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Building a Smarter Health and Productivity Management Solution – Doing Your Homework

DISCOVERY: Doing Your Homework

There are two critical tasks in stage one: selecting a group of "stakeholders" who will move the program forward, and choosing a product that's right for your company.

1) Establish a Stakeholder Team:

Identify people in your organization whose buy-in is critical to program success. Key stakeholders might include members of senior management (including the CEO) and business leaders who may benefit from the program or serve as its champions. The stakeholders play an integral part in the process by helping to define goals, make key decisions about program suppliers, and support the program's importance throughout the organization.

2) Select the Right Product:

In order to select a product that's best for your company, clearly define the goals of your program and identify key factors that will determine success - including how it will be measured. Some of the factors when considering a program supplier are:

	Scope of services and whether they fit with your company's objectives;
	Ability to integrate with other services;
	Experience and proven track record;
	Customization capabilities;
	Data management and reporting capabilities;
	Cost vs. value of specific program components;
	Fit with target audience;
	Scientific basis for behavior change.

When trying to determine whether a supplier will offer the features you are looking for to make your program successful, gather detailed information about their capabilities. Two areas where it might be useful to drill down and find out what the supplier's program has to offer are:

1) Customization Capabilities

Find out how the program can be customized to meet your organization's goals. This may be as simple as co-branding the site with a company logo. More involved integration projects would include customizing a health-risk assessment to address specific organizational issues, or integrating the product into other company benefits and services. Clearly identify what your customizations needs are and assess any additional costs that may apply.

2) Scientific Credibility

Consider whether the program was created using a proven model for successful health behavior change. Goal setting and interactive tools to monitor progress are important features. In addition, tailored programs that address participant needs at different stages of readiness will enhance program efficacy and are more likely to yield positive outcomes.

Evaluating ROI