Designing a Coaching

Creating an effective coaching involves careful planning and a structured approach. This chapter provides a comprehensive guide to help you design a successful coaching program, starting from defining specific interaction points to developing a master plan that ensures all aspects of the intervention are aligned with your objectives.

You will learn how to:

  1. Create a "Sample Week": Develop a detailed overview of the user’s journey during the initial week.
  2. Develop a Comprehensive Overview: Catalog and schedule all interaction points, ensuring a smooth and engaging user experience.

Step 1: Create a "Sample Week"

A "Sample Week" provides a detailed overview of how the intervention unfolds from the user's perspective. This includes the content delivered, the timing, and the sequence of interactions.

Steps:

  1. List Interaction Points: List all content that should be presented in the example week.
  2. Schedule Interaction Points: Determine specific times for delivering content.
  3. Specify Type of Interaction: Identify the type of interaction/content (e.g., chat, questionnaire, video, ...)
  4. Define Triggers: Specify what triggers each interaction (time-based and/or action-based).

Example:

Day Time Content Type Trigger
Monday 8:00 AM Introduction to Nutrition Chat + Video Scheduled by system
Monday Individual Quiz on Breakfast Choices Chat + Infocard Log of breakfast completed
Tuesday 8:00 AM Exercise Routine Tips Infocard Scheduled by system
Tuesday Individual Physical Activity Log Push Reminder + Activity Log Scheduled by user
Wednesday 08:00 AM Midweek Check-in Questionnaire Scheduled by system
... ... ... ... ...

When planning a coaching, consider the "lazy user" scenario. Assume that some users may not respond to interaction requests from the app or coach. Plan for these situations by determining how long users have to respond to a request and what happens if they don't.

Please check out the best practices on the interaction behavior of the coach.

Step 2: Develop a Comprehensive Overview

This overview captures all potential content, timings, and triggers throughout the intervention. It serves as a master plan ensuring all aspects are covered and aligned with the intervention's objectives.

Steps:

  1. List All Interaction Points: Catalog every interaction point/content that will be delivered during the intervention.
  2. Schedule Interaction Points: Determine specific times for each interaction.
  3. Specify Type of Interaction: Identify the type of interaction/content (e.g., chat, questionnaire, video, ...)
  4. Define Triggers: Specify what triggers each interaction (time-based and/or action-based)

Example:

Content Timing Conditions Trigger Type
Welcome Message Individual None User registration completed Chat
Intro to Program Individual None Welcome dialogue completed Chat
Daily Check-in Every day, 8:00 AM Not on registration day scheduled by system Questionnaire
Weekly Review Every Sunday, 8:00 PM Log book is completed scheduled by system Chat + Visualization
Midweek Check-in Every Wednesday, 08:00 AM None scheduled by system Questionnaire
... ... ... ... ...

Tip: When scheduling fixed times for specific interactions, consider potential "exceptions," especially during the first few days. For instance, recurring "check-in" or "feedback" dialogues may not be relevant on the initial days or before users have completed specific tasks. Define these conditions and note them in your comprehensive coaching overview.

Keep your Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) in mind: Ensure that you have mechanisms in place to measure these KPIs effectively. This includes designing the necessary questionnaires and other tools to evaluate the success of your coaching.