Optimizing SloMo, a Digitally Supported Therapy Targeting Paranoia, for Implementation: Inclusive, Human-Centered Design Study

Sep 29, 2026

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Background: Digital therapeutics for psychosis promise scalable support but face difficulty when moving from clinical trials to routine care. SloMo is an evidence-based, digitally supported cognitive behavioral therapy combining a web platform and mobile app. It helps users slow down to address fast-thinking habits driving paranoia. Objective: Optimize SloMo for implementation by reducing complexity, improving usability, and enhancing equitable outcomes. Methods: Apply inclusive, human-centered design using Double Diamond workshops, redesign iterations, user testing, and minimum viable product validation with patients and therapists. Results: Users valued usability, trust, enjoyment, personalization, normalizing content, memorability, and intuitive navigation. Conclusions: The optimized SloMo supports real-world adoption while preserving therapeutic fidelity and improves accessibility through inclusive lived-experience involvement.

LanguageEnglish

CategoryResearch & Report

FormatPDF

Pages17

Reading Time43 min

AccessFree to download

Abstract

Background

Objective

Methods

Results

Conclusions

Introduction

Digital therapeutics and implementation challenges

Technology complexity and digital inclusion

Inclusive, human-centered design

SloMo and study focus

JMIR HUMAN FACTORS Gant et al Original Paper Optimizing SloMo, a Digitally Supported Therapy Targeting Paranoia, for Implementation: Inclusive, Human-Centered Design Study | Thomas Gant 1,2, BSc, MSc; Kathryn M Taylor 1,2, BSc, DClinPsy; Thomas Ward 1,2, MSci, DClinPsy, PhD; Philippa Garety 1, BA (Hons), MPhil, MA, CPsychol, PhD; Amy Hardy1,2, BSc (Hons), DClinPsy, PhD | | --- | | 1Department of Psychology, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology and Neuroscience, King's College London, London, United Kingdom 2South London and Maudsley NHS Foundation Trust, London, United Kingdom
Corresponding Author:
Thomas Gant, BSc, MSc Department of Psychology
Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology and Neuroscience
King's College London De Crespigny Park London, SE5 8AF United Kingdom Phone: 44 20 7848 0002
Email: [thomas.1.gant@kcl.ac.uk](thomas.1.gant@kcl.ac.uk)
Abstract | | Background: Despite the promise of digital therapeutics in providing scalable interventions for psychosis, translating them from clinical trials to routine care is challenging. SloMo is an evidence-based, digitally supported cognitive behavioral therapy for psychosis comprising a web-based therapy platform and mobile app. The therapy encourages individuals to slow down for a moment, to address fast-thinking habits fueling paranoia. SloMo has received a NICE Early Value Assessment recommendation for use in the National Health Service to address evidence gaps related to its use in the real world, and an implementation study is underway.
Objective: This study aimed to optimize the SloMo software for implementation by addressing limitations of the first release, reducing technology complexity, and improving user experience, to increase equitable outcomes.
Methods: An inclusive, human-centered design methodology was used to optimize SloMo. The redesign sought to reduce the technology’s complexity and improve the user experience for diverse patients and therapists. The Double Diamond framework structured the iterative redesign, integrating insights from patient and public involvement consultants, therapists, and atransdisciplinary co-design team. The Double Diamond process was facilitated through 24 transdisciplinary workshops. These were supported by the following methods: identifying implementation barriers through desk research of SloMo’s evidence and qualitative interviews with experts by experience (n=2); redefining user needs; iteratively developing solutions through user testing sessions with service user consultants (n=32); and validating the minimum viable product through think-aloud testing sessions with therapist (n=10) and service user (n=11) consultants.
Results: Users wanted a form of cognitive behavioral therapy for psychosis that was usable, trustworthy, enjoyable, personalized, normalizing, and memorable. The redesign, therefore, included a minimalist user interface, more diverse lived experience vignette content, enhanced agency over data, greater representation of protected characteristics and their intersectionality, and intuitive navigation. Feedback from a purposively sampled patient and therapist sample validated the redesign as it was associated with a strong user experience, particularly in relation to usability and usefulness.
Conclusions: The study produced a redesign of the SloMo software optimized for real-world use, whilst retaining fidelity to the therapeutic content ofthe previous version. Through an inclusive, human-centered approach, the optimized design of SloMo addresses barriers to adoption by reducing complexity and fostering accessibility. This study underscores the value of integrating lived experience involvement into digital therapeutics to support scalable, equitable, and sustainable mental health care solutions.
(JMIR Hum Factors 2025;12:e75377) doi: 10.2196/75377 | [https://humanfactors.jmir.org/2025/1/e75377](https://humanfactors.jmir.org/2025/1/e75377) XSL• FO RenderX JMIR Hum Factors 2

FAQs

What is SloMo and what therapeutic goal does it target?

SloMo is an evidence-based, digitally supported cognitive behavioral therapy for psychosis delivered via a web platform and mobile app. It helps individuals slow down briefly to address fast-thinking habits that fuel paranoia.

How did the study optimize SloMo for real-world implementation?

The study used inclusive, human-centered design with the Double Diamond framework to iteratively redesign the software. It incorporated insights from patient and public involvement consultants, therapists, and a co-design team, supported by desk research and multiple user testing and think-aloud validation sessions.

What changes were included in the optimized SloMo design?

The redesign incorporated a minimalist interface, more diverse lived-experience vignette content, enhanced user agency over data, improved representation of protected characteristics and intersectionality, and intuitive navigation.

Why does the paper emphasize inclusive lived-experience involvement?

The study concludes that integrating lived-experience involvement into digital therapeutics strengthens adoption by reducing complexity and fostering accessibility. This supports scalable, equitable, and sustainable mental health care solutions.

Sep 29, 2026

Upload by Fahsai