Supporting remote workers to break prologned sedentary behavior

Master thesis in collaboration with Logitech

2022

Problem Statement

Logi fit is the result of my 14-week graduation project in collaboration with Logitech, a company dedicated to developing hardware products that enhance the comfort and pleasure of work environments.

People are sitting more than ever before. In the United States, adults sit for an average of 9.5 hours per day. In comparison, adults in the Netherlands sit for an average of 8.7 hours per day. [1,2] Extensive research demonstrates that this prolonged sedentary behavior is directly linked to the development of chronic diseases, musculoskeletal disorders and fatigue and has adverse effects on mental wellbeing. [3,4,5,6,7,8] Sitting at work appears to be the primary cause of this prolonged sedentary behavior, making the workplace a key setting of interest for this project. [9,10,11]

Solution

Logi fit is a product-system design intended to reduce sedentary behavior and enhance the physical and mental wellbeing of individuals working in offices or from home. To achieve this, it aims to break current sedentary habits and encourages the adoption of new routines through five strategies based on persuasive technology. Logi fit allows users to physically schedule breaks during their workday (tangible interaction), making them more aware of their behavior and helping to foster change. By scheduling breaks ahead of time (personalization), users are nudged to disrupt their sedentary behavior at expected moments and have a goal to work towards (goal setting). In combination with feedback that provides subtle cues about the time remaining until the next scheduled break and when it is time to take a break, users are offered just enough information to promote behavior change without disrupting work (ambient feedback). Finally, the system allows users to track their progress and provides a statistical overview of all collected data which can motivate them to reinforce new, healthier habits (tracking / selfmonitoring). 

Additionally, apart from scheduling breaks, Logi fit also uses an proximity sensor to measure when someone has been sitting for too long. If this is the case, the user gets a similar nudge as described above. 

Process

Through a design-thinking approach, users and stakeholders have been involved throughout the process.

Empathize - understanding user challenges and needs: Literature research combined with quantitative online surveys amongst 40 office workers, qualitative semi-structured interviews, early concept validation sessions and interviews with a health & safety coordinator and a physical therapist have been conducted to identify the challenges and needs for users.

Define: The research demonstrates that people are sitting too much and that most of this sedentary behavior occurs through sitting during work. The research exposed three main opportunities to change this sedentary behavior of office workers; 1) Communication - It is important to recognize that everyone has a unique baseline influenced by different schedules, motivations, health statuses, and setups. Effective communication should be personalized, as strategies that work for one person may not work for another. Additionally, notifications should be noticeable enough to prompt behavior change without being disruptive to a person's workflow. 2) Motivation - Changing one’s behavior is really about breaking habits. To motivate people and stimulate this behavioral change, it is important to built-up routines and allows people to start with small and simple steps. 3) Awareness - People should first be aware of the actual problem. Additionally, office workers should be made aware of the situation when it is not as it should be.

Ideate: The ideation phase kicked off with a remote "How Might We" sessions based on the exposed opportunities hosted with former students at UID to spark initial thoughts. Ideas were clustered and sketched out and eventually merged into one main concept direction. Based on this direction, four different design concepts have been sketched out and presented to Logitech, of which one has been selected. 

Prototype: Rapid 3D printed prototypes where created to 'test' initial concepts. To experience and validate the final concept direction, a working prototype has been created. The Arduino hardware is the first component of the prototype. A potentiometer is used to measure the rotation of the device and control the interface. A basic button has been incorporated to create the push-click interaction, and a 24-Neopixel LED ring has been positioned behind a light diffuser. These components are housed in a 3D printed base. The hardware communicates with the ui created in Figma through ProtoPie Connect. This allows the hardware to control the interface. 

Test: Through the created prototype, the concept has been validated with users. 

2023 redesign: A year after finishing the project, the product has been redesigned, focusing more on the aesthethics rather than the interaction. This process started with an analysis of Logitech's physical product design language.

Various brand-specific product design details are integrated in the new product design;

Display UI

Accompanying app to get insights in sedentary behavior on the short- and long term.

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5] Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). 2020. Work-Related Musculoskelatal Disorders & Ergonomics. https://www.cdc.gov/workplacehealthpromotion/healthstrategies/musculoskeletal-disorders/index.html.6] US Department of Health and Human Services. 1997. Musculoskelatal Disorders and Workplace Factors; A Critical Review of Epidemiologic Evidence for Work-Related Musculoskeletal Disorders of the Neck, Upper Extremity, and Low Back. https://www.cdc.gov/niosh/docs/97- 141/pdfs/97-141.pdf?id=10.26616/NIOSHPUB97141.

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