Effective digital health solutions must be evidence-informed and contextualized. In order to achieve this, research needs to provide answers to critical questions at each stage of digital health product development from inception to translation. During strategy and business model development, research may focus on unmet needs to be addressed and the unique value of this potential digital health solution. Who is willing to pay for the solution and what evidence do they need before and after implementation? Will the end user select the solution, or will it be prescribed/recommended to them? What regulatory pathways will be pursued? During the concept and intervention plan development phase, questions address the level of intervention (intrapersonal, community, policy, etc.), potential partners, and the most effective interventions and behavior change techniques to address the identified unmet needs. As we move into the design process, questions may focus on in which context(s) the solution will be used. What are the considerations to engage the customer? How will the product scale? When building real-world evidence and scaling, research may focus on how implementation is evaluated, when, how often, and by whom. Finally, where will it be scaled, who are the stakeholders that influence adoption and rollout, and what are the unique considerations for each of those contexts?

Often there can be a limited view of the role of behavioral science research in these industry settings focused on specific interventions, techniques, and content for engaging people. However, having a behavioral science perspective in the room early on during policy, business development, or strategy discussions, can strengthen the impact of digital health tools. Positioning behavioral science in upstream discussions helps ensure that solutions address meaningful problems and health equity, while optimizing the value brought to the customer, end-user engagement, and achievement of outcomes.

This panel shares a framework and case studies (with results) to highlight the range of types of research that behavioral scientists can lead to ensure that our unique perspective is considered from the initial strategic planning through testing and launching of products contextualized for real-world settings. The panelists are all behavioral scientists working in industry to implement existing science, use existing science in the creation of new solutions, and evaluate solutions in the real world.