Step-by-step guide to designing effective wellness apps

Leveraging on the rise of consumer usage of mobile application technology, the health-care industry currently has more than 97,000 health-related apps listed on 62 full catalogue app stores (Research2guidance 2013). The projected revenue of these apps is to reach $26 billion, with 3.4 billion people would have access and 50% would have downloaded these apps by 2017 (Mobihealthnews 2013). Clearly, the health-related app market is on an upward trajectory, transforming the way we consume health-related services, and, importantly, has the potential to achieve both social and economic benefits to communities. In this chapter, the discussion is focused on wellness apps that are preventative health focus in nature. Wellness apps are purposefully created to help consumers achieve their health behaviour goal, to improve their general well-being and lifestyle.