Recent large-scale population research showed that healthy lifestyle extends lifetime by six years and delays the onset of chronic diseases by nine years. Multiple interventions are available to help people achieve a healthier lifestyle. These interventions are successful in motivating people to initiate a behavioural change (BC) but often fail keep people aboard and maintain their behavioural change. The present project investigates and evaluates how design can support motivation for a BC maintenance. To reach this aim we will investigate four strategies of personalisation of motivating incentives: 1) Adapt incentive–type, -quantity, and –moment to BC stage; 2) Introduce personal health feedback as motivator; 3) Personalise incentives to user’s engagement profile; and 4) Change system-initiated incentives into user-initiated incentives.
The Enduring Rewards project will work on three existing behavioural change programs. One of these programs is the LekkerFit! Program by the city of Rotterdam. This program, started in 2005, aims to motivate children and adolescents in Rotterdam for a healthy lifestyle involving healthy nutrition and physical activity. The present position will focus on the LekkerFit! program with adolescents as target group. Activities of the PhD function will involve user context studies, iterative rapid-prototype design, cocreative design of personalized incentives, and evaluation and integration of the design demonstrators in the LekkerFit! program.
As a PhD in the Enduring Rewards project you will work in a team of design researchers (TU Delft), public health researchers (EMC), the municipality of Rotterdam, and game design- and eHealth-companies. Other involved partners in the project are LU and LUMC.

The PhD candidate holds a master degree in Design science and/or a related discipline to the project, such as Psychology, Medical Informatics, Human Movement Science, Health, and can show a clear and demonstrated affinity with human-centred design. The candidate has excellent communication and writing skills, is creative, can work in an interdisciplinary practical and theoretical context, and has experience with co-creation. Experience in working with behavioural change projects and the target group, i.e. adolescents (especially in low SES neighbourhoods), is a plus. Since the research will be performed in the Dutch context, the candidate needs to speak and write Dutch fluently.

Fixed-term contract: 4 years.

The TU Delft offers a customisable compensation package, a discount for health insurance and sport memberships, and a monthly work costs contribution. Flexible work schedules can be arranged. Coming to Delft Service organizes diverse events for new international employees and their accompanying partners, like Partner Career Workshops and Dutch Culture Workshops. Located on campus are the International Children’s Centre and an international primary schoolwhich are subject to availability as well as several bilingual schools in the nearby surrounding. Salary and benefits are in accordance with the Collective Labour Agreement for Dutch Universities.As a PhD candidate you will be enrolled in the TU Delft Graduate School. TU Delft Graduate School provides an inspiring research environment; an excellent team of supervisors, academic staff and a mentor; and a Doctoral Education Programme aimed at developing your transferable, discipline-related and research skills. Please visit www.tudelft.nl/phd for more information.

Technische Universiteit Delft

Delft University of Technology (TU Delft) is a multifaceted institution offering education and carrying out research in the technical sciences at an internationally recognised level. Education, research and design are strongly oriented towards applicability. TU Delft develops technologies for future generations, focusing on sustainability, safety and economic vitality. At TU Delft you will work in an environment where technical sciences and society converge. TU Delft comprises eight faculties, unique laboratories, research institutes and schools.

Faculty Industrial Design Engineering

The faculty of Industrial Design Engineering is the largest and broadest scientific design institute in the world, with over 2,000 students, 7,000 alumni and 300 staff (researchers and lecturers, including designers from industrial practice). The faculty aims to contribute to a better living environment and respond to social challenges by combining human values and desires with technological feasibility and economic viability. We are excellently placed to do so, as we ground design methods and skills in scientific knowledge from a wide range of disciplines, leading to concrete solutions.

A PhD position is offered within the department of Human-Centered Design. The department HCD is recognized as an international leader in design research and was ranked excellent by an international review panel in 2015. Our research and education focusing on topics like design for happiness, prototyping in design thinking, design aesthetics, future interactions, ergonomics and social design. The department also houses the ID-StudioLab, a unique interdisciplinary design research community that facilitates design-driven research and education. We believe that a professional designer needs scientific knowledge and the skills to use systematic methods, techniques and tools. We teach future designers to conceptualize products and services that are understandable and stimulate meaningful experiences. We develop and improve the knowledge and skills that help designers and researchers contribute to relevant societal challenges and to have an impact.