Crofts
@andreacrofts Director of Design, League
She/Her/Hers Product Design Leader Design Researcher Community Builder Abuser of Expletives
01 It’s Storytime 02 What is Digital Health? 03 Best-in-Class Examples 04 Design Principles 05 Re-framing Success Metrics
It’s Storytime
A repetitive strain injury (RSI, also known as work-related musculoskeletal disorders or WRMSDs), is an injury to the musculoskeletal and nervous systems that may be caused by repetitive tasks, forceful exertions, vibrations, mechanical compression, or sustained or awkward positions. – WIKIPEDIA
Stress.
The biggest source of stress
This stress is why we exist.
We bring health within reach.
Guides how designers work with clients, colleagues, and the end users of products, how they conduct the design process, how they determine the features of products, and how they assess the ethical significance or moral worth of the products that result from the activity of designing. – ENCYCLOPEDIA .COM
Design Ethics A lens through which to design (and code). Questions to ask yourself as you’re designing: Am I maximizing happiness for the greatest number of people? Am I treating people as an ends or as a means? What would happen if everyone did what I’m trying to do? Would I be happy for this to be published in tomorrow’s papers?
Phones drain the life out of a room.
Digital Health =
Physical Ergonomics Appropriate workstations that facilitate healthy work habits and posture Vision Repeat exposure to screens Posture Prolonged effects of over-working on or in front of technology
Psychological Mental Health Maintaining healthy relationships with technology Spiritual Health Finding intentional disconnection Social Health Curbing technology addictions
Social “Privacy is no longer a social concern.”
The Psychology of Apps
Technology is exploiting vulnerability in human psychology.
Recommended Videos Auto-Play in News Feed Auto-Play Series and Titles Late 2013 Late 2014 Late 2016
“It’s time to stop the race to the bottom of the brain stem.” - Tristan Harris Former Design Ethicist at Google, now Founder of the Centre for Humane Technology
“Depression will be the leading cause of disease burden by 2030.” - World Health Organization
Constant Connection = Deep Disconnection
We’re building the news headlines of the future.
But, most importantly, the products habits of the future.
Our tech can’t solve it for us. We need a design renaissance.
Calm is a destination, and we can create it together.
It’s time for a hard re-start. How might we restore connection? Some best-in-class apps are showing us the way.
Best-in-Class Examples
Insights and Coaching Apple’s Screen Time Insights Android’s Time Spent Insights
Digital Diaries Your Hour For Android Android App Timer
Flip to Shhh Google Pixel Device Pixel 3 and Pixel 2
Distraction- Free Mode Apple’s Downtime Bedtime and downtime modes Apple’s iOS 12 Lock screen weather widget
Notifications Healthy Reminders Headspace Daily Notifications
Design Principles
Fabulous Enable users to enter flow without distractions 23 Minutes To get back on task after an interruption
Health Apps As a preferential category Fabulous and Gratitude
Metal Gear Solid 4 “Isn’t it time for a break? It’s now after 1am. For your health, take a break! What time is better than now to do a few stretches and move around a little?”
Mood Notes Thinking Traps Pause Mindful Movements
1 - Headspace High-quality guided meditation sessions. Sessions range from 1 minute to 20+ minutes.
2 - Classpass GO Bite-sized classes from reputable instructors. Helps me sweat once a day.
3 - Lifesum A diet plan, food diary, macro calculator, calorie counter & healthy recipes, all in one.
4 - Fabulous Habit-forming app created by the Center for Advanced Hindsight at Duke University.
5 - Muse Meditation Headband Headband that provides real-time feedback on brain activity during guided meditations.
6 - MoodNotes Mood journal for documenting and unpacking thoughts using CBT.
Re-framing Success Metrics
DAU ARR CSAT Daily Active Users Annual Recurring Revenue Customer Satisfaction MAU NPS SLA Monthly Active Users Service-Level Agreement Net Promoter Score
These metrics didn’t happen by accident.
It’s time to reclaim and re-frame our metrics.
DAU Daily Active Users MAU Monthly Active Users Impact + Metrics
NEXT STEPS Re-frame success metrics for healthier impact metrics
MAU Monthly Active Users NPS Net Promoter Score HGC + Health Goal Completion
Miles ran per month Glasses of water drank
Impact over Engagement
More balance = more presence.
It’s a distracting world out there, and every moment is a battle to focus on what matters.
Let’s consider the ethics of our work, and be truly user-centered in our approach.
How will your work impact your users’ digital health?
@andreacrofts acrofts@league.com andreacrofts.com/digital-health
@andreacrofts acrofts@league.com league.com/careers
Examining our responsibility as creators to design for disconnection. The “restore connection” alert isn’t just for devices– it applies to people too. And it’s more important now than ever before.
Digital creators, we need to talk. The rise in mental health as a result of situational stress is a prevailing theme in today’s society, and some of the products we’re building are the root cause. But we have the power to change this. As creators of digital products, how might we enable our users to be more present in their lives? How might we invest in features like Instagram’s activity timer, despite the fact that they’re fundamentally counterintuitive to the usage metrics most behemoth tech companies are driving towards?
We have a responsibility as creators of digital products to enable others to disconnect …and re-connect with themselves– physically and mentally. This intersection is an emerging category Andrea likes to call digital health, and it’s something we can create together.
for free. You
can too.