User needs gathering for the design of information and communications technology-supported occupational stress management intervention: A quantitative study

Abstract

Introduction The software industry is considered a growing industry with a high propensity to cause stress reactions among employees due to its demanding and technology-driven nature. There are convincing shreds of evidence that information and communications technology (ICT) interventions can effectively solve stress-related disorders. However, several identified constraints have hindered its potential benefits, such as poor adherence, lack of engagement, high attrition and lack of personalisation. Objective The study presented in this article aims to gather the user needs of software employees in Sri Lanka to identify design ideas for an ICT-supported intervention for occupational stress management (ICTSMI) in the software industry. Materials and methods The study followed a quantitative approach using an online questionnaire in which three key areas were investigated: (1) stressors, (2) coping strategies and (3) design preferences. A total of 408 valid responses were collected and analysed using SPSS software. Results Findings revealed that the majority of software employees were with a moderate level of stress. They perceived work stressors and role stressors as common causes of stress. The most frequently used coping strategy was to seek social support, followed by digital activities and sports and physical exercises. The male and female design preferences varied to a greater extent but only slightly varied based on their job category. However, findings suggested the necessity of further elicitation of user needs to support the design process.

Exploration of user needs and design requirements of a digital stress management intervention for software employees in Sri Lanka: a qualitative study

“…The previous survey [ 21 ] showed user preference for individual activities and collaborative platforms. This was further elaborated in the FGDs, and the discussions also revealed user preference for having two separate spaces in a single intervention.…”

“…The recent statistics published marked that the highest level of attrition of the IT workforce was reported from IT companies at 9.7% compared to non-IT companies (5.5%). With the fast-paced industry and service environment, the competitive run to reach the next level, long working hours, and lack of work-life balance could contribute to workers’ stress-related health concerns [ 21 , 24 ]. Thus, companies are taking numerous measures to safeguard their employees and provide a suitable work environment for their employees.…”

“…This study is a sub-study within a larger project that aims further to explore the findings from the previous quantitative survey. The quantitative analysis [ 21 ] was conducted in the same context; it used an online questionnaire and collected 408 responses from Sri Lankan software employees. The questionnaire investigated the stressors, coping strategies and design preferences for ICT -supported stress management interventions.…”

“…The rationale for forming focus groups was based on the insights from the previous study [ 21 ] of 408 software employees who participated in the survey (see Additional file 2 ). The findings of this study [ 21 ] revealed gender-wise statistically significant differences in user preference for intervention features, support mechanisms and non-functional requirements. Males preferred physical exercises, conversations, and gaming components over females.…”

“…The work of Lucy Yardley [ 20 ] emphasises the importance of combining qualitative and quantitative approaches to overcome the drawback of the single requirement elicitation technique. Thus, this current study aims to explore the findings of a previous quantitative analysis [ 21 ] carried out in the same study context to deepen the understanding of user needs and derive a concrete set of design requirements to feed into the design of digital occupational stress management intervention for software employees in Sri Lanka. Such a mixed methodological approach is deemed to provide the avenues to yield sufficient depth and breadth of user needs to feed the design of digital interventions.…”