A working tool isn’t enough

A huge challenge within digital psychological tools is the delicate balance between creating effective digital tools and ensuring they remain engaging and enjoyable for users. In this blog post, we’ll explore a unique dilemma: “Psychvalue”, a performance self-evaluation tool that is incredibly powerful but also extremely challenging to use for most individuals.

While it may be tempting for developers to focus solely on effectiveness without considering user experience, this approach will obviously, ultimately hinder a tool’s success in achieving its intended goals. Especially university-based teams often test their tools on students who in-turn need to participate in the study to get their course credits. Other teams incentivize their participants with cash rewards for completion, most of these attempts end up dead in the water after launch, often because of compliance reasons (drop out). In a truly good tool, the reward lies in using the app itself.

Allow me to present “Psychvalue v0.1”, one of the projects from my personal graveyard of ideas, inspired by the worlds top executive coach Marshal Goldsmith. It is one of the most effective (and painful) tools I’ve ever used.

From the excel prototype of the tool

How the tool operating screen looks.

 

The effect provided by Psychvalue, is an increase of awareness and accountability of your personal goals. The problem is the pain you feel when you notice how poorly you sometimes live up to them. The tool has been described by a friend of mine as a digital self-flagellation (the disciplinary and devotional practice of flogging oneself with whips or other instruments that inflict pain).

If you want to try out the tool for yourself here’s the download link:

Psychvalue 0.1.xlsm

To summarize, Prioritizing engagement and usability in mental health-related software development not only leads to more enjoyable experiences for users but also contributes to better patient outcomes by promoting adherence to treatment plans and making care more approachable. By considering the human aspect of tool design, developers can create digital solutions that are both highly effective and user-friendly – a crucial balance in the realm of mental health support.

As we continue our mission at Global Care Development, this dilemma serves as a valuable reminder of the importance of striking the right balance of both effectiveness and engagement in our software development efforts.

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