Ecological Momentary Assessment (EMA) has become an increasingly vital tool for researchers seeking to understand real-time phenomena in natural settings. Yet, the landscape of available platforms can be complex to navigate, as was highlighted in “Selecting an Ecological Momentary Assessment Platform: Tutorial for Researchers”, an article published in 2024 in the Journal for Internet Medical Research by Lauren M. Henry from the National Institute of Mental Health and her colleagues1. This insightful article provides a valuable framework for scientists embarking on EMA studies.
This analysis was based on a systematic review of existing solutions conducted in 2023, at a time when Polygon’s EMA tool was not yet available. Here, we use the 17 areas of interest proposed by the authors (see: Textbox 1) and respond to a series of related questions to describe Polygon’s tool and illustrate its ability to meet the needs of teams aiming to implement an EMA or GEMA protocol.
Polygon: Addressing Key EMA Platform Considerations
1. Alarms (Prompts)
How are alarms delivered? Our platform offers a comprehensive suite of alarm delivery methods, ensuring you can reach participants effectively. We support phone calls, SMS text messages, and push notifications.
Is the alarm design customisable? Absolutely. Polygon provides extensive customisation options for your alarms, allowing you to tailor the experience for your participants. This includes customising the text (content, font, emphasis, colour, size) and sound (type or vibration).
Are the alarm duration and frequency programmable? Yes, you have full control over the scheduling of your alarms. The duration and frequency are entirely programmable to fit your study’s specific requirements.
Are there options for users to delay or dismiss an alarm? Can that feature be disabled? Polygon offers flexibility in how participants interact with alarms. Options for users to delay or dismiss an alarm can be implemented. Certainly, alarms could be disabled but depending on the study design, that may not be a very useful thing to do.
2. Compatibility
With which operating systems is the platform compatible? Polygon is designed for broad compatibility. By offering the option of either using a progressive webapp or a full native application, our platform is highly flexible and compatible with all major operating systems, including Android and iOS. Multi-channelling is also possible, as you may want to start on a mobile device and pursue on your computer, or answer on your work computer at noon, but on a tablet in the evening.
3. Consent
Is there an option or requirement for e-consent? Are e-consent forms fully or partially customisable? Yes, Polygon supports electronic consent (e-consent), and the e-consent form can be customised to meet your specific needs.
4. Cost structure
How is cost calculated? Is there an annual subscription, and how is it renewed? Are there setup fees? What costs are associated with developer support and consultation? Are discounts available? At Polygon, we operate with a project-based cost structure. We believe understanding your research needs is an important first step to provide a fair and transparent quote. This is why we start by having a conversation, and make sure we perfectly understand your needs. Importantly, our pricing is fixed and not dependent on the number of participants or questions. You can scale your study without incurring additional platform costs. We have no setup fees, and we are committed to providing all the support necessary for your projects success. While we focus on offering a fair price and unwavering dedication rather than discounts, our partnership approach means we often provide additional communication and scientific support as required.
5. Customisation
Can nonessential features be removed? Can you build out features that are not presently included? Do white label opportunities exist? Polygon prides itself on full customisation. You have the ability to remove nonessential features to streamline the user experience. Furthermore, our platform’s flexible architecture allows us to build out features that may not be thought of as standard. We will listen to your needs and propose customized innovations if need be.
6. Dashboards
Is a research dashboard available? Is a clinician dashboard available? Polygon offers customisable live dashboards for both research and clinical purposes. The research dashboard can be tailored to your needs, with features to manage sampling schemes, message participants, track compliance, visualise data, and search data. Similarly, the clinician dashboard can be customised to track responses, flag concerning answers, and facilitate communication with participants.
7. Downloading results
When and how are user results uploaded? In what file format are user results downloaded? What information is provided in data exports? What structure are the data exports? Is the output customisable? Can data be exported on a user-by-user basis? Can data be exported for the full sample? With Polygon, data can be downloaded at any time through your customisable dashboard. All data and metadata are exported, ensuring you have all the necessary information, including response time, missing data, and compliance, to align with guidelines such as STROBE-GEMA or CREMAS. The format and structure of the data exports can likely be discussed and potentially customised.
