Fostering Meta-skills for Well-being in Everyday Digital Life: A Systematic Review of Interaction Design Beyond Clinical and Productivity Settings

Abstract

A growing body of research has examined how technology can be leveraged to cultivate meta-skills that enhance well-being. Substantial work has addressed the psychological needs of patients, caregivers, and healthcare professionals, and considerable attention has been given to educational and workplace settings. A notable gap also remains in understanding these issues from the perspective of designers. This study aims to systematically investigate how interaction design can promote well-being by supporting the development of meta-skills beyond clinical and productivity-oriented contexts. A secondary aim is to address three research questions, extract design implications, and formulate guidelines informed by the review findings.

This thesis adopts a qualitative systematic literature review grounded in the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) framework. In total, 24 studies were included in the qualitative synthesis. A thematic analysis was conducted to address the research questions, focusing on the technologies involved, user experiences, and the design strategies that facilitate meta-skill development. The findings indicate that meta-skill growth typically evolves from externally driven stimulation to internally guided regulation, and that effective design achieves a balance between motivational external features and support for calm, self-directed engagement. Four design guidelines emerged, highlighting the importance of supporting internal cognitive processes, fostering autonomy, ensuring clarity, and providing positive reinforcement. Collectively, these insights offer practical direction for designing technologies that enhance well-being from metacognitive, non-clinical, and non-productivity-oriented perspectives.