Harnessing Human-Centered Design for Evidence-Based Psychosocial Interventions and Implementation Strategies in Community Settings: Protocol for Redesign to Improve Usability, Engagement, and Appropriateness.

backgroundAlthough substantial progress has been made in establishing evidence-based psychosocial clinical interventions and implementation strategies for mental health, translating research into practice-particularly in more accessible, community settings-has been slow.

objectiveThis protocol outlines the renewal of the National Institute of Mental Health-funded University of Washington Advanced Laboratories for Accelerating the Reach and Impact of Treatments for Youth and Adults with Mental Illness Center, which draws from human-centered design (HCD) and implementation science to improve clinical interventions and implementation strategies. The Center's second round of funding (2023-2028) focuses on using the Discover, Design and Build, and Test (DDBT) framework to address 3 priority clinical intervention and implementation strategy mechanisms (ie, usability, engagement, and appropriateness), which we identified as challenges to implementation and scalability during the first iteration of the center. Local redesign teams work collaboratively and share decision-making to carry out DDBT.

methodsAll 4 core studies received institutional review board approval by June 2024, and each pilot project will pursue institutional review board approval when awarded. We will provide research infrastructure to 1 large effectiveness study and 3 exploratory pilot studies as part of the center grant. At least 4 additional small pilot studies will be solicited and funded by the center. All studies will explore the use of DDBT for clinical interventions and implementation strategies to identify modification targets to improve usability, engagement, and appropriateness in accessible nonspecialty settings (Discover phase); develop redesign solutions with local teams to address modification targets (Design and Build phase); and determine if redesign improves usability, engagement, and appropriateness (Test phase), as well as implementation outcomes. Center staff will collaborate with local redesign teams to develop and test clinical interventions and implementation strategies for community settings. We will collaborate with teams to use methods and centerwide measures that facilitate cross-project analysis of the effects of DDBT-driven redesign on outcomes of interest.

resultsAs of January 2025, three of the 4 core studies are underway. We will generate additional evidence on the robustness of DDBT and whether combining HCD and implementation science is an asset for improving clinical interventions and implementation strategies.

conclusionsDuring the first round of the center, we established that DDBT is a useful approach to systematically identify and address chronic challenges of implementing clinical interventions and implementation strategies. In this subsequent grant, we expect to increase evidence of DDBT's impact on clinical interventions and implementation strategies by expanding a list of common challenges that could benefit from modification, a list of exemplary solutions to address these challenges, and guidance on using the DDBT framework. These resources will contribute to broader discourse on how to enhance implementation of clinical interventions and implementation strategies that integrate HCD and implementation science. INTERNATIONAL REGISTERED REPORT IDENTIFIER (IRRID): PRR1-10.2196/65446.