Short answer

Designers should actively involve their target users, especially young people, in the iterative design process to ensure programs are relevant, engaging, and effective.

Field: Human Factors
Source: Minerva Access (University of Melbourne) (2012)
Method: Participatory mixed-methods approach
Sample: 13 young people for consultation, 11 participants for the pilot trial
Evidence: Moderate effect

Involving young people directly in the design process of mental wellness programs significantly improves their relevance and potential effectiveness. This human factors research insight is drawn from a 2012 study published in Minerva Access (University of Melbourne). Using Participatory mixed-methods approach with 13 young people for consultation, 11 participants for the pilot trial, researchers explored how this design variable affects real-world outcomes. The key design takeaway: Designers should actively involve their target users, especially young people, in the iterative design process to ensure programs are relevant, engaging, and effective.

Study

Human FactorsHigh ImpactModerate effect

Co-designing Mindfulness Programs for Youth Enhances Engagement and Efficacy

Involving young people directly in the design process of mental wellness programs significantly improves their relevance and potential effectiveness.

Minerva Access (University of Melbourne) · 2012

Key Findings

01Young people found mindfulness training desirable and provided valuable suggestions for program structure and content.
02A participatory design process is essential for creating relevant and engaging mental wellness programs for youth.

Application

Design takeaway

Designers should actively involve their target users, especially young people, in the iterative design process to ensure programs are relevant, engaging, and effective.

How to apply

When designing any program or service aimed at young people, conduct workshops or feedback sessions where they can directly contribute to the design and content.

Project actions

01When researching a target audience, consider methods that allow for direct input into the design, such as focus groups or co-design workshops.
02Explore how digital platforms can be leveraged to deliver interventions, considering accessibility and engagement for young users.

Method & Evidence

AimTo investigate how young people understand and practice mindfulness, and to co-design a mindfulness training program (MATE) with them for both live and online delivery.

MethodParticipatory mixed-methods approach

ProcedureLiterature review and expert consultation informed the initial program design (MATE v.1). This was followed by consultation with 13 mindfulness-naive young people to create MATE v.2. A pilot trial of the live edition of MATE v.2 was conducted with 11 participants, involving qualitative interviews, a focus group, written and online feedback, and quantitative measurements at baseline, post-program, and at six weeks' follow-up.

Sample13 young people for consultation, 11 participants for the pilot trial

ContextMental health promotion for young people (aged 15-24) experiencing difficulties regulating emotions.

Variables

IVInvolvement of young people in the design process (participatory vs. expert-led).

DVProgram engagement, perceived relevance, and potential effectiveness of the mindfulness training program.

CVAge range of participants (15-24), focus on emotion regulation, mixed-methods evaluation approach.

Strengths & Limitations

Strengths

+Employs a participatory design approach, directly involving the target audience.
+Utilizes a mixed-methods evaluation for a comprehensive understanding.

Limitations

The small number of participants in the pilot study means the results might not be generalizable to all young people. Further research with larger groups is needed to confirm the findings.

Reliability & validity

The qualitative data (interviews, focus groups) provide rich insights into user perspectives, enhancing the validity of the findings. However, the small sample size for the pilot trial may limit the generalizability and statistical reliability of the quantitative results.

Think critically

To what extent can the findings from this specific co-design process be generalized to other types of youth programs or different cultural contexts?

Design Principles

"User-centered design, specifically participatory design, is critical for developing effective psychological interventions."

Understanding the psychological and emotional needs of specific user groups, like adolescents, is crucial for developing interventions that resonate. A participatory design approach ensures that the final product aligns with the target audience's lived experiences and preferences, leading to greater adoption and positive outcomes.

What This Means for Your Design

When making a program for teenagers about mindfulness, it's best to ask them what they think and want, rather than just guessing. This makes the program better and more likely to help them.

How to use in your project

1.Reference this study when justifying the use of user research methods, particularly participatory design, to inform the development of your design project.
2.Use the findings to support the importance of tailoring interventions to specific age groups and their psychological needs.

Add to My Project

Quick Cite

Paragraph starter

The MATE program research underscores the critical role of participatory design in developing effective interventions for young people. By involving the target demographic directly in the design process, as demonstrated by the consultation with 13 mindfulness-naive young people, the resulting program (MATE v.2) was better tailored to their needs and preferences, leading to more meaningful engagement and potential positive outcomes in emotion regulation.

Source

Minerva Access (University of Melbourne)

Design and refinement of the MATE program: Mindful Awareness Training and Education: how do young people understand and practise mindfulness?

journal · 2012

View source

Questions About This Research

What does the research say about co-designing mindfulness programs for youth enhances engagement and efficacy?: Designers should actively involve their target users, especially young people, in the iterative design process to ensure programs are relevant, engaging, and effective. Evidence: Minerva Access (University of Melbourne) (2012).
Why does "Co-designing Mindfulness Programs for Youth Enhances Engagement and Efficacy" matter for design?: Understanding the psychological and emotional needs of specific user groups, like adolescents, is crucial for developing interventions that resonate. A participatory design approach ensures that the final product aligns with the target audience's lived experiences and preferences, leading to greater adoption and positive outcomes.
How can designers apply this research?: Designers should actively involve their target users, especially young people, in the iterative design process to ensure programs are relevant, engaging, and effective.
What were the main findings?: Young people found mindfulness training desirable and provided valuable suggestions for program structure and content.. A participatory design process is essential for creating relevant and engaging mental wellness programs for youth.
What research method was used?: Participatory mixed-methods approach with 13 young people for consultation, 11 participants for the pilot trial.
How strong is the evidence?: Evidence strength is rated Moderate effect, based on a 2012 journal from Minerva Access (University of Melbourne).
What should I do differently in my next project?: When designing any program or service aimed at young people, conduct workshops or feedback sessions where they can directly contribute to the design and content.
What are the limitations?: The study involved a small sample size for the pilot trial, and the long-term effectiveness of the program was not fully assessed.