Table 2.

The mHealth prototype development process

• Medic Mobile team visited each site to get a sense of current cancer screening activities and their strengths and weaknesses, the effectiveness of the activities and the challenges faced

• Through in-depth interviews, role playing, and shadowing, the team gained an understanding of the workflow for screening activities – and defined ‘user personas’ (a representation of who a user is, and what their behaviours are) – for CHWs, nurses, and program coordinators)

• Assessed the feasibility of using mobile technology within the existing infrastructure (physical and personnel), taking into account user-related considerations

• Assessment of existing mobile networks at each site and extent of mobile phone ownership

• Feature phones loaded with a configured SIM card application and provided to the chws at each site

• Conducted mHealth training workshops

• Prototype tested at a pilot ‘screening camp’ to test the platform in a ‘real world’ setting, and gauge training gaps among the staff

• SIM application configured to support specific data collection forms, allowing users to report on each type of activity

CHW – community health worker