A how-to guide to design and develop your program

• For clinical programs: Clinical Build Map Template
• For outreach programs: Outreach Build Map Template
• For research interventions: Research Build Map Template.docx 
  • For mapping out SMS conversations
    • Visual option: SMS Conversation Example
    • Text only option: Example SMS Conversation 2.docx
• For open SMS inbox pilots: Open Inbox Requirements.docx

Big picture questions:

Develop an event schedule for each arm of your study.  For each events these include:

1. On what day should the event occur?

2. At what time should the event start? 
3. How long should the event window stay open? 
4. Should the event repeat? If so, how many days, weeks? 
5. Should there be consequences (i.e. messages, compliance, etc.) based on event outcome? 

Things to consider for each event type

1. Send a Message 
   1. What day should the message be sent out?
   2. What time should the message be sent out? 
   3. What is the body of the message? 
   4. How should the message be sent out?
      1. Text only
      2. Email only
      3. Phone call only
      4. Per participant notification preference 
   5. Is this a one-time message or is it repeating?
      1. Repeating- by days or weeks? How many times should the message repeat? 
         
         
2. Ask a question via text
   1. What day should the question be sent out?
   2. What time should the question be sent out? 
   3. What is the body of the question? 
   4. How long should the participant have to respond to the question?
   5. What are the valid responses that the participant should send? (e.g. 1, 2, 3) 
   6. What are the automated responses based on the participant's text? 
      1. What message should you send back for a response of 1? 2? 3?
      2. What message should you send back if the participant sends something other than a requested response (e.g. not 1-3)? 

   7. Is this a one-time question or is it repeating?

      1. Repeating- by days or weeks? How many times should the question repeat?

3. Administer a survey 
   1. What day should the survey open? 
   2. What time should the survey open?
   3. What is the message that should be sent to the participant alerting to survey opening?
   4. How long should the participant have to respond to complete the survey?
   5. What should happen once the participant completes the survey?
      1. Message to participant
      2. Payment 
   6. Should there be a reminder to the participant to complete the survey if they don't fill it out?
      1. When should the reminders start?
      2. What time should the reminder be sent? 
      3. What is the body of the reminder message? 
      4. How often should the reminders occur? 
         
         
4. Collect device (scale, pedometer, pill bottle, etc.) data 
   1. What day should the data collection start? 
   2. Should data collection repeat? (Tip! Typically occurs daily)
      1. Repeating- by days or weeks? How many times should the data collection repeat?
   3. Should there be goals for the participant to meet?
      1. Example 1: participant walked more than 7000 steps --> met goal
      2. Example 2: participant weighed in under target weight --> met goal 
         
         
5. Send a conditional message (a message sent based on a previous action taken by a participant) 
   1. What day should the conditional message be sent out?
   2. What time should the conditional message be sent out? 
   3. What is the body of the message? 
   4. What previous event is the message looking at to determine what to send? 
      1. Example: Evaluate pedometer data from previous day 
         1. Participant met their step goal yesterday --> send 'Congrats on reaching your step goal!'
         2. Participant did not meet their step goal yesterday --> send 'Try to meet your goal today!'
   5. How should the message be sent out?
      1. Text only
      2. Email only
      3. Phone call only
      4. Per participant notification preference 
   6. Is this a one-time message or is it repeating?
      1. Repeating- by days or weeks? How many times should the message repeat? 
         
         
6. Run a lottery 
   1. What day should the lottery start?  
   2. What time should the lottery run?
   3. What should the lottery look at to determine if the participant is eligible? 
      1. Example: Evaluate if participant met their step goal the day before.  If yes --> eligible for winnings, if no --> ineligible for winnings 
   4. What are the price amounts?
      1. Matching 1 digit? 
      2. Matching 2 digits?
   5. What messages should be sent out to the participant for the 4 scenarios?
      1.  Tip! Include AMOUNT, YOUR_NUMBER, and WINNING_NUMBER variables to personalize 
      2. Eligible winner
      3. Eligible loser
      4. Ineligible winner
      5. Ineligible loser
   6. Should the lottery repeat? (Tip! Typically occurs daily)
      1. Repeating- by days or weeks? How many times should the data lottery run?
         
         
7. Apply gamification
   1. Should the participant gain or lose points for met/ unmet goals? 
      1. Example: daily medication adherence
         1. add 1 point to point balance for each day that the participant takes their medication
      2. Should the participant receive a message the next day about their medication adherence? Should the participant be told their running adherence score? 
   2. Should the participant move up or down levels for consistently met/ unmet goals? 
      1. Example: weekly medication adherence
         1. If participant has 5-7 points at the end of the week, move up a level
         2. If participant has 0-4 points at the end of the week, move down a level 
      2. Send the participant a message alerting to level 
   3. Should the point balance reset?
      1. Example: at the end of the week, set the medication adherence point balance to 0

 Want an example?! See below! 

1-month physical activity study

1. Welcome to study message
   • Start: Day 0
   • Time: As soon as the participant is started in the arm
   • Message:PARTICIPANT, welcome to the game study! You will start every week with 60 points. For each day that you meet your target, you will keep 10 points. At the end of the week, if you have more than 50 points or more, you will move up a level. If you have less than 40 points, you will drop down a level.
   • Repeat: no
     
     
2. Daily step count from Fitbit
   • Start: Day 0
   • Time: As soon as the participant is started in the arm
   • Length of window: All day
   • Repeat: daily- every 1 day, 30 times 
   • Compliance: If participant walks > target steps, mark as compliant. Otherwise, subtract 10 from their point balance.
     
     
3. Exercise tip #1 
   • Start: Day 3
   • Time: 9 am 
   • Message: Exercise tip #1: Use a buddy system! Find a friend or relative who also wants to establish a healthier lifestyle and keep each other accountable to goals. 
   
   
4. Support partner messaging
   • Start: Day 3
   • Time: 11 am 
   • Repeat: daily- every 1 day, 27 times 
   • Feedback: If participant has met their step goal at least 1 of the last 3 days, mark them as compliant. Otherwise send message to support partner.
   • Message: 
     • PARTICIPANT_FIRSTNAME has not met their step count goal on at least 1 of the last 3 days. Please reach out to them to provide some encouragement!
       
       
5. Weekly level message
   • Start: Day 7
   • Time: 10 am 
   • Feedback: 
     • If participant has 50 or more points, the participant will be sent a message and move up a level. The point balance will reset to 70 points.
     • Otherwise the participant will be sent a different message and move down a level. The point balance will reset to 70 points.
   • Message: 
     • If participant has 50 or more points: You ended the week with (Game Points) points and met your goals! You are not at the (Levels) level. 
     • If participant has less than 50 points: Unfortunately, you ended the week with (Game Points) points and did not meet your goals. You are not at the (Levels) level.
6. Midpoint survey
   • Start: Day 15
   • Time: 10 am 
   • Message Prompt: Hi PARTICIPANT,  please click the following link to complete the mid-point demo survey! You have until END_DATE to complete the survey. SURVEY_LINK
   • Length of Time to Complete: 14 days
     
   • Repeat: no

   • Feedback: If the event is completed, the participant will be credited $50.
     
     

7. Mid point survey reminder

   • Start: Day 18

   • Time: 10 am 

   • Message: Please rememeber to log into the Fitbit study to complete your mid-point survey! 

   • Repeat: daily- every 2 days, 3 times 

   • Only send reminder to those who haven't completed the survey