Inconsistency is guaranteed.
So design for intermittent use.
Machines are consistent. Humans are not.
The only thing humans do consistently is thanks to the autonomic nervous system: breathing, pulsing, digesting. The rest is inconsistency guaranteed. We surge, start, stop, and re-start.
Yet, the health technology industry has spent years designing digital tools as if we behave consistently, as if we function like machines. Steady, constant, always-on. Why? Because the early models came less from healthcare and more from technology sectors like gaming, advertising, and entertainment—industries designed to tap into our pleasure centers, built to keep us hooked.
But healthcare is not pleasurable. When we’re sick, or even when we push our bodies to run, lift, or stretch, our brains don’t want more, more, more. They want less. They want rest.
Like my bestie says, “If you see me running, it’s because a bear tooth tiger is chasing me; otherwise, you won’t see me running.”
Being healthy, working towards better health, happens sometimes. Happens intermittently. So we need to design health tools for intermittent use.
Take this recent exchange I had with my gym: I quit the gym early in the Spring. Then last week, I got this message about rejoining. But most gyms, mine included, require a 12-month contract. I pushed back knowing I wouldn’t use the gym for the next 12 months. We landed on a more flexible path forward — I could sign up for 90 days, then go month-to-month.
That’s my gym open for intermittent use.
The gym managers should know that I’m going to stop my membership and then very likely start again at some point. They are taking a bet on my customer lifetime value. A bet that I will come back whenever I’m ready to tend to my fitness again.
Humans are intermittent. Set up your designs so you can start, stop, surge, and slow to be a partner for health over time.
SXSW 2026: Let’s Redesign Digital Health Together
If this post resonates with you, I’d love your support! I’m pitching a session at SXSW 2026 called “Digital Health Engagement? Design for Intermittent Use.”
I’ll explore why the traditional model of “always-on” engagement is failing us, and how designing for real human behavior can transform health outcomes.
👉 Vote here to bring this session to life at SXSW! All you need to do is click the heart icon
Your story belongs here!
Has something I’ve written sparked a memory or made you think about someone you care for? If you’ve had a meaningful experience supporting a loved one, whether a parent, partner, friend, or child, I invite you to share it. It could be joyful, heartbreaking, messy, or beautifully mundane. This is a space for real voices and real experiences, and I’d be honored to include yours in a future Substack post!
👉Click here to share your story.
Interested in my work? Let’s connect!
📲 Follow me on LinkedIn for more insights and behind-the-scenes, or reach out if you’re interested in working together
💌 Reach out to me at drstephhabif@gmail.com for ways to work together
🖥️ Read more on my website