8. Dyadic interactions
Is there a capability for dyadic or family-level data to be linked? Yes, Polygon supports dyadic interactions. Data can be linked at the dyadic or family level, especially when dyadic relationships are defined within the survey design. Of course, one may also link data based on joint location.
9. Gamification
Are there opportunities for goal setting, generic or individualised compliance feedback, rewards, badges, “streaks”? Thanks to the customisable nature of our platform, opportunities for gamification are available. We can implement features such as compliance feedback (both generic and individualised), goal setting, and potentially rewards, badges, and streaks to enhance participant engagement.
10. Item display
What options are available for item display? Polygon supports a wide range of item display options, including text, image, audio, video, and more.
11. Item response
What options are available for item response? Leveraging ou our Advanced Survey Infrastructure and our Geospatial & Social Network Infrastructure, Polygon offers great flexibility in item response options. We can implement various formats such as select one, select many, visual analogue scales, interactive maps, free text, image, audio, video, geotag, to name just a few.
12. Language capabilities
With which languages is the platform compatible? Can the platform automatically recognise language? Polygon is globally compatible, supporting all languages and alphabets for the infrastructure, interface, surveys, and responses.
13. Level of support from developers
Are user guides provided? Is developer support required or offered? How are developers contacted? Is there a direct point of contact? In what timeframe are support requests fulfilled? At Polygon, we are committed to providing exceptional support. We work closely with you during the study setup, assisting with design and questionnaire review, and facilitating a pilot study environment. We are the ones who implement your EMA infrastructure, so you can focus on the research. You will have a dedicated project manager as your direct point of contact, and we pride ourselves on our quick response times to support requests.
14. Messaging
Is there a feature that enables real-time or scheduled messaging with users? Are there capabilities for triggered notifications to principal investigators or clinicians? Yes, Polygon includes robust messaging capabilities, allowing for real-time or scheduled communication with participants for study updates or technical assistance. Furthermore, our platform can be configured to send triggered notifications to designated team members or clinicians based on specific response patterns.
15. Onboarding
Can onboarding occur remotely or virtually, or is it optimised for in-person setup? What method(s) are available for onboarding? Polygon offers flexible onboarding options that can be conducted remotely or virtually using various methods, including email, SMS, QR codes, website links, and more. This ensures a convenient and efficient onboarding process for your participants, regardless of location.
16. Passive sensing and wearable integration
Is wearable integration offered? Is passive sensing offered? Polygon has the capability to collect various data measured by the participant’s smartphone, encompassing a wide array of sensors.
17. Sampling scheme and scheduling
What sampling schemes are supported? Can multiple forms be created? What are the branching logic capabilities? Can item responses or passive sensing trigger new surveys? Can surveys be deployed and completed while offline? Polygon offers comprehensive options for all sampling schemes and scheduling procedures, including interval, signal, and event contingent designs. You can create multiple forms, implement full branching logic, have item responses trigger new surveys, and allow participants to complete surveys while offline, ensuring data is captured even without constant internet connectivity.
Conclusion: Polygon — Your Comprehensive EMA/GEMA Partner
Based on the rigorous considerations outlined in the JMIR article, we believe Polygon stands out as a powerful and versatile EMA tool. Our commitment to flexibility is supported by our capacity to deploy as a web app or as a full native ap. Coupled with the possibility for our EMA solution to connect to our Advanced Survey Infrastructure and Geospatial & Social network Infrastructure, we provide a comprehensive infrastructure for even the most complex EMA or GEMA protocols.
Furthermore, Polygon’s EMA data outputs are designed to provide all the necessary information to facilitate adherence to the STROBE-GEMA guidelines, a crucial aspect for ensuring the quality and transparency of your research2. We are particularly proud that these guidelines were co-authored by a founding member of Polygon (see the article), who also serves as our scientific director, underscoring our deep commitment to sound scientific methodology.
At Polygon, we are more than just a technology provider; we strive to be your partner in research, offering the infrastructure and support needed to drive impactful discoveries.
Interested in implementing an EMA or a GEMA survey? Contact us and we’ll be glad to discuss your project.
References:
