Usability of a home-based test for the measurement of fecal calprotectin in asymptomatic IBD patients.

PubMed

Bello, Caroline; Roseth, Arne; Guardiola, Jordi; Reenaers, Catherine; Ruiz-Cerulla, Alexandra; Van Kemseke, Catherine; Arajol, Claudia; Reinhard, Christian; Seidel, Laurence; Louis, Edouard

2017-09-01

The aim of our work was to test the usability of fecal calprotectin (FC) home-based test in inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) patients. IBD patients were prospectively recruited. They had to measure FC with a dedicated tool and smartphone application, 5 times at two weeks intervals over an 8 weeks period. They had to fill in a usability questionnaire at the first and the last FC measurement. A System Usability Scale (SUS: 0-100) and the Global Score of Usability (GSU: 0-85) were calculated. FC was also centrally measured by ELISA. Fifty-eight patients were recruited. Forty-two performed at least one FC measurement and 27 performed all the FC requested measurements. The median (IQR) SUS (0-100) at the first and last use were 85 (78-90) and 81 (70-88), respectively; the median (IQR) GSU (0-85) at the first and last use were 74 (69-80) and 77 (68-83), respectively. Adherence to the planned measurements and usability of the tool were higher in females and in less severe disease. The intra-class correlation coefficient between home-based and centrally measured FC was 0.88. The adherence to home-based measurement of FC was fair. Usability scores for the home-based test were high. There was a good correlation with the centrally measured FC by ELISA. Copyright © 2017 Editrice Gastroenterologica Italiana S.r.l. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Does the use of structured reporting improve usability? A comparative evaluation of the usability of two approaches for findings reporting in a large-scale telecardiology context.

PubMed

Lacerda, Thaisa Cardoso; von Wangenheim, Christiane Gresse; von Wangenheim, Aldo; Giuliano, Isabela

2014-12-01

One of the main reasons that leads to a low adoption rate of telemedicine systems is poor usability. An aspect that influences usability during the reporting of findings is the input mode, e.g., if a free-text (FT) or a structured report (SR) interface is employed. The objective of our study is to compare the usability of FT and ST telemedicine systems, specifically in terms of user satisfaction, efficiency and general usability. We comparatively evaluate the usability of these two input modes in a telecardiology system for issuing electrocardiography reports in the context of a statewide telemedicine system in Brazil with more than 350.000 performed tele-electrocardiography examinations. We adopted a multiple method research strategy, applying three different kinds of usability evaluations: user satisfaction was evaluated through interviews with seven medical professionals using the System Usability Scale (SUS) questionnaire and specific questions related to adequacy and user experience. Efficiency was evaluated by estimating execution time using the Keystroke-Level Model (KLM). General usability was assessed based on the conformity of the systems to a set of e-health specific usability heuristics. The results of this comparison provide a first indication that a structured report (SR) input mode for such a system is more satisfactory and efficient with a larger conformity to usability heuristics than free-text (FT) input. User satisfaction using the SUS questionnaire has been scored in average with 58.8 and 77.5 points for the FT and SR system, respectively, which means that the SR system was rated 18.65 points higher than the FT system. In terms of efficiency, the completion of a findings report using the SR mode is estimated to take 8.5s, 3.74 times faster than using the FT system (31.8s). The SR system also demonstrated less violations to usability heuristics (8 points) in comparison to 14 points observed in the FT system. These results provide a first indication that the usage of structured reporting as an input mode in telecardiology systems may enhance usability. This also seems to confirm the advantages of the usage of structured reporting, as already described in the literature for other areas such as teleradiology. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Usability analysis of indoor map application in a shopping centre

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Dewi, R. S.; Hadi, R. K.

2018-04-01

Although indoor navigation is still new in Indonesia, its future development is very promising. Similar to the outdoor one, the indoor navigation technology provides several important functions to support route and landmark findings. Furthermore, there is also a need that indoor navigation can support the public safety especially during disaster evacuation process in a building. It is a common that the indoor navigation technologies are built as applications where users can access this technology using their smartphones, tablets, or personal computers. Therefore, a usability analysis is important to ensure the indoor navigation applications can be operated by users with highest functionality. Among several indoor map applications which were available in the market, this study chose to analyse indoor Google Maps due to its availability and popularity in Indonesia. The experiments to test indoor Google Maps was conducted in one of the biggest shopping centre building in Surabaya, Indonesia. The usability was measured by employing System Usability Scale (SUS) questionnaire. The result showed that the SUS score of indoor Google Maps was below the average score of other cellular applications to indicate the users still had high difficulty in operating and learning the features of indoor Google Maps.

Biofeedback in Partial Weight Bearing: Usability of Two Different Devices from a Patient’s and Physical Therapist’s Perspective

PubMed Central

van Lieshout, Remko; Pisters, Martijn F.; Vanwanseele, Benedicte; de Bie, Rob A.; Wouters, Eveline J.; Stukstette, Mirelle J.

2016-01-01

Background Partial weight bearing is frequently instructed by physical therapists in patients after lower-limb trauma or surgery. The use of biofeedback devices seems promising to improve the patient’s compliance with weight-bearing instructions. SmartStep and OpenGo-Science are biofeedback devices that provide real-time feedback. For a successful implementation, usability of the devices is a critical aspect and should be tested from a user’s perspective. Aim To describe the usability from the physical therapists’ and a patients’ perspective of Smartstep and OpenGo-Science to provide feedback on partial weight bearing during supervised rehabilitation of patients after lower-limb trauma or surgery. Methods In a convergent mixed-methods design, qualitative and quantitative data were collected. Usability was subdivided into user performance, satisfaction and acceptability. Patients prescribed with partial weight bearing and their physical therapists were asked to use SmartStep and OpenGo-Science during supervised rehabilitation. Usability was qualitatively tested by a think-aloud method and a semi-structured interview and quantitatively tested by the System-Usability-Scale (SUS) and closed questions. For the qualitative data thematic content analyses were used. Results Nine pairs of physical therapists and their patients participated. The mean SUS scores for patients and physical therapists were for SmartStep 70 and 53, and for OpenGo-Science 79 and 81, respectively. Scores were interpreted with the Curved Grading Scale. The qualitative data showed that there were mixed views and perceptions from patients and physical therapists on satisfaction and acceptability. Conclusion This study gives insight in the usability of two biofeedback devices from the patient’s and physical therapist’s perspective. The overall usability from both perspectives seemed to be acceptable for OpenGo-Science. For SmartStep, overall usability seemed only acceptable from the patient’s perspective. Implication The study findings could help clinicians to decide which biofeedback device is appropriate for their given situation and provide information for future development of biofeedback devices. PMID:27798674

Usability and feasibility of mobile phone diaries in an experimental physical exercise study.

PubMed

Heinonen, Reetta; Luoto, Riitta; Lindfors, Pirjo; Nygård, Clas-Håkan

2012-03-01

Wireless and mobile phone technology as a method of data collection will increase alongside conventional methods. The aim of the present study was to evaluate the use of a mobile phone application for recording symptoms and physical activity exertion during an experimental physical exercise study. An experimental study on the effects of physical exercise on the well-being of menopausal women included 158 subjects between 44 and 63 years of age. The women were randomized into intervention and control groups. All participants in both groups reported daily symptoms by responding to morning and evening questionnaires via mobile phones. The usability of the mobile phone as a data collector tool was evaluated with the System Usability Scale (SUS) questionnaire 2 months after the intervention. The feasibility evaluation was based on the frequency of responses and open questions. The response rates were about 70% to both morning and evening questionnaires. The average frequency of responses (n =158) to morning questionnaires was 125 (±40)/170 (±14) and to evening questionnaires was 118 (±40)/171 (±14). The response rate did not differ between the intervention and the control groups. The SUS score was on average 75.4 (range, 0-100; n =107). A mobile phone diary is a feasible and usable tool for data collection in clinical trials.

PHIT for Duty, a Mobile Application for Stress Reduction, Sleep Improvement, and Alcohol Moderation.

PubMed

Kizakevich, Paul N; Eckhoff, Randall; Brown, Janice; Tueller, Stephen J; Weimer, Belinda; Bell, Stacey; Weeks, Adam; Hourani, Laurel L; Spira, James L; King, Laurel A

2018-03-01

Post-traumatic stress and other problems often occur after combat, deployment, and other military operations. Because techniques such as mindfulness meditation show efficacy in improving mental health, our team developed a mobile application (app) for individuals in the armed forces with subclinical psychological problems as secondary prevention of more significant disease. Based on the Personal Health Intervention Toolkit (PHIT), a mobile app framework for personalized health intervention studies, PHIT for Duty integrates mindfulness-based relaxation, behavioral education in sleep quality and alcohol use, and psychometric and psychophysiological data capture. We evaluated PHIT for Duty in usability and health assessment studies to establish app quality for use in health research. Participants (N = 31) rated usability on a 1 (very hard) to 5 (very easy) scale and also completed the System Usability Scale (SUS) questionnaire (N = 9). Results were (mean ± SD) overall (4.5 ± 0.6), self-report instruments (4.5 ± 0.7), pulse sensor (3.7 ± 1.2), sleep monitor (4.4 ± 0.7), sleep monitor comfort (3.7 ± 1.1), and wrist actigraphy comfort (2.7 ± 0.9). The average SUS score was 85 ± 12, indicating a rank of 95%. A comparison of PHIT-based assessments to traditional paper forms demonstrated a high overall correlation (r = 0.87). These evaluations of usability, health assessment accuracy, physiological sensing, system acceptability, and overall functionality have shown positive results and affirmation for using the PHIT framework and PHIT for Duty application in mobile health research.

Usability and Acceptance of the Librarian Infobutton Tailoring Environment: An Open Access Online Knowledge Capture, Management, and Configuration Tool for OpenInfobutton.

PubMed

Jing, Xia; Cimino, James J; Del Fiol, Guilherme

2015-11-30

The Librarian Infobutton Tailoring Environment (LITE) is a Web-based knowledge capture, management, and configuration tool with which users can build profiles used by OpenInfobutton, an open source infobutton manager, to provide electronic health record users with context-relevant links to online knowledge resources. We conducted a multipart evaluation study to explore users' attitudes and acceptance of LITE and to guide future development. The evaluation consisted of an initial online survey to all LITE users, followed by an observational study of a subset of users in which evaluators' sessions were recorded while they conducted assigned tasks. The observational study was followed by administration of a modified System Usability Scale (SUS) survey. Fourteen users responded to the survey and indicated good acceptance of LITE with feedback that was mostly positive. Six users participated in the observational study, demonstrating average task completion time of less than 6 minutes and an average SUS score of 72, which is considered good compared with other SUS scores. LITE can be used to fulfill its designated tasks quickly and successfully. Evaluators proposed suggestions for improvements in LITE functionality and user interface.

Development of a patient decision aid prototype for adults with obstructive sleep apnea.

PubMed

Trenaman, Logan; Munro, Sarah; Almeida, Fernanda; Ayas, Najib; Hicklin, James; Bansback, Nick

2016-05-01

To describe the development and assess the usability of a patient decision aid (PtDA) prototype designed for newly diagnosed, treatment-naïve, obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) patients. A web-based PtDA was developed which focuses on two first-line treatment options: continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) and mandibular advancement splints (MAS). Development was guided by the International Patient Decision Aid Standards (IPDAS). Usability was assessed in individuals at high risk for OSA based on the STOP-Bang questionnaire, the patient acceptance of decision aid, the System Usability Scale (SUS), and content analysis of open-ended user feedback. Eighty eligible participants completed the survey. The mean age was 54 years (SD = 8.9), 60 % of the sample was male, 78 % were university-educated, and 64 % were employed full-time. Participants took an average of 13.7 min (SD = 9.6) to complete the PtDA, with 39 participants choosing CPAP, 25 choosing MAS, and 16 choosing no treatment. The mean SUS score was 78.22 (SD = 15.13). The majority of individuals thought the PtDA was useful in making a decision (n = 77, 96 %) and would recommend it to others (n = 77, 96 %), while a third (n = 26, 33 %) thought it was slanted towards CPAP. The SUS indicated that the PtDA was acceptable and useful for participants. And useful for participants. User feedback has been used to improve the prototype, which will now undergo further testing in patients at the Vancouver Sleep Disorders Clinic.

Design and Evaluation of Virtual Reality-Based Therapy Games with Dual Focus on Therapeutic Relevance and User Experience for Children with Cerebral Palsy.

PubMed

Ni, Lian Ting; Fehlings, Darcy; Biddiss, Elaine

2014-06-01

Virtual reality (VR)-based therapy for motor rehabilitation of children with cerebral palsy (CP) is growing in prevalence. Although mainstream active videogames typically offer children an appealing user experience, they are not designed for therapeutic relevance. Conversely, rehabilitation-specific games often struggle to provide an immersive experience that sustains interest. This study aims to design and evaluate two VR-based therapy games for upper and lower limb rehabilitation and to evaluate their efficacy with dual focus on therapeutic relevance and user experience. Three occupational therapists, three physiotherapists, and eight children (8-12 years old), with CP Level I-III on the Gross Motor Function Classification System, evaluated two games for the Microsoft(®) (Redmond, WA) Kinect™ for Windows and completed the System Usability Scale (SUS), Physical Activity Enjoyment Scale (PACES), and custom feedback questionnaires. Children and therapists unanimously agreed on the enjoyment and therapeutic value of the games. Median scores on the PACES were high (6.24±0.95 on the 7-point scale). Therapists considered the system to be of average usability (50th percentile on the SUS). The most prevalent usability issue was detection errors distinguishing the child's movements from the supporting therapist's. The ability to adjust difficulty settings and to focus on targeted goals (e.g., elbow/shoulder extension, weight shifting) was highly valued by therapists. Engaging both therapists and children in a user-centered design approach enabled the development of two VR-based therapy games for upper and lower limb rehabilitation that are dually (a) engaging to the child and (b) therapeutically relevant.

Videoconferencing for site initiations in clinical studies: Mixed methods evaluation of usability, acceptability, and impact on recruitment.

PubMed

Randell, Rebecca; Backhouse, Michael R; Nelson, E Andrea

2016-12-01

A critical issue for multicentre clinical studies is conducting site initiations, ensuring sites are trained in study procedures and comply with relevant governance requirements before they begin recruiting patients. How technology can support site initiations has not previously been explored. This study sought to evaluate use of off-the-shelf web-based videoconferencing to deliver site initiations for a large national multicentre study. Participants in the initiations, including podiatrists, diabetologists, trial coordinators, and research nurses, completed an online questionnaire based on the System Usability Scale (SUS) (N = 15). This was followed by semi-structured interviews, with a consultant diabetologist, a trial coordinator, and three research nurses, exploring perceived benefits and limitations of videoconferencing. The mean SUS score for the videoconferencing platform was 87.2 (SD = 13.7), suggesting a good level of usability. Interview participants perceived initiations delivered by videoconferencing as being more interactive and easier to follow than those delivered by teleconference. In comparison to face-to-face initiations, videoconferencing takes less time, easily fitting in with the work of staff at the local sites. Perceptions of impact on communication varied according to the hardware used. Off-the-shelf videoconferencing is a viable alternative to face-to-face site initiations and confers advantages over teleconferencing.

A Web-Based Graphical Food Frequency Assessment System: Design, Development and Usability Metrics.

PubMed

Franco, Rodrigo Zenun; Alawadhi, Balqees; Fallaize, Rosalind; Lovegrove, Julie A; Hwang, Faustina

2017-05-08

Food frequency questionnaires (FFQs) are well established in the nutrition field, but there remain important questions around how to develop online tools in a way that can facilitate wider uptake. Also, FFQ user acceptance and evaluation have not been investigated extensively. This paper presents a Web-based graphical food frequency assessment system that addresses challenges of reproducibility, scalability, mobile friendliness, security, and usability and also presents the utilization metrics and user feedback from a deployment study. The application design employs a single-page application Web architecture with back-end services (database, authentication, and authorization) provided by Google Firebase's free plan. Its design and responsiveness take advantage of the Bootstrap framework. The FFQ was deployed in Kuwait as part of the EatWellQ8 study during 2016. The EatWellQ8 FFQ contains 146 food items (including drinks). Participants were recruited in Kuwait without financial incentive. Completion time was based on browser timestamps and usability was measured using the System Usability Scale (SUS), scoring between 0 and 100. Products with a SUS higher than 70 are considered to be good. A total of 235 participants created accounts in the system, and 163 completed the FFQ. Of those 163 participants, 142 reported their gender (93 female, 49 male) and 144 reported their date of birth (mean age of 35 years, range from 18-65 years). The mean completion time for all FFQs (n=163), excluding periods of interruption, was 14.2 minutes (95% CI 13.3-15.1 minutes). Female participants (n=93) completed in 14.1 minutes (95% CI 12.9-15.3 minutes) and male participants (n=49) completed in 14.3 minutes (95% CI 12.6-15.9 minutes). Participants using laptops or desktops (n=69) completed the FFQ in an average of 13.9 minutes (95% CI 12.6-15.1 minutes) and participants using smartphones or tablets (n=91) completed in an average of 14.5 minutes (95% CI 13.2-15.8 minutes). The median SUS score (n=141) was 75.0 (interquartile range [IQR] 12.5), and 84% of the participants who completed the SUS classified the system either "good" (n=50) or "excellent" (n=69). Considering only participants using smartphones or tablets (n=80), the median score was 72.5 (IQR 12.5), slightly below the SUS median for desktops and laptops (n=58), which was 75.0 (IQR 12.5). No significant differences were found between genders or age groups (below and above the median) for the SUS or completion time. Taking into account all the requirements, the deployment used professional cloud computing at no cost, and the resulting system had good user acceptance. The results for smartphones/tablets were comparable with desktops/laptops. This work has potential to promote wider uptake of online tools that can assess dietary intake at scale. ©Rodrigo Zenun Franco, Balqees Alawadhi, Rosalind Fallaize, Julie A Lovegrove, Faustina Hwang. Originally published in JMIR Human Factors (http://humanfactors.jmir.org), 08.05.2017.

Evaluating authentication options for mobile health applications in younger and older adults

PubMed Central

Khan, Hassan; Hengartner, Urs; Ong, Stephanie; Logan, Alexander G.; Vogel, Daniel; Gebotys, Robert; Yang, Jilan

2018-01-01

Objective Apps promoting patient self-management may improve health outcomes. However, methods to secure stored information on mobile devices may adversely affect usability. We tested the reliability and usability of common user authentication techniques in younger and older adults. Methodology Usability testing was conducted in two age groups, 18 to 30 years and 50 years and older. After completing a demographic questionnaire, each participant tested four authentication options in random order: four-digit personal identification number (PIN), graphical password (GRAPHICAL), Android pattern-lock (PATTERN), and a swipe-style Android fingerprint scanner (FINGERPRINT). Participants rated each option using the Systems Usability Scale (SUS). Results A total of 59 older and 43 younger participants completed the study. Overall, PATTERN was the fastest option (3.44s), and PIN had the fewest errors per attempt (0.02). Participants were able to login using PIN, PATTERN, and GRAPHICAL at least 98% of the time. FINGERPRINT was the slowest (26.97s), had an average of 1.46 errors per attempt, and had a successful login rate of 85%. Overall, PIN and PATTERN had higher SUS scores than FINGERPRINT and GRAPHICAL. Compared to younger participants, older participants were also less likely to find PATTERN to be tiring, annoying or time consuming and less likely to consider PIN to be time consuming. Younger participants were more likely to rate GRAPHICAL as annoying, time consuming and tiring than older participants. Conclusions On mobile devices, PIN and pattern-lock outperformed graphical passwords and swipe-style fingerprints. All participants took longer to authenticate using the swipe-style fingerprint compared to other options. Older participants also took two to three seconds longer to authenticate using the PIN, pattern and graphical passwords though this did not appear to affect perceived usability. PMID:29300736

Evaluating authentication options for mobile health applications in younger and older adults.

PubMed

Grindrod, Kelly; Khan, Hassan; Hengartner, Urs; Ong, Stephanie; Logan, Alexander G; Vogel, Daniel; Gebotys, Robert; Yang, Jilan

2018-01-01

Apps promoting patient self-management may improve health outcomes. However, methods to secure stored information on mobile devices may adversely affect usability. We tested the reliability and usability of common user authentication techniques in younger and older adults. Usability testing was conducted in two age groups, 18 to 30 years and 50 years and older. After completing a demographic questionnaire, each participant tested four authentication options in random order: four-digit personal identification number (PIN), graphical password (GRAPHICAL), Android pattern-lock (PATTERN), and a swipe-style Android fingerprint scanner (FINGERPRINT). Participants rated each option using the Systems Usability Scale (SUS). A total of 59 older and 43 younger participants completed the study. Overall, PATTERN was the fastest option (3.44s), and PIN had the fewest errors per attempt (0.02). Participants were able to login using PIN, PATTERN, and GRAPHICAL at least 98% of the time. FINGERPRINT was the slowest (26.97s), had an average of 1.46 errors per attempt, and had a successful login rate of 85%. Overall, PIN and PATTERN had higher SUS scores than FINGERPRINT and GRAPHICAL. Compared to younger participants, older participants were also less likely to find PATTERN to be tiring, annoying or time consuming and less likely to consider PIN to be time consuming. Younger participants were more likely to rate GRAPHICAL as annoying, time consuming and tiring than older participants. On mobile devices, PIN and pattern-lock outperformed graphical passwords and swipe-style fingerprints. All participants took longer to authenticate using the swipe-style fingerprint compared to other options. Older participants also took two to three seconds longer to authenticate using the PIN, pattern and graphical passwords though this did not appear to affect perceived usability.

An app for patient education and self-audit within an enhanced recovery program for bowel surgery: a pilot study assessing validity and usability.

PubMed

Pecorelli, Nicolò; Fiore, Julio F; Kaneva, Pepa; Somasundram, Abarna; Charlebois, Patrick; Liberman, A Sender; Stein, Barry L; Carli, Franco; Feldman, Liane S

2018-05-01

While patient engagement and clinical audit are key components of successful enhanced recovery programs (ERPs), they require substantial resource allocation. The objective of this study was to assess the validity and usability of a novel mobile device application for education and self-reporting of adherence for patients undergoing bowel surgery within an established ERP. Prospectively recruited patients undergoing bowel surgery within an ERP used a novel app specifically designed to provide daily recovery milestones and record adherence to 15 different ERP processes and six patient-reported outcomes (PROs). Validity was measured by the agreement index (Cohen's kappa coefficient for categorical, and interclass correlation coefficient (ICC) for continuous variables) between patient-reported data through the app and data recorded by a clinical auditor. Acceptability and usability of the app were measured by the System Usability Scale (SUS). Forty-five patients participated in the study (mean age 61, 64% male). Overall, patients completed 159 of 179 (89%) of the available questionnaires through the app. Median time to complete a questionnaire was 2 min 49 s (i.q.r. 2'32″-4'36″). Substantial (kappa > 0.6) or almost perfect agreement (kappa > 0.8) and strong correlation (ICC > 0.7) between data collected through the app and by the clinical auditor was found for 14 ERP processes and four PROs. Patient-reported usability was high; mean SUS score was 87 (95% CI 83-91). Only 6 (13%) patients needed technical support to use the app. Forty (89%) patients found the app was helpful to achieve their daily goals, and 34 (76%) thought it increased their motivation to recover after surgery. This novel application provides a tool to record patient adherence to care processes and PROs, with high agreement with traditional clinical audit, high usability, and patient satisfaction. Future studies should investigate the use of mobile device apps as strategies to increase adherence to perioperative interventions.

VA FitHeart, a Mobile App for Cardiac Rehabilitation: Usability Study

PubMed Central

Magnusson, Sara L; Fortney, John C; Sayre, George G; Whooley, Mary A

2018-01-01

Background Cardiac rehabilitation (CR) improves outcomes for patients with ischemic heart disease or heart failure but is underused. New strategies to improve access to and engagement in CR are needed. There is considerable interest in technology-facilitated home CR. However, little is known about patient acceptance and use of mobile technology for CR. Objective The aim of this study was to develop a mobile app for technology-facilitated home CR and seek to determine its usability. Methods We recruited patients eligible for CR who had access to a mobile phone, tablet, or computer with Internet access. The mobile app includes physical activity goal setting, logs for tracking physical activity and health metrics (eg, weight, blood pressure, and mood), health education, reminders, and feedback. Study staff demonstrated the mobile app to participants in person and then observed participants completing prespecified tasks with the mobile app. Participants completed the System Usability Scale (SUS, 0-100), rated likelihood to use the mobile app (0-100), questionnaires on mobile app use, and participated in a semistructured interview. The Unified Theory of Acceptance and Use of Technology and the Theory of Planned Behavior informed the analysis. On the basis of participant feedback, we made iterative revisions to the mobile app between users. Results We conducted usability testing in 13 participants. The first version of the mobile app was used by the first 5 participants, and revised versions were used by the final 8 participants. From the first version to revised versions, task completion success rate improved from 44% (11/25 tasks) to 78% (31/40 tasks; P=.05), SUS improved from 54 to 76 (P=.04; scale 0-100, with 100 being the best usability), and self-reported likelihood of use remained high at 76 and 87 (P=.30; scale 0-100, with 100 being the highest likelihood). In interviews, patients expressed interest in tracking health measures (“I think it’ll be good to track my exercise and to see what I’m doing”), a desire for introductory training (“Initially, training with a technical person, instead of me relying on myself”), and an expectation for sharing data with providers (“It would also be helpful to share with my doctor, it just being a matter of clicking a button and sharing it with my doctor”). Conclusions With participant feedback and iterative revisions, we significantly improved the usability of a mobile app for CR. Patient expectations for using a mobile app for CR include tracking health metrics, introductory training, and sharing data with providers. Iterative mixed-method evaluation may be useful for improving the usability of health technology. PMID:29335235

VA FitHeart, a Mobile App for Cardiac Rehabilitation: Usability Study.

PubMed

Beatty, Alexis L; Magnusson, Sara L; Fortney, John C; Sayre, George G; Whooley, Mary A

2018-01-15

Cardiac rehabilitation (CR) improves outcomes for patients with ischemic heart disease or heart failure but is underused. New strategies to improve access to and engagement in CR are needed. There is considerable interest in technology-facilitated home CR. However, little is known about patient acceptance and use of mobile technology for CR. The aim of this study was to develop a mobile app for technology-facilitated home CR and seek to determine its usability. We recruited patients eligible for CR who had access to a mobile phone, tablet, or computer with Internet access. The mobile app includes physical activity goal setting, logs for tracking physical activity and health metrics (eg, weight, blood pressure, and mood), health education, reminders, and feedback. Study staff demonstrated the mobile app to participants in person and then observed participants completing prespecified tasks with the mobile app. Participants completed the System Usability Scale (SUS, 0-100), rated likelihood to use the mobile app (0-100), questionnaires on mobile app use, and participated in a semistructured interview. The Unified Theory of Acceptance and Use of Technology and the Theory of Planned Behavior informed the analysis. On the basis of participant feedback, we made iterative revisions to the mobile app between users. We conducted usability testing in 13 participants. The first version of the mobile app was used by the first 5 participants, and revised versions were used by the final 8 participants. From the first version to revised versions, task completion success rate improved from 44% (11/25 tasks) to 78% (31/40 tasks; P=.05), SUS improved from 54 to 76 (P=.04; scale 0-100, with 100 being the best usability), and self-reported likelihood of use remained high at 76 and 87 (P=.30; scale 0-100, with 100 being the highest likelihood). In interviews, patients expressed interest in tracking health measures ("I think it'll be good to track my exercise and to see what I'm doing"), a desire for introductory training ("Initially, training with a technical person, instead of me relying on myself"), and an expectation for sharing data with providers ("It would also be helpful to share with my doctor, it just being a matter of clicking a button and sharing it with my doctor"). With participant feedback and iterative revisions, we significantly improved the usability of a mobile app for CR. Patient expectations for using a mobile app for CR include tracking health metrics, introductory training, and sharing data with providers. Iterative mixed-method evaluation may be useful for improving the usability of health technology. ©Alexis L Beatty, Sara L Magnusson, John C Fortney, George G Sayre, Mary A Whooley. Originally published in JMIR Human Factors (http://humanfactors.jmir.org), 15.01.2018.

User Assessment of "InsuOnLine," a Game to Fight Clinical Inertia in Diabetes: A Pilot Study.

PubMed

Diehl, Leandro Arthur; de Souza, Rodrigo Martins; Gordan, Pedro Alejandro; Esteves, Roberto Zonato; Coelho, Izabel Cristina Meister

2015-10-01

We performed a pilot study to assess usability and playability of "InsuOnLine," a serious game for education of primary care physicians on insulin therapy for diabetes mellitus. A multidisciplinary team has designed and developed "InsuOnLine," using Andragogy and Problem-Based Learning principles, with game elements to improve players' motivation. The prototype was tested by four medical doctors and two medical students, using the System Usability Scale (SUS) and a questionnaire to assess playability. These results were used to guide corrections, after which the beta version was retested by 14 medical students and 6 residents. Out of a maximum score of 100 on the SUS, the "InsuOnLine" prototype was rated 88, and some areas for improvement were identified (game instructions, controls). After corrections, the beta version was rated 92.5 on the SUS. Users have found the beta version to be fun, engaging, challenging, relevant, and realistic. Users said that the game has increased their knowledge on diabetes and insulin, that it has made them feel more confident for prescribing insulin, and that it would have impact on how they treated patients with diabetes. Most users said they have learned more from the game than they would have from a lecture. Lessons learned were the need of early piloting, preferably by users with very little or very much gaming experience, on their own computers and free patterns of use. "InsuOnLine" was rated by users as easy to play, fun, and useful for learning. Further studies will assess its educational effectiveness. "InsuOnLine" is a promising tool for large-scale continuing medical education on insulin, helping to fight clinical inertia in diabetes.

Mixed-Methods Analysis of Factors Impacting Use of a Postoperative mHealth App

PubMed Central

Scott, Aaron R; Alore, Elizabeth A; Naik, Aanand D; Berger, David H

2017-01-01

Background Limited communication and care coordination following discharge from hospitals may contribute to surgical complications. Smartphone apps offer a novel mechanism for communication and care coordination. However, factors which may affect patient app use in a postoperative, at-home setting are poorly understood. Objective The objectives of this study were to (1) gauge interest in smartphone app use among patients after colorectal surgery and (2) better understand factors affecting patient app use in a postoperative, at-home setting. Methods A prospective feasibility study was performed at a hospital that principally serves low socioeconomic status patients. After colorectal surgery, patients were enrolled and given a smartphone app, which uses previously validated content to provide symptom-based recommendations. Patients were instructed to use the app daily for 14 days after discharge. Demographics and usability data were collected at enrollment. Usability was measured with the System Usability Scale (SUS). At follow-up, the SUS was repeated and patients underwent a structured interview covering ease of use, willingness to use, and utility of use. Two members of the research team independently reviewed the field notes from follow-up interviews and extracted the most consistent themes. Chart and app log reviews identified clinical endpoints. Results We screened 115 patients, enrolled 20 patients (17.4%), and completed follow-up interviews with 17 patients (85%). Reasons for nonenrollment included: failure to meet inclusion criteria (47/115, 40.9%), declined to participate (26/115, 22.6%), and other reasons (22/115, 19.1%). There was no difference in patient ratings between usability at first-use and after extended use, with SUS scores greater than the 95th percentile at both time points. Despite high usability ratings, 6/20 (30%) of patients never used the app at home after hospital discharge and 2/20 (10%) only used the app once. Interviews revealed three themes related to app use: (1) patient-related barriers could prevent use even though the app had high usability scores; (2) patients viewed the app as a second opinion, rather than a primary source of information; and (3) many patients viewed the app as an external burden. Conclusions Use patterns in this study, and response rates after prompts to contact the operative team, suggest that apps need to be highly engaging to be adopted by patients. The growing penetration of smartphones and the proliferation of app-based interventions are unlikely to improve care coordination and communication, unless apps address the barriers and patient perceptions identified in this study. This study shows that high usability alone is not sufficient to motivate patients to use smartphone apps in the postoperative period. PMID:28179215

Design and usability study of an iconic user interface to ease information retrieval of medical guidelines.

PubMed

Griffon, Nicolas; Kerdelhué, Gaétan; Hamek, Saliha; Hassler, Sylvain; Boog, César; Lamy, Jean-Baptiste; Duclos, Catherine; Venot, Alain; Darmoni, Stéfan J

2014-10-01

Doc'CISMeF (DC) is a semantic search engine used to find resources in CISMeF-BP, a quality controlled health gateway, which gathers guidelines available on the internet in French. Visualization of Concepts in Medicine (VCM) is an iconic language that may ease information retrieval tasks. This study aimed to describe the creation and evaluation of an interface integrating VCM in DC in order to make this search engine much easier to use. Focus groups were organized to suggest ways to enhance information retrieval tasks using VCM in DC. A VCM interface was created and improved using the ergonomic evaluation approach. 20 physicians were recruited to compare the VCM interface with the non-VCM one. Each evaluator answered two different clinical scenarios in each interface. The ability and time taken to select a relevant resource were recorded and compared. A usability analysis was performed using the System Usability Scale (SUS). The VCM interface contains a filter based on icons, and icons describing each resource according to focus group recommendations. Some ergonomic issues were resolved before evaluation. Use of VCM significantly increased the success of information retrieval tasks (OR=11; 95% CI 1.4 to 507). Nonetheless, it took significantly more time to find a relevant resource with VCM interface (101 vs 65 s; p=0.02). SUS revealed 'good' usability with an average score of 74/100. VCM was successfully implemented in DC as an option. It increased the success rate of information retrieval tasks, despite requiring slightly more time, and was well accepted by end-users. Published by the BMJ Publishing Group Limited. For permission to use (where not already granted under a licence) please go to http://group.bmj.com/group/rights-licensing/permissions.

Telephone-Based Mindfulness Therapy Intervention for Patients with Chronic Pancreatitis.

PubMed

Aivaliotis, Vasiliki Irene; Lee, Yvonne; Zia, Jasmine; Wassef, Wahid; Abramson, Mark; Park, Walter

2017-02-01

Patients with chronic pancreatitis (CP) have substantially impaired quality of life (QOL) both physically and mentally. Mindfulness therapy is a form of treatment that has been shown to be beneficial in many medical conditions but has not been evaluated in the CP patient population. The aims of this study were (1) to test the feasibility and usability of a novel telephone-based mindfulness therapy service for patients with CP and (2) to determine whether there was any effect on CP quality of life. We recruited ten patients with suspected or confirmed CP and five controls who were asked to utilize our telephone-based mindfulness therapy service daily for 28 days. Feasibility of the service was defined as the fraction of subjects with a ≥50% compliance rate. Usability was assessed using a System Usability Scale (SUS). QOL was evaluated using the SF-36 questionnaire and the Pancreatitis Quality of Life Instrument (PANQOLI). Paired t tests were used to compare the SF-36 and PANQOLI pre- and post-intervention. There was an overall compliance rate of 67%. The mean SUS score for all participants was 79.3, above the average published score of 68. Results showed a significant improvement in the SF-36 Mental Component Summary scores after 28 days of mindfulness therapy for patients with CP, t(9) = 2.48, p = 0.035. There was also a significant improvement in the mean total PANQOLI scores in CP patients, t(9) = 2.41, p = 0.04, most notably in the social domain. Our telephone-based mindfulness therapy service represents a feasible and easily usable treatment adjunct for patients with CP, which may provide benefit in QOL by improving mental health-related domains.

Usability Assessment of the Missouri Cancer Registry's Published Interactive Mapping Reports: Round One.

PubMed

Ben Ramadan, Awatef Ahmed; Jackson-Thompson, Jeannette; Schmaltz, Chester Lee

2017-08-04

 Many users of spatial data have difficulty interpreting information in health-related spatial reports. The Missouri Cancer Registry and Research Center (MCR-ARC) has produced interactive reports for several years. These reports have never been tested for usability.  The aims of this study were to: (1) conduct a multi-approach usability testing study to understand ease of use (user friendliness) and user satisfaction; and (2) evaluate the usability of MCR-ARC's published InstantAtlas reports.   An institutional review board (IRB) approved mixed methodology usability testing study using a convenience sample of health professionals. A recruiting email was sent to faculty in the Master of Public Health program and to faculty and staff in the Department of Health Management and Informatics at the University of Missouri-Columbia. The study included 7 participants. The test included a pretest questionnaire, a multi-task usability test, and the System Usability Scale (SUS). Also, the researchers collected participants' comments about the tested maps immediately after every trial. Software was used to record the computer screen during the trial and the participants' spoken comments. Several performance and usability metrics were measured to evaluate the usability of MCR-ARC's published mapping reports. Of the 10 assigned tasks, 6 reached a 100% completion success rate, and this outcome was relative to the complexity of the tasks. The simple tasks were handled more efficiently than the complicated tasks. The SUS score ranged between 20-100 points, with an average of 62.7 points and a median of 50.5 points. The tested maps' effectiveness outcomes were better than the efficiency and satisfaction outcomes. There was a statistically significant relationship between the subjects' performance on the study test and the users' previous experience with geographic information system (GIS) tools (P=.03). There were no statistically significant relationships between users' performance and satisfaction and their education level, work type, or previous experience in health care (P>.05). There were strong positive correlations between the three measured usability elements. The tested maps should undergo an extensive refining and updating to overcome all the discovered usability issues and meet the perspectives and needs of the tested maps' potential users. The study results might convey the perspectives of academic health professionals toward GIS health data. We need to conduct a second-round usability study with public health practitioners and cancer professionals who use GIS tools on a routine basis. Usability testing should be conducted before and after releasing MCR-ARC's maps in the future. ©Awatef Ahmed Ben Ramadan, Jeannette Jackson-Thompson, Chester Lee Schmaltz. Originally published in JMIR Human Factors (http://humanfactors.jmir.org), 04.08.2017.

Usability Assessment of the Missouri Cancer Registry’s Published Interactive Mapping Reports: Round One

PubMed Central

Jackson-Thompson, Jeannette; Schmaltz, Chester Lee

2017-01-01

Background  Many users of spatial data have difficulty interpreting information in health-related spatial reports. The Missouri Cancer Registry and Research Center (MCR-ARC) has produced interactive reports for several years. These reports have never been tested for usability. Objective  The aims of this study were to: (1) conduct a multi-approach usability testing study to understand ease of use (user friendliness) and user satisfaction; and (2) evaluate the usability of MCR-ARC’s published InstantAtlas reports. Methods   An institutional review board (IRB) approved mixed methodology usability testing study using a convenience sample of health professionals. A recruiting email was sent to faculty in the Master of Public Health program and to faculty and staff in the Department of Health Management and Informatics at the University of Missouri-Columbia. The study included 7 participants. The test included a pretest questionnaire, a multi-task usability test, and the System Usability Scale (SUS). Also, the researchers collected participants’ comments about the tested maps immediately after every trial. Software was used to record the computer screen during the trial and the participants’ spoken comments. Several performance and usability metrics were measured to evaluate the usability of MCR-ARC’s published mapping reports. Results Of the 10 assigned tasks, 6 reached a 100% completion success rate, and this outcome was relative to the complexity of the tasks. The simple tasks were handled more efficiently than the complicated tasks. The SUS score ranged between 20-100 points, with an average of 62.7 points and a median of 50.5 points. The tested maps’ effectiveness outcomes were better than the efficiency and satisfaction outcomes. There was a statistically significant relationship between the subjects’ performance on the study test and the users’ previous experience with geographic information system (GIS) tools (P=.03). There were no statistically significant relationships between users’ performance and satisfaction and their education level, work type, or previous experience in health care (P>.05). There were strong positive correlations between the three measured usability elements. Conclusions The tested maps should undergo an extensive refining and updating to overcome all the discovered usability issues and meet the perspectives and needs of the tested maps’ potential users. The study results might convey the perspectives of academic health professionals toward GIS health data. We need to conduct a second-round usability study with public health practitioners and cancer professionals who use GIS tools on a routine basis. Usability testing should be conducted before and after releasing MCR-ARC’s maps in the future. PMID:28778842

A usability evaluation of a SNOMED CT based compositional interface terminology for intensive care.

PubMed

Bakhshi-Raiez, F; de Keizer, N F; Cornet, R; Dorrepaal, M; Dongelmans, D; Jaspers, M W M

2012-05-01

To evaluate the usability of a large compositional interface terminology based on SNOMED CT and the terminology application for registration of the reasons for intensive care admission in a Patient Data Management System. Observational study with user-based usability evaluations before and 3 months after the system was implemented and routinely used. Usability was defined by five aspects: effectiveness, efficiency, learnability, overall user satisfaction, and experienced usability problems. Qualitative (the Think-Aloud user testing method) and quantitative (the System Usability Scale questionnaire and Time-on-Task analyses) methods were used to examine these usability aspects. The results of the evaluation study revealed that the usability of the interface terminology fell short (SUS scores before and after implementation of 47.2 out of 100 and 37.5 respectively out of 100). The qualitative measurements revealed a high number (n=35) of distinct usability problems, leading to ineffective and inefficient registration of reasons for admission. The effectiveness and efficiency of the system did not change over time. About 14% (n=5) of the revealed usability problems were related to the terminology content based on SNOMED CT, while the remaining 86% (n=30) was related to the terminology application. The problems related to the terminology content were more severe than the problems related to the terminology application. This study provides a detailed insight into how clinicians interact with a controlled compositional terminology through a terminology application. The extensiveness, complexity of the hierarchy, and the language usage of an interface terminology are defining for its usability. Carefully crafted domain-specific subsets and a well-designed terminology application are needed to facilitate the use of a complex compositional interface terminology based on SNOMED CT. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

Engaging With a Wiki Related to Knowledge Translation: A Survey of WhatisKT Wiki Users

PubMed Central

Mathew, Deepa; McKibbon, K Ann; Colquhoun, Heather

2014-01-01

Background In 2008, WhatisKT wiki was launched as a collaborative platform for knowledge translation (KT) researchers and stakeholders to debate the use and definitions of KT-related terms. The wiki has definitions for over 110 terms from disciplines including health care, information technology, education, accounting, and business. WhatisKT wiki has over 115 registered users. Approximately 73,000 unique visitors have visited the wiki since 2008. Despite annual increases in visitors and regular maintenance of the wiki, no visitors have contributed content or started a discussion. Objective We surveyed wiki users to gain an understanding of the perceived value of the website, reasons for not engaging in the wiki, and suggestions to facilitate collaboration and improve the usability of the wiki. Methods We surveyed three cohorts: KT Canada members who were previously invited to join the wiki, registered wiki members, and unregistered visitors. The first two cohorts completed a Web-based survey that included the System Usability Scale (SUS) questionnaire to assess usability; additionally 3 participants were interviewed. Unregistered wiki visitors were surveyed with polls posted on the wiki. The study received ethics approval from the McMaster University Faculty of Health Sciences Research Ethics Board. Results Twenty-three participants completed the Web-based and SUS surveys; 15 participants indicated that they would collaborate on the wiki. The mean SUS score of 67 (95% CI 56-77) indicated that the wiki could be considered for design improvements. Study participants indicated that the wiki could be improved by email notification regarding new terms, better grouping of terms, user friendly interface, and training for users interested in editing content. Conclusions The findings from this survey will be used to enhance the design and content of WhatisKT wiki. Further feedback from participants will be used to make the wiki an ideal collaboration platform for KT researchers interested in terminology. PMID:24449712

Palliative Care Planner: A Pilot Study to Evaluate Acceptability and Usability of an Electronic Health Records System-integrated, Needs-targeted App Platform.

PubMed

Cox, Christopher E; Jones, Derek M; Reagan, Wen; Key, Mary D; Chow, Vinca; McFarlin, Jessica; Casarett, David; Creutzfeldt, Claire J; Docherty, Sharron L

2018-01-01

The quality and patient-centeredness of intensive care unit (ICU)-based palliative care delivery is highly variable. To develop and pilot an app platform for clinicians and ICU patients and their family members that enhances the delivery of needs-targeted palliative care. In the development phase of the study, we developed an electronic health record (EHR) system-integrated mobile web app system prototype, PCplanner (Palliative Care Planner). PCplanner screens the EHR for ICU patients meeting any of five prompts (triggers) for palliative care consultation, allows families to report their unmet palliative care needs, and alerts clinicians to these needs. The evaluation phase included a prospective before/after study conducted at a large academic medical center. Two control populations were enrolled in the before period to serve as context for the intervention. First, 25 ICU patients who received palliative care consults served as patient-level controls. Second, 49 family members of ICU patients who received mechanical ventilation for at least 48 hours served as family-level controls. Afterward, 14 patients, 18 family members, and 10 clinicians participated in the intervention evaluation period. Family member outcomes measured at baseline and 4 days later included acceptability (Client Satisfaction Questionnaire [CSQ]), usability (Systems Usability Scale [SUS]), and palliative care needs, assessed with the adapted needs of social nature, existential concerns, symptoms, and therapeutic interaction (NEST) scale; the Patient-Centeredness of Care Scale (PCCS); and the Perceived Stress Scale (PSS). Patient outcomes included frequency of goal concordant treatment, hospital length of stay, and discharge disposition. Family members reported high PCplanner acceptability (mean CSQ, 14.1 [SD, 1.4]) and usability (mean SUS, 21.1 [SD, 1.7]). PCplanner family member recipients experienced a 12.7-unit reduction in NEST score compared with a 3.4-unit increase among controls (P = 0.002), as well as improved mean scores on the PCCS (6.6 [SD, 5.8]) and the PSS (-0.8 [SD, 1.9]). The frequency of goal-concordant treatment increased over the course of the intervention (n = 14 [SD, 79%] vs. n = 18 [SD, 100%]). Compared with palliative care controls, intervention patients received palliative care consultation sooner (3.9 [SD, 2.7] vs. 6.9 [SD, 7.1] mean days), had a shorter mean hospital length of stay (20.5 [SD, 9.1] vs. 22.3 [SD, 16.0] patient number), and received hospice care more frequently (5 [36%] vs. 5 [20%]), although these differences were not statistically significant. PCplanner represents an acceptable, usable, and clinically promising systems-based approach to delivering EHR-triggered, needs-targeted ICU-based palliative care within a standard clinical workflow. A clinical trial in a larger population is needed to evaluate its efficacy.

Usability Evaluation of a Clinical Decision Support System for Geriatric ED Pain Treatment.

PubMed

Genes, Nicholas; Kim, Min Soon; Thum, Frederick L; Rivera, Laura; Beato, Rosemary; Song, Carolyn; Soriano, Jared; Kannry, Joseph; Baumlin, Kevin; Hwang, Ula

2016-01-01

Older adults are at risk for inadequate emergency department (ED) pain care. Unrelieved acute pain is associated with poor outcomes. Clinical decision support systems (CDSS) hold promise to improve patient care, but CDSS quality varies widely, particularly when usability evaluation is not employed. To conduct an iterative usability and redesign process of a novel geriatric abdominal pain care CDSS. We hypothesized this process would result in the creation of more usable and favorable pain care interventions. Thirteen emergency physicians familiar with the Electronic Health Record (EHR) in use at the study site were recruited. Over a 10-week period, 17 1-hour usability test sessions were conducted across 3 rounds of testing. Participants were given 3 patient scenarios and provided simulated clinical care using the EHR, while interacting with the CDSS interventions. Quantitative System Usability Scores (SUS), favorability scores and qualitative narrative feedback were collected for each session. Using a multi-step review process by an interdisciplinary team, positive and negative usability issues in effectiveness, efficiency, and satisfaction were considered, prioritized and incorporated in the iterative redesign process of the CDSS. Video analysis was used to determine the appropriateness of the CDS appearances during simulated clinical care. Over the 3 rounds of usability evaluations and subsequent redesign processes, mean SUS progressively improved from 74.8 to 81.2 to 88.9; mean favorability scores improved from 3.23 to 4.29 (1 worst, 5 best). Video analysis revealed that, in the course of the iterative redesign processes, rates of physicians' acknowledgment of CDS interventions increased, however most rates of desired actions by physicians (such as more frequent pain score updates) decreased. The iterative usability redesign process was instrumental in improving the usability of the CDSS; if implemented in practice, it could improve geriatric pain care. The usability evaluation process led to improved acknowledgement and favorability. Incorporating usability testing when designing CDSS interventions for studies may be effective to enhance clinician use.

Relationship Between Evidence Requirements, User Expectations, and Actual Experiences: Usability Evaluation of the Twazon Arabic Weight Loss App

PubMed Central

Kyle, Janet; Alkhalifah, Abdulrahman; Marais, Debbi

2018-01-01

Background Saudi Arabia has faced a steady growth in the prevalence of obesity. The concurrent and ubiquitous use of mobile technology, such as smartphones and apps, provides an opportunity for the implementation of mHealth technology, a method for delivering behavioral interventions. Despite their effectiveness in promoting lifestyle and diet modification, culturally adapted weight loss apps and related interventions are lacking in Gulf Cooperation Council countries. Objective The objective of our study was to identify the relationship between adherence to evidence-informed practices, potential user expectations, and actual user experiences in order to enhance the understanding of the overall usability of the Twazon Arabic weight loss app. Methods In 2 previous studies, 39 Saudi women were recruited for focus group discussions and 240 Saudi women were recruited for an app-based weight loss intervention. Usability of the Twazon Arabic weight loss app was evaluated by analyzing the opinions and experiences of 26 participants who engaged with the Twazon app for 4 months; the System Usability Scale (SUS) and word clouds were used. The results were triangulated with potential user expectations obtained in the focus group discussion and with the findings from an Arabic app screening for evidence-informed practices. Results The average reported SUS score was 69.3. The most favored features were the calorie counter, step counter, and physical activity calorie counter. The features in need of improvement were the social network, notifications, and the Twazon Saudi Food Database. Twazon users preferred and found useful 7 of the 13 evidence-informed weight loss practices that were integrated into the features of the app. Conclusions Triangulation identified the most notable relationship to be the disparity between user experience and 2 of the evidence-informed practices, namely a minimum weight loss goal of 0.5 to 1 kg/week and social support; no relationship was found between user expectations and evidence-informed weight loss practices. The overall usability of the Twazon Arabic weight loss app ranged between high marginal and acceptable, indicating that some improvements to the app should be considered for implementation in future app-based weight loss interventions of this kind. PMID:29666042

A Robot-Based Tool for Physical and Cognitive Rehabilitation of Elderly People Using Biofeedback

PubMed Central

Lopez-Samaniego, Leire; Garcia-Zapirain, Begonya

2016-01-01

This publication presents a complete description of a technological solution system for the physical and cognitive rehabilitation of elderly people through a biofeedback system, which is combined with a Lego robot. The technology used was the iOS’s (iPhone Operating System) Objective-C programming language and its XCode programming environment; and SQLite in order to create the database. The biofeedback system is implemented by the use of two biosensors which are, in fact, a Microsoft band 2 in order to register the user’s heart rate and a MYO sensor to detect the user’s arm movement. Finally, the system was tested with seven elderly people from La Santa y Real Casa de la Misericordia nursing home in Bilbao. The statistical assessment has shown that the users are satisfied with the usability of the system, with a mean score of 79.29 on the System Usability Scale (SUS) questionnaire. PMID:27886146

Web-Based Versus Conventional Training for Medical Students on Infant Gross Motor Screening.

PubMed

Pusponegoro, Hardiono D; Soebadi, Amanda; Surya, Raymond

2015-12-01

Early detection of developmental abnormalities is important for early intervention. A simple screening method is needed for use by general practitioners, as is an effective and efficient training method. This study aims to evaluate the effectiveness, acceptability, and usability of Web-based training for medical students on a simple gross motor screening method in infants. Fifth-year medical students at University of Indonesia in Jakarta were randomized into two groups. A Web-based training group received online video modules, discussions, and assessments (at www.schoology.com ). A conventional training group received a 1-day live training using the same module. Both groups completed identical pre- and posttests and the User Satisfaction Questionnaire (USQ). The Web-based group also completed the System Usability Scale (SUS). The module was based on a gross motor screening method used in the World Health Organization Multicentre Growth Reference Study. There were 39 and 32 subjects in the Web-based and conventional groups, respectively. Mean pretest versus posttest scores (correct answers out of 20) were 9.05 versus 16.95 (p=0.0001) in the Web-based group and 9.31 versus 16.88 (p=0.0001) in the conventional group. Mean difference between pre- and posttest scores did not differ significantly between the Web-based and conventional groups (mean [standard deviation], 7.56 [3.252] versus 7.90 [5.170]; p=0.741]. Both training methods were acceptable based on USQ scores. Based on SUS scores, the Web-based training had good usability. Web-based training is an effective, efficient, and acceptable training method for medical students on simple infant gross motor screening and is as effective as conventional training.

Evaluation of Smartphone Applications for Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation Training in South Korea

PubMed Central

Cho, Yongtak; Song, Yeongtak; Lim, Tae Ho; Kang, Hyunggoo

2016-01-01

Objective. There are many smartphone-based applications (apps) for cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) training. We investigated the conformity and the learnability/usability of these apps for CPR training and real-life supports. Methods. We conducted a mixed-method, sequential explanatory study to assess CPR training apps downloaded on two apps stores in South Korea. Apps were collected with inclusion criteria as follows, Korean-language instruction, training features, and emergency supports for real-life incidents, and analyzed with two tests; 15 medical experts evaluated the apps' contents according to current Basic Life Support guidelines in conformity test, and 15 nonmedical individuals examined the apps using System Usability Scale (SUS) in the learnability/usability test. Results. Out of 79 selected apps, five apps were included and analyzed. For conformity (ICC, 0.95, p < 0.001), means of all apps were greater than 12 of 20 points, indicating that they were well designed according to current guidelines. Three of the five apps yielded acceptable level (greater than 68 of 100 points) for learnability/usability. Conclusion. All the included apps followed current BLS guidelines and a majority offered acceptable learnability/usability for layperson. Current and developmental smartphone-based CPR training apps should include accurate CPR information and be easy to use for laypersons that are potential rescuers in real-life incidents. For Clinical Trials. This is a clinical trial, registered at the Clinical Research Information Service (CRIS, cris.nih.go.kr), number KCT0001840. PMID:27668257

Improving non-technical skills (teamwork) in post-partum haemorrhage: A grouped randomised trial.

PubMed

Letchworth, Pippa M; Duffy, Shane P; Phillips, Dan

2017-10-01

To determine the effect of a decision support technology on teamwork and associated non-technical (NTS) and technical skills when teams manage post-partum haemorrhage (PPH) in the simulated environment. Multidisciplinary (MDT) maternity teams were taught how to manage post partum haemorrhage. They were randomised to the intervention: using a decision support mobile digital platform or a control group. Each team managed a post-partum simulation, which was recorded and reviewed by assessors. Primary outcome measures to assess teams NTS were the validated Global Assessment of Obstetric Team Performance (GAOTP) and Clinical Teamwork Scale (CTS). Secondary outcome measures were the 'friends and family test', technical skills, and the System Usability Scale (SUS). Sample size estimation was calculated by using 80% power 5% significance two tailed test (p1=85% p2=40%) n=34. 38 teams from August 2014-February 2016, were recruited, technical issues with failure of recording equipment meant 4 teams were excluded from teamwork analysis (1 intervention 3 control). Teamwork improved across all domains with the intervention (using a decision support mobile digital platform) p <0.01. CTS improved between 6.7-16.8% (average 14.2%) and GAOTP between 8.6-17.1% (average 13.5%) for all domains. Using the control group as baseline, the intervention improved teamwork by 25% using CTS and 22% using GAOTP. Fewer technical skills were missed with the intervention (p<0.01). There was no statistical difference in the time technical skills were achieved. Assessors were more likely to recommend intervention teams 87.5% (77/88) than control teams 63.6% (56/88) p<0.01 to their friends or family. The SUS was 'Good' (69) becoming excellently 'Usable' (81.6) over the study period. We report a decision support system, which improved NTS when managing PPH. Lack of teamwork is often cited as the cause of failures in care and we report a usable technology that assists with and improves teamwork during an emergency. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

A Wearable Sensor-Based Exercise Biofeedback System: Mixed Methods Evaluation of Formulift

PubMed Central

Slevin, Patrick; Ward, Tomas; Caulfield, Brian

2018-01-01

Background Formulift is a newly developed mobile health (mHealth) app that connects to a single inertial measurement unit (IMU) worn on the left thigh. The IMU captures users’ movements as they exercise, and the app analyzes the data to count repetitions in real time and classify users’ exercise technique. The app also offers feedback and guidance to users on exercising safely and effectively. Objective The aim of this study was to assess the Formulift system with three different and realistic types of potential users (beginner gym-goers, experienced gym-goers, and qualified strength and conditioning [S&C] coaches) under a number of categories: (1) usability, (2) functionality, (3) the perceived impact of the system, and (4) the subjective quality of the system. It was also desired to discover suggestions for future improvements to the system. Methods A total of 15 healthy volunteers participated (12 males; 3 females; age: 23.8 years [SD 1.80]; height: 1.79 m [SD 0.07], body mass: 78.4 kg [SD 9.6]). Five participants were beginner gym-goers, 5 were experienced gym-goers, and 5 were qualified and practicing S&C coaches. IMU data were first collected from each participant to create individualized exercise classifiers for them. They then completed a number of nonexercise-related tasks with the app. Following this, a workout was completed using the system, involving squats, deadlifts, lunges, and single-leg squats. Participants were then interviewed about their user experience and completed the System Usability Scale (SUS) and the user version of the Mobile Application Rating Scale (uMARS). Thematic analysis was completed on all interview transcripts, and survey results were analyzed. Results Qualitative and quantitative analysis found the system has “good” to “excellent” usability. The system achieved a mean (SD) SUS usability score of 79.2 (8.8). Functionality was also deemed to be good, with many users reporting positively on the systems repetition counting, technique classification, and feedback. A number of bugs were found, and other suggested changes to the system were also made. The overall subjective quality of the app was good, with a median star rating of 4 out of 5 (interquartile range, IQR: 3-5). Participants also reported that the system would aid their technique, provide motivation, reassure them, and help them avoid injury. Conclusions This study demonstrated an overall positive evaluation of Formulift in the categories of usability, functionality, perceived impact, and subjective quality. Users also suggested a number of changes for future iterations of the system. These findings are the first of their kind and show great promise for wearable sensor-based exercise biofeedback systems. PMID:29386171

Comprehensive verticality analysis and web-based rehabilitation system for people with multiple sclerosis with supervised medical monitoring.

PubMed

Eguiluz-Perez, Gonzalo; Garcia-Zapirain, Begonya

2014-01-01

People with Multiple Sclerosis (MS) need regular physical activities along with medical treatment despite their ability or disability level. However, poorly performed exercises could aggravate muscle imbalances and worsen their health. The goal of our work is to create a comprehensive system, encompassing a face-to-face sessions performed by MS patients one day a week at the medical center with exercises at home the rest of the week through a web platform in combination with a tracking tool to analyze the position of patients during exercise and correct them in real-time. The whole system is currently testing during six months with ten participants, five persons with MS and 5 professionals related with MS. Two tests, the Functional Independence Measure and the Berg Balance Scale will be act as a barometer for measuring the degree of independence obtained by the people with MS and also the validity of the whole system as a rehabilitation tool. Preliminary results about the usability of the system using SUS scale, 72 and 76 points over 100 (patients and professionals respectively), demonstrate that our system is usable for both patients and professionals.

Exploring user experience and technology acceptance for a fall prevention system: results from a randomized clinical trial and a living lab.

PubMed

Vaziri, Daryoush D; Aal, Konstantin; Ogonowski, Corinna; Von Rekowski, Thomas; Kroll, Michael; Marston, Hannah R; Poveda, Rakel; Gschwind, Yves J; Delbaere, Kim; Wieching, Rainer; Wulf, Volker

2016-01-01

Falls are common in older adults and can result in serious injuries. Due to demographic changes, falls and related healthcare costs are likely to increase over the next years. Participation and motivation of older adults in fall prevention measures remain a challenge. The iStoppFalls project developed an information and communication technology (ICT)-based system for older adults to use at home in order to reduce common fall risk factors such as impaired balance and muscle weakness. The system aims at increasing older adults' motivation to participate in ICT-based fall prevention measures. This article reports on usability, user-experience and user-acceptance aspects affecting the use of the iStoppFalls system by older adults. In the course of a 16-week international multicenter study, 153 community-dwelling older adults aged 65+ participated in the iStoppFalls randomized controlled trial, of which half used the system in their home to exercise and assess their risk of falling. During the study, 60 participants completed questionnaires regarding the usability, user experience and user acceptance of the iStoppFalls system. Usability was measured with the System Usability Scale (SUS). For user experience the Physical Activity Enjoyment Scale (PACES) was applied. User acceptance was assessed with the Dynamic Acceptance Model for the Re-evaluation of Technologies (DART). To collect more detailed data on usability, user experience and user acceptance, additional qualitative interviews and observations were conducted with participants. Participants evaluated the usability of the system with an overall score of 62 (Standard Deviation, SD 15.58) out of 100, which suggests good usability. Most users enjoyed the iStoppFalls games and assessments, as shown by the overall PACES score of 31 (SD 8.03). With a score of 0.87 (SD 0.26), user acceptance results showed that participants accepted the iStoppFalls system for use in their own home. Interview data suggested that certain factors such as motivation, complexity or graphical design were different for gender and age. The results suggest that the iStoppFalls system has good usability, user experience and user acceptance. It will be important to take these along with factors such as motivation, gender and age into consideration when designing and further developing ICT-based fall prevention systems.

Developing an Android-Based Patient Decision Aid Based on Ottawa Standards for Patients After Kidney Transplant and Its Usability Evaluation.

PubMed

Zare Moayedi, Mahboobeh; Aslani, Azam; Fakhrahmad, Mostafa; Ezzatzadegan J, Shahrokh

2018-01-01

This study was conducted to develop an android based patient decision aid (PDA) as a self-care instrument for patients after kidney transplant and its usability evaluation. In this study, the systematic development process of Android-based self-care application for patients after kidney transplant based on Ottawa standard was included: scoping, assemble steering group, analysis of requirements, designing, develop of a prototype and system evaluation. The PDA is a self-triage system that will help early identification of risk symptoms in patients, and help manage them. System recommendations for risk signs are: Refer to the nearest hospital or healthcare center without delay, refer to the doctor and tell your doctor in the next visit. To identify patient care needs, a semi-structured interview with members of steering group, including patients and clinical experts, was conducted by the researchers. A prototype of the decision aid was made according to identified needs in the previous step. Finally, in order to evaluate its usability rate by using the System Usability Scale (SUS) questionnaire, it was used by exerts and patients. This study identified information needs, risk signs and steps that patients need to make appropriate decisions about them. The main capabilities of the decision aid are features such as reminders for appointment/test, time of taking medication, registration of symptoms, weight, blood pressure, body temperature, advising to patient in case of signs of risk, weight, blood pressure, body temperature and test results which were reported in the diagram. The mean score of system's usability evaluated by medical informatics specialists, clinicians, and patients were 88.33, 95, and 91. PDAs was usable and desirable from the point of view of medical informatics specialists, clinicians and patients.

Mobile Phone–Supported Physiotherapy for Frozen Shoulder: Feasibility Assessment Based on a Usability Study

PubMed Central

Emsenhuber, Gerlinde; Huber, Daniela; Domhardt, Michael; Tiefengrabner, Martin; Oostingh, Gertie Janneke; Fötschl, Ulrike; Matis, Nicholas; Ginzinger, Simon

2017-01-01

Background Patients with frozen shoulder show limited shoulder mobility often accompanied by pain. Common treatment methods include physiotherapy, pain medication, administration of corticosteroids, and surgical capsulotomy. Frozen shoulder often lasts from months to years and mostly affects persons in the age group of 40 to 70 years. It severely reduces the quality of life and the ability to work. Objective The objective of this study was to evaluate the feasibility of a mobile health (mHealth) intervention that supports patients affected by “stage two” frozen shoulder. Patients were supported with app-based exercise instructions and tools to monitor their training compliance and progress. These training compliance and progress data supplement the patients’ oral reports to the physiotherapists and physicians and can assist them in therapy adjustment. Methods In order to assess the feasibility of the mHealth intervention, a pilot study of a newly developed app for frozen shoulder patients was conducted with 5 patients for 3 weeks. The main function of the app was the instruction for exercising at home. Standardized questionnaires on usability such as System Usability Scale (SUS) and USE (Usefulness, Satisfaction, and Ease of use), and Technology Acceptance Model-2 (TAM-2) were completed by the study participants at the end of the study. Additionally, a nonstandardized questionnaire was completed by all patients. The correctness of the exercises as conducted by the patients was assessed by a physiotherapist at the end of the study. The mobility of the shoulder and pain in shoulder movement was assessed by a physiotherapist at the start and the end of the study. Results The pilot study was successfully conducted, and the app was evaluated by the patients after 3 weeks. The results of the standardized questionnaires showed high acceptance (TAM-2) and high usability (SUS) of the developed app. The overall usability of the system as assessed by the SUS questionnaire was very good (an average score of 88 out of 100). The average score of the TAM-2 questionnaire on the intention to further use the app was 4.2 out of 5, which indicated that most patients would use the app if further available. The results of the USE questionnaires highlighted that the patients learned how to use the app easily (an average score of 4.2 out of 5) and were satisfied with the app (an average score of 4.7 out of 5). The frequency of app usage and training was very high based on patient reports and verified by analysis of the usage data. The patients conducted the exercises almost flawlessly. Conclusions Our results indicate the feasibility of the mHealth intervention, as the app was easy to use and frequently used by the patients. The app supported the patients’ physiotherapy by providing clear exercising instructions. PMID:28729234

Supporting Our Valued Adolescents (SOVA), a Social Media Website for Adolescents with Depression and/or Anxiety: Technological Feasibility, Usability, and Acceptability Study.

PubMed

Radovic, Ana; Gmelin, Theresa; Hua, Jing; Long, Cassandra; Stein, Bradley D; Miller, Elizabeth

2018-02-26

Supporting Our Valued Adolescents (SOVA), a social media website for adolescents, was designed to increase mental health literacy and address negative health beliefs toward depression and/or anxiety diagnosis and treatment. This stakeholder-informed site underwent iterative user testing to evolve into its current version with daily blog posts, round-the-clock site moderation, and Web-based peer interaction to create an online support community. The aim of this study was to evaluate the technological feasibility (at least 100 users on the site, logging in 12 to 18 times in the first 6 weeks) and acceptability of the SOVA site determined by the System Usability Scale (SUS). Adolescents and young adults (aged 14-26 years) with a self-reported history of depressive and/or anxiety symptoms were recruited to access the research website (sova.pitt.edu). Participants were screened out if they reported active suicidality or a prior suicide attempt. Baseline survey measures included demographics, symptomatology using the Patient Health Questionnaire-9 modified for adolescents (PHQ-9A) and Screen for Child Anxiety Related Disorders (SCARED-C), and mental health treatment history. The 6-week follow-up measures taken in addition to the symptomatology, included feasibility (total number of log-ins), usability, and acceptability of SOVA using SUS. Most of the 96 participants identified as female (75% [72/96]) and white (67% [64/96]). Most participants (73% [70/96]) reported having taken prior professional psychological help. The average PHQ-9A score was 11.8 (SD 5.5), and for SCARED-C, 85% (80/94) of the participants reported a score consistent with being susceptible to a diagnosed anxiety disorder. There were 46% (41/90) of eligible users who ever logged in. Out of the total users who ever logged in, the mean of total log-ins over the entire study was 4.1 (SD 6.9). Median number of users rated the user-friendliness of the site as "good." The average SUS score was 71.2% (SD 18.7), or a "C-grade," which correlated to an acceptable range. The participants reported to have liked the "easy-to-understand format" and "positive, helpful atmosphere," but they also reported a desire for greater social interaction. Iterative recruitment resulted in incremental improvements to the site. The SOVA site met feasibility goals of recruiting almost 100 users and establishing acceptable usability. Subsequent interventions are planned to increase site engagement and to evaluate efficacy in increasing uptake of primary care-recommended depression and/or anxiety treatment. ©Ana Radovic, Theresa Gmelin, Jing Hua, Cassandra Long, Bradley D Stein, Elizabeth Miller. Originally published in JMIR Mental Health (http://mental.jmir.org), 26.02.2018.

Supporting Our Valued Adolescents (SOVA), a Social Media Website for Adolescents with Depression and/or Anxiety: Technological Feasibility, Usability, and Acceptability Study

PubMed Central

Gmelin, Theresa; Hua, Jing; Long, Cassandra; Stein, Bradley D; Miller, Elizabeth

2018-01-01

Background Supporting Our Valued Adolescents (SOVA), a social media website for adolescents, was designed to increase mental health literacy and address negative health beliefs toward depression and/or anxiety diagnosis and treatment. This stakeholder-informed site underwent iterative user testing to evolve into its current version with daily blog posts, round-the-clock site moderation, and Web-based peer interaction to create an online support community. Objective The aim of this study was to evaluate the technological feasibility (at least 100 users on the site, logging in 12 to 18 times in the first 6 weeks) and acceptability of the SOVA site determined by the System Usability Scale (SUS). Methods Adolescents and young adults (aged 14-26 years) with a self-reported history of depressive and/or anxiety symptoms were recruited to access the research website (sova.pitt.edu). Participants were screened out if they reported active suicidality or a prior suicide attempt. Baseline survey measures included demographics, symptomatology using the Patient Health Questionnaire-9 modified for adolescents (PHQ-9A) and Screen for Child Anxiety Related Disorders (SCARED-C), and mental health treatment history. The 6-week follow-up measures taken in addition to the symptomatology, included feasibility (total number of log-ins), usability, and acceptability of SOVA using SUS. Results Most of the 96 participants identified as female (75% [72/96]) and white (67% [64/96]). Most participants (73% [70/96]) reported having taken prior professional psychological help. The average PHQ-9A score was 11.8 (SD 5.5), and for SCARED-C, 85% (80/94) of the participants reported a score consistent with being susceptible to a diagnosed anxiety disorder. There were 46% (41/90) of eligible users who ever logged in. Out of the total users who ever logged in, the mean of total log-ins over the entire study was 4.1 (SD 6.9). Median number of users rated the user-friendliness of the site as “good.” The average SUS score was 71.2% (SD 18.7), or a “C-grade,” which correlated to an acceptable range. The participants reported to have liked the “easy-to-understand format” and “positive, helpful atmosphere,” but they also reported a desire for greater social interaction. Iterative recruitment resulted in incremental improvements to the site. Conclusions The SOVA site met feasibility goals of recruiting almost 100 users and establishing acceptable usability. Subsequent interventions are planned to increase site engagement and to evaluate efficacy in increasing uptake of primary care–recommended depression and/or anxiety treatment. PMID:29483067

Usability and Acceptability of a Mobile Comprehensive HIV Prevention App for Men Who Have Sex With Men: A Pilot Study

PubMed Central

Driggers, Robert; Stekler, Joanne D; Siegler, Aaron; Goldenberg, Tamar; McDougal, Sarah J; Caucutt, Jason; Jones, Jeb; Stephenson, Rob

2017-01-01

Background Men who have sex with men (MSM) are the group most impacted by the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) epidemic and the only subgroup in the United States among which new HIV diagnoses are not decreasing. To achieve the US National HIV/AIDS (acquired immunodeficiency syndrome) Strategy goals of reducing new diagnoses by 25%, high (eg, 30-50%) coverage of multiple HIV prevention interventions is needed in both urban and rural areas. Mobile phone “apps” are an important channel through which prevention services could be provided at scale and at low marginal cost. Objective The aim of this study was to evaluate the usability and acceptability of a theory-based Android mobile phone app for HIV prevention. Methods The app included self-assessment tools; prevention recommendations; commodity (condoms, HIV self-tests) ordering; reminders to MSM for basic HIV prevention services, HIV testing, condom use, screening for preexposure prophylaxis (PrEP) and nonoccupational postexposure prophylaxis (nPEP); and prevention and treatment provider locators. The study recruited HIV-negative, Android-using MSM in Atlanta and Seattle who were asked to use the app for 4 months and complete a post-use survey. We measured the use of the app and its features, ordering of commodities, self-report of establishing an HIV testing plan, being HIV tested in the community, and starting PrEP or using nPEP. Usability was assessed using the system usability scale (SUS). Results A total of 121 MSM were enrolled (59.5%, 72/121 from Atlanta; 40.5%, 49/121 from Seattle). Median age was 28. Nearly half (48.8%, 59/121) were nonwhite, and most (85.9%, 104/121) were gay-identified. Most had tested for HIV in the past (85.1%, 103/121), and 52 (43.0%, 52/121) had a plan to test for HIV regularly. Men used the app for an average of 17.7 minutes over the first 4 months. Over the 4-month period, over half ordered condoms (63.6%, 77/121) and HIV test kits (52.8%, 64/121) on the app. Eight of 86 (9%) PrEP-eligible MSM started PrEP during the 4-month period; of those, 6 of the 8 reported that the app influenced their decision to start PrEP. The mean SUS was 73 (above average). Conclusions A theory-based mobile phone app was acceptable to MSM and was rated as having above-average usability. Most men used the commodity-ordering features of the app during the 4-month evaluation period, and nearly 1 in 10 PrEP-eligible men started PrEP, with most attributing their decision to start PrEP in part to the app. A broader, randomized controlled study of the impact of the app on uptake of prevention behaviors for MSM is warranted. PMID:28279949

Randomised controlled trial to evaluate the efficacy and usability of a computerised phone-based lifestyle coaching system for primary and secondary prevention of stroke.

PubMed

Spassova, Lübomira; Vittore, Debora; Droste, Dirk W; Rösch, Norbert

2016-02-09

One of the most effective current approaches to preventing stroke events is the reduction of lifestyle risk factors, such as unhealthy diet, physical inactivity and smoking. In this study, we assessed the efficacy and usability of the phone-based Computer-aided Prevention System (CAPSYS) in supporting the reduction of lifestyle-related risk factors. A single-centre two-arm clinical trial was performed between January 2013 and February 2014, based on individual follow-up periods of six months with 94 patients at high risk of stroke, randomly assigned to an intervention group (IC: 48; advised to use the CAPSYS system) or a standard care group (SC: 46). Study parameters, such as blood pressure, blood values (HDL, LDL, HbA1c, glycaemia and triglycerides), weight, height, physical activity as well as nutrition and smoking habits were captured through questionnaires and medical records at baseline and post-intervention and analysed to detect significant changes. The usability of the intervention was assessed based on the standardised System Usability Scale (SUS) complemented by a more system-specific user satisfaction and feedback questionnaire. The statistical evaluation of primary measures revealed significant decreases of systolic blood pressure (mean of the differences = -9 mmHg; p = 0.03; 95% CI = [-17.29, -0.71]), LDL (pseudo-median of the differences = -7.9 mg/dl; p = 0.04; 95% CI = [-18.5, -0.5]) and triglyceride values (pseudo-median of the differences = -12.5 mg/dl; p = 0.04; 95% CI = [-26, -0.5]) in the intervention group, while no such changes could be observed in the control group. Furthermore, we detected a statistically significant increase in self-reported fruit and vegetable consumption (pseudo-median of the differences = 5.4 servings/week; p = 0.04; 95% CI = [0.5, 10.5]) and a decrease in sweets consumption (pseudo-median of the differences = -2 servings/week; p = 0.04; 95% CI = [-4, -0.00001]) in the intervention group. The usability assessment showed that the CAPSYS system was, in general, highly accepted by the users (average SUS score: 80.1). The study provided encouraging results indicating that a computerised phone-based lifestyle coaching system, such as CAPSYS, can support the usual treatment in reducing cerebro-cardiovascular risk factors and that such an approach is well applicable in practice. ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier: NCT02444715.

Usability Testing of a National Substance Use Screening Tool Embedded in Electronic Health Records.

PubMed

Press, Anne; DeStio, Catherine; McCullagh, Lauren; Kapoor, Sandeep; Morley, Jeanne; Conigliaro, Joseph

2016-07-08

Screening, brief intervention, and referral to treatment (SBIRT) is currently being implemented into health systems nationally via paper and electronic methods. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the integration of an electronic SBIRT tool into an existing paper-based SBIRT clinical workflow in a patient-centered medical home. Usability testing was conducted in an academic ambulatory clinic. Two rounds of usability testing were done with medical office assistants (MOAs) using a paper and electronic version of the SBIRT tool, with two and four participants, respectively. Qualitative and quantitative data was analyzed to determine the impact of both tools on clinical workflow. A second round of usability testing was done with the revised electronic version and compared with the first version. Personal workflow barriers cited in the first round of testing were that the electronic health record (EHR) tool was disruptive to patient's visits. In Round 2 of testing, MOAs reported favoring the electronic version due to improved layout and the inclusion of an alert system embedded in the EHR. For example, using the system usability scale (SUS), MOAs reported a grade "1" for the statement, "I would like to use this system frequently" during the first round of testing but a "5" during the second round of analysis. The importance of testing usability of various mediums of tools used in health care screening is highlighted by the findings of this study. In the first round of testing, the electronic tool was reported as less user friendly, being difficult to navigate, and time consuming. Many issues faced in the first generation of the tool were improved in the second generation after usability was evaluated. This study demonstrates how usability testing of an electronic SBRIT tool can help to identify challenges that can impact clinical workflow. However, a limitation of this study was the small sample size of MOAs that participated. The results may have been biased to Northwell Health workers' perceptions of the SBIRT tool and their specific clinical workflow.

Fall Prevention Self-Assessments Via Mobile 3D Visualization Technologies: Community Dwelling Older Adults’ Perceptions of Opportunities and Challenges

PubMed Central

Hamm, Julian; Atwal, Anita

2017-01-01

Background In the field of occupational therapy, the assistive equipment provision process (AEPP) is a prominent preventive strategy used to promote independent living and to identify and alleviate fall risk factors via the provision of assistive equipment within the home environment. Current practice involves the use of paper-based forms that include 2D measurement guidance diagrams that aim to communicate the precise points and dimensions that must be measured in order to make AEPP assessments. There are, however, issues such as “poor fit” of equipment due to inaccurate measurements taken and recorded, resulting in more than 50% of equipment installed within the home being abandoned by patients. This paper presents a novel 3D measurement aid prototype (3D-MAP) that provides enhanced measurement and assessment guidance to patients via the use of 3D visualization technologies. Objective The purpose of this study was to explore the perceptions of older adults with regard to the barriers and opportunities of using the 3D-MAP application as a tool that enables patient self-delivery of the AEPP. Methods Thirty-three community-dwelling older adults participated in interactive sessions with a bespoke 3D-MAP application utilizing the retrospective think-aloud protocol and semistructured focus group discussions. The system usability scale (SUS) questionnaire was used to evaluate the application’s usability. Thematic template analysis was carried out on the SUS item discussions, think-aloud, and semistructured focus group data. Results The quantitative SUS results revealed that the application may be described as having “marginal-high” and “good” levels of usability, along with strong agreement with items relating to the usability (P=.004) and learnability (P<.001) of the application. Four high-level themes emerged from think-aloud and focus groups discussions: (1) perceived usefulness (PU), (2) perceived ease of use (PEOU), (3) application use (AU) and (4) self-assessment (SA). The application was seen as a useful tool to enhance visualization of measurement guidance and also to promote independent living, ownership of care, and potentially reduce waiting times. Several design and functionality recommendations emerged from the study, such as a need to manipulate the view and position of the 3D furniture models, and a need for clearer visual prompts and alternative keyboard interface for measurement entry. Conclusions Participants perceived the 3D-MAP application as a useful tool that has the potential to make significant improvements to the AEPP, not only in terms of accuracy of measurement, but also by potentially enabling older adult patients to carry out the data collection element of the AEPP themselves. Further research is needed to further adapt the 3D-MAP application in line with the study outcomes and to establish its clinical utility with regards to effectiveness, efficiency, accuracy, and reliability of measurements that are recorded using the application and to compare it with 2D measurement guidance leaflets. PMID:28630034

The BEL information extraction workflow (BELIEF): evaluation in the BioCreative V BEL and IAT track

PubMed Central

Madan, Sumit; Hodapp, Sven; Senger, Philipp; Ansari, Sam; Szostak, Justyna; Hoeng, Julia; Peitsch, Manuel; Fluck, Juliane

2016-01-01

Network-based approaches have become extremely important in systems biology to achieve a better understanding of biological mechanisms. For network representation, the Biological Expression Language (BEL) is well designed to collate findings from the scientific literature into biological network models. To facilitate encoding and biocuration of such findings in BEL, a BEL Information Extraction Workflow (BELIEF) was developed. BELIEF provides a web-based curation interface, the BELIEF Dashboard, that incorporates text mining techniques to support the biocurator in the generation of BEL networks. The underlying UIMA-based text mining pipeline (BELIEF Pipeline) uses several named entity recognition processes and relationship extraction methods to detect concepts and BEL relationships in literature. The BELIEF Dashboard allows easy curation of the automatically generated BEL statements and their context annotations. Resulting BEL statements and their context annotations can be syntactically and semantically verified to ensure consistency in the BEL network. In summary, the workflow supports experts in different stages of systems biology network building. Based on the BioCreative V BEL track evaluation, we show that the BELIEF Pipeline automatically extracts relationships with an F-score of 36.4% and fully correct statements can be obtained with an F-score of 30.8%. Participation in the BioCreative V Interactive task (IAT) track with BELIEF revealed a systems usability scale (SUS) of 67. Considering the complexity of the task for new users—learning BEL, working with a completely new interface, and performing complex curation—a score so close to the overall SUS average highlights the usability of BELIEF. Database URL: BELIEF is available at http://www.scaiview.com/belief/ PMID:27694210

Finding collaborators: toward interactive discovery tools for research network systems.

PubMed

Borromeo, Charles D; Schleyer, Titus K; Becich, Michael J; Hochheiser, Harry

2014-11-04

Research networking systems hold great promise for helping biomedical scientists identify collaborators with the expertise needed to build interdisciplinary teams. Although efforts to date have focused primarily on collecting and aggregating information, less attention has been paid to the design of end-user tools for using these collections to identify collaborators. To be effective, collaborator search tools must provide researchers with easy access to information relevant to their collaboration needs. The aim was to study user requirements and preferences for research networking system collaborator search tools and to design and evaluate a functional prototype. Paper prototypes exploring possible interface designs were presented to 18 participants in semistructured interviews aimed at eliciting collaborator search needs. Interview data were coded and analyzed to identify recurrent themes and related software requirements. Analysis results and elements from paper prototypes were used to design a Web-based prototype using the D3 JavaScript library and VIVO data. Preliminary usability studies asked 20 participants to use the tool and to provide feedback through semistructured interviews and completion of the System Usability Scale (SUS). Initial interviews identified consensus regarding several novel requirements for collaborator search tools, including chronological display of publication and research funding information, the need for conjunctive keyword searches, and tools for tracking candidate collaborators. Participant responses were positive (SUS score: mean 76.4%, SD 13.9). Opportunities for improving the interface design were identified. Interactive, timeline-based displays that support comparison of researcher productivity in funding and publication have the potential to effectively support searching for collaborators. Further refinement and longitudinal studies may be needed to better understand the implications of collaborator search tools for researcher workflows.

The BEL information extraction workflow (BELIEF): evaluation in the BioCreative V BEL and IAT track.

PubMed

Madan, Sumit; Hodapp, Sven; Senger, Philipp; Ansari, Sam; Szostak, Justyna; Hoeng, Julia; Peitsch, Manuel; Fluck, Juliane

2016-01-01

Network-based approaches have become extremely important in systems biology to achieve a better understanding of biological mechanisms. For network representation, the Biological Expression Language (BEL) is well designed to collate findings from the scientific literature into biological network models. To facilitate encoding and biocuration of such findings in BEL, a BEL Information Extraction Workflow (BELIEF) was developed. BELIEF provides a web-based curation interface, the BELIEF Dashboard, that incorporates text mining techniques to support the biocurator in the generation of BEL networks. The underlying UIMA-based text mining pipeline (BELIEF Pipeline) uses several named entity recognition processes and relationship extraction methods to detect concepts and BEL relationships in literature. The BELIEF Dashboard allows easy curation of the automatically generated BEL statements and their context annotations. Resulting BEL statements and their context annotations can be syntactically and semantically verified to ensure consistency in the BEL network. In summary, the workflow supports experts in different stages of systems biology network building. Based on the BioCreative V BEL track evaluation, we show that the BELIEF Pipeline automatically extracts relationships with an F-score of 36.4% and fully correct statements can be obtained with an F-score of 30.8%. Participation in the BioCreative V Interactive task (IAT) track with BELIEF revealed a systems usability scale (SUS) of 67. Considering the complexity of the task for new users-learning BEL, working with a completely new interface, and performing complex curation-a score so close to the overall SUS average highlights the usability of BELIEF.Database URL: BELIEF is available at http://www.scaiview.com/belief/. © The Author(s) 2016. Published by Oxford University Press. All rights reserved. For permissions, please e-mail: journals.permissions@oup.com.

Teaching Dental Students to Understand the Temporomandibular Joint Using MRI: Comparison of Conventional and Digital Learning Methods.

PubMed

Arús, Nádia A; da Silva, Átila M; Duarte, Rogério; da Silveira, Priscila F; Vizzotto, Mariana B; da Silveira, Heraldo L D; da Silveira, Heloisa E D

2017-06-01

The aims of this study were to evaluate and compare the performance of dental students in interpreting the temporomandibular joint (TMJ) with magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scans using two learning methods (conventional and digital interactive learning) and to examine the usability of the digital learning object (DLO). The DLO consisted of tutorials about MRI and anatomic and functional aspects of the TMJ. In 2014, dental students in their final year of study who were enrolled in the elective "MRI Interpretation of the TMJ" course comprised the study sample. After exclusions for nonattendance and other reasons, 29 of the initial 37 students participated in the study, for a participation rate of 78%. The participants were divided into two groups: a digital interactive learning group (n=14) and a conventional learning group (n=15). Both methods were assessed by an objective test applied before and after training and classes. Aspects such as support and training requirements, complexity, and consistency of the DLO were also evaluated using the System Usability Scale (SUS). A significant between-group difference in the posttest results was found, with the conventional learning group scoring better than the DLO group, indicated by mean scores of 9.20 and 8.11, respectively, out of 10. However, when the pretest and posttest results were compared, both groups showed significantly improved performance. The SUS score was 89, which represented a high acceptance of the DLO by the users. The students who used the conventional method of learning showed superior performance in interpreting the TMJ using MRI compared to the group that used digital interactive learning.

Finding Collaborators: Toward Interactive Discovery Tools for Research Network Systems

PubMed Central

Schleyer, Titus K; Becich, Michael J; Hochheiser, Harry

2014-01-01

Background Research networking systems hold great promise for helping biomedical scientists identify collaborators with the expertise needed to build interdisciplinary teams. Although efforts to date have focused primarily on collecting and aggregating information, less attention has been paid to the design of end-user tools for using these collections to identify collaborators. To be effective, collaborator search tools must provide researchers with easy access to information relevant to their collaboration needs. Objective The aim was to study user requirements and preferences for research networking system collaborator search tools and to design and evaluate a functional prototype. Methods Paper prototypes exploring possible interface designs were presented to 18 participants in semistructured interviews aimed at eliciting collaborator search needs. Interview data were coded and analyzed to identify recurrent themes and related software requirements. Analysis results and elements from paper prototypes were used to design a Web-based prototype using the D3 JavaScript library and VIVO data. Preliminary usability studies asked 20 participants to use the tool and to provide feedback through semistructured interviews and completion of the System Usability Scale (SUS). Results Initial interviews identified consensus regarding several novel requirements for collaborator search tools, including chronological display of publication and research funding information, the need for conjunctive keyword searches, and tools for tracking candidate collaborators. Participant responses were positive (SUS score: mean 76.4%, SD 13.9). Opportunities for improving the interface design were identified. Conclusions Interactive, timeline-based displays that support comparison of researcher productivity in funding and publication have the potential to effectively support searching for collaborators. Further refinement and longitudinal studies may be needed to better understand the implications of collaborator search tools for researcher workflows. PMID:25370463

Feasibility study of a clinical decision support system for the management of multimorbid seniors in primary care: study protocol.

PubMed

Weltermann, Birgitta; Kersting, Christine

2016-01-01

Care for seniors is complex because patients often have more than one disease, one medication, and one physician. It is a key challenge for primary care physicians to structure the various aspects of each patient's care, to integrate each patient's preferences, and to maintain a long-term overview. This article describes the design for the development and feasibility testing of the clinical decision support system (CDSS) eCare*Seniors© which is electronic health record (EHR)-based allowing for a long-term, comprehensive, evidence-based, and patient preference-oriented management of multimorbid seniors. This mixed-methods study is designed in three steps. First, focus groups and practice observations will be conducted to develop criteria for software design from a physicians' and practice assistants' perspective. Second, based on these criteria, a CDSS prototype will be developed. Third, the prototype's feasibility will be tested by five primary care practices in the care of 30 multimorbid seniors. Primary outcome is the usability of the software measured by the validated system usability scale (SUS) after 3 months. Secondary outcomes are the (a) willingness to routinely use the CDSS, (b) degree of utilization of the CDSS, (c) acceptance of the CDSS, (d) willingness of the physicians to purchase the CDSS, and (e) willingness of the practice assistants to use the CDSS in the long term. These outcomes will be measured using semi-structured interviews and software usage data. If the SUS score reaches ≥70 %, feasibility testing will be judged successful. Otherwise, the CDSS prototype will be refined according to the users' needs and retested by the physicians and practice assistants until it is fully adapted to their requirements and reaches a usability score ≥70 %. The study will support the development of a CDSS which is primary care-defined, user-friendly, easy-to-comprehend, workflow-oriented, and comprehensive. The software will assist physicians and practices in their long-term, individualized care for multimorbid seniors. German Clinical Trials Register, DRKS00008777.

Usability and Acceptability of a Mobile Comprehensive HIV Prevention App for Men Who Have Sex With Men: A Pilot Study.

PubMed

Sullivan, Patrick S; Driggers, Robert; Stekler, Joanne D; Siegler, Aaron; Goldenberg, Tamar; McDougal, Sarah J; Caucutt, Jason; Jones, Jeb; Stephenson, Rob

2017-03-09

Men who have sex with men (MSM) are the group most impacted by the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) epidemic and the only subgroup in the United States among which new HIV diagnoses are not decreasing. To achieve the US National HIV/AIDS (acquired immunodeficiency syndrome) Strategy goals of reducing new diagnoses by 25%, high (eg, 30-50%) coverage of multiple HIV prevention interventions is needed in both urban and rural areas. Mobile phone "apps" are an important channel through which prevention services could be provided at scale and at low marginal cost. The aim of this study was to evaluate the usability and acceptability of a theory-based Android mobile phone app for HIV prevention. The app included self-assessment tools; prevention recommendations; commodity (condoms, HIV self-tests) ordering; reminders to MSM for basic HIV prevention services, HIV testing, condom use, screening for preexposure prophylaxis (PrEP) and nonoccupational postexposure prophylaxis (nPEP); and prevention and treatment provider locators. The study recruited HIV-negative, Android-using MSM in Atlanta and Seattle who were asked to use the app for 4 months and complete a post-use survey. We measured the use of the app and its features, ordering of commodities, self-report of establishing an HIV testing plan, being HIV tested in the community, and starting PrEP or using nPEP. Usability was assessed using the system usability scale (SUS). A total of 121 MSM were enrolled (59.5%, 72/121 from Atlanta; 40.5%, 49/121 from Seattle). Median age was 28. Nearly half (48.8%, 59/121) were nonwhite, and most (85.9%, 104/121) were gay-identified. Most had tested for HIV in the past (85.1%, 103/121), and 52 (43.0%, 52/121) had a plan to test for HIV regularly. Men used the app for an average of 17.7 minutes over the first 4 months. Over the 4-month period, over half ordered condoms (63.6%, 77/121) and HIV test kits (52.8%, 64/121) on the app. Eight of 86 (9%) PrEP-eligible MSM started PrEP during the 4-month period; of those, 6 of the 8 reported that the app influenced their decision to start PrEP. The mean SUS was 73 (above average). A theory-based mobile phone app was acceptable to MSM and was rated as having above-average usability. Most men used the commodity-ordering features of the app during the 4-month evaluation period, and nearly 1 in 10 PrEP-eligible men started PrEP, with most attributing their decision to start PrEP in part to the app. A broader, randomized controlled study of the impact of the app on uptake of prevention behaviors for MSM is warranted. ©Patrick S Sullivan, Robert Driggers, Joanne D Stekler, Aaron J Siegler, Tamar Goldenberg, Sarah J McDougal, Jason Caucutt, Jeb Jones, Rob Stephenson. Originally published in JMIR Mhealth and Uhealth (http://mhealth.jmir.org), 09.03.2017.

MIIP: a web-based platform for medical image interpretation training and evaluation focusing on ultrasound

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lindseth, Frank; Nordrik Hallan, Marte; Schiller Tønnessen, Martin; Smistad, Erik; Vâpenstad, Cecilie

2017-03-01

Introduction: Medical imaging technology has revolutionized health care over the past 30 years. This is especially true for ultrasound, a modality that an increasing amount of medical personal is starting to use. Purpose: The purpose of this study was to develop and evaluate a platform for improving medical image interpretation skills regardless of time and space and without the need for expensive imaging equipment or a patient to scan. Methods, results and conclusions: A stable web application with the needed functionality for image interpretation training and evaluation has been implemented. The system has been extensively tested internally and used during an international course in ultrasound-guided neurosurgery. The web application was well received and got very good System Usability Scale (SUS) scores.

Smartphone Apps for Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation Training and Real Incident Support: A Mixed-Methods Evaluation Study

PubMed Central

Felzen, Marc; Rossaint, Rolf; Tabuenca, Bernardo; Specht, Marcus; Skorning, Max

2014-01-01

Background No systematic evaluation of smartphone/mobile apps for resuscitation training and real incident support is available to date. To provide medical, usability, and additional quality criteria for the development of apps, we conducted a mixed-methods sequential evaluation combining the perspective of medical experts and end-users. Objective The study aims to assess the quality of current mobile apps for cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) training and real incident support from expert as well as end-user perspective. Methods Two independent medical experts evaluated the medical content of CPR apps from the Google Play store and the Apple App store. The evaluation was based on pre-defined minimum medical content requirements according to current Basic Life Support (BLS) guidelines. In a second phase, non-medical end-users tested usability and appeal of the apps that had at least met the minimum requirements. Usability was assessed with the System Usability Scale (SUS); appeal was measured with the self-developed ReactionDeck toolkit. Results Out of 61 apps, 46 were included in the experts’ evaluation. A consolidated list of 13 apps resulted for the following layperson evaluation. The interrater reliability was substantial (kappa=.61). Layperson end-users (n=14) had a high interrater reliability (intraclass correlation 1 [ICC1]=.83, P<.001, 95% CI 0.75-0.882 and ICC2=.79, P<.001, 95% CI 0.695-0.869). Their evaluation resulted in a list of 5 recommendable apps. Conclusions Although several apps for resuscitation training and real incident support are available, very few are designed according to current BLS guidelines and offer an acceptable level of usability and hedonic quality for laypersons. The results of this study are intended to optimize the development of CPR mobile apps. The app ranking supports the informed selection of mobile apps for training situations and CPR campaigns as well as for real incident support. PMID:24647361

Smartphone apps for cardiopulmonary resuscitation training and real incident support: a mixed-methods evaluation study.

PubMed

Kalz, Marco; Lenssen, Niklas; Felzen, Marc; Rossaint, Rolf; Tabuenca, Bernardo; Specht, Marcus; Skorning, Max

2014-03-19

No systematic evaluation of smartphone/mobile apps for resuscitation training and real incident support is available to date. To provide medical, usability, and additional quality criteria for the development of apps, we conducted a mixed-methods sequential evaluation combining the perspective of medical experts and end-users. The study aims to assess the quality of current mobile apps for cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) training and real incident support from expert as well as end-user perspective. Two independent medical experts evaluated the medical content of CPR apps from the Google Play store and the Apple App store. The evaluation was based on pre-defined minimum medical content requirements according to current Basic Life Support (BLS) guidelines. In a second phase, non-medical end-users tested usability and appeal of the apps that had at least met the minimum requirements. Usability was assessed with the System Usability Scale (SUS); appeal was measured with the self-developed ReactionDeck toolkit. Out of 61 apps, 46 were included in the experts' evaluation. A consolidated list of 13 apps resulted for the following layperson evaluation. The interrater reliability was substantial (kappa=.61). Layperson end-users (n=14) had a high interrater reliability (intraclass correlation 1 [ICC1]=.83, P<.001, 95% CI 0.75-0.882 and ICC2=.79, P<.001, 95% CI 0.695-0.869). Their evaluation resulted in a list of 5 recommendable apps. Although several apps for resuscitation training and real incident support are available, very few are designed according to current BLS guidelines and offer an acceptable level of usability and hedonic quality for laypersons. The results of this study are intended to optimize the development of CPR mobile apps. The app ranking supports the informed selection of mobile apps for training situations and CPR campaigns as well as for real incident support.

Human Factors in the Large: Experiences from Denmark, Finland and Canada in Moving Towards Regional and National Evaluations of Health Information System Usability. Contribution of the IMIA Human Factors Working Group.

PubMed

Kushniruk, A; Kaipio, J; Nieminen, M; Hyppönen, H; Lääveri, T; Nohr, C; Kanstrup, A M; Berg Christiansen, M; Kuo, M-H; Borycki, E

2014-08-15

The objective of this paper is to explore approaches to understanding the usability of health information systems at regional and national levels. Several different methods are discussed in case studies from Denmark, Finland and Canada. They range from small scale qualitative studies involving usability testing of systems to larger scale national level questionnaire studies aimed at assessing the use and usability of health information systems by entire groups of health professionals. It was found that regional and national usability studies can complement smaller scale usability studies, and that they are needed in order to understand larger trends regarding system usability. Despite adoption of EHRs, many health professionals rate the usability of the systems as low. A range of usability issues have been noted when data is collected on a large scale through use of widely distributed questionnaires and websites designed to monitor user perceptions of usability. As health information systems are deployed on a widespread basis, studies that examine systems used regionally or nationally are required. In addition, collection of large scale data on the usability of specific IT products is needed in order to complement smaller scale studies of specific systems.

Human Factors in the Large: Experiences from Denmark, Finland and Canada in Moving Towards Regional and National Evaluations of Health Information System Usability

PubMed Central

Kaipio, J.; Nieminen, M.; Hyppönen, H.; Lääveri, T.; Nohr, C.; Kanstrup, A. M.; Berg Christiansen, M.; Kuo, M.-H.; Borycki, E.

2014-01-01

Summary Objectives The objective of this paper is to explore approaches to understanding the usability of health information systems at regional and national levels. Methods Several different methods are discussed in case studies from Denmark, Finland and Canada. They range from small scale qualitative studies involving usability testing of systems to larger scale national level questionnaire studies aimed at assessing the use and usability of health information systems by entire groups of health professionals. Results It was found that regional and national usability studies can complement smaller scale usability studies, and that they are needed in order to understand larger trends regarding system usability. Despite adoption of EHRs, many health professionals rate the usability of the systems as low. A range of usability issues have been noted when data is collected on a large scale through use of widely distributed questionnaires and websites designed to monitor user perceptions of usability. Conclusion As health information systems are deployed on a widespread basis, studies that examine systems used regionally or nationally are required. In addition, collection of large scale data on the usability of specific IT products is needed in order to complement smaller scale studies of specific systems. PMID:25123725

Fall Prevention Self-Assessments Via Mobile 3D Visualization Technologies: Community Dwelling Older Adults' Perceptions of Opportunities and Challenges.

PubMed

Hamm, Julian; Money, Arthur; Atwal, Anita

2017-06-19

In the field of occupational therapy, the assistive equipment provision process (AEPP) is a prominent preventive strategy used to promote independent living and to identify and alleviate fall risk factors via the provision of assistive equipment within the home environment. Current practice involves the use of paper-based forms that include 2D measurement guidance diagrams that aim to communicate the precise points and dimensions that must be measured in order to make AEPP assessments. There are, however, issues such as "poor fit" of equipment due to inaccurate measurements taken and recorded, resulting in more than 50% of equipment installed within the home being abandoned by patients. This paper presents a novel 3D measurement aid prototype (3D-MAP) that provides enhanced measurement and assessment guidance to patients via the use of 3D visualization technologies. The purpose of this study was to explore the perceptions of older adults with regard to the barriers and opportunities of using the 3D-MAP application as a tool that enables patient self-delivery of the AEPP. Thirty-three community-dwelling older adults participated in interactive sessions with a bespoke 3D-MAP application utilizing the retrospective think-aloud protocol and semistructured focus group discussions. The system usability scale (SUS) questionnaire was used to evaluate the application's usability. Thematic template analysis was carried out on the SUS item discussions, think-aloud, and semistructured focus group data. The quantitative SUS results revealed that the application may be described as having "marginal-high" and "good" levels of usability, along with strong agreement with items relating to the usability (P=.004) and learnability (P<.001) of the application. Four high-level themes emerged from think-aloud and focus groups discussions: (1) perceived usefulness (PU), (2) perceived ease of use (PEOU), (3) application use (AU) and (4) self-assessment (SA). The application was seen as a useful tool to enhance visualization of measurement guidance and also to promote independent living, ownership of care, and potentially reduce waiting times. Several design and functionality recommendations emerged from the study, such as a need to manipulate the view and position of the 3D furniture models, and a need for clearer visual prompts and alternative keyboard interface for measurement entry. Participants perceived the 3D-MAP application as a useful tool that has the potential to make significant improvements to the AEPP, not only in terms of accuracy of measurement, but also by potentially enabling older adult patients to carry out the data collection element of the AEPP themselves. Further research is needed to further adapt the 3D-MAP application in line with the study outcomes and to establish its clinical utility with regards to effectiveness, efficiency, accuracy, and reliability of measurements that are recorded using the application and to compare it with 2D measurement guidance leaflets. ©Julian Hamm, Arthur Money, Anita Atwal. Originally published in JMIR Human Factors (http://humanfactors.jmir.org), 19.06.2017.

Evaluating User Perceptions of Mobile Medication Management Applications With Older Adults: A Usability Study

PubMed Central

Gates, Allison

2014-01-01

Background Medication nonadherence has a significant impact on the health and wellbeing of individuals with chronic disease. Several mobile medication management applications are available to help users track, remember, and read about their medication therapy. Objective The objective of this study was to explore the usability and usefulness of existing medication management applications for older adults. Methods We recruited 35 participants aged 50 and over to participate in a 2-hour usability session. The average age ranged from 52-78 years (mean 67 years) and 71% (25/35) of participants were female. Each participant was provided with an iPad loaded with four medication management applications: MyMedRec, DrugHub, Pillboxie, and PocketPharmacist. These applications were evaluated using the 10 item System Usability Scale (SUS) and visual analog scale. An investigator-moderated 30-minute discussion followed, and was recorded. We used a grounded theory (GT) approach to analyze qualitative data. Results When assessing mobile medication management applications, participants struggled to think of a need for the applications in their own lives. Many were satisfied with their current management system and proposed future use only if cognition and health declined. Most participants felt capable of using the applications after a period of time and training, but were frustrated by their initial experiences with the applications. The early experiences of participants highlighted the benefits of linear navigation and clear wording (eg, “undo” vs “cancel”) when designing for older users. While there was no order effect, participants attributed their poor performance to the order in which they tried the applications. They also described being a part of a technology generation that did not encounter the computer until adulthood. Of the four applications, PocketPharmacist was found to be the least usable with a score of 42/100 (P<.0001) though it offered a drug interaction feature that was among the favorite features of participants. The usability scores for MyMedRec (56/100), DrugHub (57/100), and Pillboxie (52/100) were not significantly different and participants preferred MyMedRec and DrugHub for their simple, linear interfaces. Conclusions With training, adults aged 50 and over can be capable and interested in using mHealth applications for their medication management. However, in order to adopt such technology, they must find a need that their current medication management system cannot fill. Interface diversity and multimodal reminder methods should be considered to increase usability for older adults. Lastly, regulation or the involvement of older adults in development may help to alleviate generation bias and mistrust for applications. PMID:25099993

A Novel Information Retrieval Tool to Find Hospital Care Team Members: Development and Usability Study.

PubMed

Morawski, Kyle; Monsen, Craig; Takhar, Sukhjit; Landman, Adam

2018-04-16

Hospital communication among members of a patient's care team is a central part of clinical workflow and consumes a large amount of a health care provider's time. Oftentimes the complexity of hospital care leads to difficulty in finding the appropriate contact, which can lead to inefficiencies and frustration. Squire is a Web-based information retrieval app created to improve the speed and efficiency in reaching the appropriate team member during the care of a hospitalized patient. The objective of the study was to design and develop Squire and to evaluate the usage, usability, and perceived effect of the app on finding the correct contact within a hospital. We used a mixed-methods design using a before-after survey methodology combined with one-on-one interviews to understand the perceived effect of Squire. The study took place at an academic medical center with internal medicine resident physicians. We surveyed residents on demographics, as well as time and efficiency of hospital communication before and after the use of Squire. After using Squire, participants were also asked to evaluate Squire's Net Promoter Score (NPS). A subset of voluntary participants participated in one-on-one interviews and completed the System Usability Scale (SUS). We performed descriptive statistics on participant characteristics, app usage data, and responses to surveys. Survey results were compared before and after Squire adoption using the Wilcoxon rank-sum test and a general linear model. Interview data were analyzed using content analysis with a qualitative description approach to review and categorize feedback from participants. There was a 67.9% (74/109) response rate to the pre-Squire survey and 89.9% (98/109) response rate to the post-Squire survey. At baseline, there was an average of 22.2 (95% CI 18.4-26.0) minutes/day spent searching for the right contact, and this decreased to 16.3 (95% CI 13.9-18.7) minutes/day after Squire was launched (P=.01). There were favorable usability scores, with an average SUS of 84.7, and a marginal NPS of +6.1. Overall, the use of Squire included 22,283 page views, most commonly to contact the admissions office or portable chest x-ray technician. Interviews highlighted common benefits of Squire, including decreased perceived time spent on hold with operators and improvement in connecting with the appropriate contact in specialized, complex departments. Future opportunities were also identified to improve Squire including adding a two-way communication between physician and nursing staff and providing offline access. Squire decreased the perceived time required to find an appropriate contact and had a favorable usability score; however, the NPS was marginal and several opportunities were identified to improve Squire for future use. ©Kyle Morawski, Craig Monsen, Sukhjit Takhar, Adam Landman. Originally published in JMIR Human Factors (http://humanfactors.jmir.org), 16.04.2018.

Canoe game-based virtual reality training to improve trunk postural stability, balance, and upper limb motor function in subacute stroke patients: a randomized controlled pilot study.

PubMed

Lee, Myung-Mo; Shin, Doo-Chul; Song, Chang-Ho

2016-07-01

[Purpose] This study was aimed at investigating the preliminary therapeutic efficacy and usefulness of canoe game-based virtual reality training for stroke patients. [Subjects and Methods] Ten stroke patients were randomly assigned to an experimental group (EG; n=5) or a control group (CG; n=5). Patients in both groups participated in a conventional rehabilitation program, but those in the EG additionally participated in a 30-min canoe game-based virtual reality training program 3 days a week for 4 weeks. Therapeutic efficacy was assessed based on trunk postural stability, balance, and upper limb motor function. In addition, the usefulness of canoe game-based virtual reality training was assessed in the EG and therapist group (TG; n=20), which consisted of physical and occupational therapists, by using the System Usability Scale (SUS). [Results] Improvements in trunk postural stability, balance, and upper limb motor function were observed in the EG and CG, but were greater in the EG. The mean SUS scores in the EG and TG were 71 ± 5.2 and 74.2 ± 4.8, respectively. [Conclusion] Canoe game-based virtual reality training is an acceptable and effective intervention for improving trunk postural stability, balance, and upper limb motor function in stroke patients.

Co-creation of an ICT-supported cancer rehabilitation application for resected lung cancer survivors: design and evaluation.

PubMed

Timmerman, Josien G; Tönis, Thijs M; Dekker-van Weering, Marit G H; Stuiver, Martijn M; Wouters, Michel W J M; van Harten, Wim H; Hermens, Hermie J; Vollenbroek-Hutten, Miriam M R

2016-04-27

Lung cancer (LC) patients experience high symptom burden and significant decline of physical fitness and quality of life following lung resection. Good quality of survivorship care post-surgery is essential to optimize recovery and prevent unscheduled healthcare use. The use of Information and Communication Technology (ICT) can improve post-surgery care, as it enables frequent monitoring of health status in daily life, provides timely and personalized feedback to patients and professionals, and improves accessibility to rehabilitation programs. Despite its promises, implementation of telehealthcare applications is challenging, often hampered by non-acceptance of the developed service by its end-users. A promising approach is to involve the end-users early and continuously during the developmental process through a so-called user-centred design approach. The aim of this article is to report on this process of co-creation and evaluation of a multimodal ICT-supported cancer rehabilitation program with and for lung cancer patients treated with lung resection and their healthcare professionals (HCPs). A user-centered design approach was used. Through semi-structured interviews (n = 10 LC patients and 6 HCPs), focus groups (n = 5 HCPs), and scenarios (n = 5 HCPs), user needs and requirements were elicited. Semi-structured interviews and the System Usability Scale (SUS) were used to evaluate usability of the telehealthcare application with 7 LC patients and 10 HCPs. The developed application consists of: 1) self-monitoring of symptoms and physical activity using on-body sensors and a smartphone, and 2) a web based physical exercise program. 71 % of LC patients and 78 % of HCPs were willing to use the application as part of lung cancer treatment. Accessibility of data via electronic patient records was essential for HCPs. LC patients regarded a positive attitude of the HCP towards the application essential. Overall, the usability (SUS median score = 70, range 35-95) was rated acceptable. A telehealthcare application that facilitates symptom monitoring and physical fitness training is considered a useful tool to further improve recovery following surgery of resected lung cancer (LC) patients. Involvement of end users in the design process appears to be necessary to optimize chances of adoption, compliance and implementation of telemedicine.

Translation, Cross-Cultural Adaptation, and Validation of the Malay Version of the System Usability Scale Questionnaire for the Assessment of Mobile Apps.

PubMed

Mohamad Marzuki, Muhamad Fadhil; Yaacob, Nor Azwany; Yaacob, Najib Majdi

2018-05-14

A mobile app is a programmed system designed to be used by a target user on a mobile device. The usability of such a system refers not only to the extent to which product can be used to achieve the task that it was designed for, but also its effectiveness and efficiency, as well as user satisfaction. The System Usability Scale is one of the most commonly used questionnaires used to assess the usability of a system. The original 10-item version of System Usability Scale was developed in English and thus needs to be adapted into local languages to assess the usability of a mobile apps developed in other languages. The aim of this study is to translate and validate (with cross-cultural adaptation) the English System Usability Scale questionnaire into Malay, the main language spoken in Malaysia. The development of a translated version will allow the usability of mobile apps to be assessed in Malay. Forward and backward translation of the questionnaire was conducted by groups of Malay native speakers who spoke English as their second language. The final version was obtained after reconciliation and cross-cultural adaptation. The content of the Malay System Usability Scale questionnaire for mobile apps was validated by 10 experts in mobile app development. The efficacy of the questionnaire was further probed by testing the face validity on 10 mobile phone users, followed by reliability testing involving 54 mobile phone users. The content validity index was determined to be 0.91, indicating good relevancy of the 10 items used to assess the usability of a mobile app. Calculation of the face validity index resulted in a value of 0.94, therefore indicating that the questionnaire was easily understood by the users. Reliability testing showed a Cronbach alpha value of .85 (95% CI 0.79-0.91) indicating that the translated System Usability Scale questionnaire is a reliable tool for the assessment of usability of a mobile app. The Malay System Usability Scale questionnaire is a valid and reliable tool to assess the usability of mobile app in Malaysia. ©Muhamad Fadhil Mohamad Marzuki, Nor Azwany Yaacob, Najib Majdi Yaacob. Originally published in JMIR Human Factors (http://humanfactors.jmir.org), 14.05.2018.

Health Information Technology Usability Evaluation Scale (Health-ITUES) for Usability Assessment of Mobile Health Technology: Validation Study.

PubMed

Schnall, Rebecca; Cho, Hwayoung; Liu, Jianfang

2018-01-05

Mobile technology has become a ubiquitous technology and can be particularly useful in the delivery of health interventions. This technology can allow us to deliver interventions to scale, cover broad geographic areas, and deliver technologies in highly tailored ways based on the preferences or characteristics of users. The broad use of mobile technologies supports the need for usability assessments of these tools. Although there have been a number of usability assessment instruments developed, none have been validated for use with mobile technologies. The goal of this work was to validate the Health Information Technology Usability Evaluation Scale (Health-ITUES), a customizable usability assessment instrument in a sample of community-dwelling adults who were testing the use of a new mobile health (mHealth) technology. A sample of 92 community-dwelling adults living with HIV used a new mobile app for symptom self-management and completed the Health-ITUES to assess the usability of the app. They also completed the Post-Study System Usability Questionnaire (PSSUQ), a widely used and well-validated usability assessment tool. Correlations between these scales and each of the subscales were assessed. The subscales of the Health-ITUES showed high internal consistency reliability (Cronbach alpha=.85-.92). Each of the Health-ITUES subscales and the overall scale was moderately to strongly correlated with the PSSUQ scales (r=.46-.70), demonstrating the criterion validity of the Health-ITUES. The Health-ITUES has demonstrated reliability and validity for use in assessing the usability of mHealth technologies in community-dwelling adults living with a chronic illness. ©Rebecca Schnall, Hwayoung Cho, Jianfang Liu. Originally published in JMIR Mhealth and Uhealth (http://mhealth.jmir.org), 05.01.2018.

Health Information Technology Usability Evaluation Scale (Health-ITUES) for Usability Assessment of Mobile Health Technology: Validation Study

PubMed Central

Cho, Hwayoung; Liu, Jianfang

2018-01-01

Background Mobile technology has become a ubiquitous technology and can be particularly useful in the delivery of health interventions. This technology can allow us to deliver interventions to scale, cover broad geographic areas, and deliver technologies in highly tailored ways based on the preferences or characteristics of users. The broad use of mobile technologies supports the need for usability assessments of these tools. Although there have been a number of usability assessment instruments developed, none have been validated for use with mobile technologies. Objective The goal of this work was to validate the Health Information Technology Usability Evaluation Scale (Health-ITUES), a customizable usability assessment instrument in a sample of community-dwelling adults who were testing the use of a new mobile health (mHealth) technology. Methods A sample of 92 community-dwelling adults living with HIV used a new mobile app for symptom self-management and completed the Health-ITUES to assess the usability of the app. They also completed the Post-Study System Usability Questionnaire (PSSUQ), a widely used and well-validated usability assessment tool. Correlations between these scales and each of the subscales were assessed. Results The subscales of the Health-ITUES showed high internal consistency reliability (Cronbach alpha=.85-.92). Each of the Health-ITUES subscales and the overall scale was moderately to strongly correlated with the PSSUQ scales (r=.46-.70), demonstrating the criterion validity of the Health-ITUES. Conclusions The Health-ITUES has demonstrated reliability and validity for use in assessing the usability of mHealth technologies in community-dwelling adults living with a chronic illness. PMID:29305343

Design, Implementation, and Wide Pilot Deployment of FitForAll: An Easy to use Exergaming Platform Improving Physical Fitness and Life Quality of Senior Citizens.

PubMed

Konstantinidis, Evdokimos I; Billis, Antonis S; Mouzakidis, Christos A; Zilidou, Vasiliki I; Antoniou, Panagiotis E; Bamidis, Panagiotis D

2016-01-01

Many platforms have emerged as response to the call for technology supporting active and healthy aging. Key requirements for any such e-health systems and any subsequent business exploitation are tailor-made design and proper evaluation. This paper presents the design, implementation, wide deployment, and evaluation of the low cost, physical exercise, and gaming (exergaming) FitForAll (FFA) platform system usability, user adherence to exercise, and efficacy are explored. The design of FFA is tailored to elderly populations, distilling literature guidelines and recommendations. The FFA architecture introduces standard physical exercise protocols in exergaming software engineering, as well as, standard physical assessment tests for augmented adaptability through adjustable exercise intensity. This opens up the way to next generation exergaming software, which may be more automatically/smartly adaptive. 116 elderly users piloted FFA five times/week, during an eight-week controlled intervention. Usability evaluation was formally conducted (SUS, SUMI questionnaires). Control group consisted of a size-matched elderly group following cognitive training. Efficacy was assessed objectively through the senior fitness (Fullerton) test, and subjectively, through WHOQoL-BREF comparisons of pre-postintervention between groups. Adherence to schedule was measured by attendance logs. The global SUMI score was 68.33±5.85%, while SUS was 77.7. Good usability perception is reflected in relatively high adherence of 82% for a daily two months pilot schedule. Compared to control group, elderly using FFA improved significantly strength, flexibility, endurance, and balance while presenting a significant trend in quality of life improvements. This is the first elderly focused exergaming platform intensively evaluated with more than 100 participants. The use of formal tools makes the findings comparable to other studies and forms an elderly exergaming corpus.

Design and Development of a Linked Open Data-Based Health Information Representation and Visualization System: Potentials and Preliminary Evaluation

PubMed Central

Kauppinen, Tomi; Keßler, Carsten; Fritz, Fleur

2014-01-01

Background Healthcare organizations around the world are challenged by pressures to reduce cost, improve coordination and outcome, and provide more with less. This requires effective planning and evidence-based practice by generating important information from available data. Thus, flexible and user-friendly ways to represent, query, and visualize health data becomes increasingly important. International organizations such as the World Health Organization (WHO) regularly publish vital data on priority health topics that can be utilized for public health policy and health service development. However, the data in most portals is displayed in either Excel or PDF formats, which makes information discovery and reuse difficult. Linked Open Data (LOD)—a new Semantic Web set of best practice of standards to publish and link heterogeneous data—can be applied to the representation and management of public level health data to alleviate such challenges. However, the technologies behind building LOD systems and their effectiveness for health data are yet to be assessed. Objective The objective of this study is to evaluate whether Linked Data technologies are potential options for health information representation, visualization, and retrieval systems development and to identify the available tools and methodologies to build Linked Data-based health information systems. Methods We used the Resource Description Framework (RDF) for data representation, Fuseki triple store for data storage, and Sgvizler for information visualization. Additionally, we integrated SPARQL query interface for interacting with the data. We primarily use the WHO health observatory dataset to test the system. All the data were represented using RDF and interlinked with other related datasets on the Web of Data using Silk—a link discovery framework for Web of Data. A preliminary usability assessment was conducted following the System Usability Scale (SUS) method. Results We developed an LOD-based health information representation, querying, and visualization system by using Linked Data tools. We imported more than 20,000 HIV-related data elements on mortality, prevalence, incidence, and related variables, which are freely available from the WHO global health observatory database. Additionally, we automatically linked 5312 data elements from DBpedia, Bio2RDF, and LinkedCT using the Silk framework. The system users can retrieve and visualize health information according to their interests. For users who are not familiar with SPARQL queries, we integrated a Linked Data search engine interface to search and browse the data. We used the system to represent and store the data, facilitating flexible queries and different kinds of visualizations. The preliminary user evaluation score by public health data managers and users was 82 on the SUS usability measurement scale. The need to write queries in the interface was the main reported difficulty of LOD-based systems to the end user. Conclusions The system introduced in this article shows that current LOD technologies are a promising alternative to represent heterogeneous health data in a flexible and reusable manner so that they can serve intelligent queries, and ultimately support decision-making. However, the development of advanced text-based search engines is necessary to increase its usability especially for nontechnical users. Further research with large datasets is recommended in the future to unfold the potential of Linked Data and Semantic Web for future health information systems development. PMID:25601195

Design and development of a linked open data-based health information representation and visualization system: potentials and preliminary evaluation.

PubMed

Tilahun, Binyam; Kauppinen, Tomi; Keßler, Carsten; Fritz, Fleur

2014-10-25

Healthcare organizations around the world are challenged by pressures to reduce cost, improve coordination and outcome, and provide more with less. This requires effective planning and evidence-based practice by generating important information from available data. Thus, flexible and user-friendly ways to represent, query, and visualize health data becomes increasingly important. International organizations such as the World Health Organization (WHO) regularly publish vital data on priority health topics that can be utilized for public health policy and health service development. However, the data in most portals is displayed in either Excel or PDF formats, which makes information discovery and reuse difficult. Linked Open Data (LOD)-a new Semantic Web set of best practice of standards to publish and link heterogeneous data-can be applied to the representation and management of public level health data to alleviate such challenges. However, the technologies behind building LOD systems and their effectiveness for health data are yet to be assessed. The objective of this study is to evaluate whether Linked Data technologies are potential options for health information representation, visualization, and retrieval systems development and to identify the available tools and methodologies to build Linked Data-based health information systems. We used the Resource Description Framework (RDF) for data representation, Fuseki triple store for data storage, and Sgvizler for information visualization. Additionally, we integrated SPARQL query interface for interacting with the data. We primarily use the WHO health observatory dataset to test the system. All the data were represented using RDF and interlinked with other related datasets on the Web of Data using Silk-a link discovery framework for Web of Data. A preliminary usability assessment was conducted following the System Usability Scale (SUS) method. We developed an LOD-based health information representation, querying, and visualization system by using Linked Data tools. We imported more than 20,000 HIV-related data elements on mortality, prevalence, incidence, and related variables, which are freely available from the WHO global health observatory database. Additionally, we automatically linked 5312 data elements from DBpedia, Bio2RDF, and LinkedCT using the Silk framework. The system users can retrieve and visualize health information according to their interests. For users who are not familiar with SPARQL queries, we integrated a Linked Data search engine interface to search and browse the data. We used the system to represent and store the data, facilitating flexible queries and different kinds of visualizations. The preliminary user evaluation score by public health data managers and users was 82 on the SUS usability measurement scale. The need to write queries in the interface was the main reported difficulty of LOD-based systems to the end user. The system introduced in this article shows that current LOD technologies are a promising alternative to represent heterogeneous health data in a flexible and reusable manner so that they can serve intelligent queries, and ultimately support decision-making. However, the development of advanced text-based search engines is necessary to increase its usability especially for nontechnical users. Further research with large datasets is recommended in the future to unfold the potential of Linked Data and Semantic Web for future health information systems development.

Implementation of the Agitated Behavior Scale in the Electronic Health Record.

PubMed

Wilson, Helen John; Dasgupta, Kritis; Michael, Kathleen

The purpose of the study was to implement an Agitated Behavior Scale through an electronic health record and to evaluate the usability of the scale in a brain injury unit at a rehabilitation hospital. A quality improvement project was conducted in the brain injury unit at a large rehabilitation hospital with registered nurses as participants using convenience sampling. The project consisted of three phases and included education, implementation of the scale in the electronic health record, and administration of the survey questionnaire, which utilized the system usability scale. The Agitated Behavior Scale was found to be usable, and there was 92.2% compliance with the use of the electronic Electronic Agitated Behavior Scale. The Agitated Behavior Scale was effectively implemented in the electronic health record and was found to be usable in the assessment of agitation. Utilization of the scale through the electronic health record on a daily basis will allow for an early identification of agitation in patients with traumatic brain injury and enable prompt interventions to manage agitation.

Design and evaluation of a software for the objective and easy-to-read presentation of new drug properties to physicians.

PubMed

Iordatii, Maia; Venot, Alain; Duclos, Catherine

2015-05-30

When new pharmaceutical products appear on the market, physicians need to know whether they are likely to be useful in their practices. Physicians currently obtain most of their information about the market release and properties of new drugs from pharmaceutical industry representatives. However, the official information contained in the summary of product characteristics (SPCs) and evaluation reports from health agencies, provide a more complete view of the potential value of new drugs, although they can be long and difficult to read. The main objective of this work was to design a prototype computer program to facilitate the objective appraisal of the potential value of a new pharmaceutical product by physicians. This prototype is based on the modeling of pharmaceutical innovations described in a previous paper. The interface was designed to allow physicians to develop a rapid understanding of the value of a new drug for their practices. We selected five new pharmaceutical products, to illustrate the function of this prototype. We considered only the texts supplied by national or international drug agencies at the time of market release. The perceived usability of the prototype was evaluated qualitatively, except for the System Usability Scale (SUS) score evaluation, by 10 physicians differing in age and medical background. The display is based on the various axes of the conceptual model of pharmaceutical innovations. The user can select three levels of detail when consulting this information (highly synthetic, synthetic and detailed). Tables provide a comparison of the properties of the new pharmaceutical product with those of existing drugs, if available for the same indication, in terms of efficacy, safety and ease of use. The interface was highly appreciated by evaluators, who found it easy to understand and suggested no other additions of important, internationally valid information. The mean System Usability Scale score for the 10 physicians was 82, corresponding to a "good" user interface. This work led us to propose the selection, grouping, and mode of presentation for various types of knowledge on pharmaceutical innovations in a way that was appreciated by evaluators. It provides physicians with readily accessible objective information about new drugs.

Mobile phone-based interactive voice response as a tool for improving access to healthcare in remote areas in Ghana - an evaluation of user experiences.

PubMed

Brinkel, J; May, J; Krumkamp, R; Lamshöft, M; Kreuels, B; Owusu-Dabo, E; Mohammed, A; Bonacic Marinovic, A; Dako-Gyeke, P; Krämer, A; Fobil, J N

2017-05-01

To investigate and determine the factors that enhanced or constituted barriers to the acceptance of an mHealth system which was piloted in Asante-Akim North District of Ghana to support healthcare of children. Four semi-structured focus group discussions were conducted with a total of 37 mothers. Participants were selected from a study population of mothers who subscribed to a pilot mHealth system which used an interactive voice response (IVR) for its operations. Data were evaluated using qualitative content analysis methods. In addition, a short quantitative questionnaire assessed system's usability (SUS). Results revealed 10 categories of factors that facilitated user acceptance of the IVR system including quality-of-care experience, health education and empowerment of women. The eight categories of factors identified as barriers to user acceptance included the lack of human interaction, lack of update and training on the electronic advices provided and lack of social integration of the system into the community. The usability (SUS median: 79.3; range: 65-97.5) of the system was rated acceptable. The principles of the tested mHealth system could be of interest during infectious disease outbreaks, such as Ebola or Lassa fever, when there might be a special need for disease-specific health information within populations. © 2017 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Feasibility of Interactive Resistance Chair in Older Adults with Diabetes.

PubMed

Finkelstein, Joseph; Cisse, Pape; Jeong, In Cheol

2015-01-01

An interactive resistance chair (RC) exercise system has been designed to support patients at home in following their individualized strengthening exercise plan. The aim of this study was (1) to introduce a computer-assisted home-based resistance exercise for older adults and (2) to demonstrate feasibility of the proposed system in older adults with diabetes. The RC exercise system was well accepted by older adults with diabetes regardless of education level, race or gender. The post-task questionnaires demonstrated ease of system use and satisfaction with the system. The attitudinal survey results showed positive seniors' attitudes towards the RC exercise system. The system usability (SUS) scale score was 94.0±5.76 demonstrating high acceptance of the RC exercise system. From the qualitative interviews, individualized feedback yielded important system upgrade solutions that can be useful in tailoring patient needs, values and preferences specific for seniors with diabetes. Further research is warranted to assess impact of RC exercise system in home setting with a larger sample size in a randomized trial.

Game Design to Measure Reflexes and Attention Based on Biofeedback Multi-Sensor Interaction

PubMed Central

Ortiz-Vigon Uriarte, Inigo de Loyola; Garcia-Zapirain, Begonya; Garcia-Chimeno, Yolanda

2015-01-01

This paper presents a multi-sensor system for implementing biofeedback as a human-computer interaction technique in a game involving driving cars in risky situations. The sensors used are: Eye Tracker, Kinect, pulsometer, respirometer, electromiography (EMG) and galvanic skin resistance (GSR). An algorithm has been designed which gives rise to an interaction logic with the game according to the set of physiological constants obtained from the sensors. The results reflect a 72.333 response to the System Usability Scale (SUS), a significant difference of p = 0.026 in GSR values in terms of the difference between the start and end of the game, and an r = 0.659 and p = 0.008 correlation while playing with the Kinect between the breathing level and the energy and joy factor. All the sensors used had an impact on the end results, whereby none of them should be disregarded in future lines of research, even though it would be interesting to obtain separate breathing values from that of the cardio. PMID:25789493

Adapting the Wii Fit Balance Board to Enable Active Video Game Play by Wheelchair Users: User-Centered Design and Usability Evaluation

PubMed Central

Kirkland, William B; Misko, Samuel R; Padalabalanarayanan, Sangeetha; Malone, Laurie A

2018-01-01

Background Active video game (AVG) playing, also known as “exergaming,” is increasingly employed to promote physical activity across all age groups. The Wii Fit Balance Board is a popular gaming controller for AVGs and is used in a variety of settings. However, the commercial off-the-shelf (OTS) design poses several limitations. It is inaccessible to wheelchair users, does not support the use of stabilization assistive devices, and requires the ability to shift the center of balance (COB) in all directions to fully engage in game play. Objective The aim of this study was to design an adapted version of the Wii Fit Balance Board to overcome the identified limitations and to evaluate the usability of the newly designed adapted Wii Fit Balance Board in persons with mobility impairments. Methods In a previous study, 16 participants tried the OTS version of the Wii Fit Balance Board. On the basis of observed limitations, a team of engineers developed and adapted the design of the Wii Fit Balance Board, which was then subjected to multiple iterations of user feedback and design tweaks. On design completion, we recruited a new pool of participants with mobility impairments for a larger study. During their first visit, we assessed lower-extremity function using selected mobility tasks from the International Classification of Functioning, Disability and Health. During a subsequent session, participants played 2 sets of games on both the OTS and adapted versions of the Wii Fit Balance Board. Order of controller version played first was randomized. After participants played each version, we administered the System Usability Scale (SUS) to examine the participants’ perceived usability. Results The adapted version of the Wii Fit Balance Board resulting from the user-centered design approach met the needs of a variety of users. The adapted controller (1) allowed manual wheelchair users to engage in game play, which was previously not possible; (2) included Americans with Disabilities Act-compliant handrails as part of the controller, enabling stable and safe game play; and (3) included a sensitivity control feature, allowing users to fine-tune the controller to match the users’ range of COB motion. More than half the sample could not use the OTS version of the Wii Fit Balance Board, while all participants were able to use the adapted version. All participants rated the adapted Wii Fit Balance Board at a minimum as “good,” while those who could not use the OTS Wii Fit Balance Board rated the adapted Wii Fit Balance Board as “excellent.” We found a significant negative correlation between lower-extremity function and differences between OTS and adapted SUS scores, indicating that as lower-extremity function decreased, participants perceived the adapted Wii Fit Balance Board as more usable. Conclusions This study demonstrated a successful adaptation of a widely used AVG controller. The adapted controller’s potential to increase physical activity levels among people with mobility impairments will be evaluated in a subsequent trial. Trial Registration ClinicalTrials.gov NCT02994199; https://clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT02994199 (Archived by WebCite at http://www.webcitation.org/6xWTyiJWf) PMID:29510972

Adapting the Wii Fit Balance Board to Enable Active Video Game Play by Wheelchair Users: User-Centered Design and Usability Evaluation.

PubMed

Thirumalai, Mohanraj; Kirkland, William B; Misko, Samuel R; Padalabalanarayanan, Sangeetha; Malone, Laurie A

2018-03-06

Active video game (AVG) playing, also known as "exergaming," is increasingly employed to promote physical activity across all age groups. The Wii Fit Balance Board is a popular gaming controller for AVGs and is used in a variety of settings. However, the commercial off-the-shelf (OTS) design poses several limitations. It is inaccessible to wheelchair users, does not support the use of stabilization assistive devices, and requires the ability to shift the center of balance (COB) in all directions to fully engage in game play. The aim of this study was to design an adapted version of the Wii Fit Balance Board to overcome the identified limitations and to evaluate the usability of the newly designed adapted Wii Fit Balance Board in persons with mobility impairments. In a previous study, 16 participants tried the OTS version of the Wii Fit Balance Board. On the basis of observed limitations, a team of engineers developed and adapted the design of the Wii Fit Balance Board, which was then subjected to multiple iterations of user feedback and design tweaks. On design completion, we recruited a new pool of participants with mobility impairments for a larger study. During their first visit, we assessed lower-extremity function using selected mobility tasks from the International Classification of Functioning, Disability and Health. During a subsequent session, participants played 2 sets of games on both the OTS and adapted versions of the Wii Fit Balance Board. Order of controller version played first was randomized. After participants played each version, we administered the System Usability Scale (SUS) to examine the participants' perceived usability. The adapted version of the Wii Fit Balance Board resulting from the user-centered design approach met the needs of a variety of users. The adapted controller (1) allowed manual wheelchair users to engage in game play, which was previously not possible; (2) included Americans with Disabilities Act-compliant handrails as part of the controller, enabling stable and safe game play; and (3) included a sensitivity control feature, allowing users to fine-tune the controller to match the users' range of COB motion. More than half the sample could not use the OTS version of the Wii Fit Balance Board, while all participants were able to use the adapted version. All participants rated the adapted Wii Fit Balance Board at a minimum as "good," while those who could not use the OTS Wii Fit Balance Board rated the adapted Wii Fit Balance Board as "excellent." We found a significant negative correlation between lower-extremity function and differences between OTS and adapted SUS scores, indicating that as lower-extremity function decreased, participants perceived the adapted Wii Fit Balance Board as more usable. This study demonstrated a successful adaptation of a widely used AVG controller. The adapted controller's potential to increase physical activity levels among people with mobility impairments will be evaluated in a subsequent trial. ClinicalTrials.gov NCT02994199; https://clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT02994199 (Archived by WebCite at http://www.webcitation.org/6xWTyiJWf). ©Mohanraj Thirumalai, William B Kirkland, Samuel R Misko, Sangeetha Padalabalanarayanan, Laurie A Malone. Originally published in JMIR Rehabilitation and Assistive Technology (http://rehab.jmir.org), 06.03.2018.

Evaluation of a digital learning object (DLO) to support the learning process in radiographic dental diagnosis.

PubMed

Busanello, F H; da Silveira, P F; Liedke, G S; Arús, N A; Vizzotto, M B; Silveira, H E D; Silveira, H L D

2015-11-01

Studies have shown that inappropriate therapeutic strategies may be adopted if crown and root changes are misdiagnosed, potentially leading to undesirable consequences. Therefore, the aim of this study was to evaluate a digital learning object, developed to improve skills in diagnosing radiographic dental changes. The object was developed using the Visual Basic Application (VBA) software and evaluated by 62 undergraduate students (male: 24 and female: 38) taking an imaging diagnosis course. Participants were divided in two groups: test group, which used the object and control group, which attended conventional classes. After 3 weeks, students answered a 10-question test and took a practice test to diagnose 20 changes in periapical radiographs. The results show that test group performed better that control group in both tests, with statistically significant difference (P = 0.004 and 0.003, respectively). In overall, female students were better than male students. Specific aspects of object usability were assessed using a structured questionnaire based on the System Usability Scale (SUS), with a score of 90.5 and 81.6 by male and female students, respectively. The results obtained in this study suggest that students who used the DLO performed better than those who used conventional methods. This suggests that the DLO may be a useful teaching tool for dentistry undergraduates, on distance learning courses and as a complementary tool in face-to-face teaching. © 2014 John Wiley & Sons A/S. Published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

How complexity science can inform scale-up and spread in health care: understanding the role of self-organization in variation across local contexts.

PubMed

Lanham, Holly Jordan; Leykum, Luci K; Taylor, Barbara S; McCannon, C Joseph; Lindberg, Curt; Lester, Richard T

2013-09-01

Health care systems struggle to scale-up and spread effective practices across diverse settings. Failures in scale-up and spread (SUS) are often attributed to a lack of consideration for variation in local contexts among different health care delivery settings. We argue that SUS occurs within complex systems and that self-organization plays an important role in the success, or failure, of SUS. Self-organization is a process whereby local interactions give rise to patterns of organizing. These patterns may be stable or unstable, and they evolve over time. Self-organization is a major contributor to local variations across health care delivery settings. Thus, better understanding of self-organization in the context of SUS is needed. We re-examine two cases of successful SUS: 1) the application of a mobile phone short message service intervention to improve adherence to medications during HIV treatment scale up in resource-limited settings, and 2) MRSA prevention in hospital inpatient settings in the United States. Based on insights from these cases, we discuss the role of interdependencies and sensemaking in leveraging self-organization in SUS initiatives. We argue that self-organization, while not completely controllable, can be influenced, and that improving interdependencies and sensemaking among SUS stakeholders is a strategy for facilitating self-organization processes that increase the probability of spreading effective practices across diverse settings. Published by Elsevier Ltd.

Implementation and evaluation of LMS mobile application: scele mobile based on user-centered design

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Banimahendra, R. D.; Santoso, H. B.

2018-03-01

The development of mobile technology is now increasing rapidly, demanding all activities including learning should be done on mobile devices. It shows that the implementation of mobile application as a learning medium needs to be done. This study describes the process of developing and evaluating the Moodle-based mobile Learning Management System (LMS) application called Student Centered e-Learning Environment (SCeLE). This study discusses the process of defining features, implementing features into the application, and evaluating the application. We define the features using user research and literature study, then we implement the application with user-centered design basis, at the last phase we evaluated the application using usability testing and system usability score (SUS). The purpose of this study is to determine the extent to which this application can help the users doing their tasks and provide recommendation for the next research and development.

The Role of Virtual Rehabilitation in Total and Unicompartmental Knee Arthroplasty.

PubMed

Chughtai, Morad; Kelly, John J; Newman, Jared M; Sultan, Assem A; Khlopas, Anton; Sodhi, Nipun; Bhave, Anil; Kolczun, Michael C; Mont, Michael A

2018-03-16

This study evaluated the use of telerehabilitation during the postoperative period for patients who underwent total knee arthroplasty (TKA) or unicompartmental knee arthroplasty (UKA). Specifically, this study evaluated the following: (1) patient compliance and adherence to the program, (2) time spent performing physical therapy exercises, (3) the usability of the virtual rehabilitation platform, and (4) clinical outcome scores in a selected primary knee arthroplasty cohort. A total of 157 consecutive patients underwent TKA ( n  = 18) or UKA ( n  = 139). These patients used a telerehabilitation system with an instructional avatar, three-dimensional motion measurement and analysis software, and real-time televisit capability designed for arthroplasty patients. Compliance was determined by how many times the patients followed prescribed repetitions of exercises. The total time spent performing exercises for each patient was collected. The usability of the virtual rehabilitation platform (on the patient's end) was evaluated using the system usability scale (SUS) questionnaire. The number of in-person and televisits was recorded for each patient. Patient-reported outcomes were collected through the patient and clinician interfaces and included the Knee Society Score (KSS) for pain and functions, the Western Ontario and McMaster Universities Osteoarthritis Index (WOMAC) score, and Boston University Activity Measure for Post-Acute Care (AM-PAC) score. Patients spent an average of 29.5 days partaking in the therapy. TKA and UKA patients had a mean of 3.5 and 3.2 outpatient follow-up visits, each, for in-office therapy with a physical therapist, respectively. This figure exceeded the mean number of real-time virtual patient-clinician visits by 0.8 visits per patient in the TKA cohort and by 1 visit per patient in the UKA cohort. Patients spent on average 26.5 minutes per day conducting an average of 13.5 exercises. By the end of rehabilitation, patients had spent an average of 10.8 hours performing exercises, and of all the exercises performed, approximately 21 exercises were uniquely designed. Mean SUS score in the cohort was 93 points, which was interpreted as being above the 50th percentile point of the scale. Following therapy, KSS pain and function scores improved markedly and the improvements were measured at 368% for TKA and 350% for UKA (pain) and 27% for UKA and 33% for TKA (function). In addition, WOMAC scores improved by 57% and 66% for UKA and TKA patients while the improvement in AM-PAC scores was at 22% and 24%. This telerehabilitation platform encouraged clinician-patient interaction beyond the hospital setting and offers the advantage of cost savings, convenience, at-home monitoring, and coordination of care, all of which are geared to improve adherence and overall patient satisfaction. Additionally, the biometric data can be used to develop custom physical therapy regimens to assure proper rehabilitation, which is lacking in other telerehabilitation applications that use noninteractive videos that can be watched on mobile devices and tablets. Thieme Medical Publishers 333 Seventh Avenue, New York, NY 10001, USA.

Human factors analysis of the CardioQuick Patch®: A novel engineering solution to the problem of electrode misplacement during 12-lead electrocardiogram acquisition.

PubMed

Bond, Raymond R; Finlay, Dewar D; McLaughlin, James; Guldenring, Daniel; Cairns, Andrew; Kennedy, Alan; Deans, Robert; Waldo, Albert L; Peace, Aaron

The CardioQuick Patch® (CQP) has been developed to assist operators in accurately positioning precordial electrodes during 12-lead electrocardiogram (ECG) acquisition. This study describes the CQP design and assesses the device in comparison to conventional electrode application. Twenty ECG technicians were recruited and a total of 60 ECG acquisitions were performed on the same patient model over four phases: (1) all participants applied single electrodes to the patient; (2) all participants were then re-trained on electrode placement and on how to use the CQP; (3) participants were randomly divided into two groups, the standard group applied single electrodes and the CQP group used the CQP; (4) after a one day interval, the same participants returned to carry out the same procedure on the same patient (measuring intra-practitioner variability). Accuracy was measured with reference to pre-marked correct locations using ultra violet ink. NASA-TLK was used to measure cognitive workload and the Systematic Usability Scale (SUS) was used to quantify the usability of the CQP. There was a large difference between the minimum time taken to complete each approach (CQP=38.58s vs. 65.96s). The standard group exhibited significant levels of electrode placement error (V1=25.35mm±29.33, V2=18.1mm±24.49, V3=38.65mm±15.57, V4=37.73mm±12.14, V5=35.75mm±15.61, V6=44.15mm±14.32). The CQP group had statistically greater accuracy when placing five of the six electrodes (V1=6.68mm±8.53 [p<0.001], V2=8.8mm±9.64 [p=0.122], V3=6.83mm±8.99 [p<0.001], V4=14.90mm±11.76 [p<0.001], V5=8.63mm±10.70 [p<0.001], V6=18.13mm±14.37 [p<0.001]). There was less intra-practitioner variability when using the CQP on the same patient model. NASA TLX revealed that the CQP did increase the cognitive workload (CQP group=16.51%±8.11 vs. 12.22%±8.07 [p=0.251]). The CQP also achieved a high SUS score of 91±7.28. The CQP significantly improved the reproducibility and accuracy of placing precordial electrodes V1, V3-V6 with little additional cognitive effort, and with a high degree of usability. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Usability of patient-centered health IT: mixed-methods usability study of ePill.

PubMed

Schmidt-Kraepelin, Manuel; Dehling, Tobias; Sunyaev, Ali

2014-01-01

To facilitate use of patient-centered health IT applications in everyday life, a high degree of usability is required. Based on the example of a patient-centered web application, we propose a usability study design enabling developers and researchers to assess usability of patient-centered health IT applications and derive implications for their improvement. Our study design integrates tasks that subjects have to process, an associated questionnaire based on Perceived Ease of Use, Perceived Usefulness, Attitude Toward Using, and Behavioral Intention to Use, a System Usability Scale questionnaire, and focus groups. Application of the usability study design demonstrates its feasibility and provides insights for assessment of usability in related projects in research and practice.

Software Prototyping

PubMed Central

Del Fiol, Guilherme; Hanseler, Haley; Crouch, Barbara Insley; Cummins, Mollie R.

2016-01-01

Summary Background Health information exchange (HIE) between Poison Control Centers (PCCs) and Emergency Departments (EDs) could improve care of poisoned patients. However, PCC information systems are not designed to facilitate HIE with EDs; therefore, we are developing specialized software to support HIE within the normal workflow of the PCC using user-centered design and rapid prototyping. Objective To describe the design of an HIE dashboard and the refinement of user requirements through rapid prototyping. Methods Using previously elicited user requirements, we designed low-fidelity sketches of designs on paper with iterative refinement. Next, we designed an interactive high-fidelity prototype and conducted scenario-based usability tests with end users. Users were asked to think aloud while accomplishing tasks related to a case vignette. After testing, the users provided feedback and evaluated the prototype using the System Usability Scale (SUS). Results Survey results from three users provided useful feedback that was then incorporated into the design. After achieving a stable design, we used the prototype itself as the specification for development of the actual software. Benefits of prototyping included having 1) subject-matter experts heavily involved with the design; 2) flexibility to make rapid changes, 3) the ability to minimize software development efforts early in the design stage; 4) rapid finalization of requirements; 5) early visualization of designs; 6) and a powerful vehicle for communication of the design to the programmers. Challenges included 1) time and effort to develop the prototypes and case scenarios; 2) no simulation of system performance; 3) not having all proposed functionality available in the final product; and 4) missing needed data elements in the PCC information system. PMID:27081404

Development and testing of painometer: a smartphone app to assess pain intensity.

PubMed

de la Vega, Rocío; Roset, Roman; Castarlenas, Elena; Sánchez-Rodríguez, Elisabet; Solé, Ester; Miró, Jordi

2014-10-01

Electronic and information technologies are increasingly being used to assess pain. This study aims to 1) introduce Painometer, a smartphone app that helps users to assess pain intensity, and 2) report on its usability (ie, user performance and satisfaction) and acceptability (ie, the willingness to use it) when it is made available to health care professionals and nonprofessionals. Painometer includes 4 well-known pain intensity scales: the Faces Pain Scale-Revised, the numerical rating scale-11, the Coloured Analogue Scale, and the visual analog scale. Scores reported with these scales, when used in their traditional format, have shown to be valid and reliable. The app was tested in a sample of 24 health care professionals and 30 nonprofessionals. Two iterative usability cycles were conducted with a qualitative usability testing approach and a semistructured interview. The participants had an average of 10 years' experience in using computers. The domains measured were ease of use, errors in usage, most popular characteristics, suggested changes, and acceptability. Adding instructions and changing format and layout details solved the usability problems reported in cycle 1. No further problems were reported in cycle 2. Painometer has been found to be a useful, user-friendly app that may help to improve the accuracy of pain intensity assessment. Painometer, a smartphone app to assess pain intensity, shows good usability and acceptability properties when used by health care professionals and nonprofessionals. Copyright © 2014 American Pain Society. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

A presentation system for just-in-time learning in radiology.

PubMed

Kahn, Charles E; Santos, Amadeu; Thao, Cheng; Rock, Jayson J; Nagy, Paul G; Ehlers, Kevin C

2007-03-01

There is growing interest in bringing medical educational materials to the point of care. We sought to develop a system for just-in-time learning in radiology. A database of 34 learning modules was derived from previously published journal articles. Learning objectives were specified for each module, and multiple-choice test items were created. A web-based system-called TEMPO-was developed to allow radiologists to select and view the learning modules. Web services were used to exchange clinical context information between TEMPO and the simulated radiology work station. Preliminary evaluation was conducted using the System Usability Scale (SUS) questionnaire. TEMPO identified learning modules that were relevant to the age, sex, imaging modality, and body part or organ system of the patient being viewed by the radiologist on the simulated clinical work station. Users expressed a high degree of satisfaction with the system's design and user interface. TEMPO enables just-in-time learning in radiology, and can be extended to create a fully functional learning management system for point-of-care learning in radiology.

A knowledge translation intervention to enhance clinical application of a virtual reality system in stroke rehabilitation.

PubMed

Levac, Danielle; Glegg, Stephanie M N; Sveistrup, Heidi; Colquhoun, Heather; Miller, Patricia A; Finestone, Hillel; DePaul, Vincent; Harris, Jocelyn E; Velikonja, Diana

2016-10-06

Despite increasing evidence for the effectiveness of virtual reality (VR)-based therapy in stroke rehabilitation, few knowledge translation (KT) resources exist to support clinical integration. KT interventions addressing known barriers and facilitators to VR use are required. When environmental barriers to VR integration are less amenable to change, KT interventions can target modifiable barriers related to therapist knowledge and skills. A multi-faceted KT intervention was designed and implemented to support physical and occupational therapists in two stroke rehabilitation units in acquiring proficiency with use of the Interactive Exercise Rehabilitation System (IREX; GestureTek). The KT intervention consisted of interactive e-learning modules, hands-on workshops and experiential practice. Evaluation included the Assessing Determinants of Prospective Take Up of Virtual Reality (ADOPT-VR) Instrument and self-report confidence ratings of knowledge and skills pre- and post-study. Usability of the IREX was measured with the System Usability Scale (SUS). A focus group gathered therapist experiences. Frequency of IREX use was recorded for 6 months post-study. Eleven therapists delivered a total of 107 sessions of VR-based therapy to 34 clients with stroke. On the ADOPT-VR, significant pre-post improvements in therapist perceived behavioral control (p = 0.003), self-efficacy (p = 0.005) and facilitating conditions (p =0.019) related to VR use were observed. Therapist intention to use VR did not change. Knowledge and skills improved significantly following e-learning completion (p = 0.001) and was sustained 6 months post-study. Below average perceived usability of the IREX (19 th percentile) was reported. Lack of time was the most frequently reported barrier to VR use. A decrease in frequency of perceived barriers to VR use was not significant (p = 0.159). Two therapists used the IREX sparingly in the 6 months following the study. Therapists reported that client motivation to engage with VR facilitated IREX use in practice but that environmental and IREX-specific barriers limited use. Despite increased knowledge and skills in VR use, the KT intervention did not alter the number of perceived barriers to VR use, intention to use or actual use of VR. Poor perceived system usability had an impact on integration of this particular VR system into clinical practice.

Connection between competence, usability, environment and risk of falls in elderly adults.

PubMed

Leiva-Caro, José Alex; Salazar-González, Bertha Cecilia; Gallegos-Cabriales, Esther Carlota; Gómez-Meza, Marco Vinicio; Hunter, Kathleen F

2015-01-01

To determine connections between competence, usability, environment and risk of falls in elderly adults. Correlational descriptive study, 123 elderly adults, both male and female, aged 70 years and older were included. Data was collected via the Tinetti Scale, CESD-7 Scale, Montreal Cognitive Assessment, Usability Questionnaire on Housing and Housing Enabler; and sociodemographic and health background certificate data. For data analysis, descriptive and inferential statistics were used, multivariate linear and logistic regression models were adjusted. 42.0% of the elderly adults had presented with falls, with a higher prevalence in women, and in the group of 70-75 years. The physical environment of the house, gait, and usability were set as risk factors for falls. A negative relationship between usability and depressive symptoms, cognitive health, balance, gait, the social and physical environment was found, p <0.05; and a strong positive correlation between walking and balance, p <0.05. This study helps to better understand the phenomenon of falling, to find a connection between usability with the risk of falls, and other variables.

Connection between competence, usability, environment and risk of falls in elderly adults

PubMed Central

Leiva-Caro, José Alex; Salazar-González, Bertha Cecilia; Gallegos-Cabriales, Esther Carlota; Gómez-Meza, Marco Vinicio; Hunter, Kathleen F.

2015-01-01

Objective: to determine connections between competence, usability, environment and risk of falls in elderly adults. Method: correlational descriptive study, 123 elderly adults, both male and female, aged 70 years and older were included. Data was collected via the Tinetti Scale, CESD-7 Scale, Montreal Cognitive Assessment, Usability Questionnaire on Housing and Housing Enabler; and sociodemographic and health background certificate data. For data analysis, descriptive and inferential statistics were used, multivariate linear and logistic regression models were adjusted. Results: 42.0% of the elderly adults had presented with falls, with a higher prevalence in women, and in the group of 70-75 years. The physical environment of the house, gait, and usability were set as risk factors for falls. A negative relationship between usability and depressive symptoms, cognitive health, balance, gait, the social and physical environment was found, p <0.05; and a strong positive correlation between walking and balance, p <0.05. Conclusion: this study helps to better understand the phenomenon of falling, to find a connection between usability with the risk of falls, and other variables. PMID:26626006

User Experience, Actual Use, and Effectiveness of an Information Communication Technology-Supported Home Exercise Program for Pre-Frail Older Adults.

PubMed

Dekker-van Weering, Marit; Jansen-Kosterink, Stephanie; Frazer, Sanne; Vollenbroek-Hutten, Miriam

2017-01-01

The main objective of this study was to investigate the use and user experience of an Information Communication Technology-supported home exercise program when offered for independent use to pre-frail older adults. Our secondary aim was to explore whether the program improved quality of life and health status compared to a control group. A cohort multiple randomized controlled trail is being performed. Physically pre-frail older adults (65-75 years) living independently at home were included and randomly assigned to a control group or an intervention group. The intervention group received a home exercise program (strength, balance, and flexibility exercises) for a minimal duration of 12 weeks. The control group received usual care. Primary outcomes were: use of the intervention (frequency and duration), adherence to a 3-day exercise protocol and user experience [System Usability Scale (SUS); rating 1-10]. Secondary outcomes were quality of life measured with the SF12 (Physical Component Scale and Mental Component Scale) and health status (EQ-5D), assessed before the study starts and after 12 weeks of exercising. Thirty-seven independently living older adults participated in the study. Sixteen participants were allocated to the intervention group and 21 to the control group. The average score on the SUS was 84.2 (±13.3), almost reaching an excellent score. Participants rated the intervention with an 8.5. Eighty percent of the participants finished the 12 week exercise protocol. The adherence to the 3-day exercise protocol was 68%. Participants in the intervention group trained on average 2.2 times (±1.3) each week. The mean duration of login for each exercise session was 24 min. The Mental Component Scale of the SF12 was significantly higher in the intervention group compared to the control group. A trend was seen in the change over time in the health status between groups. This study provides evidence that a home-based exercise program is easy to use and has potential in improving quality of life and health status of pre-frail older adults who live at home. However, further refinement of the program is required to improve adherence and maximize the benefits and potential of exercising in the home environment. Unique Identifier: NTR5304. URL: http://www.trialregister.nl/trialreg/admin/rctview.asp?TC=5304.

Software Prototyping: A Case Report of Refining User Requirements for a Health Information Exchange Dashboard.

PubMed

Nelson, Scott D; Del Fiol, Guilherme; Hanseler, Haley; Crouch, Barbara Insley; Cummins, Mollie R

2016-01-01

Health information exchange (HIE) between Poison Control Centers (PCCs) and Emergency Departments (EDs) could improve care of poisoned patients. However, PCC information systems are not designed to facilitate HIE with EDs; therefore, we are developing specialized software to support HIE within the normal workflow of the PCC using user-centered design and rapid prototyping. To describe the design of an HIE dashboard and the refinement of user requirements through rapid prototyping. Using previously elicited user requirements, we designed low-fidelity sketches of designs on paper with iterative refinement. Next, we designed an interactive high-fidelity prototype and conducted scenario-based usability tests with end users. Users were asked to think aloud while accomplishing tasks related to a case vignette. After testing, the users provided feedback and evaluated the prototype using the System Usability Scale (SUS). Survey results from three users provided useful feedback that was then incorporated into the design. After achieving a stable design, we used the prototype itself as the specification for development of the actual software. Benefits of prototyping included having 1) subject-matter experts heavily involved with the design; 2) flexibility to make rapid changes, 3) the ability to minimize software development efforts early in the design stage; 4) rapid finalization of requirements; 5) early visualization of designs; 6) and a powerful vehicle for communication of the design to the programmers. Challenges included 1) time and effort to develop the prototypes and case scenarios; 2) no simulation of system performance; 3) not having all proposed functionality available in the final product; and 4) missing needed data elements in the PCC information system.

Discovering How Students Search a University Web Site: A Comparative Usability Case Study for PC and Mobile Devices

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Sengel, Erhan

2014-01-01

This study aims to investigate the usability level of web site of a university by observing 10 participants who are required to complete 11 tasks, which have been defined by the researchers before to gather data about effectiveness, efficiency and satisfaction. System Usability Scale was used to collect data about satisfaction. The research…

Superresolution Imaging Captures Carbohydrate Utilization Dynamics in Human Gut Symbionts

PubMed Central

Karunatilaka, Krishanthi S.; Cameron, Elizabeth A.; Martens, Eric C.; Koropatkin, Nicole M.

2014-01-01

ABSTRACT Gut microbes play a key role in human health and nutrition by catabolizing a wide variety of glycans via enzymatic activities that are not encoded in the human genome. The ability to recognize and process carbohydrates strongly influences the structure of the gut microbial community. While the effects of diet on the microbiota are well documented, little is known about the molecular processes driving metabolism. To provide mechanistic insight into carbohydrate catabolism in gut symbionts, we studied starch processing in real time in the model Bacteroides thetaiotaomicron starch utilization system (Sus) by single-molecule fluorescence. Although previous studies have explored Sus protein structure and function, the transient interactions, assembly, and collaboration of these outer membrane proteins have not yet been elucidated in live cells. Our live-cell superresolution imaging reveals that the polymeric starch substrate dynamically recruits Sus proteins, serving as an external scaffold for bacterial membrane assembly of the Sus complex, which may promote efficient capturing and degradation of starch. Furthermore, by simultaneously localizing multiple Sus outer membrane proteins on the B. thetaiotaomicron cell surface, we have characterized the dynamics and stoichiometry of starch-induced Sus complex assembly on the molecular scale. Finally, based on Sus protein knockout strains, we have discerned the mechanism of starch-induced Sus complex assembly in live anaerobic cells with nanometer-scale resolution. Our insights into the starch-induced outer membrane protein assembly central to this conserved nutrient uptake mechanism pave the way for the development of dietary or pharmaceutical therapies to control Bacteroidetes in the intestinal tract to enhance human health and treat disease. PMID:25389179

User ratings of prosthetic usability and satisfaction in VA study to optimize DEKA arm.

PubMed

Resnik, Linda; Borgia, Matthew

2014-01-01

The Department of Veterans Affairs study to optimize the DEKA Arm provided feedback to inform optimization of the gen 2 (second-generation) prototype and evaluate the gen 3 (third-generation) prototype. This article summarizes recommendations to improve gen 2 and reports satisfaction and usability ratings of gen 2 and gen 3. Data were collected from 39 subjects; 37 subjects were included in this analysis. Of the subjects, 24 were fit with gen 2 (8 radial configuration [RC], 6 humeral configuration [HC], and 10 shoulder configuration [SC]), 13 were fit with gen 3 (4 RC, 5 HC, and 4 SC), and 5 were fit with both. Usability and satisfaction were evaluated using the Trinity Amputation and Prosthesis Experience Scale (TAPES) and study-specific usability and satisfaction scales. Descriptive statistics were examined and prototypes compared using Wilcoxon rank-sum. Results were stratified by configuration level and outcomes compared by prototype. Satisfaction and usability were greater for gen 3 than gen 2. Overall TAPES scores were similar; however, scores of the TAPES aesthetic satisfaction subscale were higher for gen 3. Compared with gen 2 users, gen 3 users were more satisfied with appearance, grips, and doffing and rated overall usability higher. Features of gen 3, including weight, external cables and wires, hand covering, and fingernails, would benefit from further optimization.

Videogame-based group therapy to improve self-awareness and social skills after traumatic brain injury.

PubMed

Llorens, Roberto; Noé, Enrique; Ferri, Joan; Alcañiz, Mariano

2015-04-11

This study determines the feasibility of different approaches to integrative videogame-based group therapy for improving self-awareness, social skills, and behaviors among traumatic brain injury (TBI) victims and retrieves participant feedback. Forty-two adult TBI survivors were included in a longitudinal study with a pre- and post-assessments. The experimental intervention involved weekly one-hour sessions conducted over six months. Participants were assessed using the Self-Awareness Deficits Interview (SADI), Patient Competency Rating Scale (PCRS), the Social Skills Scale (SSS), the Frontal Systems Behavior Scale (FrSBe), the System Usability Scale (SUS). Pearson's chi-squared test (χ (2)) was applied to determine the percentage of participants who had changed their clinical classification in these tests. Feedback of the intervention was collected through the Intrinsic Motivation Inventory (IMI). SADI results showed an improvement in participant perceptions of deficits (χ (2) = 5.25, p < 0.05), of their implications (χ (2) = 4.71, p < 0.05), and of long-term planning (χ (2) = 7.86, p < 0.01). PCRS results confirm these findings (χ (2) = 5.79, p < 0.05). SSS results were also positive with respect to social skills outcomes (χ (2) = 17.52, p < 0.01), and FrSBe results showed behavioral improvements (χ (2) = 34.12, p < 0.01). Participants deemed the system accessible (80.43 ± 8.01 out of 100) and regarded the intervention as interesting and useful (5.74 ± 0.69 out of 7). Integrative videogame-based group therapy can improve self-awareness, social skills, and behaviors among individuals with chronic TBI, and the approach is considered effective and motivating.

Effect of improving the usability of an e-learning resource: a randomized trial.

PubMed

Davids, Mogamat Razeen; Chikte, Usuf M E; Halperin, Mitchell L

2014-06-01

Optimizing the usability of e-learning materials is necessary to reduce extraneous cognitive load and maximize their potential educational impact. However, this is often neglected, especially when time and other resources are limited. We conducted a randomized trial to investigate whether a usability evaluation of our multimedia e-learning resource, followed by fixing of all problems identified, would translate into improvements in usability parameters and learning by medical residents. Two iterations of our e-learning resource [version 1 (V1) and version 2 (V2)] were compared. V1 was the first fully functional version and V2 was the revised version after all identified usability problems were addressed. Residents in internal medicine and anesthesiology were randomly assigned to one of the versions. Usability was evaluated by having participants complete a user satisfaction questionnaire and by recording and analyzing their interactions with the application. The effect on learning was assessed by questions designed to test the retention and transfer of knowledge. Participants reported high levels of satisfaction with both versions, with good ratings on the System Usability Scale and adjective rating scale. In contrast, analysis of video recordings revealed significant differences in the occurrence of serious usability problems between the two versions, in particular in the interactive HandsOn case with its treatment simulation, where there was a median of five serious problem instances (range: 0-50) recorded per participant for V1 and zero instances (range: 0-1) for V2 (P < 0.001). There were no differences in tests of retention or transfer of knowledge between the two versions. In conclusion, usability evaluation followed by a redesign of our e-learning resource resulted in significant improvements in usability. This is likely to translate into improved motivation and willingness to engage with the learning material. In this population of relatively high-knowledge participants, learning scores were similar across the two versions. Copyright © 2014 The American Physiological Society.

Effect of improving the usability of an e-learning resource: a randomized trial

PubMed Central

Chikte, Usuf M. E.; Halperin, Mitchell L.

2014-01-01

Optimizing the usability of e-learning materials is necessary to reduce extraneous cognitive load and maximize their potential educational impact. However, this is often neglected, especially when time and other resources are limited. We conducted a randomized trial to investigate whether a usability evaluation of our multimedia e-learning resource, followed by fixing of all problems identified, would translate into improvements in usability parameters and learning by medical residents. Two iterations of our e-learning resource [version 1 (V1) and version 2 (V2)] were compared. V1 was the first fully functional version and V2 was the revised version after all identified usability problems were addressed. Residents in internal medicine and anesthesiology were randomly assigned to one of the versions. Usability was evaluated by having participants complete a user satisfaction questionnaire and by recording and analyzing their interactions with the application. The effect on learning was assessed by questions designed to test the retention and transfer of knowledge. Participants reported high levels of satisfaction with both versions, with good ratings on the System Usability Scale and adjective rating scale. In contrast, analysis of video recordings revealed significant differences in the occurrence of serious usability problems between the two versions, in particular in the interactive HandsOn case with its treatment simulation, where there was a median of five serious problem instances (range: 0–50) recorded per participant for V1 and zero instances (range: 0–1) for V2 (P < 0.001). There were no differences in tests of retention or transfer of knowledge between the two versions. In conclusion, usability evaluation followed by a redesign of our e-learning resource resulted in significant improvements in usability. This is likely to translate into improved motivation and willingness to engage with the learning material. In this population of relatively high-knowledge participants, learning scores were similar across the two versions. PMID:24913451

Stability of Fe-Cr alloy interconnects under CH 4-H 2O atmosphere for SOFCs

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Horita, Teruhisa; Xiong, Yueping; Yamaji, Katsuhiko; Sakai, Natsuko; Yokokawa, Harumi

The chemical stability of Fe-Cr alloys (ZMG232 and SUS430) was examined under humidified CH 4 gases at 1073 K to simulate the real anode atmosphere in SOFC operation. Surface microstructure change and oxide scale layer formation were observed on the oxidized Fe-Cr alloy surfaces. The main reaction products were Mn-Cr-(Fe) spinels for both alloys. Secondary ion mass spectrometry (SIMS) was applied to measure the elemental distribution of minor and major elements around the oxide scale/alloy interface. A high concentration of Mn on the oxide scale surface suggested the fast diffusion of Mn in the oxide scale to form the spinels. Annealing in CH 4-H 2O made the oxide scale thicker with duration time on the alloy surface. The parabolic growth rates ( kp) of oxide scale layer were evaluated from the thickness of oxide scales by secondary ion mass spectrometry (SIMS) depth profiles, which were calculated to the following: kp=6.25×10 -6 μm 2/s for SUS430 and kp=4.42×10 -6 μm 2/s for ZMG232. The electrical conductivity of oxidized alloys showed the semi-conductor temperature dependence for both alloys. The electrical conductivity of oxidized ZMG232 alloy was higher than that of oxidized SUS430.

An Iterative, Mixed Usability Approach Applied to the Telekit System from the Danish TeleCare North Trial

PubMed Central

Schaarup, Clara; Hejlesen, Ole Kristian

2016-01-01

Objective. The aim of the present study is to evaluate the usability of the telehealth system, coined Telekit, by using an iterative, mixed usability approach. Materials and Methods. Ten double experts participated in two heuristic evaluations (HE1, HE2), and 11 COPD patients attended two think-aloud tests. The double experts identified usability violations and classified them into Jakob Nielsen's heuristics. These violations were then translated into measurable values on a scale of 0 to 4 indicating degree of severity. In the think-aloud tests, COPD participants were invited to verbalise their thoughts. Results. The double experts identified 86 usability violations in HE1 and 101 usability violations in HE2. The majority of the violations were rated in the 0–2 range. The findings from the think-aloud tests resulted in 12 themes and associated examples regarding the usability of the Telekit system. The use of the iterative, mixed usability approach produced both quantitative and qualitative results. Conclusion. The iterative, mixed usability approach yields a strong result owing to the high number of problems identified in the tests because the double experts and the COPD participants focus on different aspects of Telekit's usability. This trial is registered with Clinicaltrials.gov, NCT01984840, November 14, 2013. PMID:27974888

OPTIMIZING USABILITY OF AN ECONOMIC DECISION SUPPORT TOOL: PROTOTYPE OF THE EQUIPT TOOL.

PubMed

Cheung, Kei Long; Hiligsmann, Mickaël; Präger, Maximilian; Jones, Teresa; Józwiak-Hagymásy, Judit; Muñoz, Celia; Lester-George, Adam; Pokhrel, Subhash; López-Nicolás, Ángel; Trapero-Bertran, Marta; Evers, Silvia M A A; de Vries, Hein

2018-01-01

Economic decision-support tools can provide valuable information for tobacco control stakeholders, but their usability may impact the adoption of such tools. This study aims to illustrate a mixed-method usability evaluation of an economic decision-support tool for tobacco control, using the EQUIPT ROI tool prototype as a case study. A cross-sectional mixed methods design was used, including a heuristic evaluation, a thinking aloud approach, and a questionnaire testing and exploring the usability of the Return of Investment tool. A total of sixty-six users evaluated the tool (thinking aloud) and completed the questionnaire. For the heuristic evaluation, four experts evaluated the interface. In total twenty-one percent of the respondents perceived good usability. A total of 118 usability problems were identified, from which twenty-six problems were categorized as most severe, indicating high priority to fix them before implementation. Combining user-based and expert-based evaluation methods is recommended as these were shown to identify unique usability problems. The evaluation provides input to optimize usability of a decision-support tool, and may serve as a vantage point for other developers to conduct usability evaluations to refine similar tools before wide-scale implementation. Such studies could reduce implementation gaps by optimizing usability, enhancing in turn the research impact of such interventions.

An Iterative, Mixed Usability Approach Applied to the Telekit System from the Danish TeleCare North Trial.

PubMed

Lilholt, Pernille Heyckendorff; Schaarup, Clara; Hejlesen, Ole Kristian

2016-01-01

Objective . The aim of the present study is to evaluate the usability of the telehealth system, coined Telekit, by using an iterative, mixed usability approach. Materials and Methods . Ten double experts participated in two heuristic evaluations (HE1, HE2), and 11 COPD patients attended two think-aloud tests. The double experts identified usability violations and classified them into Jakob Nielsen's heuristics. These violations were then translated into measurable values on a scale of 0 to 4 indicating degree of severity. In the think-aloud tests, COPD participants were invited to verbalise their thoughts. Results . The double experts identified 86 usability violations in HE1 and 101 usability violations in HE2. The majority of the violations were rated in the 0-2 range. The findings from the think-aloud tests resulted in 12 themes and associated examples regarding the usability of the Telekit system. The use of the iterative, mixed usability approach produced both quantitative and qualitative results. Conclusion . The iterative, mixed usability approach yields a strong result owing to the high number of problems identified in the tests because the double experts and the COPD participants focus on different aspects of Telekit's usability. This trial is registered with Clinicaltrials.gov, NCT01984840, November 14, 2013.

Protocol for Co-Design, Development, and Open Trial of a Prototype Game-Based eHealth Intervention to Treat Anxiety in Young People With Long-Term Physical Conditions.

PubMed

Thabrew, Hiran; Stasiak, Karolina; Merry, Sally

2017-09-22

Approximately 10% to 12% of New Zealand young people (and 21% of Maori young people) have long-term physical conditions and are more likely to develop psychological problems, particularly anxiety and depression. Delayed treatment leads to worse management of physical conditions, school absence, and poorer long-term outcomes. Recently, electronic health (eHealth) interventions have been shown to be as good as face-to-face therapy and biofeedback techniques have been shown to enhance relaxation during the treatment of anxiety. In addition, young people with long-term physical conditions have expressed a preference for more technologically based support, including game-based interventions, to deal with psychological issues, particularly anxiety. The aim of this study is to develop a prototype game-based eHealth intervention to address anxiety in young people with long-term physical conditions. The game will be based on the principles of cognitive behavior therapy (CBT) and will integrate a module of biofeedback-based relaxation. During the first phase of the study, up to 48 young people with long-term physical conditions aged 13 to 18 years, attending a tertiary pediatric hospital will be invited to participate in a 3-stage series of co-design workshops. Following the design, development, and refinement of a working prototype, during the second phase of the study, a further 20 young people with long-term physical conditions and anxiety will be recruited from the same location to participate in an open pilot trial to evaluate its acceptability, usability, and preliminary efficacy. Changes in anxiety will be measured using the Generalized Anxiety Disorder 7-item scale (GAD-7) and the Spence Child Anxiety Scales (SCAS) at the end of every module (recommended to be completed weekly), post intervention, and 3 months later. Usability of the intervention will be measured using the System Usability Scale (SUS) and by measuring frequency and quantity of use of the intervention. Acceptability of the intervention will be assessed using brief, open-ended questionnaires and semi-structured interviews, the data from which will be analyzed using a general inductive approach. Recruitment to the study commenced in January 2017 and data collection will be completed by the end of December 2017. If acceptable and useful, this game-based eHealth intervention may offer a cost-effective and clinically useful intervention for addressing the psychological needs of over 16,000 young people with long term health conditions in New Zealand. Australian New Zealand Clinical Trials Network Registry (ANZCTR): ACTRN12616001253493p; https://www.anzctr.org.au/Trial/Registration/TrialReview.aspx?id=371443 (Archived by WebCite at http://www.webcitation.org/6sYB716lf). ©Hiran Thabrew, Karolina Stasiak, Sally Merry. Originally published in JMIR Research Protocols (http://www.researchprotocols.org), 22.09.2017.

Engaging Community Stakeholders to Evaluate the Design, Usability, and Acceptability of a Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease Social Media Resource Center

PubMed Central

Chaney, Beth; Chaney, Don; Paige, Samantha; Payne-Purvis, Caroline; Tennant, Bethany; Walsh-Childers, Kim; Sriram, PS; Alber, Julia

2015-01-01

Background Patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) often report inadequate access to comprehensive patient education resources. Objective The purpose of this study was to incorporate community-engagement principles within a mixed-method research design to evaluate the usability and acceptability of a self-tailored social media resource center for medically underserved patients with COPD. Methods A multiphase sequential design (qual → QUANT → quant + QUAL) was incorporated into the current study, whereby a small-scale qualitative (qual) study informed the design of a social media website prototype that was tested with patients during a computer-based usability study (QUANT). To identify usability violations and determine whether or not patients found the website prototype acceptable for use, each patient was asked to complete an 18-item website usability and acceptability questionnaire, as well as a retrospective, in-depth, semistructured interview (quant + QUAL). Results The majority of medically underserved patients with COPD (n=8, mean 56 years, SD 7) found the social media website prototype to be easy to navigate and relevant to their self-management information needs. Mean responses on the 18-item website usability and acceptability questionnaire were very high on a scale of 1 (strongly disagree) to 5 (strongly agree) (mean 4.72, SD 0.33). However, the majority of patients identified several usability violations related to the prototype’s information design, interactive capabilities, and navigational structure. Specifically, 6 out of 8 (75%) patients struggled to create a log-in account to access the prototype, and 7 out of 8 patients (88%) experienced difficulty posting and replying to comments on an interactive discussion forum. Conclusions Patient perceptions of most social media website prototype features (eg, clickable picture-based screenshots of videos, comment tools) were largely positive. Mixed-method stakeholder feedback was used to make design recommendations, categorize usability violations, and prioritize potential solutions for improving the usability of a social media resource center for COPD patient education. PMID:25630449

Strengths use as a secret of happiness: Another dimension of visually impaired individuals' psychological state.

PubMed

Matsuguma, Shinichiro; Kawashima, Motoko; Negishi, Kazuno; Sano, Fumiya; Mimura, Masaru; Tsubota, Kazuo

2018-01-01

It is well recognized that visual impairments (VI) worsen individuals' mental condition. However, little is known about the positive aspects including subjective happiness, positive emotions, and strengths. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to investigate the positive aspects of persons with VI including their subjective happiness, positive emotions, and strengths use. Positive aspects of persons with VI were measured using the Subjective Happiness Scale (SHS), the Scale of Positive and Negative Experience-Balance (SPANE-B), and the Strengths Use Scale (SUS). A cross-sectional analysis was utilized to examine personal information in a Tokyo sample (N = 44). We used a simple regression analysis and found significant relationships between the SHS or SPANE-B and SUS; on the contrary, VI-related variables were not correlated with them. A multiple regression analysis confirmed that SUS was a significant factor associated with both the SHS and SPANE-B. Strengths use might be a possible protective factor from the negative effects of VI.

Improving a Counselor Education Web Site through Usability Testing: The Bibliotherapy Education Project

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

McMillen, Paula S.; Pehrsson, Dale-Elizabeth

2009-01-01

Technology proficiency expectations have proliferated in counselor education; however, limited information in the counseling literature details how to effectively evaluate or refine online resources from a design/utility standpoint. This description of a small-scale usability study demonstrates a cost-effective strategy for improving counselor…

Reduction of Burnout in Mental Health Care Providers Using the Provider Resilience Mobile Application.

PubMed

Wood, Amanda Ernst; Prins, Annabel; Bush, Nigel E; Hsia, Jennifer F; Bourn, Laura E; Earley, Michael D; Walser, Robyn D; Ruzek, Josef

2017-05-01

This pilot study examined the usability, acceptability, and effectiveness of a free Provider Resilience (PR) mobile application (app) designed by the National Center for Telehealth and Technology to reduce provider burnout. Outpatient mental health providers (N = 30) used the PR app for 1 month. Participants rated the PR app on the System Usability Scale with an overall score of 79.7, which is in the top quartile for usability. Results of paired sample t tests on the Professional Quality of Life Scale indicated significant decreases on the Burnout (t = 3.65, p < .001) and Compassion Fatigue (t = 4.54, p < .001) subscales. The Provider Resilience app shows promise in reducing burnout and compassion fatigue in mental health care providers.

A personal health information toolkit for health intervention research.

PubMed

Kizakevich, Paul N; Eckhoff, Randall; Weger, Stacey; Weeks, Adam; Brown, Janice; Bryant, Stephanie; Bakalov, Vesselina; Zhang, Yuying; Lyden, Jennifer; Spira, James

2014-01-01

With the emergence of mobile health (mHealth) apps, there is a growing demand for better tools for developing and evaluating mobile health interventions. Recently we developed the Personal Health Intervention Toolkit (PHIT), a software framework which eases app implementation and facilitates scientific evaluation. PHIT integrates self-report and physiological sensor instruments, evidence-based advisor logic, and self-help interventions such as meditation, health education, and cognitive behavior change. PHIT can be used to facilitate research, interventions for chronic diseases, risky behaviors, sleep, medication adherence, environmental monitoring, momentary data collection health screening, and clinical decision support. In a series of usability evaluations, participants reported an overall usability score of 4.5 on a 1-5 Likert scale and an 85 score on the System Usability Scale, indicating a high percentile rank of 95%.

OpenSHS: Open Smart Home Simulator.

PubMed

Alshammari, Nasser; Alshammari, Talal; Sedky, Mohamed; Champion, Justin; Bauer, Carolin

2017-05-02

This paper develops a new hybrid, open-source, cross-platform 3D smart home simulator, OpenSHS, for dataset generation. OpenSHS offers an opportunity for researchers in the field of the Internet of Things (IoT) and machine learning to test and evaluate their models. Following a hybrid approach, OpenSHS combines advantages from both interactive and model-based approaches. This approach reduces the time and efforts required to generate simulated smart home datasets. We have designed a replication algorithm for extending and expanding a dataset. A small sample dataset produced, by OpenSHS, can be extended without affecting the logical order of the events. The replication provides a solution for generating large representative smart home datasets. We have built an extensible library of smart devices that facilitates the simulation of current and future smart home environments. Our tool divides the dataset generation process into three distinct phases: first design: the researcher designs the initial virtual environment by building the home, importing smart devices and creating contexts; second, simulation: the participant simulates his/her context-specific events; and third, aggregation: the researcher applies the replication algorithm to generate the final dataset. We conducted a study to assess the ease of use of our tool on the System Usability Scale (SUS).

OpenSHS: Open Smart Home Simulator

PubMed Central

Alshammari, Nasser; Alshammari, Talal; Sedky, Mohamed; Champion, Justin; Bauer, Carolin

2017-01-01

This paper develops a new hybrid, open-source, cross-platform 3D smart home simulator, OpenSHS, for dataset generation. OpenSHS offers an opportunity for researchers in the field of the Internet of Things (IoT) and machine learning to test and evaluate their models. Following a hybrid approach, OpenSHS combines advantages from both interactive and model-based approaches. This approach reduces the time and efforts required to generate simulated smart home datasets. We have designed a replication algorithm for extending and expanding a dataset. A small sample dataset produced, by OpenSHS, can be extended without affecting the logical order of the events. The replication provides a solution for generating large representative smart home datasets. We have built an extensible library of smart devices that facilitates the simulation of current and future smart home environments. Our tool divides the dataset generation process into three distinct phases: first design: the researcher designs the initial virtual environment by building the home, importing smart devices and creating contexts; second, simulation: the participant simulates his/her context-specific events; and third, aggregation: the researcher applies the replication algorithm to generate the final dataset. We conducted a study to assess the ease of use of our tool on the System Usability Scale (SUS). PMID:28468330

Usability in product design--the importance and need for systematic assessment models in product development--Usa-Design Model (U-D) ©.

PubMed

Merino, Giselle Schmidt Alves Díaz; Teixeira, Clarissa Stefani; Schoenardie, Rodrigo Petry; Merino, Eugenio Andrés Diáz; Gontijo, Leila Amaral

2012-01-01

In product design, human factors are considered as an element of differentiation given that today's consumer demands are increasing. Safety, wellbeing, satisfaction, health, effectiveness, efficiency, and other aspects must be effectively incorporated into the product development process. This work proposes a usability assessment model that can be incorporated as an assessment tool. The methodological approach is settled in two stages. First a literature review focus specifically on usability and developing user-centred products. After this, a model of usability named Usa-Design (U-D©) is presented. Consisted of four phases: understanding the use context, pre-preliminary usability assessment (efficiency/effectiveness/satisfaction); assessment of usability principles and results, U-D© features are modular and flexible, allowing principles used in Phase 3 to be changed according to the needs and scenario of each situation. With qualitative/quantitative measurement scales of easy understanding and application, the model results are viable and applicable throughout all the product development process.

Usability of Videogame-Based Dexterity Training in the Early Rehabilitation Phase of Stroke Patients: A Pilot Study.

PubMed

Vanbellingen, Tim; Filius, Suzanne J; Nyffeler, Thomas; van Wegen, Erwin E H

2017-01-01

Approximately 70-80% of stroke survivors have limited activities of daily living, mainly due to dexterous problems. Videogame-based training (VBT) along with virtual reality seems to be beneficial to train upper limb function. To evaluate the usability of VBT using the Leap Motion Controller (LMC) to train fine manual dexterity in the early rehabilitation phase of stroke patients as an add-on to conventional therapy. Additionally, this study aimed to estimate the feasibility and potential efficacy of the VBT. During 3 months, 64 stroke patients were screened for eligibility, 13 stroke patients were included (4 women and 9 men; age range: 24-91 years; mean time post stroke: 28.2 days). Nine sessions of 30 min VBT, three times per week as an add-on to conventional therapy with stroke inpatients. Primary outcome was the usability of the system measured with the System Usability Scale. Secondary outcomes concerning feasibility were the compliance rate calculated from the total time spent on the intervention (TT) compared to planned time, the opinion of participants via open-end questions, and the level of active participation measured with the Pittsburgh Rehabilitation Participation Scale. Regarding the potential efficacy secondary outcomes were: functional dexterity measured with the Nine Hole Peg Test (NHPT), subjective dexterity measured with the Dexterity Questionnaire 24, grip strength measured with the Jamar dynamometer, and motor impairment of the upper limb measured with the Fugl-Meyer Upper Extremity (FM-UE) scale. Primarily, the usability of the system was good to excellent. The patient's perception of usability remained stable over a mean period of 3 weeks of VBT. Secondly, the compliance rate was good, and the level of active participation varied between good and very good. The opinion of the participants revealed that despite individual differences, the overall impression of the therapy and device was good. Patients showed significant improvements in hand dexterity. No changes were found in motor impairment of the upper limb (FM-UE) during intervention. VBT using LMC is a usable rehabilitation tool to train dexterity in the early rehabilitation phase of stroke inpatients.

Usability Level of Distance Education Website (Sakarya University Sample)

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Isman, Aytekin; Isbulan, Onur

2010-01-01

The main goal of this research is to determine the usability of Sakarya University Adapazari Vocational Two-Year Community College's Web Site. A scale was developed to the evaluation and applied to 1512 students. From the applied questionnaire only appropriate ones were selected to be evaluated and 1229 questionnaires were analysed. Finally,…

B-SAFER: A Web-Based Intervention for Drug Use and Intimate Partner Violence Demonstrates Feasibility and Acceptability Among Women in the Emergency Department

PubMed Central

Choo, Esther K.; Zlotnick, Caron; Strong, David R.; Squires, Daniel D.; Tapé, Chantal; Mello, Michael J.

2016-01-01

Background Addressing violence along with drug use change goals is critical for women with coexisting intimate partner violence (IPV) and substance use disorders (SUD). Methods This was an acceptability and feasibility study of BSAFER, a brief Web-based program and booster phone call addressing violence and drug use. A screening survey identified women with recent drug use and IPV in the emergency department (ED). Participants were randomized to BSAFER or a Web-based control program and booster call providing education about home fire safety. Program completion, usability, satisfaction and MI adherence were primary outcomes. Drug use and IPV outcomes were measured at baseline, one and three months. Results Forty women were enrolled (21 BSAFER, 19 control); 50% were non-white and mean age was 30 years. Most commonly used drugs were marijuana (88%) and cocaine (30%); 45% reported physical abuse and 33% severe combined physical and sexual abuse. Thirty-nine (98%) completed the Web program, 30 (75%) completed the booster, and 29 (73%) completed 3-month follow up. Mean System Usability Scale (SUS) for the BSAFER Web program was 84 (95% CI 78–89) of 100; mean Client Satisfaction Questionnaire (CSQ-8) was 28 (95% CI 26–29) of 32. MI adherence scores were high and similar for both the Web program and the booster. Both intervention and control groups had small mean decreases in weekly drug use days (0.7 days vs. 1.5 days); participants using drugs other than marijuana demonstrated greater average reductions in drug use than those using marijuana only. Conclusions An ED Web-based intervention for SUD and IPV in women demonstrated feasibility and acceptability. Future studies will examine efficacy of the BSAFER program and investigate whether specific subgroups of drug using women may be most responsive to ED-based Web interventions. PMID:26714233

Acceptance and usability of a home-based monitoring tool of health indicators in children of people with dementia: a Proof of Principle (POP) study.

PubMed

Boessen, April Bcg; Vermeulen, Joan; de Witte, Luc P

2017-01-01

Large-scale cohort studies are needed to confirm the relation between dementia and its possible risk factors. The inclusion of people with dementia in research is a challenge, however, children of people with dementia are at risk and are highly motivated to participate in dementia research. For technologies to support home-based data collection during large-scale studies, participants should be able and willing to use technology for a longer period of time. This study investigated acceptance and usability of iVitality, a research platform for home-based monitoring of dementia health indicators, in 151 children of people with dementia and investigated which frequency of measurements is acceptable for them. Participants were randomized to fortnightly or monthly measurements. At baseline and after 3 months, participants completed an online questionnaire regarding the acceptance (Technology Acceptance Model; 38 items) and usability (Post-Study System Usability Questionnaire; 24 items) of iVitality. Items were rated from 1 (I totally disagree) to 7 (I totally agree). Participants were also invited to take part in an online focus group (OFG) after 3 months of follow-up. Descriptive statistics and both two-sample/independent and paired t -tests were used to analyze the online questionnaires and a directed content analysis was used to analyze the OFGs. Children of people with dementia accept iVitality after long-term use and evaluate iVitality as a user-friendly, useful, and trusted technology, despite some suggestions for improvement. Overall, mean scores on acceptance and usability were higher than 5 (I somewhat agree), although the acceptance subscales "social influence" and "time" were rated somewhat lower. No significant differences in acceptance and usability were found between both protocol groups. Over time, "affect" significantly increased among participants measuring blood pressure fortnightly. iVitality has the potential to be used in large-scale studies for home-based monitoring of health indicators related to the development of dementia.

Usability Evaluation of Electronic Health Record System around Clinical Notes Usage-An Ethnographic Study.

PubMed

Rizvi, Rubina F; Marquard, Jenna L; Hultman, Gretchen M; Adam, Terrence J; Harder, Kathleen A; Melton, Genevieve B

2017-10-01

Background A substantial gap exists between current Electronic Health Record (EHR) usability and potential optimal usability. One of the fundamental reasons for this discrepancy is poor incorporation of a User-Centered Design (UCD) approach during the Graphical User Interface (GUI) development process. Objective To evaluate usability strengths and weaknesses of two widely implemented EHR GUIs for critical clinical notes usage tasks. Methods Twelve Internal Medicine resident physicians interacting with one of the two EHR systems (System-1 at Location-A and System-2 at Location-B) were observed by two usability evaluators employing an ethnographic approach. User comments and observer findings were analyzed for two critical tasks: (1) clinical notes entry and (2) related information-seeking tasks. Data were analyzed from two standpoints: (1) usability references categorized by usability evaluators as positive, negative, or equivocal and (2) usability impact of each feature measured through a 7-point severity rating scale. Findings were also validated by user responses to a post observation questionnaire. Results For clinical notes entry, System-1 surpassed System-2 with more positive (26% vs. 12%) than negative (12% vs. 34%) usability references. Greatest impact features on EHR usability (severity score pertaining to each feature) for clinical notes entry were: autopopulation (6), screen options (5.5), communication (5), copy pasting (4.5), error prevention (4.5), edit ability (4), and dictation and transcription (3.5). Both systems performed equally well on information-seeking tasks and features with greatest impacts on EHR usability were navigation for notes (7) and others (e.g., looking for ancillary data; 5.5). Ethnographic observations were supported by follow-up questionnaire responses. Conclusion This study provides usability-specific insights to inform future, improved, EHR interface that is better aligned with UCD approach.

Applying the Principles for Digital Development: Case Study of a Smartphone App to Support Collaborative Care for Rural Patients With Posttraumatic Stress Disorder or Bipolar Disorder.

PubMed

Bauer, Amy M; Hodsdon, Sarah; Bechtel, Jared M; Fortney, John C

2018-06-06

Despite a proliferation of patient-facing mobile apps for mental disorders, there is little literature guiding efforts to incorporate mobile tools into clinical care delivery and integrate patient-generated data into care processes for patients with complex psychiatric disorders. The aim of this study was to seek to gain an understanding of how to incorporate a patient-provider mobile health (mHealth) platform to support the delivery of integrated primary care-based mental health services (Collaborative Care) to rural patients with posttraumatic stress disorder and/or bipolar disorder. Using the Principles for Digital Development as a framework, we describe our experience designing, developing, and deploying a mobile system to support Collaborative Care. The system consists of a patient-facing smartphone app that integrates with a Web-based clinical patient registry used by behavioral health care managers and consulting psychiatrists. Throughout development, we engaged representatives from the system's two user types: (1) providers, who use the Web-based registry and (2) patients, who directly use the mobile app. We extracted mobile metadata to describe the early adoption and use of the system by care managers and patients and report preliminary results from an in-app patient feedback survey that includes a System Usability Scale (SUS). Each of the nine Principles for Digital Development is illustrated with examples. The first 10 patients to use the smartphone app have completed symptom measures on average every 14 days over an average period of 20 weeks. The mean SUS score at week 8 among four patients who completed this measure was 91.9 (range 72.5-100). We present lessons learned about the technical and training requirements for integration into practice that can inform future efforts to incorporate health technologies to improve care for patients with psychiatric conditions. Adhering to the Principles for Digital Development, we created and deployed an mHealth system to support Collaborative Care for patients with complex psychiatric conditions in rural health centers. Preliminary data among the initial users support high system usability and show promise for sustained use. On the basis of our experience, we propose five additional principles to extend this framework and inform future efforts to incorporate health technologies to improve care for patients with psychiatric conditions: design for public health impact, add value for all users, test the product and the process, acknowledge disruption, and anticipate variability. ©Amy M Bauer, Sarah Hodsdon, Jared M Bechtel, John C Fortney. Originally published in the Journal of Medical Internet Research (http://www.jmir.org), 06.06.2018.

Electronic physiologic and subjective data acquisition in home-dwelling heart failure patients: An assessment of patient use and perception of usability.

PubMed

Gardner, Cubby L; Flanagan, Michael C; Franklin, Cathy; John-Swayers, Cherly; Walsh-Pouch, Stacy; Bryant, F Joyce; Romano, Carol A; Gibbons, Susanne; De Jong, Marla; Hoang, Albert; Becher, Dorothy; Burke, Harry B

2016-09-01

The current approach to the outpatient management of heart failure involves patients recollecting what has happened to them since their last clinic visit. But patients' recollection of their symptoms may not be sufficiently accurate to optimally manage their disease. Most of what is known about heart failure is related to patients' diurnal symptoms and activities. Some mobile electronic technologies can operate continuously to collect data from the time patients go to bed until they get up in the morning. We were therefore interested to evaluate if patients would use a system of selected patient-facing devices to collect physiologic and subjective state data in and around the patients' period of sleep, and if there were differences in device use and perceptions of usability at the device level This descriptive observational study of home-dwelling patients with heart failure, between 21 and 90 years of age, enrolled in an outpatient heart failure clinic was conducted between December 2014 and June 2015. Patients received five devices, namely, body weight scale, blood pressure device, an iPad-based subjective states assessment, pulse oximeter, and actigraph, to collect their physiologic (body weight, blood pressure, heart rate, blood oxygen saturation, and physical activity) and subjective state data (symptoms and subjective states) at home for the next six consecutive nights. Use was defined as the ratio of observed use over expected use, where 1.0 is observed equals expected. Usability was determined by the overall System Usability Scale score. Participants were 39 clinical heart failure patients, mean age 68.1 (SD, 12.3), 72% male, 62% African American. The ratio of observed over expected use for the body weight scale, blood pressure device, iPad application, pulse oximeter and actigraph was 0.8, 1.0, 1.1, 0.9, and 1.9, respectively. The mean overall System Usability Scale score for each device were 84.5, 89.7, 85.7, 87.6, and 85.2, respectively. Patients were able to use all of the devices and they rated the usability of all the devices higher than expected. Our study provides support for at-home patient-collected physiologic and subjective state data. To our knowledge, this is the first study to assess the use and usability of electronic objective and subjective data collection devices in heart failure patients' homes overnight. Published by Elsevier Ireland Ltd.

National questionnaire study on clinical ICT systems proofs: physicians suffer from poor usability.

PubMed

Viitanen, Johanna; Hyppönen, Hannele; Lääveri, Tinja; Vänskä, Jukka; Reponen, Jarmo; Winblad, Ilkka

2011-10-01

In the health informatics field, usability studies typically focus on evaluating a single information system and involve a rather small group of end-users. However, little is known about the usability of clinical information and communication technology (ICT) environment in which healthcare professionals work daily. This paper aims at contributing to usability research and user-oriented development of healthcare technologies with three objectives: inform researchers and practitioners about the current state of usability of clinical ICT systems, increase the understanding of usability aspects specific for clinical context, and encourage a more holistic approach on studying usability issues in health informatics field. A national web questionnaire study was conducted in Finland in spring 2010 with 3929 physicians actively working in patient care. For the purposes of the study, we described three dimensions of clinical ICT system usability that reflect the physicians' viewpoint on system usage: (1) compatibility between clinical ICT systems and physicians' tasks, (2) ICT support for information exchange, communication and collaboration in clinical work, and (3) interoperability and reliability. The dimensions derive from the definitions of usability and clinical context of use analysis, and reflect the ability of ICT systems to have a positive impact on patient care by supporting physicians in achieving their goals with a pleasant user experience. The research data incorporated 32 statements with a five-point Likert-scale on physicians' experiences on usability of their currently used ICT systems and a summative question about school grade given to electronic health record (EHR) systems. Physicians' estimates of their EHR systems were very critical. With the rating scale from 4 or fail to 10 or excellent, the average of the grades varied from 6.1 to 8.4 dependent on the kind of facility the physician is working. Questionnaire results indicated several usability problems and deficiencies which considerably hindered the efficiency of clinical ICT use and physician's routine work. Systems lacked the appropriate features to support typical clinical tasks, such as decision making, prevention of medical errors, and review of a patient's treatment chart. The systems also required physicians to perform fixed sequences of steps and tasks, and poorly supported the documentation and retrieval of patient data. The findings on ICT support for collaboration showed mainly negative results, aside from collaboration between co-located physicians. In addition, the study results pointed out physicians suffering from system failures and a lack of integration between the systems. The described study and related results are unique in several ways. A national usability study with nearly 4000 respondents had not been conducted in other countries in which healthcare technologies are widely adopted. The questionnaire study provided a generalized picture about the usability problems, however, it should be noted that there were significant differences between legacy systems in use. Previously, researchers had not approached contextual aspects of usability the context of clinical work, where numerous systems are in use. The described usability dimensions and the presented study results can be considered as the first step towards conceptualizing ICT usability in the unique setting of clinical work. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

A new global and comprehensive model for ICU ventilator performances evaluation.

PubMed

Marjanovic, Nicolas S; De Simone, Agathe; Jegou, Guillaume; L'Her, Erwan

2017-12-01

This study aimed to provide a new global and comprehensive evaluation of recent ICU ventilators taking into account both technical performances and ergonomics. Six recent ICU ventilators were evaluated. Technical performances were assessed under two FIO 2 levels (100%, 50%), three respiratory mechanics combinations (Normal: compliance [C] = 70 mL cmH 2 O -1 /resistance [R] = 5 cmH 2 O L -1  s -1 ; Restrictive: C = 30/R = 10; Obstructive: C = 120/R = 20), four exponential levels of leaks (from 0 to 12.5 L min -1 ) and three levels of inspiratory effort (P0.1 = 2, 4 and 8 cmH 2 O), using an automated test lung. Ergonomics were evaluated by 20 ICU physicians using a global and comprehensive model involving physiological response to stress measurements (heart rate, respiratory rate, tidal volume variability and eye tracking), psycho-cognitive scales (SUS and NASA-TLX) and objective tasks completion. Few differences in terms of technical performance were observed between devices. Non-invasive ventilation modes had a huge influence on asynchrony occurrence. Using our global model, either objective tasks completion, psycho-cognitive scales and/or physiological measurements were able to depict significant differences in terms of devices' usability. The level of failure that was observed with some devices depicted the lack of adaptation of device's development to end users' requests. Despite similar technical performance, some ICU ventilators exhibit low ergonomics performance and a high risk of misusage.

Are Virtual Rehabilitation Technologies Feasible Models to Scale an Evidence-Based Fall Prevention Program? A Pilot Study Using the Kinect Camera

PubMed Central

Basnett, Jeanna; Chokshi, Anang; Barrett, Mark; Komatireddy, Ravi

2015-01-01

Background Falls in older adults are a significant public health issue. Interventions have been developed and proven effective to reduce falls in older adults, but these programs typically last several months and can be resource intensive. Virtual rehabilitation technologies may offer a solution to bring these programs to scale. Off-the-shelf and custom exergames have demonstrated to be a feasible adjunct to rehabilitation with older adults. However, it is not known if older adults will be able or willing to use a virtual rehabilitation technology to participate in an evidence-based fall prevention program. To have the greatest impact, virtual rehabilitation technologies need to be acceptable to older adults from different backgrounds and level of fall risk. If these technologies prove to be a feasible option, they offer a new distribution channel to disseminate fall prevention programs. Objective Stand Tall (ST) is a virtual translation of the Otago Exercise Program (OEP), an evidence-based fall prevention program. Stand Tall was developed using the Virtual Exercise Rehabilitation Assistant (VERA) software, which uses a Kinect camera and a laptop to deliver physical therapy exercise programs. Our purpose in this pilot study was to explore if ST could be a feasible platform to deliver the OEP to older adults from a variety of fall risk levels, education backgrounds, and self-described level of computer expertise. Methods Adults age 60 and over were recruited to participate in a one-time usability study. The study included orientation to the program, navigation to exercises, and completion of a series of strength and balance exercises. Quantitative analysis described participants and the user experience. Results A diverse group of individuals participated in the study. Twenty-one potential participants (14 women, 7 men) met the inclusion criteria. The mean age was 69.2 (± 5.8) years, 38% had a high school education, 24% had a graduate degree, and 66% classified as “at risk for falls”. Eighteen participants agreed they would like to use ST to help improve their balance, and 17 agreed or strongly agreed they would feel confident using the system in either the senior center or the home. Thirteen participants felt confident they could actually set up the system in their home. The mean System Usability Scale (SUS) score was 65.5 ± 21.2 with a range of 32.5 to 97.5. Ten participants scored ST as an above average usability experience compared to other technologies and 5 participants scored a less than optimal experience. Exploratory analysis revealed no significant relationships between user experience, education background, self-described computer experience, and fall risk. Conclusions Results support the virtual delivery of the OEP by a Kinect camera and an avatar may be acceptable to older adults from a variety of backgrounds. Virtual technologies, like Stand Tall, could offer an efficient and effective approach to bring evidence-based fall prevention programs to scale to address the problem of falls and fall-related injuries. Next steps include determining if similar or better outcomes are achieved by older adults using the virtual OEP, Stand Tall, compared to the standard of care. PMID:28582244

Are Virtual Rehabilitation Technologies Feasible Models to Scale an Evidence-Based Fall Prevention Program? A Pilot Study Using the Kinect Camera.

PubMed

Shubert, Tiffany E; Basnett, Jeanna; Chokshi, Anang; Barrett, Mark; Komatireddy, Ravi

2015-11-05

Falls in older adults are a significant public health issue. Interventions have been developed and proven effective to reduce falls in older adults, but these programs typically last several months and can be resource intensive. Virtual rehabilitation technologies may offer a solution to bring these programs to scale. Off-the-shelf and custom exergames have demonstrated to be a feasible adjunct to rehabilitation with older adults. However, it is not known if older adults will be able or willing to use a virtual rehabilitation technology to participate in an evidence-based fall prevention program. To have the greatest impact, virtual rehabilitation technologies need to be acceptable to older adults from different backgrounds and level of fall risk. If these technologies prove to be a feasible option, they offer a new distribution channel to disseminate fall prevention programs. Stand Tall (ST) is a virtual translation of the Otago Exercise Program (OEP), an evidence-based fall prevention program. Stand Tall was developed using the Virtual Exercise Rehabilitation Assistant (VERA) software, which uses a Kinect camera and a laptop to deliver physical therapy exercise programs. Our purpose in this pilot study was to explore if ST could be a feasible platform to deliver the OEP to older adults from a variety of fall risk levels, education backgrounds, and self-described level of computer expertise. Adults age 60 and over were recruited to participate in a one-time usability study. The study included orientation to the program, navigation to exercises, and completion of a series of strength and balance exercises. Quantitative analysis described participants and the user experience. A diverse group of individuals participated in the study. Twenty-one potential participants (14 women, 7 men) met the inclusion criteria. The mean age was 69.2 (± 5.8) years, 38% had a high school education, 24% had a graduate degree, and 66% classified as "at risk for falls". Eighteen participants agreed they would like to use ST to help improve their balance, and 17 agreed or strongly agreed they would feel confident using the system in either the senior center or the home. Thirteen participants felt confident they could actually set up the system in their home. The mean System Usability Scale (SUS) score was 65.5 ± 21.2 with a range of 32.5 to 97.5. Ten participants scored ST as an above average usability experience compared to other technologies and 5 participants scored a less than optimal experience. Exploratory analysis revealed no significant relationships between user experience, education background, self-described computer experience, and fall risk. Results support the virtual delivery of the OEP by a Kinect camera and an avatar may be acceptable to older adults from a variety of backgrounds. Virtual technologies, like Stand Tall, could offer an efficient and effective approach to bring evidence-based fall prevention programs to scale to address the problem of falls and fall-related injuries. Next steps include determining if similar or better outcomes are achieved by older adults using the virtual OEP, Stand Tall, compared to the standard of care. ©Tiffany E Shubert, Jeanna Basnett, Anang Chokshi, Mark Barrett, Ravi Komatireddy. Originally published in JMIR Rehabilitation and Assistive Technology (http://rehab.jmir.org), 05.11.2015.

Subjective visual vertical assessment with mobile virtual reality system.

PubMed

Ulozienė, Ingrida; Totilienė, Milda; Paulauskas, Andrius; Blažauskas, Tomas; Marozas, Vaidotas; Kaski, Diego; Ulozas, Virgilijus

2017-01-01

The subjective visual vertical (SVV) is a measure of a subject's perceived verticality, and a sensitive test of vestibular dysfunction. Despite this, and consequent upon technical and logistical limitations, SVV has not entered mainstream clinical practice. The aim of the study was to develop a mobile virtual reality based system for SVV test, evaluate the suitability of different controllers and assess the system's usability in practical settings. In this study, we describe a novel virtual reality based system that has been developed to test SVV using integrated software and hardware, and report normative values across healthy population. Participants wore a mobile virtual reality headset in order to observe a 3D stimulus presented across separate conditions - static, dynamic and an immersive real-world ("boat in the sea") SVV tests. The virtual reality environment was controlled by the tester using a Bluetooth connected controllers. Participants controlled the movement of a vertical arrow using either a gesture control armband or a general-purpose gamepad, to indicate perceived verticality. We wanted to compare 2 different methods for object control in the system, determine normal values and compare them with literature data, to evaluate the developed system with the help of the system usability scale questionnaire and evaluate possible virtually induced dizziness with the help of subjective visual analog scale. There were no statistically significant differences in SVV values during static, dynamic and virtual reality stimulus conditions, obtained using the two different controllers and the results are compared to those previously reported in the literature using alternative methodologies. The SUS scores for the system were high, with a median of 82.5 for the Myo controller and of 95.0 for the Gamepad controller, representing a statistically significant difference between the two controllers (P<0.01). The median of virtual reality-induced dizziness for both devices was 0.7. The mobile virtual reality based system for implementation of subjective visual vertical test, is accurate and applicable in the clinical environment. The gamepad-based virtual object control method was preferred by the users. The tests were well tolerated with low dizziness scores in the majority of patients. Copyright © 2018 The Lithuanian University of Health Sciences. Production and hosting by Elsevier Sp. z o.o. All rights reserved.

The German Version of the Strengths Use Scale: The Relation of Using Individual Strengths and Well-being.

PubMed

Huber, Alexandra; Webb, Dave; Höfer, Stefan

2017-01-01

Theoretical perspectives in positive psychology have considered the possession and use of strengths equally but in applied research more studies focused on having them, probably due to the absence of psychometrically adequate scales. Therefore, the aim of this study was to assess the psychometric characteristics of the German language version of the Strengths Use Scale (SUS) and to explore relationships between strengths use and several indicator measures of well-being: the presence of positive and the absence of negative affect, self-esteem as identity aspect, vitality as self-regulatory resource, and stress for capturing the evaluation of difficulties and obstacles impinging on well-being. The original English version of the SUS was translated following recommended independent forward-backward translation techniques. Exploratory and confirmatory factor analyses were conducted, including a German-speaking convenience sample of university students ( N = 374). Additionally, the relations of strengths use and well-being indicators were analyzed. Factorial validity revealed a single-factor structure of the German version of the SUS, explaining 58.4% variance (factor loadings: 0.58 to 0.86), approving the scale's design and showing high internal consistency (Cronbach's α 0.95). The hypothesized positive relationships of strengths use with positive affect, self-esteem, and vitality were confirmed as well as the negative relationships with negative affect and stress. The German version of the SUS is psychometrically sound and data indicate that individual strengths use and well-being related measures interact. The instrument can be recommended for future research questions such as if and how the promotion of applying individual strengths during education enhances levels of well-being, or how the implementation of strengths use in job-design guidelines or working conditions can result in higher levels of well-being or healthiness.

High usability of a smartphone application for reporting symptoms in adults with cystic fibrosis.

PubMed

Wood, Jamie; Jenkins, Sue; Putrino, David; Mulrennan, Siobhain; Morey, Sue; Cecins, Nola; Hill, Kylie

2017-01-01

Introduction In cystic fibrosis, exacerbations impair lung function and health-related quality of life, increase healthcare costs and reduce survival. Delayed reporting of worsening symptoms can result in more severe exacerbations and worse clinical outcomes; therefore there is a need for a novel approach to facilitate the early identification and treatment of exacerbations in this population. This study investigated the usability of a smartphone application to report symptoms in adults with cystic fibrosis, and the observer agreement in clinical decision-making between senior clinicians interpreting smartphone application responses. Methods Adults with cystic fibrosis used the smartphone application weekly for four weeks. The application comprised 10 yes/no questions regarding respiratory symptoms and two regarding emotional well-being. Usability was measured with the System Usability Scale; Observer agreement was tested by providing a cystic fibrosis physician and a nurse practitioner with 45 clinical scenarios. For each scenario the clinicians, who were blinded to each other's responses, were asked to indicate whether or not they would: (i) initiate telephone contact, and/or (ii) request a clinic visit for the individual. Results Ten participants (five female), aged mean (SD) 33 (11) years, FEV1 49 (27)% predicted completed the study. The mean (SD) System Usability Scale score was 94 (6). There was perfect agreement between clinicians for initiating contact with the participant ( κ = 1.0, p < 0.001), and near-perfect for requesting a clinic visit ( κ = 0.86, p < 0.001). Discussion The use of a smartphone application for reporting symptoms in adults with cystic fibrosis has excellent usability and near-perfect agreement between senior clinicians when interpreting the application responses.

Redesigning printed educational materials for primary care physicians: design improvements increase usability.

PubMed

Grudniewicz, Agnes; Bhattacharyya, Onil; McKibbon, K Ann; Straus, Sharon E

2015-11-04

Printed educational materials (PEMs) are a frequently used tool to disseminate clinical information and attempt to change behavior within primary care. However, their effect on clinician behavior is limited. In this study, we explored how PEMs can be redesigned to better meet the needs of primary care physicians (PCPs) and whether usability and selection can be increased when design principles and user preferences are used. We redesigned a publicly available PEM using physician preferences, design principles, and graphic designer support. We invited PCPs to select their preferred document between the redesigned and original versions in a discrete choice experiment, followed by an assessment of usability with the System Usability Scale and a think aloud process. We conducted this study in both a controlled and opportunistic setting to determine whether usability testing results vary by study location. Think aloud data was thematically analyzed, and results were interpreted using the Technology Acceptance Model. One hundred and eighty four PCPs participated in the discrete choice experiment at the 2014 Family Medicine Forum, a large Canadian conference for family physicians. Of these, 87.7 % preferred the redesigned version. Follow-up interviews were held with a randomly selected group of seven participants. We repeated this in a controlled setting in Toronto, Canada, with a set of 14 participants. Using the System Usability Scale, we found that usability scores were significantly increased with the redesign (p < 0.001). We also found that when PCPs were given the choice between the two versions, they selected the redesigned version as their preferred PEM more often than the original (p < 0.001). Results did not appear to differ between the opportunistic and controlled setting. We used the results of the think aloud process to add to a list of end user preferences developed in a previous study. We found that redesigning a PEM with user preferences and design principles can improve its usability and result in the PEM being selected more often than the original. We feel this finding supports the involvement of the user, application of design principles, and the assistance of a graphic designer in the development of PEMs.

Usability: a critical success factor for managing change in the clinical info-structure.

PubMed

Kay, S

2005-06-01

There can be no doubt that the clinical info-structure is being significantly enriched with the deployment of new systems throughout the health sector. From a technological perspective, the initial emphasis has been mainly on functionality and only latterly on the usability of these clinical information systems. However, the large scale and rapid pace of the changes being wrought in the health sector will have a major impact on clinicians and patients, not least in how they interact with the technology. Therefore, it is not only hardware and software but people-ware, too, that needs to be actively managed; not simply a one-off functional specification but an ongoing, complex relationship. Usability is the human factor that encompasses the ethical, educational, and evaluative aspects of design. There is also a strong case for regarding usability of clinical information systems as a key critical success factor for the management of change within the health-care domain. In particular, the relationship between usability, and education and training is examined.

Acceptance and usability of a home-based monitoring tool of health indicators in children of people with dementia: a Proof of Principle (POP) study

PubMed Central

Boessen, April BCG; Vermeulen, Joan; de Witte, Luc P

2017-01-01

Background Large-scale cohort studies are needed to confirm the relation between dementia and its possible risk factors. The inclusion of people with dementia in research is a challenge, however, children of people with dementia are at risk and are highly motivated to participate in dementia research. For technologies to support home-based data collection during large-scale studies, participants should be able and willing to use technology for a longer period of time. Objective This study investigated acceptance and usability of iVitality, a research platform for home-based monitoring of dementia health indicators, in 151 children of people with dementia and investigated which frequency of measurements is acceptable for them. Methods Participants were randomized to fortnightly or monthly measurements. At baseline and after 3 months, participants completed an online questionnaire regarding the acceptance (Technology Acceptance Model; 38 items) and usability (Post-Study System Usability Questionnaire; 24 items) of iVitality. Items were rated from 1 (I totally disagree) to 7 (I totally agree). Participants were also invited to take part in an online focus group (OFG) after 3 months of follow-up. Descriptive statistics and both two-sample/independent and paired t-tests were used to analyze the online questionnaires and a directed content analysis was used to analyze the OFGs. Results Children of people with dementia accept iVitality after long-term use and evaluate iVitality as a user-friendly, useful, and trusted technology, despite some suggestions for improvement. Overall, mean scores on acceptance and usability were higher than 5 (I somewhat agree), although the acceptance subscales “social influence” and “time” were rated somewhat lower. No significant differences in acceptance and usability were found between both protocol groups. Over time, “affect” significantly increased among participants measuring blood pressure fortnightly. Conclusion iVitality has the potential to be used in large-scale studies for home-based monitoring of health indicators related to the development of dementia. PMID:28814839

User perspectives on the usability of a regional health information exchange

PubMed Central

Ho, Yun-Xian; Cala, Cather Marie; Blakemore, Dana; Chen, Qingxia; Frisse, Mark E; Johnson, Kevin B

2011-01-01

Objective We assessed the usability of a health information exchange (HIE) in a densely populated metropolitan region. This grant-funded HIE had been deployed rapidly to address the imminent needs of the patient population and the need to draw wider participation from regional entities. Design We conducted a cross-sectional survey of individuals given access to the HIE at participating organizations and examined some of the usability and usage factors related to the technology acceptance model. Measurements We probed user perceptions using the Questionnaire for User Interaction Satisfaction, an author-generated Trust scale, and user characteristic questions (eg, age, weekly system usage time). Results Overall, users viewed the system favorably (ratings for all usability items were greater than neutral (one-sample Wilcoxon test, p<0.0014, Bonferroni-corrected for 35 tests). System usage was regressed on usability, trust, and demographic and user characteristic factors. Three usability factors were positively predictive of system usage: overall reactions (p<0 0.01), learning (p<0.05), and system functionality (p<0.01). Although trust is an important component in collaborative relationships, we did not find that user trust of other participating healthcare entities was significantly predictive of usage. An analysis of respondents' comments revealed ways to improve the HIE. Conclusion We used a rapid deployment model to develop an HIE and found that perceptions of system usability were positive. We also found that system usage was predicted well by some aspects of usability. Results from this study suggest that a rapid development approach may serve as a viable model for developing usable HIEs serving communities with limited resources. PMID:21622933

Clinical pathways for primary care: current use, interest and perceived usability.

PubMed

Waters, Richard C; Toy, Jennifer M; Drechsler, Adam

2018-02-26

Translating clinical evidence to daily practice remains a challenge and may improve with clinical pathways. We assessed interest in and usability of clinical pathways by primary care professionals. An online survey was created. Interest in pathways for patient care and learning was assessed at start and finish. Participants completed baseline questions then pathway-associated question sets related to management of 2 chronic diseases. Perceived pathway usability was assessed using the system usability scale. Accuracy and confidence of answers was compared for baseline and pathway-assisted questions. Of 115 participants, 17.4% had used clinical pathways, the lowest of decision support tool types surveyed. Accuracy and confidence in answers significantly improved for all pathways. Interest in using pathways daily or weekly was above 75% for the respondents. There is low utilization of, but high interest in, clinical pathways by primary care clinicians. Pathways improve accuracy and confidence in answering written clinical questions.

Evaluating Tablet Computers as a Survey Tool in Rural Communities

PubMed Central

Newell, Steve M.; Logan, Henrietta L.; Guo, Yi; Marks, John G.; Shepperd, James A.

2015-01-01

Purpose Although tablet computers offer advantages in data collection over traditional paper-and-pencil methods, little research has examined whether the 2 formats yield similar responses, especially with underserved populations. We compared the 2 survey formats and tested whether participants’ responses to common health questionnaires or perceptions of usability differed by survey format. We also tested whether we could replicate established paper-and-pencil findings via tablet computer. Methods We recruited a sample of low-income community members living in the rural southern United States. Participants were 170 residents (black = 49%; white = 36%; other races and missing data = 15%) drawn from 2 counties meeting Florida’s state statutory definition of rural with 100 persons or fewer per square mile. We randomly assigned participants to complete scales (Center for Epidemiologic Studies Depression Inventory and Regulatory Focus Questionnaire) along with survey format usability ratings via paper-and-pencil or tablet computer. All participants rated a series of previously validated posters using a tablet computer. Finally, participants completed comparisons of the survey formats and reported survey format preferences. Findings Participants preferred using the tablet computer and showed no significant differences between formats in mean responses, scale reliabilities, or in participants’ usability ratings. Conclusions Overall, participants reported similar scales responses and usability ratings between formats. However, participants reported both preferring and enjoying responding via tablet computer more. Collectively, these findings are among the first data to show that tablet computers represent a suitable substitute among an underrepresented rural sample for paper-and-pencil methodology in survey research. PMID:25243953

Evaluating tablet computers as a survey tool in rural communities.

PubMed

Newell, Steve M; Logan, Henrietta L; Guo, Yi; Marks, John G; Shepperd, James A

2015-01-01

Although tablet computers offer advantages in data collection over traditional paper-and-pencil methods, little research has examined whether the 2 formats yield similar responses, especially with underserved populations. We compared the 2 survey formats and tested whether participants' responses to common health questionnaires or perceptions of usability differed by survey format. We also tested whether we could replicate established paper-and-pencil findings via tablet computer. We recruited a sample of low-income community members living in the rural southern United States. Participants were 170 residents (black = 49%; white = 36%; other races and missing data = 15%) drawn from 2 counties meeting Florida's state statutory definition of rural with 100 persons or fewer per square mile. We randomly assigned participants to complete scales (Center for Epidemiologic Studies Depression Inventory and Regulatory Focus Questionnaire) along with survey format usability ratings via paper-and-pencil or tablet computer. All participants rated a series of previously validated posters using a tablet computer. Finally, participants completed comparisons of the survey formats and reported survey format preferences. Participants preferred using the tablet computer and showed no significant differences between formats in mean responses, scale reliabilities, or in participants' usability ratings. Overall, participants reported similar scales responses and usability ratings between formats. However, participants reported both preferring and enjoying responding via tablet computer more. Collectively, these findings are among the first data to show that tablet computers represent a suitable substitute among an underrepresented rural sample for paper-and-pencil methodology in survey research. Published 2014. This article is a U.S. Government work and is in the public domain in the USA.

A Mixed-methods Study to Assess Interrater Reliability and Nurse Perception of the Braden Scale in a Tertiary Acute Care Setting.

PubMed

Ho, Chester H; Cheung, Amanda; Southern, Danielle; Ocampo, Wrechelle; Kaufman, Jaime; Hogan, David B; Baylis, Barry; Conly, John M; Stelfox, Henry T; Ghali, William A

2016-12-01

Research regarding the reliability of the Braden Scale and nurses' perspectives on the instrument for predicting pressure ulcer (PU) risk in acute care settings is limited. A mixed-methods study was conducted in a tertiary acute care facility to examine interrater reliability (IRR) of the Braden Scale and its subscales, and a qualitative survey using semi-structured interviews was conducted among nurses caring for patients in acute care units to gain nurse perspective regarding scale usability. Data were extracted from a previous retrospective, randomized, controlled trial involving adult patients with compromised mobility receiving care in a tertiary acute care hospital in Canada. One-way, intraclass correlation coefficients (ICCs) were calculated on item and total scores, and kappa statistics were used to determine reliability of categorizing patients on their risk. Interview results were categorized by common themes. Reliability was assessed on 64 patients, where nurses and research staff independently assessed enrolled participants at baseline and after 72 hours using the Braden Scale as it appeared on an electronic medical record. IRR for the total score was high (ICC = 0.807). The friction and shear item had the lowest reliability (ICC = 0.266). Reliability of categorizing patients' level of risk had moderate agreement (κ = 0.408). Three (3) major and 12 subthemes emerged from the 14 nurse interviews; nurses were aware of the scale's purpose but were uncertain of its effectiveness, some items were difficult to rate, and questions were raised as to whether using the scale enhanced patient care. Aspects identified by nurses to enhance usability included: 1) changes to the electronic version (incorporating the scale into daily assessment documents with readily available item descriptions), 2) additional training, and 3) easily available resource material to improve reliability and usability of scale. These findings need to be considered when using the Braden Scale in clinical practice. Further study of the value of the total Braden Scale and its subscales is warranted.

ClereMed: Lessons Learned From a Pilot Study of a Mobile Screening Tool to Identify and Support Adults Who Have Difficulty With Medication Labels

PubMed Central

Gates, Allison; Dolovich, Lisa; Slavcev, Roderick; Drimmie, Rob; Aghaei, Behzad; Poon, Calvin; Khan, Shamrozé; Leat, Susan J

2014-01-01

Background In order to take medications safely and effectively, individuals need to be able to see, read, and understand the medication labels. However, one-half of medication labels are currently misunderstood, often because of low literacy, low vision, and cognitive impairment. We sought to design a mobile tool termed ClereMed that could rapidly screen for adults who have difficulty reading or understanding their medication labels. Objective The aim of this study was to build the ClereMed prototype; to determine the usability of the prototype with adults 55 and over; to assess its accuracy for identifying adults with low-functional reading ability, poor ability on a real-life pill-sorting task, and low cognition; and to assess the acceptability of a touchscreen device with older adults with age-related changes to vision and cognition. Methods This pilot study enrolled adults (≥55 years) who were recruited through pharmacies, retirement residences, and a low-vision optometry clinic. ClereMed is a hypertext markup language (HTML)-5 prototype app that simulates medication taking using an iPad, and also provides information on how to improve the accessibility of prescription labels. A paper-based questionnaire included questions on participant demographics, computer literacy, and the Systems Usability Scale (SUS). Cognition was assessed using the Montreal Cognitive Assessment tool, and functional reading ability was measured using the MNRead Acuity Chart. Simulation results were compared with a real-life, medication-taking exercise using prescription vials, tablets, and pillboxes. Results The 47 participants had a mean age of 76 (SD 11) years and 60% (28/47) were female. Of the participants, 32% (15/47) did not own a computer or touchscreen device. The mean SUS score was 76/100. ClereMed correctly identified 72% (5/7) of participants with functional reading difficulty, and 63% (5/8) who failed a real-life pill-sorting task, but only 21% (6/28) of participants with cognitive impairment. Participants who owned a computer or touchscreen completed ClereMed in a mean time of 26 (SD 16) seconds, compared with 52 (SD 34) seconds for those who do not own a device (P<.001). Those who had difficulty, struggled with screen glare, button activation, and the “drag and drop” function. Conclusions ClereMed was well accepted by older participants, but it was only moderately accurate for reading ability and not for mild cognitive impairment. Future versions may be most useful as part of a larger medication assessment or as a tool to help family members and caregivers identify individuals with impaired functional reading ability. Future research is needed to improve the sensitivity for measuring cognitive impairment and on the feasibility of implementing a mobile app into pharmacy workflow. PMID:25131813

A Scalable Cyberinfrastructure for Interactive Visualization of Terascale Microscopy Data

PubMed Central

Venkat, A.; Christensen, C.; Gyulassy, A.; Summa, B.; Federer, F.; Angelucci, A.; Pascucci, V.

2017-01-01

The goal of the recently emerged field of connectomics is to generate a wiring diagram of the brain at different scales. To identify brain circuitry, neuroscientists use specialized microscopes to perform multichannel imaging of labeled neurons at a very high resolution. CLARITY tissue clearing allows imaging labeled circuits through entire tissue blocks, without the need for tissue sectioning and section-to-section alignment. Imaging the large and complex non-human primate brain with sufficient resolution to identify and disambiguate between axons, in particular, produces massive data, creating great computational challenges to the study of neural circuits. Researchers require novel software capabilities for compiling, stitching, and visualizing large imagery. In this work, we detail the image acquisition process and a hierarchical streaming platform, ViSUS, that enables interactive visualization of these massive multi-volume datasets using a standard desktop computer. The ViSUS visualization framework has previously been shown to be suitable for 3D combustion simulation, climate simulation and visualization of large scale panoramic images. The platform is organized around a hierarchical cache oblivious data layout, called the IDX file format, which enables interactive visualization and exploration in ViSUS, scaling to the largest 3D images. In this paper we showcase the VISUS framework used in an interactive setting with the microscopy data. PMID:28638896

A Scalable Cyberinfrastructure for Interactive Visualization of Terascale Microscopy Data.

PubMed

Venkat, A; Christensen, C; Gyulassy, A; Summa, B; Federer, F; Angelucci, A; Pascucci, V

2016-08-01

The goal of the recently emerged field of connectomics is to generate a wiring diagram of the brain at different scales. To identify brain circuitry, neuroscientists use specialized microscopes to perform multichannel imaging of labeled neurons at a very high resolution. CLARITY tissue clearing allows imaging labeled circuits through entire tissue blocks, without the need for tissue sectioning and section-to-section alignment. Imaging the large and complex non-human primate brain with sufficient resolution to identify and disambiguate between axons, in particular, produces massive data, creating great computational challenges to the study of neural circuits. Researchers require novel software capabilities for compiling, stitching, and visualizing large imagery. In this work, we detail the image acquisition process and a hierarchical streaming platform, ViSUS, that enables interactive visualization of these massive multi-volume datasets using a standard desktop computer. The ViSUS visualization framework has previously been shown to be suitable for 3D combustion simulation, climate simulation and visualization of large scale panoramic images. The platform is organized around a hierarchical cache oblivious data layout, called the IDX file format, which enables interactive visualization and exploration in ViSUS, scaling to the largest 3D images. In this paper we showcase the VISUS framework used in an interactive setting with the microscopy data.

Usability Evaluation and Implementation of a Health Information Technology Dashboard of Evidence-Based Quality Indicators.

PubMed

Schall, Mark Christopher; Cullen, Laura; Pennathur, Priyadarshini; Chen, Howard; Burrell, Keith; Matthews, Grace

2017-06-01

Health information technology dashboards that integrate evidence-based quality indicators can efficiently and accurately display patient risk information to promote early intervention and improve overall quality of patient care. We describe the process of developing, evaluating, and implementing a dashboard designed to promote quality care through display of evidence-based quality indicators within an electronic health record. Clinician feedback was sought throughout the process. Usability evaluations were provided by three nurse pairs and one physician from medical-surgical areas. Task completion times, error rates, and ratings of system usability were collected to compare the use of quality indicators displayed on the dashboard to the indicators displayed in a conventional electronic health record across eight experimental scenarios. Participants rated the dashboard as "highly usable" following System Usability Scale (mean, 87.5 [SD, 9.6]) and Poststudy System Usability Questionnaire (mean, 1.7 [SD, 0.5]) criteria. Use of the dashboard led to reduced task completion times and error rates in comparison to the conventional electronic health record for quality indicator-related tasks. Clinician responses to the dashboard display capabilities were positive, and a multifaceted implementation plan has been used. Results suggest application of the dashboard in the care environment may lead to improved patient care.

Quality Indicators of Cervical Cytopathology Tests in the Public Service in Minas Gerais, Brazil.

PubMed

Tobias, Alessandra Hermógenes Gomes; Amaral, Rita Goreti; Diniz, Elói Martins; Carneiro, Cláudia Martins

2016-02-01

The objective of this study is to assess the performance of cytopathology laboratories providing services to the Brazilian Unified Health System (Sistema Único de Saúde - SUS) in the State of Minas Gerais, Brazil. This descriptive study uses data obtained from the Cervical Cancer Information System from January to December 2012. Three quality indicators were analyzed to assess the quality of cervical cytopathology tests: positivity index, percentage of atypical squamous cells (ASCs) in abnormal tests, and percentage of tests compatible with high-grade squamous intraepithelial lesions (HSILs). Laboratories were classified according to their production scale in tests per year ≤ 5,000; from 5,001 to 10,000; from 10,001 to 15,000; and ≥ 15,001. Based on the collection of variables and the classification of laboratories according to production scale, we created and analyzed a database using Microsoft Office Excel 97-2003. In the Brazilian state of Minas Gerais, 146 laboratories provided services to the SUS in 2012 by performing a total of 1,277,018 cervical cytopathology tests. Half of these laboratories had production scales ≤ 5,000 tests/year and accounted for 13.1% of all tests performed in the entire state; in turn, 13.7% of these laboratories presented production scales of > 15,001 tests/year and accounted for 49.2% of the total of tests performed in the entire state. The positivity indexes of most laboratories providing services to the SUS in 2012, regardless of production scale, were below or well below recommended limits. Of the 20 laboratories that performed more than 15,001 tests per year, only three presented percentages of tests compatible with HSILs above the lower limit recommended by the Brazilian Ministry of Health. The majority of laboratories providing services to the SUS in Minas Gerais presented quality indicators outside the range recommended by the Brazilian Ministry of Health. Thieme Publicações Ltda Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.

The German Version of the Strengths Use Scale: The Relation of Using Individual Strengths and Well-being

PubMed Central

Huber, Alexandra; Webb, Dave; Höfer, Stefan

2017-01-01

Theoretical perspectives in positive psychology have considered the possession and use of strengths equally but in applied research more studies focused on having them, probably due to the absence of psychometrically adequate scales. Therefore, the aim of this study was to assess the psychometric characteristics of the German language version of the Strengths Use Scale (SUS) and to explore relationships between strengths use and several indicator measures of well-being: the presence of positive and the absence of negative affect, self-esteem as identity aspect, vitality as self-regulatory resource, and stress for capturing the evaluation of difficulties and obstacles impinging on well-being. The original English version of the SUS was translated following recommended independent forward-backward translation techniques. Exploratory and confirmatory factor analyses were conducted, including a German-speaking convenience sample of university students (N = 374). Additionally, the relations of strengths use and well-being indicators were analyzed. Factorial validity revealed a single-factor structure of the German version of the SUS, explaining 58.4% variance (factor loadings: 0.58 to 0.86), approving the scale’s design and showing high internal consistency (Cronbach’s α 0.95). The hypothesized positive relationships of strengths use with positive affect, self-esteem, and vitality were confirmed as well as the negative relationships with negative affect and stress. The German version of the SUS is psychometrically sound and data indicate that individual strengths use and well-being related measures interact. The instrument can be recommended for future research questions such as if and how the promotion of applying individual strengths during education enhances levels of well-being, or how the implementation of strengths use in job-design guidelines or working conditions can result in higher levels of well-being or healthiness. PMID:28496424

User-centered development and testing of a monitoring system that provides feedback regarding physical functioning to elderly people

PubMed Central

Vermeulen, Joan; Neyens, Jacques CL; Spreeuwenberg, Marieke D; van Rossum, Erik; Sipers, Walther; Habets, Herbert; Hewson, David J; de Witte, Luc P

2013-01-01

Purpose To involve elderly people during the development of a mobile interface of a monitoring system that provides feedback to them regarding changes in physical functioning and to test the system in a pilot study. Methods and participants The iterative user-centered development process consisted of the following phases: (1) selection of user representatives; (2) analysis of users and their context; (3) identification of user requirements; (4) development of the interface; and (5) evaluation of the interface in the lab. Subsequently, the monitoring and feedback system was tested in a pilot study by five patients who were recruited via a geriatric outpatient clinic. Participants used a bathroom scale to monitor weight and balance, and a mobile phone to monitor physical activity on a daily basis for six weeks. Personalized feedback was provided via the interface of the mobile phone. Usability was evaluated on a scale from 1 to 7 using a modified version of the Post-Study System Usability Questionnaire (PSSUQ); higher scores indicated better usability. Interviews were conducted to gain insight into the experiences of the participants with the system. Results The developed interface uses colors, emoticons, and written and/or spoken text messages to provide daily feedback regarding (changes in) weight, balance, and physical activity. The participants rated the usability of the monitoring and feedback system with a mean score of 5.2 (standard deviation 0.90) on the modified PSSUQ. The interviews revealed that most participants liked using the system and appreciated that it signaled changes in their physical functioning. However, usability was negatively influenced by a few technical errors. Conclusion Involvement of elderly users during the development process resulted in an interface with good usability. However, the technical functioning of the monitoring system needs to be optimized before it can be used to support elderly people in their self-management. PMID:24039407

Bridging the Science/Policy Gap through Boundary Chain Partnerships and Communities of Practice

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kalafatis, S.

2014-12-01

Generating the capacity to facilitate the informed usage of climate change science by decision makers on a large scale is fast becoming an area of great concern. While research demonstrates that sustained interactions between producers of such information and potential users can overcome barriers to information usage, it also demonstrates the high resource demand of these efforts. Our social science work at Great Lakes Integrated Sciences and Assessments (GLISA) sheds light on scaling up the usability of climate science through two research areas. The first focuses on partnerships with other boundary organizations that GLISA has leveraged - the "boundary chains" approach. These partnerships reduce the transaction costs involved with outreach and have enhanced the scope of GLISA's climate service efforts to encompass new users such as First Nations groups in Wisconsin and Michigan and underserved neighborhoods in St. Paul, Minnesota. The second research area looks at the development of information usability across the regional scale of the eight Great Lakes states. It has identified the critical role that communities of practice are playing in making information usable to large groups of users who work in similar contexts and have similar information needs. Both these research areas demonstrate the emerging potential of flexible knowledge networks to enhance society's ability to prepare for the impacts of climate change.

Assessment of Crew Workload for the RAH-66 Comanche Force Development Experiment 1

DTIC Science & Technology

2001-10-01

Scale and a cockpit controls and displays usability questionnaire . Results of the assessment indicate that (a) workload was tolerable for the pilots...Workload Levels Between Front Seat and Back Seat 13 3.4 Pilot Responses to Controls and Displays Usability Questionnaire 13 3.5 HMD Symbology 13 4... questionnaire . The data were analyzed to determine if the pilot flying the aircraft (pilot on controls) and the pilot operating the mission equipment

Usability and Utility of a Mobile Application for Marksmanship Training

DTIC Science & Technology

2015-01-01

Right of Canada, as represented by the Minister of National Defence, 2015 © Sa Majesté la Reine (en droit du Canada), telle que représentée par le...Empirical Evaluation of the System Usability Scale. International Journal of Human-Computer Interaction, 24(6), 574-594. BenMoussa, C. (2003). Workers on...Behavioral and Social Sciences. Jumisko-Pyykko, S., & Vainio, T. (2011). Framing the Context of Use for Mobile HCI. International Journal of Mobile

Web-Based Cognitive Behavioral Relapse Prevention Program With Tailored Feedback for People With Methamphetamine and Other Drug Use Problems: Development and Usability Study.

PubMed

Takano, Ayumi; Miyamoto, Yuki; Kawakami, Norito; Matsumoto, Toshihiko

2016-01-06

Although drug abuse has been a serious public health concern, there have been problems with implementation of treatment for drug users in Japan because of poor accessibility to treatment, concerns about stigma and confidentiality, and costs. Therapeutic interventions using the Internet and computer technologies could improve this situation and provide more feasible and acceptable approaches. The objective of the study was to show how we developed a pilot version of a new Web-based cognitive behavioral relapse prevention program with tailored feedback to assist people with drug problems and assessed its acceptance and usability. We developed the pilot program based on existing face-to-face relapse prevention approaches using an open source Web application to build an e-learning website, including relapse prevention sessions with videos, exercises, a diary function, and self-monitoring. When users submitted exercise answers and their diary, researchers provided them with personalized feedback comments using motivational interviewing skills. People diagnosed with drug dependence were recruited in this pilot study from a psychiatric outpatient ward and nonprofit rehabilitation facilities and usability was evaluated using Internet questionnaires. Overall, website usability was assessed by the Web Usability Scale. The adequacy of procedures in the program, ease of use, helpfulness of content, and adverse effects, for example, drug craving, mental distress, were assessed by original structured questionnaires and descriptive form questions. In total, 10 people participated in the study and completed the baseline assessment, 60% completed all relapse prevention sessions within the expected period. The time needed to complete one session was about 60 minutes and most of the participants took 2 days to complete the session. Overall website usability was good, with reasonable scores on subscales of the Web Usability Scale. The participants felt that the relapse prevention sessions were easy to use and helpful, but that the length of the videos was too long. The participant who until recently used drugs was satisfied with the self-monitoring, but others that had already maintained abstinence for more than a year felt this activity was unhelpful and were bored tracking and recording information on daily drug use. Feedback comments from researchers enhanced participants' motivation and further insight into the disease. Serious adverse effects caused by the intervention were not observed. Some possible improvements to the program were suggested. The Web-based relapse prevention program was easy to use and acceptable to drug users in this study. This program will be helpful for drug users who do not receive behavioral therapy. After the pilot program is revised, further large-scale research is needed to assess its efficacy among drug users who have recently used drugs.

Memory and accurate processing brain rehabilitation for the elderly: LEGO robot and iPad case study.

PubMed

Lopez-Samaniego, Leire; Garcia-Zapirain, Begonya; Mendez-Zorrilla, Amaia

2014-01-01

This paper presents the results of research that applies cognitive therapies associated with memory and mathematical problem-solving in elderly people. The exercises are programmed in an iPad and can be performed both from the Tablet and in an interactive format with a LEGO robot. The system has been tested with 2 men and 7 women over the age of 65 who have slight physical and cognitive impairment. Evaluation with the SUS resulted in a mean of 48.45 with a standard deviation of 5.82. The score of overall satisfaction was 84.37 with a standard deviation of 18.6. Interaction with the touch screen caused some usability problems due to the elderly people's visual difficulties and clicking accuracy. Future versions will include visualization with more color contrast and less use of the keyboard.

Construction and Validation of a Professional Suitability Scale for Social Work Practice

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Tam, Dora M. Y.; Coleman, Heather

2009-01-01

This article reports on the construction and validation of a professional suitability scale, designed for assessing students' suitability for social work practice. Data were collected from 188 field supervisors who provided usable questionnaires, representing a response rate of 74%. Construct validation by exploratory factor analysis identified a…

A hospital-wide transition from paper to digital problem-oriented clinical notes. A descriptive history and cross-sectional survey of use, usability, and satisfaction.

PubMed

Cillessen, Felix H J M; de Vries Robbé, Pieter F; Biermans, Marion C J

2017-05-17

To evaluate the use, usability, and physician satisfaction of a locally developed problem-oriented clinical notes application that replaced paper-based records in a large Dutch university medical center. Using a clinical notes database and an application event log file and a cross-sectional survey of usability, authors retrospectively analyzed system usage for medical specialties, users, and patients over 4 years. A standardized questionnaire measured usability. Authors analyzed the effects of sex, age, professional experience, training hours, and medical specialty on user satisfaction via univariate analysis of variance. Authors also examined the correlation between user satisfaction in relation to users' intensity of use of the application. In total 1,793 physicians used the application to record progress notes for 219,755 patients. The overall satisfaction score was 3.2 on a scale from 1 (highly dissatisfied) to 5 (highly satisfied). A statistically significant difference occurred in satisfaction by medical specialty, but no statistically significant differences in satisfaction took place by sex, age, professional experience, or training hours. Intensity of system use did not correlate with physician satisfaction. By two years after the start of the implementation, all medical specialties utilized the clinical notes application. User satisfaction was neutral (3.2 on a 1-5 scale). Authors believe that the significant factors facilitating this transition mirrored success factors reported by other groups: a generic, consistent, and transparent design of the application; intensive collaboration; continuous monitoring; and an incremental rollout.

Effectiveness, usability, and cost-benefit of a virtual reality-based telerehabilitation program for balance recovery after stroke: a randomized controlled trial.

PubMed

Lloréns, Roberto; Noé, Enrique; Colomer, Carolina; Alcañiz, Mariano

2015-03-01

First, to evaluate the clinical effectiveness of a virtual reality (VR)-based telerehabilitation program in the balance recovery of individuals with hemiparesis after stroke in comparison with an in-clinic program; second, to compare the subjective experiences; and third, to contrast the costs of both programs. Single-blind, randomized, controlled trial. Neurorehabilitation unit. Chronic outpatients with stroke (N=30) with residual hemiparesis. Twenty 45-minute training sessions with the telerehabilitation system, conducted 3 times a week, in the clinic or in the home. First, Berg Balance Scale for balance assessment. The Performance-Oriented Mobility Assessment balance and gait subscales, and the Brunel Balance Assessment were secondary outcome measures. Clinical assessments were conducted at baseline, 8 weeks (posttreatment), and 12 weeks (follow-up). Second, the System Usability Scale and the Intrinsic Motivation Inventory for subjective experiences. Third, cost (in dollars). Significant improvement in both groups (in-clinic group [control] and a home-based telerehabilitation group) from the initial to the final assessment in the Berg Balance Scale (ηp(2)=.68; P=.001), in the balance (ηp(2)=.24; P=.006) and gait (ηp(2)=.57, P=.001) subscales of the Tinetti Performance-Oriented Mobility Assessment, and in the Brunel Balance Assessment (control: χ(2)=15.0; P=.002; experimental: χ(2)=21.9; P=.001). No significant differences were found between the groups in any balance scale or in the feedback questionnaires. With regard to subjective experiences, both groups considered the VR system similarly usable and motivating. The in-clinic intervention resulted in more expenses than did the telerehabilitation intervention ($654.72 per person). First, VR-based telerehabilitation interventions can promote the reacquisition of locomotor skills associated with balance in the same way as do in-clinic interventions, both complemented with a conventional therapy program; second, the usability of and motivation to use the 2 interventions can be similar; and third, telerehabilitation interventions can involve savings that vary depending on each scenario. Copyright © 2015 American Congress of Rehabilitation Medicine. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Testing of a prototype Web based intervention for adolescent mothers on postpartum depression.

PubMed

Logsdon, M Cynthia; Barone, Michael; Lynch, Tania; Robertson, Ashley; Myers, John; Morrison, David; York, Sara; Gregg, Jennifer

2013-08-01

This article describes testing of a prototype Web site for adolescent mothers with postpartum depression; providing proof of concept. Participants (N=138) were recruited from a public school-based program for adolescent parents and completed the Mental Health Acceptability Scale, Stigma Scale for Receiving Psychological Help, and Attitudes Towards Seeking Professional Psychological Help Scale before, and after, the Web site intervention. They also provided feedback on the usability of the Web site. Attitudes related to depression and treatment (ATSPPH) improved after viewing the Web site (p=.023). Feedback on the Web site indicated that it was easy to use (77%), reflecting highly acceptable score for product usability. The data provide the foundation for the launch of the Web site from prototype to product and more comprehensive testing. The creation and testing of informational text messages will be added to the Web site to increase the interactivity and dose of the intervention. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Usability and Effects of an Exergame-Based Balance Training Program.

PubMed

Wüest, Seline; Borghese, Nunzio Alberto; Pirovano, Michele; Mainetti, Renato; van de Langenberg, Rolf; de Bruin, Eling D

2014-04-01

Background: Post-stroke recovery benefits from structured, intense, challenging, and repetitive therapy. Exergames have emerged as promising to achieve sustained therapy practice and patient motivation. This study assessed the usability and effects of exergames on balance and gait. Subjects and Methods: Sixteen elderly participants were provided with the study intervention based on five newly developed exergames. The participants were required to attend 36 training sessions; lasting for 20 minutes each. Adherence, attrition and acceptance were assessed together with (1) Berg Balance Scale, (2) 7-m Timed Up and Go, (3) Short Physical Performance Battery, (4) force platform stance tests, and (5) gait analysis. Results: Thirteen participants completed the study (18.8 percent attrition), without missing a single training session (100 percent adherence). Participants showed high acceptance of the intervention. Only minor adaptations in the program were needed based on the users' feedback. No changes in center of pressure area during quiet stance on both stable and unstable surfaces and no changes of walking parameters were detected. Scores for the Berg Balance Scale ( P =0.007; r =0.51), the 7-m Timed Up and Go ( P =0.002; r =0.56), and the Short Physical Performance Battery ( P =0.013; r =0.48) increased significantly with moderate to large effect sizes. Conclusion: Participants evaluated the usability of the virtual reality training intervention positively. Results indicate that the intervention improves gait- and balance-related physical performance measures in untrained elderly. The present results warrant a clinical explorative study investigating the usability and effectiveness of the exergame-based program in stroke patients.

Validation and testing of the Acceptability E-scale for Web-based patient-reported outcomes in cancer care

PubMed Central

Tariman, Joseph D.; Berry, Donna L.; Halpenny, Barbara; Wolpin, Seth; Schepp, Karen

2010-01-01

The performance of the Acceptability E-scale was tested in a sample of 627 adult and older adult patients from various oncology clinics who completed an electronic symptoms survey. The revised Acceptability E-scale has strong psychometric properties and can be useful in assessing the acceptability and usability of computerized health-related programs in oncology and other health population. PMID:20974066

Development and Validation of a Short-Form Safety Net Medical Home Scale.

PubMed

Nocon, Robert S; Gunter, Kathryn E; Gao, Yue; Lee, Sang Mee; Chin, Marshall H

2017-12-01

To develop a short-form Safety Net Medical Home Scale (SNMHS) for assessing patient-centered medical home (PCMH) capability in safety net clinics. National surveys of federally qualified health centers (FQHCs). Interviews with FQHC directors. We constructed three short-form SNMHS versions and examined correlations with full SNMHS and related primary care assessments. We tested usability with FQHC directors and reviewed scale development with an advisory group. Federally qualified health center surveys were administered in 2009 and 2013, by mail and online. Usability testing was conducted through telephone interviews with FQHC directors in 2013. Six-, 12-, and 18-question short-form SNMHS versions had Pearson correlations with full scale of 0.84, 0.92, and 0.96, respectively. All versions showed a level of convergent validity with other primary care assessment scales comparable to the full SNMHS. User testers found short forms to be low-burden, though missing some PCMH concepts. Advisory group members expressed caution over missing concepts and appropriate use of short-form self-assessments. Short-form versions of SNMHS showed strong correlations with full scale and may be useful for brief assessment of safety net PCMH capability. Each short-form SNMHS version may be appropriate for different research, quality improvement, and assessment purposes. © Health Research and Educational Trust.

Evaluation of the usability of a serious game aiming to teach facial expressions to schizophrenic patients.

PubMed

Isleyen, Filiz; Gulkesen, K Hakan; Cinemre, Buket; Samur, M Kemal; Zayim, Nese; Sen Kaya, Semiha

2014-01-01

In some psychological disorders such as autism and schizophrenia, loss of facial expression recognition skill may complicate patient's daily life. Information technology may help to develop facial expression recognition skill by educational software and games. We designed and developed an interactive web-based educational program with which we performed a usability study before investigating its effectiveness on the schizophrenia patients' ability of emotion perception. The purpose of this study is to describe the usability evaluation for a web-based game set that has been designed to teach facial expressions to schizophrenic patients. The usability study was done at two steps; first, we applied heuristic evaluation and the violations were rated in a scale from most to least severe and the major problems were solved. In the second step, think-aloud method was used and the web site was assessed by five schizophrenic patients. Eight experts participated in the heuristic evaluation, in which a total of 60 violations were identified with a mean severity of 2.77 (range: 0-4). All of the major problems (severity over 2.5) were listed and the usability problems were solved by the development team. After solving the problems, five users with a diagnosis of schizophrenia used the web site with the same scenario. They reported to have experienced minor, but different problems. In conclusion, we suggest that a combination of heuristic evaluation and think-aloud method may be an effective and efficient way for usability evaluations for the serious games that have been designed for special patient groups.

A Mobile App (BEDSide Mobility) to Support Nurses’ Tasks at the Patient's Bedside: Usability Study

PubMed Central

Weinhold, Thomas; Joe, Jonathan; Lovis, Christian; Blondon, Katherine

2018-01-01

Background The introduction of clinical information systems has increased the amount of clinical documentation. Although this documentation generally improves patient safety, it has become a time-consuming task for nurses, which limits their time with the patient. On the basis of a user-centered methodology, we have developed a mobile app named BEDSide Mobility to support nurses in their daily workflow and to facilitate documentation at the bedside. Objective The aim of the study was to assess the usability of the BEDSide Mobility app in terms of the navigation and interaction design through usability testing. Methods Nurses were asked to complete a scenario reflecting their daily work with patients. Their interactions with the app were captured with eye-tracking glasses and by using the think aloud protocol. After completing the tasks, participants filled out the system usability scale questionnaire. Descriptive statistics were used to summarize task completion rates and the users’ performance. Results A total of 10 nurses (aged 21-50) participated in the study. Overall, they were satisfied with the navigation, layout, and interaction design of the app, with the exception of one user who was unfamiliar with smartphones. The problems identified were related to the ambiguity of some icons, the navigation logic, and design inconsistency. Conclusions Besides the usability issues identified in the app, the participants’ results do indicate good usability, high acceptance, and high satisfaction with the developed app. However, the results must be taken with caution because of the poor ecological validity of the experimental setting. PMID:29563074

Audited credential delegation: a usable security solution for the virtual physiological human toolkit.

PubMed

Haidar, Ali N; Zasada, Stefan J; Coveney, Peter V; Abdallah, Ali E; Beckles, Bruce; Jones, Mike A S

2011-06-06

We present applications of audited credential delegation (ACD), a usable security solution for authentication, authorization and auditing in distributed virtual physiological human (VPH) project environments that removes the use of digital certificates from end-users' experience. Current security solutions are based on public key infrastructure (PKI). While PKI offers strong security for VPH projects, it suffers from serious usability shortcomings in terms of end-user acquisition and management of credentials which deter scientists from exploiting distributed VPH environments. By contrast, ACD supports the use of local credentials. Currently, a local ACD username-password combination can be used to access grid-based resources while Shibboleth support is underway. Moreover, ACD provides seamless and secure access to shared patient data, tools and infrastructure, thus supporting the provision of personalized medicine for patients, scientists and clinicians participating in e-health projects from a local to the widest international scale.

Audited credential delegation: a usable security solution for the virtual physiological human toolkit

PubMed Central

Haidar, Ali N.; Zasada, Stefan J.; Coveney, Peter V.; Abdallah, Ali E.; Beckles, Bruce; Jones, Mike A. S.

2011-01-01

We present applications of audited credential delegation (ACD), a usable security solution for authentication, authorization and auditing in distributed virtual physiological human (VPH) project environments that removes the use of digital certificates from end-users' experience. Current security solutions are based on public key infrastructure (PKI). While PKI offers strong security for VPH projects, it suffers from serious usability shortcomings in terms of end-user acquisition and management of credentials which deter scientists from exploiting distributed VPH environments. By contrast, ACD supports the use of local credentials. Currently, a local ACD username–password combination can be used to access grid-based resources while Shibboleth support is underway. Moreover, ACD provides seamless and secure access to shared patient data, tools and infrastructure, thus supporting the provision of personalized medicine for patients, scientists and clinicians participating in e-health projects from a local to the widest international scale. PMID:22670214

Seamless recording of glucometer measurements among older experienced diabetic patients - A study of perception and usability.

PubMed

Rasche, Peter; Mertens, Alexander; Miron-Shatz, Talya; Berzon, Corinne; Schlick, Christopher M; Jahn, Michael; Becker, Stefan

2018-01-01

Self-measurement and documentation of blood-glucose are critical elements of diabetes management, particularly in regimes including insulin. In this study, we analyze the usability of iBG-STAR, the first blood glucose meter connectable to a smartphone. This technology records glucometer measurements, removing the burden of documentation from diabetic patients. This study assesses the potential for implementation of iBG-STAR in routine care. Twelve long-term diabetic patients (4 males; median age of 66.5 years) were enrolled in the study. N = 4/12 reported diabetic polyneuropathy. Reported subjective mental workload for all tasks related to iBG-STAR was on average lower than 12 points, corresponding to the verbal code 'nearly no effort needed'. A "Post Study System Usability Questionnaire", evaluated the glucometer at an average value of 2.06 (SD = 1.02) on a 7-Likert-scale (1 = 'I fully agree' to 7 = 'I completely disagree') for usability. These results represent a positive user-experience. Patients with polyneuropathy may experience physical difficulties in completing the tasks, thereby affecting usability. Technologically savvy patients (n = 6) with a positive outlook on diabetes assessed the product as a suitable tool for themselves and would recommend to other diabetic patients. The main barrier to regular use was treating physicians' inability to retrieve digitally recorded data. This barrier was due to a shortcoming in interoperability of mobile devices and medical information systems.

Testing RISKGIS Platform with Students to Improve Learning and Teaching Skills

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Olyazadeh, R.; Aye, Z. C.; Jaboyedoff, M.; Derron, M. H.

2016-12-01

Nowadays, open-source developments in the field of natural hazards and risk management increase rapidly. The governments, NGOs and other research institutes are producing data for risk and disaster analysis, but a few platforms are available to bring a real-life experience to the students. This work focuses on the preliminary results of testing a WebGIS platform called RISKGIS with the bachelor students at the University of Lausanne. The platform is designed based on a geospatial open-source technology called OpenGeo (Boundless). This platform can calculate the potential risk of the buildings and assist the students to understand the situations for risk reduction mitigation and decision-making. The center of Jomsom in Nepal was selected for the first exercise that may be affected by amplifications of earthquake. The shaking intensity map was designed by an expert based on the geological characteristics and DEM (Digital Elevation Model) of the area. All buildings data were extracted from OpenStreetMap using QGIS and adapted to the platform. The video tutorial was prepared to guide the students through the platform, and 80 students have tested the application online successfully and 40 of them participated in Moodle (a free Open Source software package for educators) for online feedback and quiz. Among those, 30 of them have completely answered to both. We had interesting results for effectiveness, efficiency and satisfaction based on System Usability Scale (SUS). The SUS score for this platform was 68.6 out of 100. The average result of the quiz was 9.39 out of 10 with a duration of 8 to 33 minutes to answer the quiz. There were several outliers for this duration with 2 minutes (two students) and 9 to 18 hours (three students). Further exercises will be carried out with students by adding more advanced functions to the platform and improving the willingness of participation in this online learning platform. This project is funded by Fonds d'innovation pédagogique de l'Université de Lausanne (FIP). We think this initial, ongoing platform can help both students and teachers to improve their skills in the field of risk and disaster management.Keywords: Risk and disaster Management, GIS, Open-Source, Boundless, Moodle, Teaching and learning

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Adam, J. C.; Stephens, J. C.; Chung, Serena

As managers of agricultural and natural resources are confronted with uncertainties in global change impacts, the complexities associated with the interconnected cycling of nitrogen, carbon, and water present daunting management challenges. Existing models provide detailed information on specific sub-systems (land, air, water, economics, etc). An increasing awareness of the unintended consequences of management decisions resulting from interconnectedness of these sub-systems, however, necessitates coupled regional earth system models (EaSMs). Decision makers’ needs and priorities can be integrated into the model design and development processes to enhance decision-making relevance and "usability" of EaSMs. BioEarth is a current research initiative with a focusmore » on the U.S. Pacific Northwest region that explores the coupling of multiple stand-alone EaSMs to generate usable information for resource decision-making. Direct engagement between model developers and non-academic stakeholders involved in resource and environmental management decisions throughout the model development process is a critical component of this effort. BioEarth utilizes a "bottom-up" approach, upscaling a catchment-scale model to basin and regional scales, as opposed to the "top-down" approach of downscaling global models utilized by most other EaSM efforts. This paper describes the BioEarth initiative and highlights opportunities and challenges associated with coupling multiple stand-alone models to generate usable information for agricultural and natural resource decision-making.« less

Usability problems do not heal by themselves: National survey on physicians' experiences with EHRs in Finland.

PubMed

Kaipio, Johanna; Lääveri, Tinja; Hyppönen, Hannele; Vainiomäki, Suvi; Reponen, Jarmo; Kushniruk, Andre; Borycki, Elizabeth; Vänskä, Jukka

2017-01-01

Survey studies of health information systems use tend to focus on availability of functionalities, adoption and intensity of use. Usability surveys have not been systematically conducted by any healthcare professional groups on a national scale on a repeated basis. This paper presents results from two cross-sectional surveys of physicians' experiences with the usability of currently used EHR systems in Finland. The research questions were: To what extent has the overall situation improved between 2010 and 2014? What differences are there between healthcare sectors? In the spring of 2014, a survey was conducted in Finland using a questionnaire that measures usability and respondents' user experiences with electronic health record (EHR) systems. The survey was targeted to physicians who were actively doing clinical work. Twenty-four usability-related statements, that were identical in 2010 and 2014, were analysed from the survey. The respondents were also asked to give an overall rating of the EHR system they used. The study data comprised responses from 3081 physicians from the year 2014 and from 3223 physicians in the year 2010, who were using the nine most commonly used EHR system brands in Finland. Physicians' assessments of the usability of their EHR system remain as critical as they were in 2010. On a scale from 1 ('fail') to 7 ('excellent') the average of overall ratings of their principally used EHR systems varied from 3.2 to 4.4 in 2014 (and in 2010 from 2.5 to 4.3). The results show some improvements in the following EHR functionalities and characteristics: summary view of patient's health status, prevention of errors associated with medication ordering, patient's medication list as well as support for collaboration and information exchange between the physician and the nurses. Even so, support for cross-organizational collaboration between physicians and for physician-patient collaboration were still considered inadequate. Satisfaction with technical features had not improved in four years. The results show marked differences between the EHR system brands as well as between healthcare sectors (private sector, public hospitals, primary healthcare). Compared to responses from the public sector, physicians working in the private sector were more satisfied with their EHR systems with regards to statements about user interface characteristics and support for routine tasks. Overall, the study findings are similar to our previous study conducted in 2010. Surveys about the usability of EHR systems are needed to monitor their development at regional and national levels. To our knowledge, this study is the first national eHealth observatory questionnaire that focuses on usability and is used to monitor the long-term development of EHRs. The results do not show notable improvements in physician's ratings for their EHRs between the years 2010 and 2014 in Finland. Instead, the results indicate the existence of serious problems and deficiencies which considerably hinder the efficiency of EHR use and physician's routine work. The survey results call for considerable amount of development work in order to achieve the expected benefits of EHR systems and to avoid technology-induced errors which may endanger patient safety. The findings of repeated surveys can be used to inform healthcare providers, decision makers and politicians about the current state of EHR usability and differences between brands as well as for improvements of EHR usability. This survey will be repeated in 2017 and there is a plan to include other healthcare professional groups in future surveys. Copyright © 2016 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Ireland Ltd.. All rights reserved.

Integration Of Launch Vehicle Simulation/Analysis Tools And Lunar Cargo Lander Design. Part 2/2

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

DeJean, George Brian; Shiue, Yeu-Sheng Paul; King, Jeffrey

2005-01-01

Part 2, which will be discussed in this report, will discuss the development of a Lunar Cargo Lander (unmanned launch vehicle) that will transport usable payload from Trans- Lunar Injection to the moon. The Delta IV-Heavy was originally used to transport the Lunar Cargo Lander to TLI, but other launch vehicles have been studied. In order to uncover how much payload is possible to land on the moon, research was needed in order to design the sub-systems of the spacecraft. The report will discuss and compare the use of a hypergolic and cryogenic system for its main propulsion system. The guidance, navigation, control, telecommunications, thermal, propulsion, structure, mechanisms, landing gear, command, data handling, and electrical power sub-systems were designed by scaling off other flown orbiters and moon landers. Once all data was collected, an excel spreadsheet was created to accurately calculate the usable payload that will land on the moon along with detailed mass and volume estimating relations. As designed, The Lunar Cargo Lander can plant 5,400 lbm of usable payload on the moon using a hypergolic system and 7,400 lbm of usable payload on the moon using a cryogenic system.

Nano-materials enabled thermoelectricity from window glasses.

PubMed

Inayat, Salman B; Rader, Kelly R; Hussain, Muhammad M

2012-01-01

With a projection of nearly doubling up the world population by 2050, we need wide variety of renewable and clean energy sources to meet the increased energy demand. Solar energy is considered as the leading promising alternate energy source with the pertinent challenge of off sunshine period and uneven worldwide distribution of usable sun light. Although thermoelectricity is considered as a reasonable renewable energy from wasted heat, its mass scale usage is yet to be developed. Here we show, large scale integration of nano-manufactured pellets of thermoelectric nano-materials, embedded into window glasses to generate thermoelectricity using the temperature difference between hot outside and cool inside. For the first time, this work offers an opportunity to potentially generate 304 watts of usable power from 9 m(2) window at a 20°C temperature gradient. If a natural temperature gradient exists, this can serve as a sustainable energy source for green building technology.

High End Computing Technologies for Earth Science Applications: Trends, Challenges, and Innovations

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Parks, John (Technical Monitor); Biswas, Rupak; Yan, Jerry C.; Brooks, Walter F.; Sterling, Thomas L.

2003-01-01

Earth science applications of the future will stress the capabilities of even the highest performance supercomputers in the areas of raw compute power, mass storage management, and software environments. These NASA mission critical problems demand usable multi-petaflops and exabyte-scale systems to fully realize their science goals. With an exciting vision of the technologies needed, NASA has established a comprehensive program of advanced research in computer architecture, software tools, and device technology to ensure that, in partnership with US industry, it can meet these demanding requirements with reliable, cost effective, and usable ultra-scale systems. NASA will exploit, explore, and influence emerging high end computing architectures and technologies to accelerate the next generation of engineering, operations, and discovery processes for NASA Enterprises. This article captures this vision and describes the concepts, accomplishments, and the potential payoff of the key thrusts that will help meet the computational challenges in Earth science applications.

Automated Scoring of Teachers' Open-Ended Responses to Video Prompts: Bringing the Classroom-Video-Analysis Assessment to Scale

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kersting, Nicole B.; Sherin, Bruce L.; Stigler, James W.

2014-01-01

In this study, we explored the potential for machine scoring of short written responses to the Classroom-Video-Analysis (CVA) assessment, which is designed to measure teachers' usable mathematics teaching knowledge. We created naïve Bayes classifiers for CVA scales assessing three different topic areas and compared computer-generated scores to…

Content validity and electronic PRO (ePRO) usability of the Lung Cancer Symptom Scale-Mesothelioma (LCSS-Meso) in mesothelioma patients.

PubMed

Gelhorn, Heather L; Skalicky, Anne M; Balantac, Zaneta; Eremenco, Sonya; Cimms, Tricia; Halling, Katarina; Hollen, Patricia J; Gralla, Richard J; Mahoney, Martin C; Sexton, Chris

2018-07-01

Obtaining qualitative data directly from the patient perspective enhances the content validity of patient-reported outcome (PRO) instruments. The objective of this qualitative study was to evaluate the content validity of the Lung Cancer Symptom Scale for Mesothelioma (LCSS-Meso) and its usability on an electronic device. A cross-sectional methodological study, using a qualitative approach, was conducted among patients recruited from four clinical sites. The primary target population included patients with pleural mesothelioma; data were also collected from patients with peritoneal mesothelioma on an exploratory basis. Semi-structured interviews were conducted consisting of concept elicitation, cognitive interviewing, and evaluation of electronic patient-reported outcome (ePRO) usability. Participants (n = 21) were interviewed in person (n = 9) or by telephone (n = 12); 71% were male with a mean age of 69 years (SD = 14). The most common signs and symptoms experienced by participants with pleural mesothelioma (n = 18) were shortness of breath, fluid build-up, pain, fatigue, coughing, and appetite loss. The most commonly described symptoms for those with peritoneal mesothelioma (n = 4) were bloating, changes in appetite, fatigue, fluid build-up, shortness of breath, and pain. Participants with pleural mesothelioma commonly described symptoms assessed by the LCSS-Meso in language consistent with the questionnaire and a majority understood and easily completed each of the items. The ePRO version was easy to use, and there was no evidence that the electronic formatting changed the way participants responded to the questions. Results support the content validity of the LCSS-Meso and the usability of the electronic format for use in assessing symptoms among patients with pleural mesothelioma.

Standards for Instrument Migration When Implementing Paper Patient-Reported Outcome Instruments Electronically: Recommendations from a Qualitative Synthesis of Cognitive Interview and Usability Studies.

PubMed

Muehlhausen, Willie; Byrom, Bill; Skerritt, Barbara; McCarthy, Marie; McDowell, Bryan; Sohn, Jeremy

2018-01-01

To synthesize the findings of cognitive interview and usability studies performed to assess the measurement equivalence of patient-reported outcome (PRO) instruments migrated from paper to electronic formats (ePRO), and make recommendations regarding future migration validation requirements and ePRO design best practice. We synthesized findings from all cognitive interview and usability studies performed by a contract research organization between 2012 and 2015: 53 studies comprising 68 unique instruments and 101 instrument evaluations. We summarized study findings to make recommendations for best practice and future validation requirements. Five studies (9%) identified minor findings during cognitive interview that may possibly affect instrument measurement properties. All findings could be addressed by application of ePRO best practice, such as eliminating scrolling, ensuring appropriate font size, ensuring suitable thickness of visual analogue scale lines, and providing suitable instructions. Similarly, regarding solution usability, 49 of the 53 studies (92%) recommended no changes in display clarity, navigation, operation, and completion without help. Reported usability findings could be eliminated by following good product design such as the size, location, and responsiveness of navigation buttons. With the benefit of accumulating evidence, it is possible to relax the need to routinely conduct cognitive interview and usability studies when implementing minor changes during instrument migration. Application of design best practice and selecting vendor solutions with good user interface and user experience properties that have been assessed in a representative group may enable many instrument migrations to be accepted without formal validation studies by instead conducting a structured expert screen review. Copyright © 2018 International Society for Pharmacoeconomics and Outcomes Research (ISPOR). Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

A Mobile App (BEDSide Mobility) to Support Nurses' Tasks at the Patient's Bedside: Usability Study.

PubMed

Ehrler, Frederic; Weinhold, Thomas; Joe, Jonathan; Lovis, Christian; Blondon, Katherine

2018-03-21

The introduction of clinical information systems has increased the amount of clinical documentation. Although this documentation generally improves patient safety, it has become a time-consuming task for nurses, which limits their time with the patient. On the basis of a user-centered methodology, we have developed a mobile app named BEDSide Mobility to support nurses in their daily workflow and to facilitate documentation at the bedside. The aim of the study was to assess the usability of the BEDSide Mobility app in terms of the navigation and interaction design through usability testing. Nurses were asked to complete a scenario reflecting their daily work with patients. Their interactions with the app were captured with eye-tracking glasses and by using the think aloud protocol. After completing the tasks, participants filled out the system usability scale questionnaire. Descriptive statistics were used to summarize task completion rates and the users' performance. A total of 10 nurses (aged 21-50) participated in the study. Overall, they were satisfied with the navigation, layout, and interaction design of the app, with the exception of one user who was unfamiliar with smartphones. The problems identified were related to the ambiguity of some icons, the navigation logic, and design inconsistency. Besides the usability issues identified in the app, the participants' results do indicate good usability, high acceptance, and high satisfaction with the developed app. However, the results must be taken with caution because of the poor ecological validity of the experimental setting. ©Frederic Ehrler, Thomas Weinhold, Jonathan Joe, Christian Lovis, Katherine Blondon. Originally published in JMIR Mhealth and Uhealth (http://mhealth.jmir.org), 21.03.2018.

An iPad-Based Tool for Improving the Skills of Children with Attention Deficit Disorder.

PubMed

Wrońska, Natalia; Garcia-Zapirain, Begonya; Mendez-Zorrilla, Amaia

2015-06-02

Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD), with a worldwide prevalence of 5.29%-7.1%, is one of the most common neurodevelopmental disorders among children and adolescents. Apart from typical symptoms like inattention, hyperactivity and impulsiveness, patients also evidence attention deficit problems with reading comprehension. This in turn causes poor school performance and widens the gap with peers without ADHD. This paper presents a novel and interactive tool based on Serious Games for Health, whose aim is not only to improve comprehension, but also hold the user's attention. This tool is geared towards assessing reading quality and is intended for iPad devices. Preliminary results obtained from the experiment performed to evaluate the game are included in this report. A group of six typically developing children from Colegio Vizcaya aged between 8 and 12 took part in the evaluation of motivation, satisfaction and usability of the same therapy in the new media. Results obtained by participants playing the game were analysed together with questionnaires concerning the usability of the system. Game evaluation resulted in relatively good statistics-average score was 3 points out of 4 and average time for completing the exercise was 59 seconds. A SUS questionnaire with an average score of 92.75 out of 100 indicates that the game presented is user-friendly and an effective tool. Moreover, based on the feedback obtained from participants, the game had been improved and additional functionality introduced. Older participants completed the first game faster than the younger ones, but age was not influential in subsequent games.

An iPad-Based Tool for Improving the Skills of Children with Attention Deficit Disorder

PubMed Central

Wrońska, Natalia; Garcia-Zapirain, Begonya; Mendez-Zorrilla, Amaia

2015-01-01

Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD), with a worldwide prevalence of 5.29%–7.1%, is one of the most common neurodevelopmental disorders among children and adolescents. Apart from typical symptoms like inattention, hyperactivity and impulsiveness, patients also evidence attention deficit problems with reading comprehension. This in turn causes poor school performance and widens the gap with peers without ADHD. This paper presents a novel and interactive tool based on Serious Games for Health, whose aim is not only to improve comprehension, but also hold the user’s attention. This tool is geared towards assessing reading quality and is intended for iPad devices. Preliminary results obtained from the experiment performed to evaluate the game are included in this report. A group of six typically developing children from Colegio Vizcaya aged between 8 and 12 took part in the evaluation of motivation, satisfaction and usability of the same therapy in the new media. Results obtained by participants playing the game were analysed together with questionnaires concerning the usability of the system. Game evaluation resulted in relatively good statistics-average score was 3 points out of 4 and average time for completing the exercise was 59 seconds. A SUS questionnaire with an average score of 92.75 out of 100 indicates that the game presented is user-friendly and an effective tool. Moreover, based on the feedback obtained from participants, the game had been improved and additional functionality introduced. Older participants completed the first game faster than the younger ones, but age was not influential in subsequent games. PMID:26042366

How International Large-Scale Skills Assessments Engage with National Actors: Mobilising Networks through Policy, Media and Public Knowledge

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hamilton, Mary

2017-01-01

This paper examines how international, large-scale skills assessments (ILSAs) engage with the broader societies they seek to serve and improve. It looks particularly at the discursive work that is done by different interest groups and the media through which the findings become part of public conversations and are translated into usable form in…

Development and preliminary user testing of the DCIDA (Dynamic computer interactive decision application) for 'nudging' patients towards high quality decisions.

PubMed

Bansback, Nick; Li, Linda C; Lynd, Larry; Bryan, Stirling

2014-08-01

Patient decision aids (PtDA) are developed to facilitate informed, value-based decisions about health. Research suggests that even when informed with necessary evidence and information, cognitive errors can prevent patients from choosing the option that is most congruent with their own values. We sought to utilize principles of behavioural economics to develop a computer application that presents information from conventional decision aids in a way that reduces these errors, subsequently promoting higher quality decisions. The Dynamic Computer Interactive Decision Application (DCIDA) was developed to target four common errors that can impede quality decision making with PtDAs: unstable values, order effects, overweighting of rare events, and information overload. Healthy volunteers were recruited to an interview to use three PtDAs converted to the DCIDA on a computer equipped with an eye tracker. Participants were first used a conventional PtDA, and then subsequently used the DCIDA version. User testing was assessed based on whether respondents found the software both usable: evaluated using a) eye-tracking, b) the system usability scale, and c) user verbal responses from a 'think aloud' protocol; and useful: evaluated using a) eye-tracking, b) whether preferences for options were changed, and c) and the decisional conflict scale. Of the 20 participants recruited to the study, 11 were male (55%), the mean age was 35, 18 had at least a high school education (90%), and 8 (40%) had a college or university degree. Eye-tracking results, alongside a mean system usability scale score of 73 (range 68-85), indicated a reasonable degree of usability for the DCIDA. The think aloud study suggested areas for further improvement. The DCIDA also appeared to be useful to participants wherein subjects focused more on the features of the decision that were most important to them (21% increase in time spent focusing on the most important feature). Seven subjects (25%) changed their preferred option when using DCIDA. Preliminary results suggest that DCIDA has potential to improve the quality of patient decision-making. Next steps include larger studies to test individual components of DCIDA and feasibility testing with patients making real decisions.

Mobile three-dimensional visualisation technologies for clinician-led fall prevention assessments.

PubMed

Hamm, Julian; Money, Arthur G; Atwal, Anita; Ghinea, Gheorghita

2017-08-01

The assistive equipment provision process is routinely carried out with patients to mitigate fall risk factors via the fitment of assistive equipment within the home. However, currently, over 50% of assistive equipment is abandoned by the patients due to poor fit between the patient and the assistive equipment. This paper explores clinician perceptions of an early stage three-dimensional measurement aid prototype, which provides enhanced assistive equipment provision process guidance to clinicians. Ten occupational therapists trialled the three-dimensional measurement aid prototype application; think-aloud and semi-structured interview data was collected. Usability was measured with the System Usability Scale. Participants scored three-dimensional measurement aid prototype as 'excellent' and agreed strongly with items relating to the usability and learnability of the application. The qualitative analysis identified opportunities for improving existing practice, including, improved interpretation/recording measurements; enhanced collaborative practice within the assistive equipment provision process. Future research is needed to determine the clinical utility of this application compared with two-dimensional counterpart paper-based guidance leaflets.

The Shared Decision Making Frontier: a Feasibility and Usability Study for Managing Non-Critical Chronic Illness by Combining Behavioural & Decision Theory with Online Technology.

PubMed

Russell, Amina; Van Woensel, William; Abidi, Samina Raza

2015-01-01

The objective of this study is to determine if shared decisions for managing non-critical chronic illness, made through an online biomedical technology intervention, us feasible and usable. The technology intervention incorporates behavioural and decision theories to increase patient engagement, and ultimately long term adherence to health behaviour change. We devised the iheart web intervention as a "proof of concept" in five phases. The implementation incorporates the Vaadin web application framework, Drools, EclipseLink and a MySQL database. Two-thirds of the study participants favoured the technology intervention, based on Likert-scale questions from a post-study questionnaire. Qualitative analysis of think aloud feedback, video screen captures and open-ended questions from the post-study questionnaire uncovered six main areas or themes for improvement. We conclude that online shared decisions for managing a non-critical chronic illness are feasible and usable through the iheart web intervention.

Pervasive assistive technology for people with dementia: a UCD case

PubMed Central

Rønn-Andersen, Kristoffer V.H.; Bień, Paulina; Özkil, Ali Gürcan; Forchhammer, Birgitte Hysse; Maier, Anja M.

2016-01-01

Smart mobile and wearable technology offers exciting opportunities to support people with dementia (PwD). Its ubiquity and popularity could even benefit user adoption – a great challenge for assistive technology (AT) for PwD that calls for user-centred design (UCD) methods. This study describes a user-centred approach to developing and testing AT based on off-the-shelf pervasive technologies. A prototype is created by combining a smartphone, smartwatch and various applications to offer six support features. This is tested among five end-users (PwD) and their caregivers. Controlled usability testing was followed by field testing in a real-world context. Data is gathered from video recordings, interaction logs, system usability scale questionnaires, logbooks, application usage logs and interviews structured on the unified theory of acceptance and use of technology model. The data is analysed to evaluate usability, usefulness and user acceptance. Results show some promise for user adoption, but highlight challenges to be overcome, emphasising personalisation and familiarity as key considerations. The complete findings regarding usability issues, usefulness of support features and four identified adoption profiles are used to provide a set of recommendations for practitioners and further research. These contribute toward UCD practices for improved smart, pervasive AT for dementia. PMID:28008366

Development and psychometric evaluation of the Assessment of Core CBT Skills (ACCS): An observation-based tool for assessing cognitive behavioral therapy competence.

PubMed

Muse, Kate; McManus, Freda; Rakovshik, Sarah; Thwaites, Richard

2017-05-01

This article outlines the development and psychometric evaluation of the Assessment of Core CBT Skills (ACCS) rating scale. The ACCS aims to provide a novel assessment framework to deliver formative and summative feedback regarding therapists' performance within observed cognitive-behavioral treatment sessions, and for therapists to rate and reflect on their own performance. Findings from 3 studies are outlined: (a) a feedback study (n = 66) examining content validity, face validity and usability; (b) a focus group (n = 9) evaluating usability and utility; and (c) an evaluation of the psychometric properties of the ACCS in real world cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) training and routine clinical practice contexts. Results suggest that the ACCS has good face validity, content validity, and usability and provides a user-friendly tool that is useful for promoting self-reflection and providing formative feedback. Scores on both the self and assessor-rated versions of the ACCS demonstrate good internal consistency, interrater reliability, and discriminant validity. In addition, ACCS scores were found to be correlated with, but distinct from, the Revised Cognitive Therapy Scale (CTS-R) and were comparable to CTS-R scores in terms of internal consistency and discriminant validity. In addition, the ACCS may have advantages over the CTS-R in terms of interrater reliability of scores. The studies also provided insight into areas for refinement and a number of modifications were undertaken to improve the scale. In summary, the ACCS is an appropriate and useful measure of CBT competence that can be used to promote self-reflection and provide therapists with formative and summative feedback. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2017 APA, all rights reserved).

An Evaluation of the Design and Usability of a Novel Robotic Bilateral Arm Rehabilitation Device for Patients with Stroke.

PubMed

Pei, Yu-Cheng; Chen, Jean-Lon; Wong, Alice M K; Tseng, Kevin C

2017-01-01

Case series. IV (case series). Robot-assisted therapy for upper limb rehabilitation is an emerging research topic and its design process must integrate engineering, neurological pathophysiology, and clinical needs. This study developed/evaluated the usefulness of a novel rehabilitation device, the MirrorPath , designed for the upper limb rehabilitation of patients with hemiplegic stroke. The process follows Tseng's methodology for innovative product design and development, namely two stages, device development and usability assessment. During the development process, the design was guided by patients' rehabilitation needs as defined by patients and their therapists. The design applied synchronic movement of the bilateral upper limbs, an approach that is compatible with the bilateral movement therapy and proprioceptive neuromuscular facilitation theories. MirrorPath consists of a robotic device that guides upper limb movement linked to a control module containing software controlling the robotic movement. Five healthy subjects were recruited in the pretest, and 4 patients, 4 caregivers, and 4 therapists were recruited in the formal test for usability. All recruited subjects were allocated to the test group, completed the evaluation, and their data were all analyzed. The total system usability scale score obtained from the patients, caregivers, and therapists was 71.8 ± 11.9, indicating a high level of usability and product acceptance. Following a standard development process, we could yield a design that meets clinical needs. This low-cost device provides a feasible platform for carrying out robot-assisted bilateral movement therapy of patients with hemiplegic stroke. identifier NCT02698605.

A novel computerized surgeon-machine interface for robot-assisted laser phonomicrosurgery.

PubMed

Mattos, Leonardo S; Deshpande, Nikhil; Barresi, Giacinto; Guastini, Luca; Peretti, Giorgio

2014-08-01

To introduce a novel computerized surgical system for improved usability, intuitiveness, accuracy, and controllability in robot-assisted laser phonomicrosurgery. Pilot technology assessment. The novel system was developed involving a newly designed motorized laser micromanipulator, a touch-screen display, and a graphics stylus. The system allows the control of a CO2 laser through interaction between the stylus and the live video of the surgical area. This empowers the stylus with the ability to have actual effect on the surgical site. Surgical enhancements afforded by this system were established through a pilot technology assessment using randomized trials comparing its performance with a state-of-the-art laser microsurgery system. Resident surgeons and medical students were chosen as subjects in performing sets of trajectory-following exercises. Image processing-based techniques were used for an objective performance assessment. A System Usability Scale-based questionnaire was used for the qualitative assessment. The computerized interface demonstrated superiority in usability, accuracy, and controllability over the state-of-the-art system. Significant ease of use and learning experienced by the subjects were demonstrated by the usability score assigned to the two compared interfaces: computerized interface = 83.96% versus state-of-the-art = 68.02%. The objective analysis showed a significant enhancement in accuracy and controllability: computerized interface = 90.02% versus state-of-the-art = 75.59%. The novel system significantly enhances the accuracy, usability, and controllability in laser phonomicrosurgery. The design provides an opportunity to improve the ergonomics and safety of current surgical setups. © 2014 The American Laryngological, Rhinological and Otological Society, Inc.

TRAK App Suite: A Web-Based Intervention for Delivering Standard Care for the Rehabilitation of Knee Conditions.

PubMed

Spasić, Irena; Button, Kate; Divoli, Anna; Gupta, Satyam; Pataky, Tamas; Pizzocaro, Diego; Preece, Alun; van Deursen, Robert; Wilson, Chris

2015-10-16

Standard care for the rehabilitation of knee conditions involves exercise programs and information provision. Current methods of rehabilitation delivery struggle to keep up with large volumes of patients and the length of treatment required to maximize the recovery. Therefore, the development of novel interventions to support self-management is strongly recommended. Such interventions need to include information provision, goal setting, monitoring, feedback, and support groups, but the most effective methods of their delivery are poorly understood. The Internet provides a medium for intervention delivery with considerable potential for meeting these needs. The objective of this study was to demonstrate the feasibility of a Web-based app and to conduct a preliminary review of its practicability as part of a complex medical intervention in the rehabilitation of knee disorders. This paper describes the development, implementation, and usability of such an app. An interdisciplinary team of health care professionals and researchers, computer scientists, and app developers developed the TRAK app suite. The key functionality of the app includes information provision, a three-step exercise program based on a standard care for the rehabilitation of knee conditions, self-monitoring with visual feedback, and a virtual support group. There were two types of stakeholders (patients and physiotherapists) that were recruited for the usability study. The usability questionnaire was used to collect both qualitative and quantitative information on computer and Internet usage, task completion, and subjective user preferences. A total of 16 patients and 15 physiotherapists participated in the usability study. Based on the System Usability Scale, the TRAK app has higher perceived usability than 70% of systems. Both patients and physiotherapists agreed that the given Web-based approach would facilitate communication, provide information, help recall information, improve understanding, enable exercise progression, and support self-management in general. The Web app was found to be easy to use and user satisfaction was very high. The TRAK app suite can be accessed at http://apps.facebook.com/kneetrak/. The usability study suggests that a Web-based intervention is feasible and acceptable in supporting self-management of knee conditions.

TRAK App Suite: A Web-Based Intervention for Delivering Standard Care for the Rehabilitation of Knee Conditions

PubMed Central

Divoli, Anna; Gupta, Satyam; Pataky, Tamas; Pizzocaro, Diego; Preece, Alun; van Deursen, Robert; Wilson, Chris

2015-01-01

Background Standard care for the rehabilitation of knee conditions involves exercise programs and information provision. Current methods of rehabilitation delivery struggle to keep up with large volumes of patients and the length of treatment required to maximize the recovery. Therefore, the development of novel interventions to support self-management is strongly recommended. Such interventions need to include information provision, goal setting, monitoring, feedback, and support groups, but the most effective methods of their delivery are poorly understood. The Internet provides a medium for intervention delivery with considerable potential for meeting these needs. Objective The objective of this study was to demonstrate the feasibility of a Web-based app and to conduct a preliminary review of its practicability as part of a complex medical intervention in the rehabilitation of knee disorders. This paper describes the development, implementation, and usability of such an app. Methods An interdisciplinary team of health care professionals and researchers, computer scientists, and app developers developed the TRAK app suite. The key functionality of the app includes information provision, a three-step exercise program based on a standard care for the rehabilitation of knee conditions, self-monitoring with visual feedback, and a virtual support group. There were two types of stakeholders (patients and physiotherapists) that were recruited for the usability study. The usability questionnaire was used to collect both qualitative and quantitative information on computer and Internet usage, task completion, and subjective user preferences. Results A total of 16 patients and 15 physiotherapists participated in the usability study. Based on the System Usability Scale, the TRAK app has higher perceived usability than 70% of systems. Both patients and physiotherapists agreed that the given Web-based approach would facilitate communication, provide information, help recall information, improve understanding, enable exercise progression, and support self-management in general. The Web app was found to be easy to use and user satisfaction was very high. The TRAK app suite can be accessed at http://apps.facebook.com/kneetrak/. Conclusions The usability study suggests that a Web-based intervention is feasible and acceptable in supporting self-management of knee conditions. PMID:26474643

Qualitative and quantitative evaluation of EHR-integrated mobile patient questionnaires regarding usability and cost-efficiency.

PubMed

Fritz, Fleur; Balhorn, Sebastian; Riek, Markus; Breil, Bernhard; Dugas, Martin

2012-05-01

The objective of this evaluation study is to assess a web-based application, currently available on iPad, to document questionnaires regarding patient reported outcomes such as quality of life. Based on the single source approach, the results of these questionnaires are available in the electronic health record to be used for treatment and research purposes. The assessment focuses on the usability and efficiency of the system. The system usability scale questionnaire with seven additional items was used to rate the usability by the patients. It was formally validated by a Cronbach Alpha test. In addition, semi-structured interviews were conducted with patients and medical staff. Time and cost measures, based on official tables of costs, were taken through workflow observations. This study was conducted in the department of dermatology at the University Hospital of Münster, Germany from April to June 2011. Using the web-based application questionnaire, results about patient reported outcomes like quality of life are immediately available in the electronic health record and can be used for treatment or research purposes. 118 patients and four staff members participated in the study. The usability score reached 80 from 100 points and patients as well as medical staff stated in the interviews that the usability of the web-based system was high, and they preferred it to the previously used paper-based questionnaires. In the setting of our pilot department the mobile devices amortized their costs after 6.7 months. In general, depending on the professional group who are going to post process the paper-based forms, the earliest break-even point to use mobile questionnaires is at 1737 paper sheets per year. The mobile patient questionnaires, integrated into the electronic health record, were well accepted in our pilot setting with high usability scores from patients and medical staff alike. The system has also proved to be cost-efficient compared to the paper-based workflow, given that a certain number of questionnaires is used per year. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

A usability evaluation of medical software at an expert conference setting.

PubMed

Bond, Raymond Robert; Finlay, Dewar D; Nugent, Chris D; Moore, George; Guldenring, Daniel

2014-01-01

A usability test was employed to evaluate two medical software applications at an expert conference setting. One software application is a medical diagnostic tool (electrocardiogram [ECG] viewer) and the other is a medical research tool (electrode misplacement simulator [EMS]). These novel applications have yet to be adopted by the healthcare domain, thus, (1) we wanted to determine the potential user acceptance of these applications and (2) we wanted to determine the feasibility of evaluating medical diagnostic and medical research software at a conference setting as opposed to the conventional laboratory setting. The medical diagnostic tool (ECG viewer) was evaluated using seven delegates and the medical research tool (EMS) was evaluated using 17 delegates that were recruited at the 2010 International Conference on Computing in Cardiology. Each delegate/participant was required to use the software and undertake a set of predefined tasks during the session breaks at the conference. User interactions with the software were recorded using screen-recording software. The 'think-aloud' protocol was also used to elicit verbal feedback from the participants whilst they attempted the pre-defined tasks. Before and after each session, participants completed a pre-test and a post-test questionnaire respectively. The average duration of a usability session at the conference was 34.69 min (SD=10.28). However, taking into account that 10 min was dedicated to the pre-test and post-test questionnaires, the average time dedication to user interaction of the medical software was 24.69 min (SD=10.28). Given we have shown that usability data can be collected at conferences, this paper details the advantages of conference-based usability studies over the laboratory-based approach. For example, given delegates gather at one geographical location, a conference-based usability evaluation facilitates recruitment of a convenient sample of international subject experts. This would otherwise be very expensive to arrange. A conference-based approach also allows for data to be collected over a few days as opposed to months by avoiding administration duties normally involved in laboratory based approach, e.g. mailing invitation letters as part of a recruitment campaign. Following analysis of the user video recordings, 41 (previously unknown) use errors were identified in the advanced ECG viewer and 29 were identified in the EMS application. All use errors were given a consensus severity rating from two independent usability experts. Out of a rating scale of 4 (where 1=cosmetic and 4=critical), the average severity rating for the ECG viewer was 2.24 (SD=1.09) and the average severity rating for the EMS application was 2.34 (SD=0.97). We were also able to extract task completion rates and times from the video recordings to determine the effectiveness of the software applications. For example, six out of seven tasks were completed by all participants when using both applications. This statistic alone suggests both applications already have a high degree of usability. As well as extracting data from the video recordings, we were also able to extract data from the questionnaires. Using a semantic differential scale (where 1=poor and 5=excellent), delegates highly rated the 'responsiveness', 'usefulness', 'learnability' and the 'look and feel' of both applications. This study has shown the potential user acceptance and user-friendliness of the novel EMS and the ECG viewer applications within the healthcare domain. It has also shown that both medical diagnostic software and medical research software can be evaluated for their usability at an expert conference setting. The primary advantage of a conference-based usability evaluation over a laboratory-based evaluation is the high concentration of experts at one location, which is convenient, less time consuming and less expensive. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

The Effects of a Mobile Phone Application on Quality of Life in Patients With Type 1 Diabetes Mellitus: A Randomized Controlled Trial.

PubMed

Drion, Iefke; Pameijer, Loes R; van Dijk, Peter R; Groenier, Klaas H; Kleefstra, Nanne; Bilo, Henk J G

2015-05-11

The combination of an increasing prevalence of diabetes mellitus and more people having access to smartphones creates opportunities for patient care. This study aims to investigate whether the use of the Diabetes Under Control (DBEES) mobile phone application, a digital diabetes diary, results in a change in quality of life for patients with type 1 diabetes mellitus (T1DM) compared with the standard paper diary. In this randomized controlled open-label trial, 63 patients with T1DM having access to a smartphone were assigned to the intervention group using the DBEES application (n = 31) or the control group using the standard paper diary (n = 32). Primary outcome was the change in quality of life, as measured by the RAND-36 questionnaire, between both groups. Secondary outcomes included diabetes-related distress (PAID), HbA1c, frequency of self-monitoring blood glucose, and the usability of the diabetes application (SUS). Patients had a median age (IQR) of 33 (21) years, diabetes duration of 17 (16) years, and an HbA1c of 62 ± 16 mmol/mol. No significant differences in the QOL, using the RAND-36, within and between both groups were observed after 3 months. Glycemic control, diabetes-related emotional distress, and frequency of self-monitoring of blood glucose remained within and between groups. Users reviewed the usability of DBEES with a 72 ± 20, on a range of 0-100. The use of the DBEES application in the management of patients with T1DM for 3 months yields no alterations in quality of life compared to the standard paper diary. © 2015 Diabetes Technology Society.

Testing the Feasibility and Usability of a Novel Smartphone-Based Self-Management Support System for Dialysis Patients: A Pilot Study.

PubMed

Hayashi, Aki; Yamaguchi, Satoko; Waki, Kayo; Fujiu, Katsuhito; Hanafusa, Norio; Nishi, Takahiro; Tomita, Hyoe; Kobayashi, Haruka; Fujita, Hideo; Kadowaki, Takashi; Nangaku, Masaomi; Ohe, Kazuhiko

2017-04-20

Diet and fluid restrictions that need continuous self-management are among the most difficult aspects of dialysis treatment. Smartphone applications may be useful for supporting self-management. Our objective is to investigate the feasibility and usability of a novel smartphone-based self-management support system for dialysis patients. We developed the Self-Management and Recording System for Dialysis (SMART-D), which supports self-monitoring of three mortality-related factors that can be modified by lifestyle: interdialytic weight gain and predialysis serum potassium and phosphorus concentrations. Data is displayed graphically, with all data evaluated automatically to determine whether they achieve the values suggested by the Japanese Society for Dialysis Therapy guidelines. In a pilot study, 9 dialysis patients used SMART-D system for 2 weeks. A total of 7 of them completed questionnaires rating their assessment of SMART-D's usability and their satisfaction with the system. In addition, the Kidney Disease Quality of Life scale was compared before and after the study period. All 9 participants were able to use SMART-D with no major problems. Completion rates for body weight, pre- and postdialysis weight, and serum potassium and phosphorus concentrations were, respectively, 89% (SD 23), 95% (SD 7), and 78% (SD 44). Of the 7 participants who completed the usability survey, all were motivated by the sense of security derived from using the system, and 6 of the 7 (86%) reported that using SMART-D helped improve their lifestyle and self-management. Using SMART-D was feasible, and the system was well regarded by patients. Further study with larger scale cohorts and longer study and follow-up periods is needed to evaluate the effects of SMART-D on clinical outcomes and quality of life. ©Aki Hayashi, Satoko Yamaguchi, Kayo Waki, Katsuhito Fujiu, Norio Hanafusa, Takahiro Nishi, Hyoe Tomita, Haruka Kobayashi, Hideo Fujita, Takashi Kadowaki, Masaomi Nangaku, Kazuhiko Ohe. Originally published in JMIR Research Protocols (http://www.researchprotocols.org), 20.04.2017.

Testing the Feasibility and Usability of a Novel Smartphone-Based Self-Management Support System for Dialysis Patients: A Pilot Study

PubMed Central

Fujiu, Katsuhito; Hanafusa, Norio; Nishi, Takahiro; Tomita, Hyoe; Kobayashi, Haruka; Fujita, Hideo; Kadowaki, Takashi; Nangaku, Masaomi; Ohe, Kazuhiko

2017-01-01

Background Diet and fluid restrictions that need continuous self-management are among the most difficult aspects of dialysis treatment. Smartphone applications may be useful for supporting self-management. Objective Our objective is to investigate the feasibility and usability of a novel smartphone-based self-management support system for dialysis patients. Methods We developed the Self-Management and Recording System for Dialysis (SMART-D), which supports self-monitoring of three mortality-related factors that can be modified by lifestyle: interdialytic weight gain and predialysis serum potassium and phosphorus concentrations. Data is displayed graphically, with all data evaluated automatically to determine whether they achieve the values suggested by the Japanese Society for Dialysis Therapy guidelines. In a pilot study, 9 dialysis patients used SMART-D system for 2 weeks. A total of 7 of them completed questionnaires rating their assessment of SMART-D’s usability and their satisfaction with the system. In addition, the Kidney Disease Quality of Life scale was compared before and after the study period. Results All 9 participants were able to use SMART-D with no major problems. Completion rates for body weight, pre- and postdialysis weight, and serum potassium and phosphorus concentrations were, respectively, 89% (SD 23), 95% (SD 7), and 78% (SD 44). Of the 7 participants who completed the usability survey, all were motivated by the sense of security derived from using the system, and 6 of the 7 (86%) reported that using SMART-D helped improve their lifestyle and self-management. Conclusions Using SMART-D was feasible, and the system was well regarded by patients. Further study with larger scale cohorts and longer study and follow-up periods is needed to evaluate the effects of SMART-D on clinical outcomes and quality of life. PMID:28428168

"Usability of data integration and visualization software for multidisciplinary pediatric intensive care: a human factors approach to assessing technology".

PubMed

Lin, Ying Ling; Guerguerian, Anne-Marie; Tomasi, Jessica; Laussen, Peter; Trbovich, Patricia

2017-08-14

Intensive care clinicians use several sources of data in order to inform decision-making. We set out to evaluate a new interactive data integration platform called T3™ made available for pediatric intensive care. Three primary functions are supported: tracking of physiologic signals, displaying trajectory, and triggering decisions, by highlighting data or estimating risk of patient instability. We designed a human factors study to identify interface usability issues, to measure ease of use, and to describe interface features that may enable or hinder clinical tasks. Twenty-two participants, consisting of bedside intensive care physicians, nurses, and respiratory therapists, tested the T3™ interface in a simulation laboratory setting. Twenty tasks were performed with a true-to-setting, fully functional, prototype, populated with physiological and therapeutic intervention patient data. Primary data visualization was time series and secondary visualizations were: 1) shading out-of-target values, 2) mini-trends with exaggerated maxima and minima (sparklines), and 3) bar graph of a 16-parameter indicator. Task completion was video recorded and assessed using a use error rating scale. Usability issues were classified in the context of task and type of clinician. A severity rating scale was used to rate potential clinical impact of usability issues. Time series supported tracking a single parameter but partially supported determining patient trajectory using multiple parameters. Visual pattern overload was observed with multiple parameter data streams. Automated data processing using shading and sparklines was often ignored but the 16-parameter data reduction algorithm, displayed as a persistent bar graph, was visually intuitive. However, by selecting or automatically processing data, triggering aids distorted the raw data that clinicians use regularly. Consequently, clinicians could not rely on new data representations because they did not know how they were established or derived. Usability issues, observed through contextual use, provided directions for tangible design improvements of data integration software that may lessen use errors and promote safe use. Data-driven decision making can benefit from iterative interface redesign involving clinician-users in simulated environments. This study is a first step in understanding how software can support clinicians' decision making with integrated continuous monitoring data. Importantly, testing of similar platforms by all the different disciplines who may become clinician users is a fundamental step necessary to understand the impact on clinical outcomes of decision aids.

Digitized Special Collections and Multiple User Groups

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Gueguen, Gretchen

2010-01-01

Many organizations have evolved since their early attempts to mount digital exhibits on the Web and are experimenting with ways to increase the scale of their digitized collections by utilizing archival finding aid description rather than resource-intensive collections and exhibits. This article examines usability research to predict how such…

Outer membrane proteins related to SusC and SusD are not required for Cytophaga hutchinsonii cellulose utilization.

PubMed

Zhu, Yongtao; Kwiatkowski, Kurt J; Yang, Tengteng; Kharade, Sampada S; Bahr, Constance M; Koropatkin, Nicole M; Liu, Weifeng; McBride, Mark J

2015-08-01

Cytophaga hutchinsonii, a member of the phylum Bacteroidetes, employs a novel collection of cell-associated proteins to digest crystalline cellulose. Other Bacteroidetes rely on cell surface proteins related to the starch utilization system (Sus) proteins SusC and SusD to bind oligosaccharides and import them across the outer membrane for further digestion. These bacteria typically produce dozens of SusC-like porins and SusD-like oligosaccharide-binding proteins to facilitate utilization of diverse polysaccharides. C. hutchinsonii specializes in cellulose digestion and its genome has only two susC-like genes and two susD-like genes. Single and multiple gene deletions were constructed to determine if the susC-like and susD-like genes have roles in cellulose utilization. A mutant lacking all susC-like and all susD-like genes digested cellulose and grew on cellulose as well as wild-type cells. Further, recombinantly expressed SusD-like proteins CHU_0547 and CHU_0554 failed to bind cellulose or β-glucan hemicellulosic polysaccharides. The results suggest that the Bacteroidetes Sus paradigm for polysaccharide utilization may not apply to the cellulolytic bacterium C. hutchinsonii.

WikiBuild: a new online collaboration process for multistakeholder tool development and consensus building.

PubMed

Gupta, Samir; Wan, Flora T; Newton, David; Bhattacharyya, Onil K; Chignell, Mark H; Straus, Sharon E

2011-12-08

Production of media such as patient education tools requires methods that can integrate multiple stakeholder perspectives. Existing consensus techniques are poorly suited to design of visual media, can be expensive and logistically demanding, and are subject to caveats arising from group dynamics such as participant hierarchies. Our objective was to develop a method that enables multistakeholder tool building while averting these difficulties. We developed a wiki-inspired method and tested this through the collaborative design of an asthma action plan (AAP). In the development stage, we developed the Web-based tool by (1) establishing AAP content and format options, (2) building a Web-based application capable of representing each content and format permutation, (3) testing this tool among stakeholders, and (4) revising this tool based on stakeholder feedback. In the wiki stage, groups of participants used the revised tool in three separate 1-week "wiki" periods during which each group collaboratively authored an AAP by making multiple online selections. In the development stage, we recruited 16 participants (9/16 male) (4 pulmonologists, 4 primary care physicians, 3 certified asthma educators, and 5 patients) for system testing. The mean System Usability Scale (SUS) score for the tool used in testing was 72.2 (SD 10.2). In the wiki stage, we recruited 41 participants (15/41 male) (9 pulmonologists, 6 primary care physicians, 5 certified asthma educators, and 21 patients) from diverse locations. The mean SUS score for the revised tool was 75.9 (SD 19.6). Users made 872, 466, and 599 successful changes to the AAP in weeks 1, 2, and 3, respectively. The site was used actively for a mean of 32.0 hours per week, of which 3.1 hours per week (9.7%) constituted synchronous multiuser use (2-4 users at the same time). Participants averaged 23 (SD 33) minutes of login time and made 7.7 (SD 15) changes to the AAP per day. Among participants, 28/35 (80%) were satisfied with the final AAP, and only 3/34 (9%) perceived interstakeholder group hierarchies. Use of a wiki-inspired method allowed for effective collaborative design of content and format aspects of an AAP while minimizing logistical requirements, maximizing geographical representation, and mitigating hierarchical group dynamics. Our method faced unique software and hardware challenges, and raises certain questions regarding its effect on group functioning. Potential uses of our method are broad, and further studies are required.

WikiBuild: A New Online Collaboration Process For Multistakeholder Tool Development and Consensus Building

PubMed Central

Wan, Flora T; Newton, David; Bhattacharyya, Onil K; Chignell, Mark H; Straus, Sharon E

2011-01-01

Background Production of media such as patient education tools requires methods that can integrate multiple stakeholder perspectives. Existing consensus techniques are poorly suited to design of visual media, can be expensive and logistically demanding, and are subject to caveats arising from group dynamics such as participant hierarchies. Objective Our objective was to develop a method that enables multistakeholder tool building while averting these difficulties. Methods We developed a wiki-inspired method and tested this through the collaborative design of an asthma action plan (AAP). In the development stage, we developed the Web-based tool by (1) establishing AAP content and format options, (2) building a Web-based application capable of representing each content and format permutation, (3) testing this tool among stakeholders, and (4) revising this tool based on stakeholder feedback. In the wiki stage, groups of participants used the revised tool in three separate 1-week “wiki” periods during which each group collaboratively authored an AAP by making multiple online selections. Results In the development stage, we recruited 16 participants (9/16 male) (4 pulmonologists, 4 primary care physicians, 3 certified asthma educators, and 5 patients) for system testing. The mean System Usability Scale (SUS) score for the tool used in testing was 72.2 (SD 10.2). In the wiki stage, we recruited 41 participants (15/41 male) (9 pulmonologists, 6 primary care physicians, 5 certified asthma educators, and 21 patients) from diverse locations. The mean SUS score for the revised tool was 75.9 (SD 19.6). Users made 872, 466, and 599 successful changes to the AAP in weeks 1, 2, and 3, respectively. The site was used actively for a mean of 32.0 hours per week, of which 3.1 hours per week (9.7%) constituted synchronous multiuser use (2–4 users at the same time). Participants averaged 23 (SD 33) minutes of login time and made 7.7 (SD 15) changes to the AAP per day. Among participants, 28/35 (80%) were satisfied with the final AAP, and only 3/34 (9%) perceived interstakeholder group hierarchies. Conclusion Use of a wiki-inspired method allowed for effective collaborative design of content and format aspects of an AAP while minimizing logistical requirements, maximizing geographical representation, and mitigating hierarchical group dynamics. Our method faced unique software and hardware challenges, and raises certain questions regarding its effect on group functioning. Potential uses of our method are broad, and further studies are required. PMID:22155694

Development of a Prototype Continuity of Care Record with Context-Specific Links to Meet the Information Needs of Case Managers for Persons Living with HIV

PubMed Central

Cimino, James J.; Bakken, Suzanne

2012-01-01

Objectives (1) To develop a prototype Continuity of Care Record (CCR) with context-specific links to electronic HIV information resources; and (2) to assess case managers’ perceptions regarding the usability of the prototype. Methods We integrated context-specific links to HIV case management information resources into a prototype CCR using the Infobutton Manager and Librarian Infobutton Tailoring Environment (LITE). Case managers (N=9) completed a think-aloud protocol and the Computer System Usability Questionnaire (CSUQ) to evaluate the usability of the prototype. Verbalizations from the think-aloud protocol were summarized using thematic analysis. CSUQ data were analyzed with descriptive statistics. Results Although participants expressed positive comments regarding the usability of the prototype, the think-aloud protocol also identified the need for improvement in resource labels and for additional resources. On a scale ranging from 1 (strongly agree) to 7 (strongly disagree), the average CSUQ overall satisfaction was 2.25 indicating that users (n=9) were generally satisfied with the system. Mean CSUQ factor scores were: System Usefulness (M=2.13), Information Quality (M=2.46), and Interface Quality (M=2.26). Conclusion Our novel application of the Infobutton Manager and LITE in the context of case management for persons living with HIV in community-based settings resulted in a prototype CCR with infobuttons that met the majority of case managers’ information needs and received relatively positive usability ratings. Findings from this study inform future integration of context-specific links into CCRs and electronic health records and support their use for meeting end-users information needs. PMID:22632821

Debunking Health IT Usability Myths

PubMed Central

Staggers, N.; Xiao, Y.; Chapman, L.

2013-01-01

Poor usability is a threat to patient safety and linked to productivity loss, workflow disruption, user frustration, sub-optimal product use and system de-installations. Although usability is receiving more attention nationally and internationally, myths about usability persist. This editorial debunks five common myths about usability (1) usability only concerns the look and feel of a product and is, therefore, only a minor concern, (2) usability is not measurable, (3) usability stifles innovation, (4) vendors are solely responsible for product usability, and (5) usability methods are not practical for use in healthcare. PMID:23874361

Development and preliminary user testing of the DCIDA (Dynamic computer interactive decision application) for ‘nudging’ patients towards high quality decisions

PubMed Central

2014-01-01

Background Patient decision aids (PtDA) are developed to facilitate informed, value-based decisions about health. Research suggests that even when informed with necessary evidence and information, cognitive errors can prevent patients from choosing the option that is most congruent with their own values. We sought to utilize principles of behavioural economics to develop a computer application that presents information from conventional decision aids in a way that reduces these errors, subsequently promoting higher quality decisions. Method The Dynamic Computer Interactive Decision Application (DCIDA) was developed to target four common errors that can impede quality decision making with PtDAs: unstable values, order effects, overweighting of rare events, and information overload. Healthy volunteers were recruited to an interview to use three PtDAs converted to the DCIDA on a computer equipped with an eye tracker. Participants were first used a conventional PtDA, and then subsequently used the DCIDA version. User testing was assessed based on whether respondents found the software both usable: evaluated using a) eye-tracking, b) the system usability scale, and c) user verbal responses from a ‘think aloud’ protocol; and useful: evaluated using a) eye-tracking, b) whether preferences for options were changed, and c) and the decisional conflict scale. Results Of the 20 participants recruited to the study, 11 were male (55%), the mean age was 35, 18 had at least a high school education (90%), and 8 (40%) had a college or university degree. Eye-tracking results, alongside a mean system usability scale score of 73 (range 68–85), indicated a reasonable degree of usability for the DCIDA. The think aloud study suggested areas for further improvement. The DCIDA also appeared to be useful to participants wherein subjects focused more on the features of the decision that were most important to them (21% increase in time spent focusing on the most important feature). Seven subjects (25%) changed their preferred option when using DCIDA. Conclusion Preliminary results suggest that DCIDA has potential to improve the quality of patient decision-making. Next steps include larger studies to test individual components of DCIDA and feasibility testing with patients making real decisions. PMID:25084808

Interdisciplinary Development of an Improved Emergency Department Procedural Work Surface Through Iterative Design and Use Testing in Simulated and Clinical Environments.

PubMed

Zhang, Xiao C; Bermudez, Ana M; Reddy, Pranav M; Sarpatwari, Ravi R; Chheng, Darin B; Mezoian, Taylor J; Schwartz, Victoria R; Simmons, Quinneil J; Jay, Gregory D; Kobayashi, Leo

2017-03-01

A stable and readily accessible work surface for bedside medical procedures represents a valuable tool for acute care providers. In emergency department (ED) settings, the design and implementation of traditional Mayo stands and related surface devices often limit their availability, portability, and usability, which can lead to suboptimal clinical practice conditions that may affect the safe and effective performance of medical procedures and delivery of patient care. We designed and built a novel, open-source, portable, bedside procedural surface through an iterative development process with use testing in simulated and live clinical environments. The procedural surface development project was conducted between October 2014 and June 2016 at an academic referral hospital and its affiliated simulation facility. An interdisciplinary team of emergency physicians, mechanical engineers, medical students, and design students sought to construct a prototype bedside procedural surface out of off-the-shelf hardware during a collaborative university course on health care design. After determination of end-user needs and core design requirements, multiple prototypes were fabricated and iteratively modified, with early variants featuring undermattress stabilizing supports or ratcheting clamp mechanisms. Versions 1 through 4 underwent 2 hands-on usability-testing simulation sessions; version 5 was presented at a design critique held jointly by a panel of clinical and industrial design faculty for expert feedback. Responding to select feedback elements over several surface versions, investigators arrived at a near-final prototype design for fabrication and use testing in a live clinical setting. This experimental procedural surface (version 8) was constructed and then deployed for controlled usability testing against the standard Mayo stands in use at the study site ED. Clinical providers working in the ED who opted to participate in the study were provided with the prototype surface and just-in-time training on its use when performing bedside procedures. Subjects completed the validated 10-point System Usability Scale postshift for the surface that they had used. The study protocol was approved by the institutional review board. Multiple prototypes and recursive design revisions resulted in a fully functional, portable, and durable bedside procedural surface that featured a stainless steel tray and intuitive hook-and-lock mechanisms for attachment to ED stretcher bed rails. Forty-two control and 40 experimental group subjects participated and completed questionnaires. The median System Usability Scale score (out of 100; higher scores associated with better usability) was 72.5 (interquartile range [IQR] 51.3 to 86.3) for the Mayo stand; the experimental surface was scored at 93.8 (IQR 84.4 to 97.5 for a difference in medians of 17.5 (95% confidence interval 10 to 27.5). Subjects reported several usability challenges with the Mayo stand; the experimental surface was reviewed as easy to use, simple, and functional. In accordance with experimental live environment deployment, questionnaire responses, and end-user suggestions, the project team finalized the design specification for the experimental procedural surface for open dissemination. An iterative, interdisciplinary approach was used to generate, evaluate, revise, and finalize the design specification for a new procedural surface that met all core end-user requirements. The final surface design was evaluated favorably on a validated usability tool against Mayo stands when use tested in simulated and live clinical settings. Copyright © 2016 American College of Emergency Physicians. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

A versatile genome-scale PCR-based pipeline for high-definition DNA FISH.

PubMed

Bienko, Magda; Crosetto, Nicola; Teytelman, Leonid; Klemm, Sandy; Itzkovitz, Shalev; van Oudenaarden, Alexander

2013-02-01

We developed a cost-effective genome-scale PCR-based method for high-definition DNA FISH (HD-FISH). We visualized gene loci with diffraction-limited resolution, chromosomes as spot clusters and single genes together with transcripts by combining HD-FISH with single-molecule RNA FISH. We provide a database of over 4.3 million primer pairs targeting the human and mouse genomes that is readily usable for rapid and flexible generation of probes.

Gene structure, phylogeny and expression profile of the sucrose synthase gene family in cacao (Theobroma cacao L.).

PubMed

Li, Fupeng; Hao, Chaoyun; Yan, Lin; Wu, Baoduo; Qin, Xiaowei; Lai, Jianxiong; Song, Yinghui

2015-09-01

In higher plants, sucrose synthase (Sus, EC 2.4.1.13) is widely considered as a key enzyme involved in sucrose metabolism. Although, several paralogous genes encoding different isozymes of Sus have been identified and characterized in multiple plant genomes, to date detailed information about the Sus genes is lacking for cacao. This study reports the identification of six novel Sus genes from economically important cacao tree. Analyses of the gene structure and phylogeny of the Sus genes demonstrated evolutionary conservation in the Sus family across cacao and other plant species. The expression of cacao Sus genes was investigated via real-time PCR in various tissues, different developmental phases of leaf, flower bud and pod. The Sus genes exhibited distinct but partially redundant expression profiles in cacao, with TcSus1, TcSus5 and TcSus6, being the predominant genes in the bark with phloem, TcSus2 predominantly expressing in the seed during the stereotype stage. TcSus3 and TcSus4 were significantly detected more in the pod husk and seed coat along the pod development, and showed development dependent expression profiles in the cacao pod. These results provide new insights into the evolution, and basic information that will assist in elucidating the functions of cacao Sus gene family.

Remote Health Monitoring for Older Adults and Those with Heart Failure: Adherence and System Usability.

PubMed

Evans, Jarrett; Papadopoulos, Amy; Silvers, Christine Tsien; Charness, Neil; Boot, Walter R; Schlachta-Fairchild, Loretta; Crump, Cindy; Martinez, Michele; Ent, Carrie Beth

2016-06-01

Remote health monitoring technology has been suggested as part of an early intervention and prevention care model. Older adults with a chronic health condition have been shown to benefit from remote monitoring but often have challenges with complex technology. The current study reports on the usability of and adherence with an integrated, real-time monitoring system over an extended period of time by older adults with and without a chronic health condition. Older adults 55 years of age and over with and without heart failure participated in a study in which a telehealth system was used for 6 months each. The system consisted of a wireless wristwatch-based monitoring device that continuously collected temperature and motion data. Other health information was collected daily using a weight scale, blood pressure cuff, and tablet that participants used for health surveys. Data were automatically analyzed and summarized by the system and presented to study nurses. Forty-one older adults participated. Seventy-one percent of surveys, 75% of blood pressure readings, and 81% of daily weight measurements were taken. Participants wore the watch monitor 77% of the overall 24/7 time requested. The weight scale had the highest usability rating in both groups. The groups did not otherwise differ on device usage. The findings indicate that a health monitoring system designed for older adults can and will be used for an extended period of time and may help older adults with chronic conditions reside longer in their own homes in partnership with the healthcare system.

Development and evaluation of a multimedia e-learning resource for electrolyte and acid-base disorders.

PubMed

Davids, Mogamat Razeen; Chikte, Usuf M E; Halperin, Mitchell L

2011-09-01

This article reports on the development and evaluation of a Web-based application that provides instruction and hands-on practice in managing electrolyte and acid-base disorders. Our teaching approach, which focuses on concepts rather than details, encourages quantitative analysis and a logical problem-solving approach. Identifying any dangers to the patient is a vital first step. Concepts such as an "appropriate response" to a given perturbation and the need for electroneutrality in body fluids are used repeatedly. Our Electrolyte Workshop was developed using Flash and followed an iterative design process. Two case-based tutorials were built in this first phase, with one tutorial including an interactive treatment simulation. Users select from a menu of therapies and see the impact of their choices on the patient. Appropriate text messages are displayed, and changes in body compartment sizes, brain size, and plasma sodium concentrations are illustrated via Flash animation. Challenges encountered included a shortage of skilled Flash developers, budgetary constraints, and challenges in communication between the authors and the developers. The application was evaluated via user testing by residents and specialists in internal medicine. Satisfaction was measured with a questionnaire based on the System Usability Scale. The mean System Usability Scale score was 78.4 ± 13.8, indicating a good level of usability. Participants rated the content as being scientifically sound; they liked the teaching approach and felt that concepts were conveyed clearly. They indicated that the application held their interest, that it increased their understanding of hyponatremia, and that they would recommend this learning resource to others.

A continuous usability evaluation of an electronic medication administration record application.

PubMed

Vicente Oliveros, Noelia; Gramage Caro, Teresa; Pérez Menéndez-Conde, Covadonga; Álvarez-Diaz, Ana María; Martín-Aragón Álvarez, Sagrario; Bermejo Vicedo, Teresa; Delgado Silveira, Eva

2017-12-01

The complexity of an electronic medication administration record (eMAR) has been underestimated by most designers in the past. Usability issues, such as poorly designed user application flow in eMAR, are therefore of vital importance, since they can have a negative impact on nursing activities and result in poor outcomes. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the usability of an eMAR application during its development. A usability evaluation was conducted during the development of the eMAR application. Two usability methods were used: a heuristic evaluation complemented by usability testing. Each eMAR application version provided by the vendor was evaluated by 2 hospital pharmacists, who applied the heuristic method. They reviewed the eMAR tasks, detected usability problems and their heuristic violations, and rated the severity of the usability problems. Usability testing was used to assess the final application version by observing how 3 nurses interacted with the application. Thirty-four versions were assessed before the eMAR application was considered usable. During the heuristic evaluation, the usability problems decreased from 46 unique usability problems in version 1 (V1) to 9 in version 34 (V34). In V1, usability problems were categorized into 154 heuristic violations, which decreased to 27 in V34. The average severity rating also decreased from major usability problem (2.96) to no problem (0.23). During usability testing, the 3 nurses did not encounter new usability problems. A thorough heuristic evaluation is a good method for obtaining a usable eMAR application. This evaluation points key areas for improvement and decreases usability problems and their severity. © 2017 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Usability and Acceptability of a Web-Based Program for Chemotherapy-Induced Peripheral Neuropathy.

PubMed

Tofthagen, Cindy; Kip, Kevin E; Passmore, Denise; Loy, Ian; Berry, Donna L

2016-07-01

Chemotherapy-induced neuropathy is a painful and debilitating adverse effect of certain chemotherapy drugs. There have not been any patient-centered, easily accessible Web-based interventions to assist with self-management of chemotherapy-induced neuropathy. The aims of this study were to evaluate usability and acceptability and to estimate an effect size of a Web-based intervention for assessing and managing chemotherapy-induced neuropathy. Participants (N = 14) were instructed to complete the Creativity, Optimism, Planning, and Expert Information for Chemotherapy-Induced Peripheral Neuropathy program and provide verbal responses to the program. Participants completed the Chemotherapy Induced Peripheral Neuropathy Assessment Tool and Post-Study System Usability Questionnaire. Iterative changes were made to the COPE-CIPN. Participants were asked to provide feedback on the revised COPE-CIPN, repeat the Chemotherapy Induced Peripheral Neuropathy Assessment Tool, and evaluate acceptability using the Acceptability e-Scale. The COPE-CIPN demonstrated high usability (mean, 1.98 [SD, 1.12]) and acceptability (mean, 4.40 [SD, 0.52]). Comments indicated that the interface was easy to use, and the information was helpful. While neuropathy symptoms continued to increase in this group of patients receiving neurotoxic chemotherapy, there was a decrease in mean level of interference with activities from 53.71 to 39.29 over 3 to 4 months, which indicated a moderate effect (d = 0.39) size. The COPE-CIPN may be a useful intervention to support self-management of chemotherapy-induced neuropathy.

Use of Online Machine Translation for Nursing Literature: A Questionnaire-Based Survey

PubMed Central

Anazawa, Ryoko; Ishikawa, Hirono; Takahiro, Kiuchi

2013-01-01

Background: The language barrier is a significant obstacle for nurses who are not native English speakers to obtain information from international journals. Freely accessible online machine translation (MT) offers a possible solution to this problem. Aim: To explore how Japanese nursing professionals use online MT and perceive its usability in reading English articles and to discuss what should be considered for better utilisation of online MT lessening the language barrier. Method: In total, 250 randomly selected assistants and research associates at nursing colleges across Japan answered a questionnaire examining the current use of online MT and perceived usability among Japanese nurses, along with the number of articles read in English and the perceived language barrier. The items were rated on Likert scales, and t-test, ANOVA, chi-square test, and Spearman’s correlation were used for analyses. Results: Of the participants, 73.8% had used online MT. More than half of them felt it was usable. The language barrier was strongly felt, and academic degrees and English proficiency level were associated factors. The perceived language barrier was related to the frequency of online MT use. No associated factor was found for the perceived usability of online MT. Conclusion: Language proficiency is an important factor for optimum utilisation of MT. A need for education in the English language, reading scientific papers, and online MT training was indicated. Cooperation with developers and providers of MT for the improvement of their systems is required. PMID:23459140

Phosphorylation of the amino terminus of maize sucrose synthase in relation to membrane association and enzyme activity.

PubMed

Hardin, Shane C; Winter, Heike; Huber, Steven C

2004-04-01

Sucrose synthase (SUS) is phosphorylated on a major, amino-terminal site located at Ser-15 (S15) in the maize (Zea mays) SUS1 protein. Site- and phospho-specific antibodies against a phosphorylated S15 (pS15) peptide allowed direct analysis of S15 phosphorylation in relation to membrane association. Immunoblots of the maize leaf elongation zone, divided into 4-cm segments, demonstrated that the abundance of soluble (s-SUS) and membrane (m-SUS) SUS protein showed distinct positional profiles. The content of m-SUS was maximal in the 4- to 8-cm segment where it represented 9% of total SUS and occurred as a peripheral membrane protein. In contrast, s-SUS was highest in the 12- to 16-cm segment. Relative to s-SUS, m-SUS was hypophosphorylated at S15 in the basal 4 cm but hyperphosphorylated in apical segments. Differing capabilities of the anti-pS15 and anti-S15 peptide antibodies to immunoprecipitate SUS suggested that phosphorylation of S15, or exposure of unphosphorylated SUS to slightly acidic pH, altered the structure of the amino terminus. These structural changes were generally coincident with the increased sucrose cleavage activity that occurs at pH values below 7.5. In vitro S15 phosphorylation of the S170A SUS protein by a maize calcium-dependent protein kinase (CDPK) significantly increased sucrose cleavage activity at low pH. Collectively, the results suggest that (1) SUS membrane binding is controlled in vivo; (2) relative pS15 content of m-SUS depends on the developmental state of the organ; and (3) phosphorylation of S15 affects amino-terminal conformation in a way that may stimulate the catalytic activity of SUS and influence membrane association.

Interactivity Centered Usability Evaluation (ICUE) for Course Management Systems

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Yoon, Sangil

2010-01-01

ICUE (Interactivity Centered Usability Evaluation) is an enhanced usability testing protocol created by the researcher. ICUE augments the facilitator's role for usability testing, and offers strategies in developing and presenting usability tasks during a testing session. ICUE was designed to address weaknesses found in the usability evaluation of…

Usability Prediction & Ranking of SDLC Models Using Fuzzy Hierarchical Usability Model

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gupta, Deepak; Ahlawat, Anil K.; Sagar, Kalpna

2017-06-01

Evaluation of software quality is an important aspect for controlling and managing the software. By such evaluation, improvements in software process can be made. The software quality is significantly dependent on software usability. Many researchers have proposed numbers of usability models. Each model considers a set of usability factors but do not cover all the usability aspects. Practical implementation of these models is still missing, as there is a lack of precise definition of usability. Also, it is very difficult to integrate these models into current software engineering practices. In order to overcome these challenges, this paper aims to define the term `usability' using the proposed hierarchical usability model with its detailed taxonomy. The taxonomy considers generic evaluation criteria for identifying the quality components, which brings together factors, attributes and characteristics defined in various HCI and software models. For the first time, the usability model is also implemented to predict more accurate usability values. The proposed system is named as fuzzy hierarchical usability model that can be easily integrated into the current software engineering practices. In order to validate the work, a dataset of six software development life cycle models is created and employed. These models are ranked according to their predicted usability values. This research also focuses on the detailed comparison of proposed model with the existing usability models.

Patients and medical statistics. Interest, confidence, and ability.

PubMed

Woloshin, Steven; Schwartz, Lisa M; Welch, H Gilbert

2005-11-01

People are increasingly presented with medical statistics. There are no existing measures to assess their level of interest or confidence in using medical statistics. To develop 2 new measures, the STAT-interest and STAT-confidence scales, and assess their reliability and validity. Survey with retest after approximately 2 weeks. Two hundred and twenty-four people were recruited from advertisements in local newspapers, an outpatient clinic waiting area, and a hospital open house. We developed and revised 5 items on interest in medical statistics and 3 on confidence understanding statistics. Study participants were mostly college graduates (52%); 25% had a high school education or less. The mean age was 53 (range 20 to 84) years. Most paid attention to medical statistics (6% paid no attention). The mean (SD) STAT-interest score was 68 (17) and ranged from 15 to 100. Confidence in using statistics was also high: the mean (SD) STAT-confidence score was 65 (19) and ranged from 11 to 100. STAT-interest and STAT-confidence scores were moderately correlated (r=.36, P<.001). Both scales demonstrated good test-retest repeatability (r=.60, .62, respectively), internal consistency reliability (Cronbach's alpha=0.70 and 0.78), and usability (individual item nonresponse ranged from 0% to 1.3%). Scale scores correlated only weakly with scores on a medical data interpretation test (r=.15 and .26, respectively). The STAT-interest and STAT-confidence scales are usable and reliable. Interest and confidence were only weakly related to the ability to actually use data.

Patients and Medical Statistics

PubMed Central

Woloshin, Steven; Schwartz, Lisa M; Welch, H Gilbert

2005-01-01

BACKGROUND People are increasingly presented with medical statistics. There are no existing measures to assess their level of interest or confidence in using medical statistics. OBJECTIVE To develop 2 new measures, the STAT-interest and STAT-confidence scales, and assess their reliability and validity. DESIGN Survey with retest after approximately 2 weeks. SUBJECTS Two hundred and twenty-four people were recruited from advertisements in local newspapers, an outpatient clinic waiting area, and a hospital open house. MEASURES We developed and revised 5 items on interest in medical statistics and 3 on confidence understanding statistics. RESULTS Study participants were mostly college graduates (52%); 25% had a high school education or less. The mean age was 53 (range 20 to 84) years. Most paid attention to medical statistics (6% paid no attention). The mean (SD) STAT-interest score was 68 (17) and ranged from 15 to 100. Confidence in using statistics was also high: the mean (SD) STAT-confidence score was 65 (19) and ranged from 11 to 100. STAT-interest and STAT-confidence scores were moderately correlated (r=.36, P<.001). Both scales demonstrated good test–retest repeatability (r=.60, .62, respectively), internal consistency reliability (Cronbach's α=0.70 and 0.78), and usability (individual item nonresponse ranged from 0% to 1.3%). Scale scores correlated only weakly with scores on a medical data interpretation test (r=.15 and .26, respectively). CONCLUSION The STAT-interest and STAT-confidence scales are usable and reliable. Interest and confidence were only weakly related to the ability to actually use data. PMID:16307623

Direct Behavior Rating: A Review of the Issues and Research in Its Development

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Chafouleas, Sandra M.

2011-01-01

The conceptual foundation for Direct Behavior Rating as a behavior assessment method is reviewed. A contemporary definition of Direct Behavior Rating is framed as combining strengths of systematic direct observation and behavior rating scales, which may result in a usable and defensible assessment tool for educators engaged in formative purposes.…

A Tale of Two Discoveries: Comparing the Usability of Summon and EBSCO Discovery Service

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Foster, Anita K.; MacDonald, Jean B.

2013-01-01

Web-scale discovery systems are gaining momentum among academic libraries as libraries seek a means to provide their users with a one-stop searching experience. Illinois State University's Milner Library found itself in the unique position of having access to two distinct discovery products, EBSCO Discovery Service and Serials Solutions' Summon.…

Developing and Validating Field Measurement Scales for Absorptive Capacity and Experienced Community of Practice

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Cadiz, David; Sawyer, John E.; Griffith, Terri L.

2009-01-01

Research on knowledge transfer in organizations has been hampered by the lack of tools yielding valid scores for studying critical constructs in concert. The authors developed survey measures of absorptive capacity (the ability to transform new knowledge into usable knowledge) and experienced community of practice (the extent to which a person is…

Extending the Direct Behavior Rating: An Examination of Schoolwide Behavior Ratings and Academic Engagement

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Bruhn, Allison; Barron, Sheila; Fernando, Josephine; Balint-Langel, Kinga

2018-01-01

Direct behavior ratings have been identified as a practical and feasible alternative to direct observation of behavior for monitoring behavioral progress. Despite the evidence of usability, there have been calls for further examination of direct behavior ratings using different behaviors and scales. To this end, we examined the ratings of…

A 928 sq m (10000 sq ft) solar array

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Lindberg, D. E.

1972-01-01

As the power requirements for space vehicles increases, the area of solar arrays that convert solar energy to usable electrical power increases. The requirements for a 928 sq m (10,000 sq ft) array, its design, and a full-scale demonstration of one quadrant (232 sq m (2500 sq ft)) deployed in a one-g field are described.

Towards a Usability and Error "Safety Net": A Multi-Phased Multi-Method Approach to Ensuring System Usability and Safety.

PubMed

Kushniruk, Andre; Senathirajah, Yalini; Borycki, Elizabeth

2017-01-01

The usability and safety of health information systems have become major issues in the design and implementation of useful healthcare IT. In this paper we describe a multi-phased multi-method approach to integrating usability engineering methods into system testing to ensure both usability and safety of healthcare IT upon widespread deployment. The approach involves usability testing followed by clinical simulation (conducted in-situ) and "near-live" recording of user interactions with systems. At key stages in this process, usability problems are identified and rectified forming a usability and technology-induced error "safety net" that catches different types of usability and safety problems prior to releasing systems widely in healthcare settings.

From Usability Engineering to Evidence-based Usability in Health IT.

PubMed

Marcilly, Romaric; Peute, Linda; Beuscart-Zephir, Marie-Catherine

2016-01-01

Usability is a critical factor in the acceptance, safe use, and success of health IT. The User-Centred Design process is widely promoted to improve usability. However, this traditional case by case approach that is rooted in the sound understanding of users' needs is not sufficient to improve technologies' usability and prevent usability-induced use-errors that may harm patients. It should be enriched with empirical evidence. This evidence is on design elements (what are the most valuable design principles, and the worst usability mistakes), and on the usability evaluation methods (which combination of methods is most suitable in which context). To achieve this evidence, several steps must be fulfilled and challenges must be overcome. Some attempts to search evidence for designing elements of health IT and for usability evaluation methods exist and are summarized. A concrete instance of evidence-based usability design principles for medication-related alerting systems is briefly described.

SUCROSE SYNTHASE: ELUCIDATION OF COMPLEX POST-TRANSLATIONAL REGULATORY MECHANISMS

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Steven C. Huber

2009-05-12

Studies have focused on the enzyme sucrose synthase, which plays an important role in the metabolism of sucrose in seeds and tubers. There are three isoforms of SUS in maize, referred to as SUS1, SUS-SH1, and SUS2. SUS is generally considered to be tetrameric protein but recent evidence suggests that SUS can also occur as a dimeric protein. The formation of tetrameric SUS is regulated by sucrose concentration in vitro and this could also be an important factor in the cellular localization of the protein. We found that high sucrose concentrations, which promote tetramer formation, also inhibit the binding ofmore » SUS1 to actin filaments in vitro. Previously, high sucrose concentrations were shown to promote SUS association with the plasma membrane. The specific regions of the SUS molecule involved in oligomerization are not known, but we identified a region of the SUS1 moelcule by bioinformatic analysis that was predicted to form a coiled coil. We demonstrated that this sequence could, in fact, self-associate as predicted for a coiled coil, but truncation analysis with the full-length recombinant protein suggested that it was not responsible for formation of dimers or tetramers. However, the coiled coil may function in binding of other proteins to SUS1. Overall, sugar availability may differentially influence the binding of SUS to cellular structures, and these effects may be mediated by changes in the oligomeric nature of the enzyme.« less

Barriers to comparing the usability of electronic health records.

PubMed

Ratwani, Raj M; Hettinger, A Zachary; Fairbanks, Rollin J

2017-04-01

Despite the widespread adoption of electronic health records (EHRs), usability of many EHRs continues to be suboptimal, with some vendors failing to meet usability standards, resulting in clinician frustration and patient safety hazards. In an effort to increase EHR vendor competition on usability, recommendations have been made and legislation drafted to develop comparison tools that would allow purchasers to better understand the usability of EHR products prior to purchase. Usability comparison can be based on EHR vendor design and development processes, vendor usability testing as part of the Office of the National Coordinator for Health Information Technology certification program, and usability of implemented products. Barriers exist within the current certified health technology program that prevent effective comparison of usability during each of these stages. We describe the importance of providing purchasers with improved information about EHR usability, barriers to making usability comparisons, and solutions to overcome these barriers. © The Author 2016. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the American Medical Informatics Association. All rights reserved. For Permissions, please email: journals.permissions@oup.com.

Usability Assessment of Secure Messaging for Clinical Document Sharing between Health Care Providers and Patients.

PubMed

Jahn, Michelle A; Porter, Brian W; Patel, Himalaya; Zillich, Alan J; Simon, Steven R; Russ, Alissa L

2018-04-01

 Web-based patient portals feature secure messaging systems that enable health care providers and patients to communicate information. However, little is known about the usability of these systems for clinical document sharing.  This article evaluates the usability of a secure messaging system for providers and patients in terms of its ability to support sharing of electronic clinical documents.  We conducted usability testing with providers and patients in a human-computer interaction laboratory at a Midwestern U.S. hospital. Providers sent a medication list document to a fictitious patient via secure messaging. Separately, patients retrieved the clinical document from a secure message and returned it to a fictitious provider. We collected use errors, task completion, task time, and satisfaction.  Twenty-nine individuals participated: 19 providers (6 physicians, 6 registered nurses, and 7 pharmacists) and 10 patients. Among providers, 11 (58%) attached and sent the clinical document via secure messaging without requiring assistance, in a median (range) of 4.5 (1.8-12.7) minutes. No patients completed tasks without moderator assistance. Patients accessed the secure messaging system within 3.6 (1.2-15.0) minutes; retrieved the clinical document within 0.8 (0.5-5.7) minutes; and sent the attached clinical document in 6.3 (1.5-18.1) minutes. Although median satisfaction ratings were high, with 5.8 for providers and 6.0 for patients (scale, 0-7), we identified 36 different use errors. Physicians and pharmacists requested additional features to support care coordination via health information technology, while nurses requested features to support efficiency for their tasks.  This study examined the usability of clinical document sharing, a key feature of many secure messaging systems. Our results highlight similarities and differences between provider and patient end-user groups, which can inform secure messaging design to improve learnability and efficiency. The observations suggest recommendations for improving the technical aspects of secure messaging for clinical document sharing. Schattauer GmbH Stuttgart.

36 CFR 1193.39 - Prohibited reduction of accessibility, usability, and compatibility.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-07-01

... accessibility, usability, and compatibility. 1193.39 Section 1193.39 Parks, Forests, and Public Property... Requirements for Accessibility and Usability § 1193.39 Prohibited reduction of accessibility, usability, and... accessibility, usability, or compatibility of telecommunications equipment or customer premises equipment. (b...

36 CFR 1193.39 - Prohibited reduction of accessibility, usability, and compatibility.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-07-01

... accessibility, usability, and compatibility. 1193.39 Section 1193.39 Parks, Forests, and Public Property... Requirements for Accessibility and Usability § 1193.39 Prohibited reduction of accessibility, usability, and... accessibility, usability, or compatibility of telecommunications equipment or customer premises equipment. (b...

36 CFR 1193.39 - Prohibited reduction of accessibility, usability, and compatibility.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-07-01

... accessibility, usability, and compatibility. 1193.39 Section 1193.39 Parks, Forests, and Public Property... Requirements for Accessibility and Usability § 1193.39 Prohibited reduction of accessibility, usability, and... accessibility, usability, or compatibility of telecommunications equipment or customer premises equipment. (b...

36 CFR 1193.39 - Prohibited reduction of accessibility, usability, and compatibility.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-07-01

... accessibility, usability, and compatibility. 1193.39 Section 1193.39 Parks, Forests, and Public Property... Requirements for Accessibility and Usability § 1193.39 Prohibited reduction of accessibility, usability, and... accessibility, usability, or compatibility of telecommunications equipment or customer premises equipment. (b...

A practical overview and comparison of certain commercial forensic software tools for processing large-scale digital investigations

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kröger, Knut; Creutzburg, Reiner

2013-05-01

The aim of this paper is to show the usefulness of modern forensic software tools for processing large-scale digital investigations. In particular, we focus on the new version of Nuix 4.2 and compare it with AccessData FTK 4.2, X-Ways Forensics 16.9 and Guidance Encase Forensic 7 regarding its performance, functionality, usability and capability. We will show how these software tools work with large forensic images and how capable they are in examining complex and big data scenarios.

Research-IQ: Development and Evaluation of an Ontology-anchored Integrative Query Tool

PubMed Central

Borlawsky, Tara B.; Lele, Omkar; Payne, Philip R. O.

2011-01-01

Investigators in the translational research and systems medicine domains require highly usable, efficient and integrative tools and methods that allow for the navigation of and reasoning over emerging large-scale data sets. Such resources must cover a spectrum of granularity from bio-molecules to population phenotypes. Given such information needs, we report upon the initial design and evaluation of an ontology-anchored integrative query tool, Research-IQ, which employs a combination of conceptual knowledge engineering and information retrieval techniques to enable the intuitive and rapid construction of queries, in terms of semi-structured textual propositions, that can subsequently be applied to integrative data sets. Our initial results, based upon both quantitative and qualitative evaluations of the efficacy and usability of Research-IQ, demonstrate its potential to increase clinical and translational research throughput. PMID:21821150

Computer problem-solving coaches for introductory physics: Design and usability studies

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ryan, Qing X.; Frodermann, Evan; Heller, Kenneth; Hsu, Leonardo; Mason, Andrew

2016-06-01

The combination of modern computing power, the interactivity of web applications, and the flexibility of object-oriented programming may finally be sufficient to create computer coaches that can help students develop metacognitive problem-solving skills, an important competence in our rapidly changing technological society. However, no matter how effective such coaches might be, they will only be useful if they are attractive to students. We describe the design and testing of a set of web-based computer programs that act as personal coaches to students while they practice solving problems from introductory physics. The coaches are designed to supplement regular human instruction, giving students access to effective forms of practice outside class. We present results from large-scale usability tests of the computer coaches and discuss their implications for future versions of the coaches.

Assessment of feedback modalities for wearable visual aids in blind mobility

PubMed Central

Sorrentino, Paige; Bohlool, Shadi; Zhang, Carey; Arditti, Mort; Goodrich, Gregory; Weiland, James D.

2017-01-01

Sensory substitution devices engage sensory modalities other than vision to communicate information typically obtained through the sense of sight. In this paper, we examine the ability of subjects who are blind to follow simple verbal and vibrotactile commands that allow them to navigate a complex path. A total of eleven visually impaired subjects were enrolled in the study. Prototype systems were developed to deliver verbal and vibrotactile commands to allow an investigator to guide a subject through a course. Using this mode, subjects could follow commands easily and navigate significantly faster than with their cane alone (p <0.05). The feedback modes were similar with respect to the increased speed for course completion. Subjects rated usability of the feedback systems as “above average” with scores of 76.3 and 90.9 on the system usability scale. PMID:28182731

Examining construct and predictive validity of the Health-IT Usability Evaluation Scale: confirmatory factor analysis and structural equation modeling results

PubMed Central

Yen, Po-Yin; Sousa, Karen H; Bakken, Suzanne

2014-01-01

Background In a previous study, we developed the Health Information Technology Usability Evaluation Scale (Health-ITUES), which is designed to support customization at the item level. Such customization matches the specific tasks/expectations of a health IT system while retaining comparability at the construct level, and provides evidence of its factorial validity and internal consistency reliability through exploratory factor analysis. Objective In this study, we advanced the development of Health-ITUES to examine its construct validity and predictive validity. Methods The health IT system studied was a web-based communication system that supported nurse staffing and scheduling. Using Health-ITUES, we conducted a cross-sectional study to evaluate users’ perception toward the web-based communication system after system implementation. We examined Health-ITUES's construct validity through first and second order confirmatory factor analysis (CFA), and its predictive validity via structural equation modeling (SEM). Results The sample comprised 541 staff nurses in two healthcare organizations. The CFA (n=165) showed that a general usability factor accounted for 78.1%, 93.4%, 51.0%, and 39.9% of the explained variance in ‘Quality of Work Life’, ‘Perceived Usefulness’, ‘Perceived Ease of Use’, and ‘User Control’, respectively. The SEM (n=541) supported the predictive validity of Health-ITUES, explaining 64% of the variance in intention for system use. Conclusions The results of CFA and SEM provide additional evidence for the construct and predictive validity of Health-ITUES. The customizability of Health-ITUES has the potential to support comparisons at the construct level, while allowing variation at the item level. We also illustrate application of Health-ITUES across stages of system development. PMID:24567081

A Survey of Usability Practices in Free/Libre/Open Source Software

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Paul, Celeste Lyn

A review of case studies about usability in eight Free/Libre/Open Source Software (FLOSS) projects showed that an important issue regarding a usability initiative in the project was the lack of user research. User research is a key component in the user-centered design (UCD) process and a necessary step for creating usable products. Reasons why FLOSS projects suffered from a lack of user research included poor or unclear project leadership, cultural differences between developer and designers, and a lack of usability engineers. By identifying these critical issues, the FLOSS usability community can begin addressing problems in the efficacy of usability activities and work towards creating more usable FLOSS products.

Validation of the French version of the Acceptability E-scale (AES) for mental E-health systems.

PubMed

Micoulaud-Franchi, Jean-Arthur; Sauteraud, Alain; Olive, Jérôme; Sagaspe, Patricia; Bioulac, Stéphanie; Philip, Pierre

2016-03-30

Despite the increasing use of E-health systems for mental-health organizations, there is a lack of psychometric tools to evaluate their acceptability by patients with mental disorders. Thus, this study aimed to translate and validate a French version of the Acceptability E-scale (AES), a 6-item self-reported questionnaire that evaluates the extent to which patients find E-health systems acceptable. A forward-backward translation of the AES was performed. The psychometric properties of the French AES version, with construct validity, internal structural validity and external validity (Pearson's coefficient between AES scores and depression symptoms on the Beck Depression Inventory II) were analyzed. In a sample of 178 patients (mean age=46.51 years, SD=12.91 years), the validation process revealed satisfactory psychometric properties: factor analysis revealed two factors: "Satisfaction" (3 items) and "Usability" (3 items) and Cronbach's alpha was 0.7. No significant relation was found between AES scores and depression symptoms. The French version of the AES revealed a two-factor scale that differs from the original version. In line with the importance of acceptability in mental health and with a view to E-health systems for patients with mental disorders, the use of the AES in psychiatry may provide important information on acceptability (i.e., satisfaction and usability). Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

A State-of-the-Art Systematic Content Analysis of Games for Health.

PubMed

Lu, Amy Shirong; Kharrazi, Hadi

2018-02-01

As the field of games for health continues to gain momentum, it is crucial to document the field's scale of growth, identify design patterns, and to address potential design issues for future health game development. Few studies have explored the attributes and usability features of games for health as a whole over time. We offer the first comprehensive systematic content analysis of digital games for health by examining 1743 health games released between 1983 and 2016 in 23 countries extracted from nine international English health game databases and directories. The majority of these games were developed in the United States (67.18%) and France (18.59%). The most popular platforms included web browsers (72.38%) and Windows (14.41%). Approximately four out of five (79.12%) of the games were available at no cost. We coded 1553 accessible games for an in-depth analysis and further assessed 1303 for usability. Popular health topics represented included: cognitive training (37.41%), indirect health education (13.33%), and medical care provision (9.98%). Most games (75.66%) could be completed within 60 minutes. The main game usability problems identified included a lack of customization, nonskippable contents, and a lack of feedback and instruction to the players. While most of the usability problems have improved as did the software and hardware technology, the players' ability to skip nonplayable contents has become slightly more restricted overtime. Comparison with game efficacy publications suggested that a further understanding of the scope for games for health is needed on a global level.

Post-deployment usability evaluation of a radiology workstation.

PubMed

Jorritsma, Wiard; Cnossen, Fokie; Dierckx, Rudi A; Oudkerk, Matthijs; Van Ooijen, Peter M A

2016-01-01

To determine the number, nature and severity of usability issues radiologists encounter while using a commercially available radiology workstation in clinical practice, and to assess how well the results of a pre-deployment usability evaluation of this workstation generalize to clinical practice. The usability evaluation consisted of semi-structured interviews and observations of twelve users using the workstation during their daily work. Usability issues and positive usability findings were documented. Each issue was given a severity rating and its root cause was determined. Results were compared to the results of a pre-deployment usability evaluation of the same workstation. Ninety-two usability issues were identified, ranging from issues that cause minor frustration or delay, to issues that cause significant delays, prevent users from completing tasks, or even pose a potential threat to patient safety. The results of the pre-deployment usability evaluation had limited generalizability to clinical practice. This study showed that radiologists encountered a large number and a wide variety of usability issues when using a commercially available radiology workstation in clinical practice. This underlines the need for effective usability engineering in radiology. Given the limitations of pre-deployment usability evaluation in radiology, which were confirmed by our finding that the results of a pre-deployment usability evaluation of this workstation had limited generalizability to clinical practice, it is vital that radiology workstation vendors devote significant resources to usability engineering efforts before deployment of their workstation, and to continue these efforts after the workstation is deployed in a hospital. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

Attitudes of Residence Hall Students toward Student-Athletes: Implications for Advising, Training and Programming. Research Report #19-89.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Engstrom, Cathy McHugh; Sedlacek, William E.

The study was conducted to assess residence hall student attitudes toward student-athletes at a predominantly white, eastern public institution. A total of 180 students living in traditional residence halls, suites, and apartments were sent the Situational Attitude Scale--Student-Athlete of whom 115 returned usable responses. Results showed that…

The Effects of Visual Magnification and Physical Movement Scale on the Manipulation of a Tool with Indirect Vision

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Bohan, Michael; McConnell, Daniel S.; Chaparro, Alex; Thompson, Shelby G.

2010-01-01

Modern tools often separate the visual and physical aspects of operation, requiring users to manipulate an instrument while viewing the results indirectly on a display. This can pose usability challenges particularly in applications, such as laparoscopic surgery, that require a high degree of movement precision. Magnification used to augment the…

Report on Research

DTIC Science & Technology

1989-06-01

Force systems require a resolved information on the optical thorough understanding of the propaga- extinction coefficient. Measurements of tion path , the...Depolarization as Function of Snow Density. Measurement System ). (It correlated well with the ( Multi -scatter scale length information is usable to extinction ...data on the effect of optically thin cirrus clouds on long - path infrared transmit- tance. Future system designers will have access to this new

Using Video to Support In-Service Teacher Professional Development: The State of the Field, Limitations and Possibilities

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Major, Louis; Watson, Steven

2018-01-01

Video is increasingly used to support in-service teacher professional development (TPD). Advances in affordability and usability of technology mean that interest is set to develop further. Studies in this area are diverse in terms of scale, methodology and context. This places limitations on undertaking a systematic review; therefore the authors…

How Do We Teach Usability? An Investigation of Usability Instruction in Technical Communication

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Chong, Felicia

2013-01-01

This dissertation investigates the curricular implementation of usability instruction in technical communication. Though there are a plethora of publications and studies on usability in technical communication, little discussion focuses on usability instruction in the classroom or its implementation in the curriculum. Thus, this exploratory…

Early-Stage Software Design for Usability

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Golden, Elspeth

2010-01-01

In spite of the goodwill and best efforts of software engineers and usability professionals, systems continue to be built and released with glaring usability flaws that are costly and difficult to fix after the system has been built. Although user interface (UI) designers, be they usability or design experts, communicate usability requirements to…

36 CFR § 1193.39 - Prohibited reduction of accessibility, usability, and compatibility.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-07-01

... accessibility, usability, and compatibility. § 1193.39 Section § 1193.39 Parks, Forests, and Public Property... Requirements for Accessibility and Usability § 1193.39 Prohibited reduction of accessibility, usability, and... accessibility, usability, or compatibility of telecommunications equipment or customer premises equipment. (b...

Increasing EHR system usability through standards: Conformance criteria in the HL7 EHR-system functional model.

PubMed

Meehan, Rebecca A; Mon, Donald T; Kelly, Kandace M; Rocca, Mitra; Dickinson, Gary; Ritter, John; Johnson, Constance M

2016-10-01

Though substantial work has been done on the usability of health information technology, improvements in electronic health record system (EHR) usability have been slow, creating frustration, distrust of EHRs and the use of potentially unsafe work-arounds. Usability standards could be part of the solution for improving EHR usability. EHR system functional requirements and standards have been used successfully in the past to specify system behavior, the criteria of which have been gradually implemented in EHR systems through certification programs and other national health IT strategies. Similarly, functional requirements and standards for usability can help address the multitude of sequelae associated with poor usability. This paper describes the evidence-based functional requirements for usability contained in the Health Level Seven (HL7) EHR System Functional Model, and the benefits of open and voluntary EHR system usability standards. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Usability in Mobile Electronic Data Collection Tools: Form Developers' Views.

PubMed

Mugisha, Alice; Babic, Ankica; Wakholi, Peter; Nankabirwa, Victoria; Tylleskar, Thorkild

2017-01-01

Mobile Electronic Data Collection Tools (MEDCTs) are created by form developers to collect data. Usability being one of the top quality attributes is of great concern to developers of any interactive applications. However, little is known about the form developers' understanding of usability, how they measure usability and their limitations in designing for usability. We conducted an empirical study where we aimed at getting the developers' views on usability by interviewing 8 form developers. These are creators of forms used for data collection. We found that developers knew about usability, but it was not their main focus during form development. Challenges included constraining deadlines, software limitations and the insufficient communication with the field users to establish the usability needs. Furthermore, the methods used to evaluate the usability of created forms varied amongst developers and these included in-house evaluations and feedback from piloting sessions with end users.

A Spectrum Access Based on Quality of Service (QoS) in Cognitive Radio Networks.

PubMed

Zhai, Linbo; Wang, Hua; Gao, Chuangen

2016-01-01

The quality of service (QoS) is important issue for cognitive radio networks. In the cognitive radio system, the licensed users, also called primary users (PUs), are authorized to utilize the wireless spectrum, while unlicensed users, also called secondary users (SUs), are not authorized to use the wireless spectrum. SUs access the wireless spectrum opportunistically when the spectrum is idle. While SUs use an idle channel, the instance that PUs come back makes SUs terminate their communications and leave the current channel. Therefore, quality of service (QoS) is difficult to be ensured for SUs. In this paper, we first propose an analysis model to obtain QoS for cognitive radio networks such as blocking probability, completed traffic and termination probability of SUs. When the primary users use the channels frequently, QoS of SUs is difficult to be ensured, especially the termination probability. Then, we propose a channel reservation scheme to improve QoS of SUs. The scheme makes the terminated SUs move to the reserved channels and keep on communications. Simulation results show that our scheme can improve QoS of SUs especially the termination probability with a little cost of blocking probability in dynamic environment.

Evaluation of expert system application based on usability aspects

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Munaiseche, C. P. C.; Liando, O. E. S.

2016-04-01

Usability usually defined as a point of human acceptance to a product or a system based on understands and right reaction to an interface. The performance of web application has been influence by the quality of the interface of that web to supporting information transfer process. Preferably, before the applications of expert systems were installed in the operational environment, these applications must be evaluated first by usability testing. This research aimed to measure the usability of the expert system application using tasks as interaction media. This study uses an expert system application to diagnose skin disease in human using questionnaire method which utilize the tasks as interaction media in measuring the usability. Certain tasks were executed by the participants in observing usability value of the application. The usability aspects observed were learnability, efficiency, memorability, errors, and satisfaction. Each questionnaire question represent aspects of usability. The results present the usability value for each aspect and the total average merit for all the five-usability aspect was 4.28, this indicated that the tested expert system application is in the range excellent for the usability level, so the application can be implemented as the operated system by user. The main contribution of the study is the research became the first step in using task model in the usability evaluation for the expert system application software.

Evaluating clinicians' user experience and acceptability of LearnTB, a smartphone application for tuberculosis in India.

PubMed

Pande, Tripti; Saravu, Kavitha; Temesgen, Zelalem; Seyoum, Al; Rai, Shipra; Rao, Raghavendra; Mahadev, Deekshith; Pai, Madhukar; Gagnon, Marie-Pierre

2017-01-01

Tuberculosis (TB) is the leading infectious killer, and India accounts for 2.8 of the 10.4 million TB cases that occur each year, making it the highest TB burden country worldwide. Poor quality of TB care is a major driver of the epidemic in India. India's large private, unregulated sector manages over 50% of the TB patients, with studies showing suboptimal diagnosis and treatment in the private sector. Better education of doctors using mobile applications (apps) is a possible solution. While India has seen an explosion of mobile phone services, and while the use of mobile health interventions has been gaining interest, little is known about mHealth around tuberculosis in India. Our study aimed to understand the user experience and acceptability of a smartphone application, LearnTB , amongst private sector academic clinicians in India. This study was conducted amongst 101 clinicians at Kasturba Hospital, Manipal, India. The user experience of participants (part 1) and acceptability (part 2) were evaluated with the use of two valid, English, paper-based questionnaires. The first questionnaire was based on the System Usability Scale (SUS); the second questionnaire was based on the Technology Acceptance Model (TAM). Data were collected during February and March 2017 and were analyzed using descriptive statistics, multiple linear regression as well as logistic regression analysis. A response rate of 99% was achieved; 100 participants responded to the second questionnaire and 100% of the participants responded to the first questionnaire. User experience was very high [mean SUS score =94.4 (92.07-96.76)]. Perceived usefulness (PU) was significantly correlated to intention to use (IU) (r=0.707, P<0.0001), and perceived ease of use (PEU) was significantly correlated to PU (r=0.466, P<0.0001). Path analysis confirmed the direct relationship between PU and IU (0.936, P<0.0001), and the indirect relationship between PEU and IU (0.5102, P<0.0001). Logistic regression analysis helped target items strongly influencing IU, such as "The use of the LearnTB application is compatible with my work habits" [OR =3.20 (1.04-9.84), P=0.004] and "The use of the LearnTB application could promote good clinical practice" [OR =5.23 (1.35-20.29); P=0.016]. The first part of the study indicated high user experience of the LearnTB application. The TAM questionnaire (second part) explained a significant portion of the variance in clinicians' IU the LearnTB application. The PU of the application has the highest impact on the clinicians' IU the Learn TB application. This study provides a preliminary analysis of mobile health interventions for tuberculosis in India, and emphasizes the need for future research in this domain.

Usability Methods for Ensuring Health Information Technology Safety: Evidence-Based Approaches. Contribution of the IMIA Working Group Health Informatics for Patient Safety.

PubMed

Borycki, E; Kushniruk, A; Nohr, C; Takeda, H; Kuwata, S; Carvalho, C; Bainbridge, M; Kannry, J

2013-01-01

Issues related to lack of system usability and potential safety hazards continue to be reported in the health information technology (HIT) literature. Usability engineering methods are increasingly used to ensure improved system usability and they are also beginning to be applied more widely for ensuring the safety of HIT applications. These methods are being used in the design and implementation of many HIT systems. In this paper we describe evidence-based approaches to applying usability engineering methods. A multi-phased approach to ensuring system usability and safety in healthcare is described. Usability inspection methods are first described including the development of evidence-based safety heuristics for HIT. Laboratory-based usability testing is then conducted under artificial conditions to test if a system has any base level usability problems that need to be corrected. Usability problems that are detected are corrected and then a new phase is initiated where the system is tested under more realistic conditions using clinical simulations. This phase may involve testing the system with simulated patients. Finally, an additional phase may be conducted, involving a naturalistic study of system use under real-world clinical conditions. The methods described have been employed in the analysis of the usability and safety of a wide range of HIT applications, including electronic health record systems, decision support systems and consumer health applications. It has been found that at least usability inspection and usability testing should be applied prior to the widespread release of HIT. However, wherever possible, additional layers of testing involving clinical simulations and a naturalistic evaluation will likely detect usability and safety issues that may not otherwise be detected prior to widespread system release. The framework presented in the paper can be applied in order to develop more usable and safer HIT, based on multiple layers of evidence.

Century-Scale Responses of Ecosystem Carbon Storage and Flux to Multiple Environmental Changes in the Southern United States

Treesearch

Hanqin Tian; Guangsheng Chen; Chi Zhang; Mingliang Liu; Ge Sun; Arthur Chappelka; Wei Ren; Xiaofeng Xu; Chaoqun Lu; Shufen Pan; Hua Chen; Dafeng Hui; Steven McNulty; Graeme Lockaby; Eric Vance

2012-01-01

Terrestrial ecosystems in the southern United States (SUS) have experienced a complex set of changes in climate, atmospheric CO2 concentration, tropospheric ozone (O3), nitrogen (N) deposition, and land-use and land-cover change (LULCC) during the past century. Although each of these factors has received attention for its alterations on ecosystem carbon (C) dynamics,...

Ten factors to consider when developing usability scenarios and tasks for health information technology.

PubMed

Russ, Alissa L; Saleem, Jason J

2018-02-01

The quality of usability testing is highly dependent upon the associated usability scenarios. To promote usability testing as part of electronic health record (EHR) certification, the Office of the National Coordinator (ONC) for Health Information Technology requires that vendors test specific capabilities of EHRs with clinical end-users and report their usability testing process - including the test scenarios used - along with the results. The ONC outlines basic expectations for usability testing, but there is little guidance in usability texts or scientific literature on how to develop usability scenarios for healthcare applications. The objective of this article is to outline key factors to consider when developing usability scenarios and tasks to evaluate computer-interface based health information technologies. To achieve this goal, we draw upon a decade of our experience conducting usability tests with a variety of healthcare applications and a wide range of end-users, to include healthcare professionals as well as patients. We discuss 10 key factors that influence scenario development: objectives of usability testing; roles of end-user(s); target performance goals; evaluation time constraints; clinical focus; fidelity; scenario-related bias and confounders; embedded probes; minimize risks to end-users; and healthcare related outcome measures. For each factor, we present an illustrative example. This article is intended to aid usability researchers and practitioners in their efforts to advance health information technologies. The article provides broad guidance on usability scenario development and can be applied to a wide range of clinical information systems and applications. Published by Elsevier Inc.

Usability flaws of medication-related alerting functions: A systematic qualitative review.

PubMed

Marcilly, Romaric; Ammenwerth, Elske; Vasseur, Francis; Roehrer, Erin; Beuscart-Zéphir, Marie-Catherine

2015-06-01

Medication-related alerting functions may include usability flaws that limit their optimal use. A first step on the way to preventing usability flaws is to understand the characteristics of these usability flaws. This systematic qualitative review aims to analyze the type of usability flaws found in medication-related alerting functions. Papers were searched via PubMed, Scopus and Ergonomics Abstracts databases, along with references lists. Paper selection, data extraction and data analysis was performed by two to three Human Factors experts. Meaningful semantic units representing instances of usability flaws were the main data extracted. They were analyzed through qualitative methods: categorization following general usability heuristics and through an inductive process for the flaws specific to medication-related alerting functions. From the 6380 papers initially identified, 26 met all eligibility criteria. The analysis of the papers identified a total of 168 instances of usability flaws that could be classified into 13 categories of usability flaws representing either violations of general usability principles (i.e. they could be found in any system, e.g. guidance and workload issues) or infractions specific to medication-related alerting functions. The latter refer to issues of low signal-to-noise ratio, incomplete content of alerts, transparency, presentation mode and timing, missing alert features, tasks and control distribution. The list of 168 instances of usability flaws of medication-related alerting functions provides a source of knowledge for checking the usability of medication-related alerting functions during their design and evaluation process and ultimately constructs evidence-based usability design principles for these functions. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Effects of mindfulness training programmes delivered by a self-directed mobile app and by telephone compared with an education programme for survivors of critical illness: a pilot randomised clinical trial.

PubMed

Cox, Christopher E; Hough, Catherine L; Jones, Derek M; Ungar, Anna; Reagan, Wen; Key, Mary D; Gremore, Tina; Olsen, Maren K; Sanders, Linda; Greeson, Jeffrey M; Porter, Laura S

2018-05-23

Patients who are sick enough to be admitted to an intensive care unit (ICU) commonly experience symptoms of psychological distress after discharge, yet few effective therapies have been applied to meet their needs. Pilot randomised clinical trial with 3-month follow-up conducted at two academic medical centres. Adult (≥18 years) ICU patients treated for cardiorespiratory failure were randomised after discharge home to 1 of 3 month-long interventions: a self-directed mobile app-based mindfulness programme; a therapist-led telephone-based mindfulness programme; or a web-based critical illness education programme. Among 80 patients allocated to mobile mindfulness (n=31), telephone mindfulness (n=31) or education (n=18), 66 (83%) completed the study. For the primary outcomes, target benchmarks were exceeded by observed rates for all participants for feasibility (consent 74%, randomisation 91%, retention 83%), acceptability (mean Client Satisfaction Questionnaire 27.6 (SD 3.8)) and usability (mean Systems Usability Score 89.1 (SD 11.5)). For secondary outcomes, mean values (and 95% CIs) reflected clinically significant group-based changes on the Patient Health Questionnaire depression scale (mobile (-4.8 (-6.6, -2.9)), telephone (-3.9 (-5.6, -2.2)), education (-3.0 (-5.3, 0.8)); the Generalized Anxiety Disorder scale (mobile -2.1 (-3.7, -0.5), telephone -1.6 (-3.0, -0.1), education -0.6 (-2.5, 1.3)); the Post-Traumatic Stress Scale (mobile -2.6 (-6.3, 1.2), telephone -2.2 (-5.6, 1.2), education -3.5 (-8.0, 1.0)); and the Patient Health Questionnaire physical symptom scale (mobile -5.3 (-7.0, -3.7), telephone -3.7 (-5.2, 2.2), education -4.8 (-6.8, 2.7)). Among ICU patients, a mobile mindfulness app initiated after hospital discharge demonstrated evidence of feasibility, acceptability and usability and had a similar impact on psychological distress and physical symptoms as a therapist-led programme. A larger trial is warranted to formally test the efficacy of this approach. Results, NCT02701361. © Article author(s) (or their employer(s) unless otherwise stated in the text of the article) 2018. All rights reserved. No commercial use is permitted unless otherwise expressly granted.

Usability Flaws in Medication Alerting Systems: Impact on Usage and Work System.

PubMed

Marcilly, R; Ammenwerth, E; Roehrer, E; Pelayo, S; Vasseur, F; Beuscart-Zéphir, M-C

2015-08-13

Previous research has shown that medication alerting systems face usability issues. There has been no previous attempt to systematically explore the consequences of usability flaws in such systems on users (i.e. usage problems) and work systems (i.e. negative outcomes). This paper aims at exploring and synthesizing the consequences of usability flaws in terms of usage problems and negative outcomes on the work system. A secondary analysis of 26 papers included in a prior systematic review of the usability flaws in medication alerting was performed. Usage problems and negative outcomes were extracted and sorted. Links between usability flaws, usage problems, and negative outcomes were also analyzed. Poor usability generates a large variety of consequences. It impacts the user from a cognitive, behavioral, emotional, and attitudinal perspective. Ultimately, usability flaws have negative consequences on the workflow, the effectiveness of the technology, the medication management process, and, more importantly, patient safety. Only few complete pathways leading from usability flaws to negative outcomes were identified. Usability flaws in medication alerting systems impede users, and ultimately their work system, and negatively impact patient safety. Therefore, the usability dimension may act as a hidden explanatory variable that could explain, at least partly, the (absence of) intended outcomes of new technology.

Usability Flaws in Medication Alerting Systems: Impact on Usage and Work System

PubMed Central

Ammenwerth, E.; Roehrer, E.; Pelayo, S.; Vasseur, F.; Beuscart-Zéphir, M.-C.

2015-01-01

Summary Objectives Previous research has shown that medication alerting systems face usability issues. There has been no previous attempt to systematically explore the consequences of usability flaws in such systems on users (i.e. usage problems) and work systems (i.e. negative outcomes). This paper aims at exploring and synthesizing the consequences of usability flaws in terms of usage problems and negative outcomes on the work system. Methods A secondary analysis of 26 papers included in a prior systematic review of the usability flaws in medication alerting was performed. Usage problems and negative outcomes were extracted and sorted. Links between usability flaws, usage problems, and negative outcomes were also analyzed. Results Poor usability generates a large variety of consequences. It impacts the user from a cognitive, behavioral, emotional, and attitudinal perspective. Ultimately, usability flaws have negative consequences on the workflow, the effectiveness of the technology, the medication management process, and, more importantly, patient safety. Only few complete pathways leading from usability flaws to negative outcomes were identified. Conclusion Usability flaws in medication alerting systems impede users, and ultimately their work system, and negatively impact patient safety. Therefore, the usability dimension may act as a hidden explanatory variable that could explain, at least partly, the (absence of) intended outcomes of new technology. PMID:26123906

Usability of a barcode scanning system as a means of data entry on a PDA for self-report health outcome questionnaires: a pilot study in individuals over 60 years of age

PubMed Central

Boissy, Patrick; Jacobs, Karen; Roy, Serge H

2006-01-01

Background Throughout the medical and paramedical professions, self-report health status questionnaires are used to gather patient-reported outcome measures. The objective of this pilot study was to evaluate in individuals over 60 years of age the usability of a PDA-based barcode scanning system with a text-to-speech synthesizer to collect data electronically from self-report health outcome questionnaires. Methods Usability of the system was tested on a sample of 24 community-living older adults (7 men, 17 women) ranging in age from 63 to 93 years. After receiving a brief demonstration on the use of the barcode scanner, participants were randomly assigned to complete two sets of 16 questions using the bar code wand scanner for one set and a pen for the other. Usability was assessed using directed interviews with a usability questionnaire and performance-based metrics (task times, errors, sources of errors). Results Overall, participants found barcode scanning easy to learn, easy to use, and pleasant. Participants were marginally faster in completing the 16 survey questions when using pen entry (20/24 participants). The mean response time with the barcode scanner was 31 seconds longer than traditional pen entry for a subset of 16 questions (p = 0.001). The responsiveness of the scanning system, expressed as first scan success rate, was less than perfect, with approximately one-third of first scans requiring a rescan to successfully capture the data entry. The responsiveness of the system can be explained by a combination of factors such as the location of the scanning errors, the type of barcode used as an answer field in the paper version, and the optical characteristics of the barcode scanner. Conclusion The results presented in this study offer insights regarding the feasibility, usability and effectiveness of using a barcode scanner with older adults as an electronic data entry method on a PDA. While participants in this study found their experience with the barcode scanning system enjoyable and learned to become proficient in its use, the responsiveness of the system constitutes a barrier to wide-scale use of such a system. Optimizing the graphical presentation of the information on paper should significantly increase the system's responsiveness. PMID:17184533

Tailored prevention of inpatient falls: development and usability testing of the fall TIPS toolkit.

PubMed

Zuyev, Lyubov; Benoit, Angela N; Chang, Frank Y; Dykes, Patricia C

2011-02-01

Patient falls and fall-related injuries are serious problems in hospitals. The Fall TIPS application aims to prevent patient falls by translating routine nursing fall risk assessment into a decision support intervention that communicates fall risk status and creates a tailored evidence-based plan of care that is accessible to the care team, patients, and family members. In our design and implementation of the Fall TIPS toolkit, we used the Spiral Software Development Life Cycle model. Three output tools available to be generated from the toolkit are bed poster, plan of care, and patient education handout. A preliminary design of the application was based on initial requirements defined by project leaders and informed by focus groups with end users. Preliminary design partially simulated the paper version of the Morse Fall Scale currently used in hospitals involved in the research study. Strengths and weaknesses of the first prototype were identified by heuristic evaluation. Usability testing was performed at sites where research study is implemented. Suggestions mentioned by end users participating in usability studies were either directly incorporated into the toolkit and output tools, were slightly modified, or will be addressed during training. The next step is implementation of the fall prevention toolkit on the pilot testing units.

Improving Public Relations Web Sites through Usability Research.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hallahan, Kirk

2001-01-01

Argues that usability research has particular relevance for enhancing the effectiveness of websites. Examines the nature and value of usability research, and the elements of an effective website based on usability principles. (SR)

Multimedia telehomecare system using standard TV set.

PubMed

Guillén, S; Arredondo, M T; Traver, V; García, J M; Fernández, C

2002-12-01

Nowadays, there are a very large number of patients that need specific health support at home. The deployment of broadband communication networks is making feasible the provision of home care services with a proper quality of service. This paper presents a telehomecare multimedia platform that runs over integrated services digital network and internet protocol using videoconferencing standards H.320 and H.323, and standard TV set for patient interaction. This platform allows online remote monitoring: ECG, heart sound, blood pressure. Usability, affordability, and interoperability were considered for the design and development of its hardware and software components. A first evaluation of technical and usability aspects were carried forward with 52 patients of a private clinic and 10 students in the University. Results show a high rate (mean = 4.33, standard deviation--SD = 1.63 in a five-points Likert scale) in the global perception of users on the quality of images, voice, and feeling of virtual presence.

Designing for Wide-Area Situation Awareness in Future Power Grid Operations

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Tran, Fiona F.

Power grid operation uncertainty and complexity continue to increase with the rise of electricity market deregulation, renewable generation, and interconnectedness between multiple jurisdictions. Human operators need appropriate wide-area visualizations to help them monitor system status to ensure reliable operation of the interconnected power grid. We observed transmission operations at a control centre, conducted critical incident interviews, and led focus group sessions with operators. The results informed a Work Domain Analysis of power grid operations, which in turn informed an Ecological Interface Design concept for wide-area monitoring. I validated design concepts through tabletop discussions and a usability evaluation with operators, earning a mean System Usability Scale score of 77 out of 90. The design concepts aim to support an operator's complete and accurate understanding of the power grid state, which operators increasingly require due to the critical nature of power grid infrastructure and growing sources of system uncertainty.

How the Website Usability Elements Impact Performance

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Aljukhadar, Muhammad; Senecal, Sylvain

This research builds on the results of a large scale study in which participants performed an informational task on one of 59 websites spanning various industries to examine how the website usability elements (graphical attractiveness, information, interactivity, trust, and ease of use) drive users’ attitudes and intentions toward the website and how these effects vary according to site experience and end product tangibility. Results show that while the effects of site interactivity and graphical attractiveness were more influential for services sites, the effects of site information and trust were stronger for tangibles sites. Alternatively, compared to returning site visitors, first-time visitors perceived the website as less easy to use, needed more time to accomplish the online task, and based positive attitudes and intentions more strongly on the site information and interactivity. The results of a second study performed in a proximate culture largely corroborate these findings.

The Skills, Competences, and Attitude toward Information and Communications Technology Recommender System: an online support program for teachers with personalized recommendations

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Revilla Muñoz, Olga; Alpiste Penalba, Francisco; Fernández Sánchez, Joaquín

2016-01-01

Teachers deal with Information and Communications Technology (ICT) every day and they often have to solve problems by themselves. To help them in coping with this issue, an online support program has been created, where teachers can pose their problems on ICT and they can receive solutions from other teachers. A Recommender System has been defined and implemented into the support program to suggest to each teacher the most suitable solution based on her Skills, Competences, and Attitude toward ICT (SCAT-ICT). The support program has initially been populated with 70 problems from 86 teachers. 30 teachers grouped these problems into six categories with the card-sorting technique. Real solutions to these problems have been proposed by 25 trained teachers. Finally, 17 teachers evaluated the usability of the support program and the Recommender System, where results showed a high score on the standardized System Usability Scale.

Development and Initial Validation of an Instrument to Measure Physicians' Use of, Knowledge about, and Attitudes Toward Computers

PubMed Central

Cork, Randy D.; Detmer, William M.; Friedman, Charles P.

1998-01-01

This paper describes details of four scales of a questionnaire—“Computers in Medical Care”—measuring attributes of computer use, self-reported computer knowledge, computer feature demand, and computer optimism of academic physicians. The reliability (i.e., precision, or degree to which the scale's result is reproducible) and validity (i.e., accuracy, or degree to which the scale actually measures what it is supposed to measure) of each scale were examined by analysis of the responses of 771 full-time academic physicians across four departments at five academic medical centers in the United States. The objectives of this paper were to define the psychometric properties of the scales as the basis for a future demonstration study and, pending the results of further validity studies, to provide the questionnaire and scales to the medical informatics community as a tool for measuring the attitudes of health care providers. Methodology: The dimensionality of each scale and degree of association of each item with the attribute of interest were determined by principal components factor analysis with othogonal varimax rotation. Weakly associated items (factor loading <.40) were deleted. The reliability of each resultant scale was computed using Cronbach's alpha coefficient. Content validity was addressed during scale construction; construct validity was examined through factor analysis and by correlational analyses. Results: Attributes of computer use, computer knowledge, and computer optimism were unidimensional, with the corresponding scales having reliabilities of.79,.91, and.86, respectively. The computer-feature demand attribute differentiated into two dimensions: the first reflecting demand for high-level functionality with reliability of.81 and the second demand for usability with reliability of.69. There were significant positive correlations between computer use, computer knowledge, and computer optimism scale scores and respondents' hands-on computer use, computer training, and self-reported computer sophistication. In addition, items posited on the computer knowledge scale to be more difficult generated significantly lower scores. Conclusion: The four scales of the questionnaire appear to measure with adequate reliability five attributes of academic physicians' attitudes toward computers in medical care: computer use, self-reported computer knowledge, demand for computer functionality, demand for computer usability, and computer optimism. Results of initial validity studies are positive, but further validation of the scales is needed. The URL of a downloadable HTML copy of the questionnaire is provided. PMID:9524349

Applying usability methods to identify health literacy issues: an example using a Personal Health Record.

PubMed

Monkman, Helen; Kushniruk, Andre

2013-01-01

The prevalence of consumer health information systems is increasing. However, usability and health literacy impact both the value and adoption of these systems. Health literacy and usability are closely related in that systems may not be used accurately if users cannot understand the information therein. Thus, it is imperative to focus on mitigating the demands on health literacy in consumer health information systems. This study modified two usability evaluation methods (heuristic evaluation and usability testing) to incorporate the identification of potential health literacy issues in a Personal Health Record (PHR). Heuristic evaluation is an analysis of a system performed by a usability specialist who evaluates how well the system abides by usability principles. In contrast, a usability test involves a post hoc analysis of a representative user interacting with the system. These two methods revealed several health literacy issues and suggestions to ameliorate them were made. Thus, it was demonstrated that usability methods could be successfully augmented for the purpose of investigating health literacy issues. To improve users' health knowledge, the adoption of consumer health information systems, and the accuracy of the information contained therein, it is encouraged that usability methods be applied with an added focus on health literacy.

Usability evaluation techniques in mobile commerce applications: A systematic review

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hussain, Azham; Mkpojiogu, Emmanuel O. C.

2016-08-01

Obviously, there are a number of literatures concerning the usability of mobile commerce (m-commerce) applications and related areas, but they do not adequately provide knowledge about usability techniques used in most of the empirical usability evaluation for m-commerce application. Therefore, this paper is aimed at producing the usability techniques frequently used in the aspect of usability evaluation for m-commerce applications. To achieve the stated objective, systematic literature review was employed. Sixty seven papers were downloaded in usability evaluation for m-commerce and related areas; twenty one most relevant studies were selected for review in order to extract the appropriate information. The results from the review shows that heuristic evaluation, formal test and think aloud methods are the most commonly used methods in m-commerce application in comparison to cognitive walkthrough and the informal test methods. Moreover, most of the studies applied control experiment (33.3% of the total studies); other studies that applied case study for usability evaluation are 14.28%. The results from this paper provide additional knowledge to the usability practitioners and research community for the current state and use of usability techniques in m-commerce application.

The current status of usability studies of information technologies in China: a systematic study.

PubMed

Lei, Jianbo; Xu, Lufei; Meng, Qun; Zhang, Jiajie; Gong, Yang

2014-01-01

To systematically review and analyze the current status and characteristics of usability studies in China in the field of information technology in general and in the field of healthcare in particular. We performed a quantitative literature analysis in three major Chinese academic databases and one English language database using Chinese search terms equivalent to the concept of usability. Six hundred forty-seven publications were selected for analysis. We found that in China the literature on usability in the field of information technology began in 1994 and increased thereafter. The usability definitions from ISO 9241-11:1998 and Nielsen (1993) have been widely recognized and cited. Authors who have published several publications are rare. Fourteen journals have a publishing rate over 1%. Only nine publications about HIT were identified. China's usability research started relatively late. There is a lack of organized research teams and dedicated usability journals. High-impact theoretical studies are scarce. On the application side, no original and systematic research frameworks have been developed. The understanding and definition of usability is not well synchronized with international norms. Besides, usability research in HIT is rare. More human and material resources need to be invested in China's usability research, particularly in HIT.

Usability testing for the rest of us: the application of discount usability principles in the development of an online communications assessment application.

PubMed

Brock, Douglas; Kim, Sara; Palmer, Odawni; Gallagher, Thomas; Holmboe, Eric

2013-01-01

Usability evaluation provides developers and educators with the means to understand user needs, improve overall product utility, and increase user satisfaction. The application of "discount usability" principles developed to make usability testing more practical and useful may improve user experience at minimal cost and require little existing expertise to conduct. We describe an application of discount usability to a high-fidelity online communications assessment application developed by the University of Washington for the American Board of Internal Medicine. Eight internal medicine physicians completed a discount usability test. Sessions were recorded and the videos analyzed for significant usability concerns. Concerns were identified, summarized, discussed, and prioritized by the authors in collaboration with the software developers before implementing any changes to the interface. Thirty-eight significant usability issues were detected and four technical problems were identified. Each issue was responded to through modification of the software, by providing additional instruction, or delayed for a later version to be developed. Discount usability can be easily implemented in academic developmental activities. Our study resulted in the discovery and remediation of significant user problems, in addition to giving important insight into the novel methods built into the application.

A Long-Term Experiment to Investigate the Relationships between High School Students' Perceptions of Mobile Learning and Peer Interaction and Higher-Order Thinking Tendencies

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hwang, Gwo-Jen; Lai, Chiu-Lin; Liang, Jyh-Chong; Chu, Hui-Chun; Tsai, Chin-Chung

2018-01-01

In this study, a one-year program was conducted to investigate the relationships between students' perceptions of mobile learning and their tendencies of peer interaction and higher-order thinking in issue-based mobile learning activities. To achieve the research objective, a survey consisting of eight scales, namely, usability, continuity,…

Teachers' Professional Orientation: An Empirical Examination of the Construct Validity Using the Results of Large-Scale Factor Analyses.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Chauvin, Sheila W.; Ellett, Chad D.

The construct validity of the Attitudes of Professional Autonomy (APA) as a proxy measure of professional orientation was studied. The sample consisted of all teachers in 94 schools in 6 districts in Louisiana, closely representing the statewide distribution of all schools by level and socioeconomic status. Usable data were received from 1,921…

Randomised controlled trial to assess the effect of a Just-in-Time training on procedural performance: a proof-of-concept study to address procedural skill decay.

PubMed

Branzetti, Jeremy B; Adedipe, Adeyinka A; Gittinger, Matthew J; Rosenman, Elizabeth D; Brolliar, Sarah; Chipman, Anne K; Grand, James A; Fernandez, Rosemarie

2017-11-01

A subset of high-risk procedures present significant safety threats due to their (1) infrequent occurrence, (2) execution under time constraints and (3) immediate necessity for patient survival. A Just-in-Time (JIT) intervention could provide real-time bedside guidance to improve high-risk procedural performance and address procedural deficits associated with skill decay. To evaluate the impact of a novel JIT intervention on transvenous pacemaker (TVP) placement during a simulated patient event. This was a prospective, randomised controlled study to determine the effect of a JIT intervention on performance of TVP placement. Subjects included board-certified emergency medicine physicians from two hospitals. The JIT intervention consisted of a portable, bedside computer-based procedural adjunct. The primary outcome was performance during a simulated patient encounter requiring TVP placement, as assessed by trained raters using a technical skills checklist. Secondary outcomes included global performance ratings, time to TVP placement, number of critical omissions and System Usability Scale scores (intervention only). Groups were similar at baseline across all outcomes. Compared with the control group, the intervention group demonstrated statistically significant improvement in the technical checklist score (11.45 vs 23.44, p<0.001, Cohen's d effect size 4.64), the global rating scale (2.27 vs 4.54, p<0.001, Cohen's d effect size 3.76), and a statistically significant reduction in critical omissions (2.23 vs 0.68, p<0.001, Cohen's d effect size -1.86). The difference in time to procedural completion was not statistically significant between conditions (11.15 min vs 12.80 min, p=0.12, Cohen's d effect size 0.65). System Usability Scale scores demonstrated excellent usability. A JIT intervention improved procedure perfromance, suggesting a role for JIT interventions in rarely performed procedures. © Article author(s) (or their employer(s) unless otherwise stated in the text of the article) 2017. All rights reserved. No commercial use is permitted unless otherwise expressly granted.

Earthdata Search Usability Study Process

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Reese, Mark

2016-01-01

User experience (UX) design is the process of enhancing user satisfaction by improving various aspects of the user's interaction with an application or website. One aspect of UX design is usability, or the extent to which an application can be used to to accomplish tasks efficiently, effectively, and with satisfaction. NASA's Earthdata Search Client recently underwent a focused usability testing project to measure usability and gain valuable user feedback and insights to increase usability for its end-users. This presentation focuses on the process by which the usability tests were administered and the lessons learned throughout the process.

A Novel Isoform of Sucrose Synthase Is Targeted to the Cell Wall during Secondary Cell Wall Synthesis in Cotton Fiber[C][W][OA

PubMed Central

Brill, Elizabeth; van Thournout, Michel; White, Rosemary G.; Llewellyn, Danny; Campbell, Peter M.; Engelen, Steven; Ruan, Yong-Ling; Arioli, Tony; Furbank, Robert T.

2011-01-01

Sucrose (Suc) synthase (Sus) is the major enzyme of Suc breakdown for cellulose biosynthesis in cotton (Gossypium hirsutum) fiber, an important source of fiber for the textile industry. This study examines the tissue-specific expression, relative abundance, and temporal expression of various Sus transcripts and proteins present in cotton. A novel isoform of Sus (SusC) is identified that is expressed at high levels during secondary cell wall synthesis in fiber and is present in the cell wall fraction. The phylogenetic relationships of the deduced amino acid sequences indicate two ancestral groups of Sus proteins predating the divergence of monocots and dicots and that SusC sequences form a distinct branch in the phylogeny within the dicot-specific clade. The subcellular location of the Sus isoforms is determined, and it is proposed that cell wall-localized SusC may provide UDP-glucose for cellulose and callose synthesis from extracellular sugars. PMID:21757635

Transgene silencing of sucrose synthase in alfalfa (Medicago sativa L.) stem vascular tissue suggests a role for invertase in cell wall cellulose synthesis.

PubMed

Samac, Deborah A; Bucciarelli, Bruna; Miller, Susan S; Yang, S Samuel; O'Rourke, Jamie A; Shin, Sanghyun; Vance, Carroll P

2015-12-01

Alfalfa (Medicago sativa L.) is a widely adapted perennial forage crop that has high biomass production potential. Enhanced cellulose content in alfalfa stems would increase the value of the crop as a bioenergy feedstock. We examined if increased expression of sucrose synthase (SUS; EC 2.4.1.13) would increase cellulose in stem cell walls. Alfalfa plants were transformed with a truncated alfalfa phosphoenolpyruvate carboxylase gene promoter (PEPC7-P4) fused to an alfalfa nodule-enhanced SUS cDNA (MsSUS1) or the β-glucuronidase (GUS) gene. Strong GUS expression was detected in xylem and phloem indicating that the PEPC7-P4 promoter was active in stem vascular tissue. In contrast to expectations, MsSUS1 transcript accumulation was reduced 75-90 % in alfalfa plants containing the PEPC7-P4::MsSUS1 transgene compared to controls. Enzyme assays indicated that SUS activity in stems of selected down-regulated transformants was reduced by greater than 95 % compared to the controls. Although SUS activity was detected in xylem and phloem of control plants by in situ enzyme assays, plants with the PEPC7-P4::MsSUS1 transgene lacked detectable SUS activity in post-elongation stem (PES) internodes and had very low SUS activity in elongating stem (ES) internodes. Loss of SUS protein in PES internodes of down-regulated lines was confirmed by immunoblots. Down-regulation of SUS expression and activity in stem tissue resulted in no obvious phenotype or significant change in cell wall sugar composition. However, alkaline/neutral (A/N) invertase activity increased in SUS down-regulated lines and high levels of acid invertase activity were observed. In situ enzyme assays of stem tissue showed localization of neutral invertase in vascular tissues of ES and PES internodes. These results suggest that invertases play a primary role in providing glucose for cellulose biosynthesis or compensate for the loss of SUS1 activity in stem vascular tissue.

From expert-derived user needs to user-perceived ease of use and usefulness: a two-phase mixed-methods evaluation framework.

PubMed

Boland, Mary Regina; Rusanov, Alexander; So, Yat; Lopez-Jimenez, Carlos; Busacca, Linda; Steinman, Richard C; Bakken, Suzanne; Bigger, J Thomas; Weng, Chunhua

2014-12-01

Underspecified user needs and frequent lack of a gold standard reference are typical barriers to technology evaluation. To address this problem, this paper presents a two-phase evaluation framework involving usability experts (phase 1) and end-users (phase 2). In phase 1, a cross-system functionality alignment between expert-derived user needs and system functions was performed to inform the choice of "the best available" comparison system to enable a cognitive walkthrough in phase 1 and a comparative effectiveness evaluation in phase 2. During phase 2, five quantitative and qualitative evaluation methods are mixed to assess usability: time-motion analysis, software log, questionnaires - System Usability Scale and the Unified Theory of Acceptance of Use of Technology, think-aloud protocols, and unstructured interviews. Each method contributes data for a unique measure (e.g., time motion analysis contributes task-completion-time; software log contributes action transition frequency). The measures are triangulated to yield complementary insights regarding user-perceived ease-of-use, functionality integration, anxiety during use, and workflow impact. To illustrate its use, we applied this framework in a formative evaluation of a software called Integrated Model for Patient Care and Clinical Trials (IMPACT). We conclude that this mixed-methods evaluation framework enables an integrated assessment of user needs satisfaction and user-perceived usefulness and usability of a novel design. This evaluation framework effectively bridges the gap between co-evolving user needs and technology designs during iterative prototyping and is particularly useful when it is difficult for users to articulate their needs for technology support due to the lack of a baseline. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Accessible weight loss: Adapting a lifestyle intervention for adults with impaired mobility.

PubMed

Betts, Andrea C; Froehlich-Grobe, Katherine

2017-01-01

Despite disparities in obesity between those with and without disability, there is limited evidence to guide weight loss intervention in people with impaired mobility (IM), particularly those with severe impairments. Examine the usability, feasibility, and effectiveness of adapting an existing evidence-based weight loss program for people with IM. In this single-group pre-test post-test pilot study, 10 overweight or obese individuals with permanent IM (e.g. spinal cord injury, spina bifida, osteoarthritis) participated in a 20-week modification of the DPP Group Lifestyle Balance™ (DPP GLB) program, a group-based adaptation of the Diabetes Prevention Program (DPP). Fifteen conference calls encouraged reducing calorie and fat intake and increasing exercise through self-monitoring and problem solving. We defined feasibility as retention and engagement, usability as participants' program satisfaction ratings, and effectiveness as physiological and psychosocial change measured on three occasions over 20 weeks. Analytic methods included basic descriptive statistics (feasibility and usability) and repeated measures ANOVA (effectiveness). The program retained 70% of participants. These individuals attended an average of 79.3% of conference calls and self-monitored more than half of the weeks. Participants rated the program highly, with mean overall scores of 6.3 ± 0.3 and 6.2 ± 0.6 out of 7 on helpfulness and satisfaction scales, respectively. Program completers experienced a significant mean weight loss of 8.86 ± 8.37 kg (p = 0.024), or 7.4% of their start weight, and significantly reduced their BMI. An adapted version of the DPP GLB is a feasible, usable, and potentially effective intervention for promoting weight loss among persons with IM. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Enabling Large-Scale Biomedical Analysis in the Cloud

PubMed Central

Lin, Ying-Chih; Yu, Chin-Sheng; Lin, Yen-Jen

2013-01-01

Recent progress in high-throughput instrumentations has led to an astonishing growth in both volume and complexity of biomedical data collected from various sources. The planet-size data brings serious challenges to the storage and computing technologies. Cloud computing is an alternative to crack the nut because it gives concurrent consideration to enable storage and high-performance computing on large-scale data. This work briefly introduces the data intensive computing system and summarizes existing cloud-based resources in bioinformatics. These developments and applications would facilitate biomedical research to make the vast amount of diversification data meaningful and usable. PMID:24288665

Evaluating North American Electric Grid Reliability Using the Barabasi-Albert Network Model

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Chassin, David P.; Posse, Christian

2005-09-15

The reliability of electric transmission systems is examined using a scale-free model of network topology and failure propagation. The topologies of the North American eastern and western electric grids are analyzed to estimate their reliability based on the Barabási-Albert network model. A commonly used power system reliability index is computed using a simple failure propagation model. The results are compared to the values of power system reliability indices previously obtained using other methods and they suggest that scale-free network models are usable to estimate aggregate electric grid reliability.

Evaluating North American Electric Grid Reliability Using the Barabasi-Albert Network Model

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Chassin, David P.; Posse, Christian

2005-09-15

The reliability of electric transmission systems is examined using a scale-free model of network topology and failure propagation. The topologies of the North American eastern and western electric grids are analyzed to estimate their reliability based on the Barabasi-Albert network model. A commonly used power system reliability index is computed using a simple failure propagation model. The results are compared to the values of power system reliability indices previously obtained using standard power engineering methods, and they suggest that scale-free network models are usable to estimate aggregate electric grid reliability.

Qualitative review of usability problems in health information systems for radiology.

PubMed

Dias, Camila Rodrigues; Pereira, Marluce Rodrigues; Freire, André Pimenta

2017-12-01

Radiology processes are commonly supported by Radiology Information System (RIS), Picture Archiving and Communication System (PACS) and other software for radiology. However, these information technologies can present usability problems that affect the performance of radiologists and physicians, especially considering the complexity of the tasks involved. The purpose of this study was to extract, classify and analyze qualitatively the usability problems in PACS, RIS and other software for radiology. A systematic review was performed to extract usability problems reported in empirical usability studies in the literature. The usability problems were categorized as violations of Nielsen and Molich's usability heuristics. The qualitative analysis indicated the causes and the effects of the identified usability problems. From the 431 papers initially identified, 10 met the study criteria. The analysis of the papers identified 90 instances of usability problems, classified into categories corresponding to established usability heuristics. The five heuristics with the highest number of instances of usability problems were "Flexibility and efficiency of use", "Consistency and standards", "Match between system and the real world", "Recognition rather than recall" and "Help and documentation", respectively. These problems can make the interaction time consuming, causing delays in tasks, dissatisfaction, frustration, preventing users from enjoying all the benefits and functionalities of the system, as well as leading to more errors and difficulties in carrying out clinical analyses. Furthermore, the present paper showed a lack of studies performed on systems for radiology, especially usability evaluations using formal methods of evaluation involving the final users. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Design and implementation of a hospital-based usability laboratory: insights from a Department of Veterans Affairs laboratory for health information technology.

PubMed

Russ, Alissa L; Weiner, Michael; Russell, Scott A; Baker, Darrell A; Fahner, W Jeffrey; Saleem, Jason J

2012-12-01

Although the potential benefits of more usable health information technologies (HIT) are substantial-reduced HIT support costs, increased work efficiency, and improved patient safety--human factors methods to improve usability are rarely employed. The US Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) has emerged as an early leader in establishing usability laboratories to inform the design of HIT, including its electronic health record. Experience with a usability laboratory at a VA Medical Center provides insights on how to design, implement, and leverage usability laboratories in the health care setting. The VA Health Services Research and Development Service Human-Computer Interaction & Simulation Laboratory emerged as one of the first VA usability laboratories and was intended to provide research-based findings about HIT designs. This laboratory supports rapid prototyping, formal usability testing, and analysis tools to assess existing technologies, alternative designs, and potential future technologies. RESULTS OF IMPLEMENTATION: Although the laboratory has maintained a research focus, it has become increasingly integrated with VA operations, both within the medical center and on a national VA level. With this resource, data-driven recommendations have been provided for the design of HIT applications before and after implementation. The demand for usability testing of HIT is increasing, and information on how to develop usability laboratories for the health care setting is often needed. This article may assist other health care organizations that want to invest in usability resources to improve HIT. The establishment and utilization of usability laboratories in the health care setting may improve HIT designs and promote safe, high-quality care for patients.

Proteomic analysis reveals the important roles of alpha-5-collagen and ATP5β during skin ulceration syndrome progression of sea cucumber Apostichopus japonicus.

PubMed

Zhao, Zelong; Jiang, Jingwei; Pan, Yongjia; Sun, Hongjuan; Guan, Xiaoyan; Gao, Shan; Chen, Zhong; Dong, Ying; Zhou, Zunchun

2018-03-20

Apostichopus japonicus is one of the most important aquaculture species in China. Skin ulceration syndrome (SUS) of sea cucumber is a common and serious disease affected the development of A. japonicus culture industry. To better understand the response mechanisms of A. japonicus during SUS progression, the protein variations in the body wall of A. japonicus at different stages of SUS were investigated by a comparative proteomic approach based on isobaric tags for relative and absolute quantification. A total of 1449 proteins were identified from the samples at different SUS stages. Among these proteins, 145 proteins were differentially expressed in the SUS-related samples compared to those of healthy A. japonicus. These differentially expressed proteins involved a wide range of functions. Among these differentially expressed proteins, only two proteins, alpha-5-collagen and an unknown function protein, were differentially expressed during the whole progression of SUS compared with healthy A. japonicus. In addition, ATP synthase subunit beta (ATP5β) interacted with a variety of proteins with different functions during the SUS progression. These results implied that alpha-5-collagen and ATP5β could play important roles during the SUS progression of A. japonicus. Our study provided a new sight to understand the molecular responses of sea cucumber during the SUS progression and accumulated data for the prevention of SUS in sea cucumber aquaculture. The current study aimed to reveal how the body wall of Apostichopus japonicus response to skin ulceration syndrome (SUS). To the best of our knowledge, this is the first proteomic study analyzing the differences in protein profile of sea cucumber during the whole SUS progression. By analyzing the expression differences of the proteome via isobaric labeling-based quantitative proteomic, we identified some proteins which may play important roles during the SUS progression. According to the enrichment analyses of these proteins based on Gene Ontology and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes, a draft view of how the sea cucumber affected by SUS has been drawn. The common and unique differentially expressed proteins by Venn analysis showed that alpha-5-collagen was down-regulated at all stages of SUS, which had the potential as a target component for the host-directed SUS therapy. In addition, ATP5β, a subunit of mitochondrial ATP synthase, interacting with a variety of proteins with different functions during the SUS progression. This result illustrated that energy production and metabolism could play an important role in the formation of skin ulceration and resistance to pathogens in sea cucumber. The results of this study will be helpful for researchers to gain insights into the complex molecular mechanism of SUS in sea cucumber. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Making the Case for a Model-Based Definition of Engineering Materials (Postprint)

DTIC Science & Technology

2017-09-12

MBE relies on digi- tal representations, or a model-based definition (MBD), to define a product throughout design , manufacturing and sus- tainment...discovery through development, scale-up, product design and qualification, manufacture and sustainment have changed little over the past decades. This...testing data provided a certifiable material definition, so as to minimize risk and simplify procurement of materials during the design , manufacture , and

Wild pigs (Sus scrofa) mediate large-scale edge effects in a lowland tropical rainforest in Peninsular Malaysia.

PubMed

Fujinuma, Junichi; Harrison, Rhett D

2012-01-01

Edge-effects greatly extend the area of tropical forests degraded through human activities. At Pasoh, Peninsular Malaysia, it has been suggested that soil disturbance by highly abundant wild pigs (Sus scrofa), which feed in adjacent Oil Palm plantations, may have mediated the invasion of Clidemia hirta (Melastomataceae) into the diverse tropical lowland rain forest. To investigate this hypothesis, we established three 1 km transects from the forest/Oil Palm plantation boundary into the forest interior. We recorded the distribution of soil disturbance by wild pigs, C. hirta abundance, and environmental variables. These data were analyzed using a hierarchical Bayesian model that incorporated spatial auto-correlation in the environmental variables. As predicted, soil disturbance by wild pigs declined with distance from forest edge and C. hirta abundance was correlated with the level of soil disturbance. Importantly there was no effect of distance on C. hirta abundance, after controlling for the effect of soil disturbance. Clidemia hirta abundance was also correlated with the presence of canopy openings, but there was no significant association between the occurrence of canopy openings and distance from the edge. Increased levels of soil disturbance and C. hirta abundance were still detectable approximately 1 km from the edge, demonstrating the potential for exceptionally large-scale animal mediated edge effects.

Wild Pigs (Sus scrofa) Mediate Large-Scale Edge Effects in a Lowland Tropical Rainforest in Peninsular Malaysia

PubMed Central

Fujinuma, Junichi; Harrison, Rhett D.

2012-01-01

Edge-effects greatly extend the area of tropical forests degraded through human activities. At Pasoh, Peninsular Malaysia, it has been suggested that soil disturbance by highly abundant wild pigs (Sus scrofa), which feed in adjacent Oil Palm plantations, may have mediated the invasion of Clidemia hirta (Melastomataceae) into the diverse tropical lowland rain forest. To investigate this hypothesis, we established three 1 km transects from the forest/Oil Palm plantation boundary into the forest interior. We recorded the distribution of soil disturbance by wild pigs, C. hirta abundance, and environmental variables. These data were analyzed using a hierarchical Bayesian model that incorporated spatial auto-correlation in the environmental variables. As predicted, soil disturbance by wild pigs declined with distance from forest edge and C. hirta abundance was correlated with the level of soil disturbance. Importantly there was no effect of distance on C. hirta abundance, after controlling for the effect of soil disturbance. Clidemia hirta abundance was also correlated with the presence of canopy openings, but there was no significant association between the occurrence of canopy openings and distance from the edge. Increased levels of soil disturbance and C. hirta abundance were still detectable approximately 1 km from the edge, demonstrating the potential for exceptionally large-scale animal mediated edge effects. PMID:22615977

NOAA's Regional Climate Services Program: Building Relationships with Partners and Customers to Deliver Trusted Climate Information at Usable Scales

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mecray, E. L.; Dissen, J.

2016-12-01

Federal agencies across multiple sectors from transportation to health, emergency management and agriculture, are now requiring their key stakeholders to identify and plan for climate-related impacts. Responding to the drumbeat for climate services at the regional and local scale, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) formed its Regional Climate Services (RCS) program to include Regional Climate Services Directors (RCSD), Regional Climate Centers, and state climatologists in a partnership. Since 2010, the RCS program has engaged customers across the country and amongst many of the nation's key economic sectors to compile information requirements, deliver climate-related products and services, and build partnerships among federal agencies and their regional climate entities. The talk will include a sketch from the Eastern Region that may shed light on the interaction of the multiple entities working at the regional scale. Additionally, we will show examples of our interagency work with the Department of Interior, the Department of Agriculture, and others in NOAA to deliver usable and trusted climate information and resources. These include webinars, print material, and face-to-face customer engagements to gather and respond to information requirements. NOAA/National Centers for Environmental Information's RCSDs work on-the-ground to learn from customers about their information needs and their use of existing tools and resources. As regional leads, the RCSDs work within NOAA and with our regional partners to ensure the customer receives a broad picture of the tools and information from across the nation.

Validity and usability of a professional association's web-based knowledge translation portal: American Physical Therapy Association's PTNow.org.

PubMed

Deutsch, Judith E; Romney, Wendy; Reynolds, Jan; Manal, Tara Jo

2015-10-08

PTNow.org is an evidence-based, on-line portal created by a professional membership association to promote use of evidence in practice and to help decrease unwarranted variation in practice. The site contains synthesis documents designed to promote efficient clinical reasoning. These documents were written and peer-reviewed by teams of content experts and master clinicians. The purpose of this paper is to report on the content and construct validity as well as usability of the site. Physical therapist participants used clinical summaries (available in 3 formats--as a full summary with hyperlinks, "quick takes" with hyperlinks, and a portable two-page version) on the PTNow.org site to answer knowledge acquisition and clinical reasoning questions related to four patient scenarios. They also responded to questions about ease of use related to website navigation and about format and completeness of information using a 1-5 Likert scale. Responses were coded to reflect how participants used the site and then were summarized descriptively. Preferences for clinical summary format were analyzed using an analysis of variance (ANOVA) and a Dunnett T3 post hoc analysis. Seventeen participants completed the study. Clinical relevance and completeness ratings by experienced clinicians, which were used as the measure of content validity, ranged from 3.1 to 4.6 on a 5 point scale. Construct validity based on the information on the PTNow.org site was supported for knowledge acquisition questions 66 % of the time and for clinical reasoning questions 40 % of the time. Usability ratings for the full clinical summary were 4.6 (1.2); for the quick takes, 3.5 (.98); and for the portable clinical summary, 4.0 (.45). Participants preferred the full clinical summary over the other two formats (F = 5.908, P = 0.007). One hundred percent of the participants stated that they would recommend the PTNow site to their colleagues. Prelimary evidence supported both content validity and construct validity of knowledge acquisition, and partially supported construct validity of clinical reasoning for the clinical summaries on the PTNow.org site. Usability was supported, with users preferring the full clinical summary over the other two formats. Iterative design is ongoing.

Beyond Effectiveness: A Pragmatic Evaluation Framework for Learning and Continuous Quality Improvement of e-Learning Interventions in Healthcare.

PubMed

Dafalla, Tarig Dafalla Mohamed; Kushniruk, Andre W; Borycki, Elizabeth M

2015-01-01

A pragmatic evaluation framework for evaluating the usability and usefulness of an e-learning intervention for a patient clinical information scheduling system is presented in this paper. The framework was conceptualized based on two different but related concepts (usability and usefulness) and selection of appropriate and valid methods of data collection and analysis that included: (1) Low-Cost Rapid Usability Engineering (LCRUE), (2) Cognitive Task Analysis (CTA), (3) Heuristic Evaluation (HE) criteria for web-based learning, and (4) Software Usability Measurement Inventory (SUMI). The results of the analysis showed some areas where usability that were related to General Interface Usability (GIU), instructional design and content was problematic; some of which might account for the poorly rated aspects of usability when subjectively measured. This paper shows that using a pragmatic framework can be a useful way, not only for measuring the usability and usefulness, but also for providing a practical objective evidences for learning and continuous quality improvement of e-learning systems. The findings should be of interest to educators, developers, designers, researchers, and usability practitioners involved in the development of e-learning systems in healthcare. This framework could be an appropriate method for assessing the usability, usefulness and safety of health information systems both in the laboratory and in the clinical context.

A methodology for evaluating the usability of audiovisual consumer electronic products.

PubMed

Kwahk, Jiyoung; Han, Sung H

2002-09-01

Usability evaluation is now considered an essential procedure in consumer product development. Many studies have been conducted to develop various techniques and methods of usability evaluation hoping to help the evaluators choose appropriate methods. However, planning and conducting usability evaluation requires considerations of a number of factors surrounding the evaluation process including the product, user, activity, and environmental characteristics. In this perspective, this study suggested a new methodology of usability evaluation through a simple, structured framework. The framework was outlined by three major components: the interface features of a product as design variables, the evaluation context consisting of user, product, activity, and environment as context variables, and the usability measures as dependent variables. Based on this framework, this study established methods to specify the product interface features, to define evaluation context, and to measure usability. The effectiveness of this methodology was demonstrated through case studies in which the usability of audiovisual products was evaluated by using the methods developed in this study. This study is expected to help the usability practitioners in consumer electronics industry in various ways. Most directly, it supports the evaluators' plan and conduct usability evaluation sessions in a systematic and structured manner. In addition, it can be applied to other categories of consumer products (such as appliances, automobiles, communication devices, etc.) with minor modifications as necessary.

Combining usability evaluations to highlight the chain that leads from usability flaws to usage problems and then negative outcomes.

PubMed

Watbled, Ludivine; Marcilly, Romaric; Guerlinger, Sandra; Bastien, J-M Christian; Beuscart-Zéphir, Marie-Catherine; Beuscart, Régis

2018-02-01

Poor usability of health technology is thought to diminish work system performance, increase error rates and, potentially, harm patients. The present study (i) used a combination of usability evaluation methods to highlight the chain that leads from usability flaws to usage problems experienced by users and, ultimately, to negative patient outcomes, and (ii) validated this approach by studying two different discharge summary production systems. To comply with quality guidelines, the process of drafting and sending discharge summaries is increasingly being automated. However, the usability of these systems may modify their impact (or the absence thereof) in terms of production times and quality, and must therefore be evaluated. Here, we applied three successive techniques for usability evaluation (heuristic evaluation, user testing and field observation) to two discharge summary production systems (underpinned by different technologies). The systems' main usability flaws led respectively to an increase in the time need to produce a discharge summary and the risk of patient misidentification. Our results are discussed with regard to the possibility of linking the usability flaws, usage problems and the negative outcomes by successively applying three methods for evaluating usability (heuristic evaluation, user testing and in situ observations) throughout the system development life cycle. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

The Current Status of Usability Studies of Information Technologies in China: A Systematic Study

PubMed Central

Lei, Jianbo; Xu, Lufei; Meng, Qun; Zhang, Jiajie; Gong, Yang

2014-01-01

Objectives. To systematically review and analyze the current status and characteristics of usability studies in China in the field of information technology in general and in the field of healthcare in particular. Methods. We performed a quantitative literature analysis in three major Chinese academic databases and one English language database using Chinese search terms equivalent to the concept of usability. Results. Six hundred forty-seven publications were selected for analysis. We found that in China the literature on usability in the field of information technology began in 1994 and increased thereafter. The usability definitions from ISO 9241-11:1998 and Nielsen (1993) have been widely recognized and cited. Authors who have published several publications are rare. Fourteen journals have a publishing rate over 1%. Only nine publications about HIT were identified. Discussions. China's usability research started relatively late. There is a lack of organized research teams and dedicated usability journals. High-impact theoretical studies are scarce. On the application side, no original and systematic research frameworks have been developed. The understanding and definition of usability is not well synchronized with international norms. Besides, usability research in HIT is rare. Conclusions. More human and material resources need to be invested in China's usability research, particularly in HIT. PMID:25050362

To twist or poke? A method for identifying usability issues with the rotary controller and touch screen for control of in-vehicle information systems.

PubMed

Harvey, Catherine; Stanton, Neville A; Pickering, Carl A; McDonald, Mike; Zheng, Pengjun

2011-07-01

In-vehicle information systems (IVIS) can be controlled by the user via direct or indirect input devices. In order to develop the next generation of usable IVIS, designers need to be able to evaluate and understand the usability issues associated with these two input types. The aim of this study was to investigate the effectiveness of a set of empirical usability evaluation methods for identifying important usability issues and distinguishing between the IVIS input devices. A number of usability issues were identified and their causal factors have been explored. These were related to the input type, the structure of the menu/tasks and hardware issues. In particular, the translation between inputs and on-screen actions and a lack of visual feedback for menu navigation resulted in lower levels of usability for the indirect device. This information will be useful in informing the design of new IVIS, with improved usability. STATEMENT OF RELEVANCE: This paper examines the use of empirical methods for distinguishing between direct and indirect IVIS input devices and identifying usability issues. Results have shown that the characteristics of indirect input devices produce more serious usability issues, compared with direct devices and can have a negative effect on the driver-vehicle interaction.

Using a fuzzy comprehensive evaluation method to determine product usability: A test case

PubMed Central

Zhou, Ronggang; Chan, Alan H. S.

2016-01-01

BACKGROUND: In order to take into account the inherent uncertainties during product usability evaluation, Zhou and Chan [1] proposed a comprehensive method of usability evaluation for products by combining the analytic hierarchy process (AHP) and fuzzy evaluation methods for synthesizing performance data and subjective response data. This method was designed to provide an integrated framework combining the inevitable vague judgments from the multiple stages of the product evaluation process. OBJECTIVE AND METHODS: In order to illustrate the effectiveness of the model, this study used a summative usability test case to assess the application and strength of the general fuzzy usability framework. To test the proposed fuzzy usability evaluation framework [1], a standard summative usability test was conducted to benchmark the overall usability of a specific network management software. Based on the test data, the fuzzy method was applied to incorporate both the usability scores and uncertainties involved in the multiple components of the evaluation. Then, with Monte Carlo simulation procedures, confidence intervals were used to compare the reliabilities among the fuzzy approach and two typical conventional methods combining metrics based on percentages. RESULTS AND CONCLUSIONS: This case study showed that the fuzzy evaluation technique can be applied successfully for combining summative usability testing data to achieve an overall usability quality for the network software evaluated. Greater differences of confidence interval widths between the method of averaging equally percentage and weighted evaluation method, including the method of weighted percentage averages, verified the strength of the fuzzy method. PMID:28035942

Using a fuzzy comprehensive evaluation method to determine product usability: A test case.

PubMed

Zhou, Ronggang; Chan, Alan H S

2017-01-01

In order to take into account the inherent uncertainties during product usability evaluation, Zhou and Chan [1] proposed a comprehensive method of usability evaluation for products by combining the analytic hierarchy process (AHP) and fuzzy evaluation methods for synthesizing performance data and subjective response data. This method was designed to provide an integrated framework combining the inevitable vague judgments from the multiple stages of the product evaluation process. In order to illustrate the effectiveness of the model, this study used a summative usability test case to assess the application and strength of the general fuzzy usability framework. To test the proposed fuzzy usability evaluation framework [1], a standard summative usability test was conducted to benchmark the overall usability of a specific network management software. Based on the test data, the fuzzy method was applied to incorporate both the usability scores and uncertainties involved in the multiple components of the evaluation. Then, with Monte Carlo simulation procedures, confidence intervals were used to compare the reliabilities among the fuzzy approach and two typical conventional methods combining metrics based on percentages. This case study showed that the fuzzy evaluation technique can be applied successfully for combining summative usability testing data to achieve an overall usability quality for the network software evaluated. Greater differences of confidence interval widths between the method of averaging equally percentage and weighted evaluation method, including the method of weighted percentage averages, verified the strength of the fuzzy method.

36 CFR 1193.31 - Accessibility and usability.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-07-01

... 36 Parks, Forests, and Public Property 3 2011-07-01 2011-07-01 false Accessibility and usability... COMPLIANCE BOARD TELECOMMUNICATIONS ACT ACCESSIBILITY GUIDELINES Requirements for Accessibility and Usability § 1193.31 Accessibility and usability. When required by § 1193.21, telecommunications equipment and...

36 CFR 1193.31 - Accessibility and usability.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-07-01

... 36 Parks, Forests, and Public Property 3 2010-07-01 2010-07-01 false Accessibility and usability... COMPLIANCE BOARD TELECOMMUNICATIONS ACT ACCESSIBILITY GUIDELINES Requirements for Accessibility and Usability § 1193.31 Accessibility and usability. When required by § 1193.21, telecommunications equipment and...

36 CFR 1193.31 - Accessibility and usability.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-07-01

... 36 Parks, Forests, and Public Property 3 2014-07-01 2014-07-01 false Accessibility and usability... COMPLIANCE BOARD TELECOMMUNICATIONS ACT ACCESSIBILITY GUIDELINES Requirements for Accessibility and Usability § 1193.31 Accessibility and usability. When required by § 1193.21, telecommunications equipment and...

36 CFR 1193.31 - Accessibility and usability.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-07-01

... 36 Parks, Forests, and Public Property 3 2012-07-01 2012-07-01 false Accessibility and usability... COMPLIANCE BOARD TELECOMMUNICATIONS ACT ACCESSIBILITY GUIDELINES Requirements for Accessibility and Usability § 1193.31 Accessibility and usability. When required by § 1193.21, telecommunications equipment and...

Task Dependence, Tissue Specificity, and Spatial Distribution of Widespread Activations in Large Single-Subject Functional MRI Datasets at 7T

PubMed Central

Gonzalez-Castillo, Javier; Hoy, Colin W.; Handwerker, Daniel A.; Roopchansingh, Vinai; Inati, Souheil J.; Saad, Ziad S.; Cox, Robert W.; Bandettini, Peter A.

2015-01-01

It was recently shown that when large amounts of task-based blood oxygen level–dependent (BOLD) data are combined to increase contrast- and temporal signal-to-noise ratios, the majority of the brain shows significant hemodynamic responses time-locked with the experimental paradigm. Here, we investigate the biological significance of such widespread activations. First, the relationship between activation extent and task demands was investigated by varying cognitive load across participants. Second, the tissue specificity of responses was probed using the better BOLD signal localization capabilities of a 7T scanner. Finally, the spatial distribution of 3 primary response types—namely positively sustained (pSUS), negatively sustained (nSUS), and transient—was evaluated using a newly defined voxel-wise waveshape index that permits separation of responses based on their temporal signature. About 86% of gray matter (GM) became significantly active when all data entered the analysis for the most complex task. Activation extent scaled with task load and largely followed the GM contour. The most common response type was nSUS BOLD, irrespective of the task. Our results suggest that widespread activations associated with extremely large single-subject functional magnetic resonance imaging datasets can provide valuable information about the functional organization of the brain that goes undetected in smaller sample sizes. PMID:25405938

Usability study of a computer-based self-management system for older adults with chronic diseases.

PubMed

Or, Calvin; Tao, Da

2012-11-08

Usability can influence patients' acceptance and adoption of a health information technology. However, little research has been conducted to study the usability of a self-management health care system, especially one geared toward elderly patients. This usability study evaluated a new computer-based self-management system interface for older adults with chronic diseases, using a paper prototype approach. Fifty older adults with different chronic diseases participated. Two usability evaluation methods were involved: (1) a heuristics evaluation and (2) end-user testing with a think-aloud testing method, audio recording, videotaping, and interviewing. A set of usability metrics was employed to determine the overall system usability, including task incompletion rate, task completion time, frequency of error, frequency of help, satisfaction, perceived usefulness, and perceived ease of use. Interviews were used to elicit participants' comments on the system design. The quantitative data were analyzed using descriptive statistics and the qualitative data were analyzed for content. The participants were able to perform the predesigned self-management tasks with the current system design and they expressed mostly positive responses about the perceived usability measures regarding the system interface. However, the heuristics evaluation, performance measures, and interviews revealed a number of usability problems related to system navigation, information search and interpretation, information presentation, and readability. Design recommendations for further system interface modifications were discussed. This study verified the usability of the self-management system developed for older adults with chronic diseases. Also, we demonstrated that our usability evaluation approach could be used to quickly and effectively identify usability problems in a health care information system at an early stage of the system development process using a paper prototype. Conducting a usability evaluation is an essential step in system development to ensure that the system features match the users' true needs, expectations, and characteristics, and also to minimize the likelihood of the users committing user errors and having difficulties using the system.

Usability Study of a Computer-Based Self-Management System for Older Adults with Chronic Diseases

PubMed Central

Tao, Da

2012-01-01

Background Usability can influence patients’ acceptance and adoption of a health information technology. However, little research has been conducted to study the usability of a self-management health care system, especially one geared toward elderly patients. Objective This usability study evaluated a new computer-based self-management system interface for older adults with chronic diseases, using a paper prototype approach. Methods Fifty older adults with different chronic diseases participated. Two usability evaluation methods were involved: (1) a heuristics evaluation and (2) end-user testing with a think-aloud testing method, audio recording, videotaping, and interviewing. A set of usability metrics was employed to determine the overall system usability, including task incompletion rate, task completion time, frequency of error, frequency of help, satisfaction, perceived usefulness, and perceived ease of use. Interviews were used to elicit participants’ comments on the system design. The quantitative data were analyzed using descriptive statistics and the qualitative data were analyzed for content. Results The participants were able to perform the predesigned self-management tasks with the current system design and they expressed mostly positive responses about the perceived usability measures regarding the system interface. However, the heuristics evaluation, performance measures, and interviews revealed a number of usability problems related to system navigation, information search and interpretation, information presentation, and readability. Design recommendations for further system interface modifications were discussed. Conclusions This study verified the usability of the self-management system developed for older adults with chronic diseases. Also, we demonstrated that our usability evaluation approach could be used to quickly and effectively identify usability problems in a health care information system at an early stage of the system development process using a paper prototype. Conducting a usability evaluation is an essential step in system development to ensure that the system features match the users’ true needs, expectations, and characteristics, and also to minimize the likelihood of the users committing user errors and having difficulties using the system. PMID:23612015

Marketing through Usability.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Morgan, Eric Lease

1999-01-01

Suggests that one of the best ways to get word-of-mouth marketing of library technology is to provide "usable" products and services. Provides an international standards definition on usability and notes that understanding usability combines an understanding of user needs/wants with an understanding of goals, functions, and limitations…

Assessing the acceptability and usability of an interactive serious game in aiding treatment decisions for patients with localized prostate cancer.

PubMed

Reichlin, Lindsey; Mani, Nithya; McArthur, Kara; Harris, Amy M; Rajan, Nithin; Dacso, Clifford C

2011-01-12

Men diagnosed with localized prostate cancer face a potentially life-altering treatment decision that can be overwhelming. Enhancing patient knowledge through education can significantly reduce feelings of uncertainty while simultaneously increasing confidence in decision making. Serious games have been shown in other populations to increase health knowledge and assist with the health decision-making process. We developed an interactive serious game, Time After Time, which translates evidence-based treatment outcome data into an accessible and understandable format that men can utilize in their prostate cancer treatment decision-making process. The game specifically aims to raise men's awareness and understanding of the impact of health-related quality of life issues associated with the major treatment options and to enrich their conversations with their health care providers. This study determined the acceptability and usability of the alpha version of Time After Time, an interactive decision aid for men diagnosed with localized prostate cancer, in order to inform future iterations of the serious game. The study employed a mixed methods approach to assess the acceptability and usability of the Time After Time serious game using qualitative focus groups and a quantitative Likert scale survey. A total of 13 men who had already completed treatment for localized prostate cancer completed the survey and participated in focus group meetings. The majority of the study participants rated Time After Time as an appropriate decision tool for localized prostate cancer and verified that it meets its goals of increasing focus on side effects and generating questions for the patient's health care team. However, participants also expressed concerns about game usability and the diversity of information covered regarding treatment options and potential treatment outcomes. Serious games are a promising approach to health education and decision support for older men. Participants were receptive to the idea of a serious game as a decision aid in localized prostate cancer. However, usability issues are a major concern for this demographic, as is clarity and transparency of data sources.

[Benefits and usability of a pharmaceutical record in medical practice. A survey of hospital doctors and pharmacists (MATRIX study)].

PubMed

Schuers, M; Timsit, M; Gillibert, A; Fred, A; Griffon, N; Bénichou, J; Darmoni, S J; Staccini, P

2016-09-01

To evaluate the impact of the pharmaceutical patient record use in emergency, geriatric and anaesthesia and intensive care departments, an experimentation was launched in 2013 in 55 hospitals. The purpose of the study was to assess the opinions of physicians and pharmacists about the benefits and usability of the patient pharmaceutical record. An e-mailed self-administered questionnaire was sent to all the pharmacists, anaesthesiologists, geriatricians and emergency physicians of the 55 hospitals involved in the patient pharmaceutical record experimentation. The questionnaire assessed the usability of the patient pharmaceutical record using the "System Usability Scale", as well as its use, its benefits and limitations perceived in clinical practice, and overall user satisfaction. Questionnaires were collected from November 2014 to January 2015. Ninety-six questionnaires were collected, from 47 hospitals, representing 86% of the hospitals involved in the experimentation. The patient pharmaceutical record was effectively operational in 36 hospitals. Data from 73 questionnaires filled by physicians and pharmacists with potential experience with the patient pharmaceutical record were used for evaluation. Forty-two respondents were pharmacists (57%) and 31 were physicians (43%), including 13 geriatricians, 11 emergency physicians and 7 anaesthesiologists. Patient pharmaceutical record overall usability score was 62.5 out of 100. It did not vary with the profession or seniority of the respondent. It was positively correlated with the frequency of use. More than half of respondents reported that they never or uncommonly used the patient pharmaceutical record. The length of access to data period was considered as insufficient. Main obstacles to more utilization of the patient pharmaceutical record were the lack of information about the dosage of dispensed drugs, the low number of patients in possession of their health card and the low number of patients with an activated patient pharmaceutical record. Two years after the beginning of the experiment aiming to broaden the access to the patient pharmaceutical record to physicians, these first evaluation results are encouraging. The evaluation of the consequences of the access to the patient pharmaceutical record for physicians remains necessary. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Masson SAS. All rights reserved.

Assessing the Acceptability and Usability of an Interactive Serious Game in Aiding Treatment Decisions for Patients with Localized Prostate Cancer

PubMed Central

2011-01-01

Background Men diagnosed with localized prostate cancer face a potentially life-altering treatment decision that can be overwhelming. Enhancing patient knowledge through education can significantly reduce feelings of uncertainty while simultaneously increasing confidence in decision making. Serious games have been shown in other populations to increase health knowledge and assist with the health decision-making process. We developed an interactive serious game, Time After Time, which translates evidence-based treatment outcome data into an accessible and understandable format that men can utilize in their prostate cancer treatment decision-making process. The game specifically aims to raise men’s awareness and understanding of the impact of health-related quality of life issues associated with the major treatment options and to enrich their conversations with their health care providers. Objective This study determined the acceptability and usability of the alpha version of Time After Time, an interactive decision aid for men diagnosed with localized prostate cancer, in order to inform future iterations of the serious game. Methods The study employed a mixed methods approach to assess the acceptability and usability of the Time After Time serious game using qualitative focus groups and a quantitative Likert scale survey. Results A total of 13 men who had already completed treatment for localized prostate cancer completed the survey and participated in focus group meetings. The majority of the study participants rated Time After Time as an appropriate decision tool for localized prostate cancer and verified that it meets its goals of increasing focus on side effects and generating questions for the patient’s health care team. However, participants also expressed concerns about game usability and the diversity of information covered regarding treatment options and potential treatment outcomes. Conclusions Serious games are a promising approach to health education and decision support for older men. Participants were receptive to the idea of a serious game as a decision aid in localized prostate cancer. However, usability issues are a major concern for this demographic, as is clarity and transparency of data sources. PMID:21239374

IPv6 Tactical Network Management

DTIC Science & Technology

2009-09-01

is transitioning to IPv6 networks. While the benefits provided by IPv6 are numerous, its challenges lie in managing a network on the scale...operability, and usability in a tactical network is under way. New challenges are also presented by the need to integrate into the IPv6 segment new...Accessing this information also presents challenges . Feasibility studies are conducted to show that, for these devices, the IPv6 domain is at least

Defining Usability: How Library Practice Differs from Published Research

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Chen, Yu-Hui; Germain, Carol Anne; Rorissa, Abebe

2011-01-01

Library/information science professionals need a clearly articulated definition of usability/Web usability to implement intuitive websites. In this study, the authors analyzed usability definitions provided by the ARL library professionals and those found in the library/information science and computer science-information systems literature.…

48 CFR 552.270-20 - Payment.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-10-01

..., usable square footage delivered will be confirmed by either: (1) The Government's measurement of plans... of usable square footage stated in the lease. (c) If the amount of usable square footage delivered is... space delivered and the annual rental will be adjusted as follows: Usable square feet (USF) not...

An evaluation of patients' experienced usability of a diabetes mHealth system using a multi-method approach.

PubMed

Georgsson, Mattias; Staggers, Nancy

2016-02-01

mHealth systems are becoming more common to aid patients in their diabetes self-management, but recent studies indicate a need for thorough evaluation of patients' experienced usability. Current evaluations lack a multi-method design for data collection and structured methods for data analyses. The purpose of this study was to provide a feasibility test of a multi-method approach for both data collection and data analyses for patients' experienced usability of a mHealth system for diabetes type 2 self-management. A random sample of 10 users was selected from a larger clinical trial. Data collection methods included user testing with eight representative tasks and Think Aloud protocol, a semi-structured interview and a questionnaire on patients' experiences using the system. The Framework Analysis (FA) method and Usability Problem Taxonomy (UPT) were used to structure, code and analyze the results. A usability severity rating was assigned after classification. The combined methods resulted in a total of 117 problems condensed into 19 usability issues with an average severity rating of 2.47 or serious. The usability test detected 50% of the initial usability problems, followed by the post-interview at 29%. The usability test found 18 of 19 consolidated usability problems while the questionnaire uncovered one unique issue. Patients experienced most usability problems (8) in the Glucose Readings View when performing complex tasks such as adding, deleting, and exporting glucose measurements. The severity ratings were the highest for the Glucose Diary View, Glucose Readings View, and Blood Pressure View with an average severity rating of 3 (serious). Most of the issues were classified under the artifact component of the UPT and primary categories of Visualness (7) and Manipulation (6). In the UPT task component, most issues were in the primary category Task-mapping (12). Multiple data collection methods yielded a more comprehensive set of usability issues. Usability testing uncovered the largest volume of usability issues, followed by interviewing and then the questionnaire. The interview did not surface any unique consolidated usability issues while the questionnaire surfaced one. The FA and UPT were valuable in structuring and classifying problems. The resulting descriptions serve as a communication tool in problem solving and programming. We recommend the usage of multiple methods in data collection and employing the FA and UPT in data analyses for future usability testing. Copyright © 2015 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

The value of Retrospective and Concurrent Think Aloud in formative usability testing of a physician data query tool.

PubMed

Peute, Linda W P; de Keizer, Nicolette F; Jaspers, Monique W M

2015-06-01

To compare the performance of the Concurrent (CTA) and Retrospective (RTA) Think Aloud method and to assess their value in a formative usability evaluation of an Intensive Care Registry-physician data query tool designed to support ICU quality improvement processes. Sixteen representative intensive care physicians participated in the usability evaluation study. Subjects were allocated to either the CTA or RTA method by a matched randomized design. Each subject performed six usability-testing tasks of varying complexity in the query tool in a real-working context. Methods were compared with regard to number and type of problems detected. Verbal protocols of CTA and RTA were analyzed in depth to assess differences in verbal output. Standardized measures were applied to assess thoroughness in usability problem detection weighted per problem severity level and method overall effectiveness in detecting usability problems with regard to the time subjects spent per method. The usability evaluation of the data query tool revealed a total of 43 unique usability problems that the intensive care physicians encountered. CTA detected unique usability problems with regard to graphics/symbols, navigation issues, error messages, and the organization of information on the query tool's screens. RTA detected unique issues concerning system match with subjects' language and applied terminology. The in-depth verbal protocol analysis of CTA provided information on intensive care physicians' query design strategies. Overall, CTA performed significantly better than RTA in detecting usability problems. CTA usability problem detection effectiveness was 0.80 vs. 0.62 (p<0.05) respectively, with an average difference of 42% less time spent per subject compared to RTA. In addition, CTA was more thorough in detecting usability problems of a moderate (0.85 vs. 0.7) and severe nature (0.71 vs. 0.57). In this study, the CTA is more effective in usability-problem detection and provided clarification of intensive care physician query design strategies to inform redesign of the query tool. However, CTA does not outperform RTA. The RTA additionally elucidated unique usability problems and new user requirements. Based on the results of this study, we recommend the use of CTA in formative usability evaluation studies of health information technology. However, we recommend further research on the application of RTA in usability studies with regard to user expertise and experience when focusing on user profile customized (re)design. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Advancing Usability Evaluation through Human Reliability Analysis

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Ronald L. Boring; David I. Gertman

2005-07-01

This paper introduces a novel augmentation to the current heuristic usability evaluation methodology. The SPAR-H human reliability analysis method was developed for categorizing human performance in nuclear power plants. Despite the specialized use of SPAR-H for safety critical scenarios, the method also holds promise for use in commercial off-the-shelf software usability evaluations. The SPAR-H method shares task analysis underpinnings with human-computer interaction, and it can be easily adapted to incorporate usability heuristics as performance shaping factors. By assigning probabilistic modifiers to heuristics, it is possible to arrive at the usability error probability (UEP). This UEP is not a literal probabilitymore » of error but nonetheless provides a quantitative basis to heuristic evaluation. When combined with a consequence matrix for usability errors, this method affords ready prioritization of usability issues.« less

Promoting Usability in Organizations with a New Health Usability Model: Implications for Nursing Informatics

PubMed Central

Staggers, Nancy; Rodney, Melanie

2012-01-01

Usability issues with products such as Electronic Health Records (EHRs) are of global interest to nursing informaticists. Although improvements in patient safety, clinical productivity and effectiveness are possible when usability principles and practices are in place, most organizations do not embrace usability. This paper presents a new Health Usability Maturity Model consisting of 5 phases: unrecognized, preliminary, implemented, integrated and strategic. Within each level various aspects are discussed including focus on users, management, education, resources, processes and infrastructure. Nurse informaticists may use this new model as a guide for assessing their organization’s level of usability and transitioning to the next level. Using tactics outlined here, nurse informaticists may also serve as catalysts for change and lead efforts to improve the user experience in organizations across industry, academe and healthcare settings. PMID:24199128

Systematic Review Protocol to Assess the Effectiveness of Usability Questionnaires in mHealth App Studies

PubMed Central

Bao, Jie; Parmanto, Bambang

2017-01-01

Background Usability questionnaires have a wide use in mobile health (mHealth) app usability studies. However, no systematic review has been conducted for assessing the effectiveness of these questionnaires. Objective This paper describes a protocol for conducting a systematic review of published questionnaire-based mHealth app usability studies. Methods In this systematic review, we will select recently published (2008-2017) articles from peer-reviewed journals and conferences that describe mHealth app usability studies and implement at least one usability questionnaire. The search strategy will include terms such as “mobile app” and “usability.” Multiple databases such as PubMed, CINAHL, IEEE Xplore, ACM Digital Library, and INSPEC will be searched. There will be 2 independent reviewers in charge of screening titles and abstracts as well as determining those articles that should be included for a full-text review. The third reviewer will act as a mediator between the other 2 reviewers. Moreover, a data extraction form will be created and used during the full article data analysis. Notably, the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis Protocols (PRISMA-P) guidelines will be followed in reporting this protocol. Results A preliminary search produced 1271 articles, 40 of which are duplicate records. The inclusion-exclusion criteria are being strictly followed in performing the ongoing study selection. Conclusions Usability questionnaires are an important tool in mHealth app usability studies. This review will summarize the usability questionnaires used in published research articles while assessing the efficacy of these questionnaires in determining the usability of mHealth apps. PMID:28765101

Usability evaluation of the interactive Personal Patient Profile-Prostate decision support system with African American men.

PubMed

Jaja, Cheedy; Pares-Avila, Jose; Wolpin, Seth; Berry, Donna

2010-04-01

The Personal Patient Profile-Prostate (P4) program is an interactive Web-based decision support system that provides men with localized prostate cancer customized education and coaching with which to make the best personal treatment decision. This study assessed functionality and usability of the P4 program and identified problems in user-computer interaction in a sample of African American men. Usability testing was conducted with 12 community-dwelling African American adult men. The health status of participants was not known or collected by the research team. Each participant worked with the P4 program and provided simultaneous feedback using the "think aloud" technique. Handwritten field notes were collated and assigned to 3 standard coded categories. Aspects of P4 program usability was made based on common issues in the assigned categories. Summary statistics were derived for types and frequency of usability issues noted in the coded data. Twelve participants reported a total of 122 usability comments, with a mean of 9 usability comments. The most common usability issue by participant was completeness of information content, which comprised 53 (43%) of the total issues. Comprehensibility of text and graphics was second, comprising 51 (42%) of the total issues. This study provided initial inventory of usability issues for community African American men that may potentially interfere with application of the P4 system in the community setting and overall system usability, confirming the need for usability testing of a culturally appropriate Internet-based decision support system before community application.

Investigation of the Usability of Computerized Critical Care Information Systems in Germany.

PubMed

von Dincklage, Falk; Suchodolski, Klaudiusz; Lichtner, Gregor; Friesdorf, Wolfgang; Podtschaske, Beatrice; Ragaller, Maximilian

2017-01-01

The term "usability" describes how effectively, efficiently, and with what level of user satisfaction an information system can be used to accomplish specific goals. Computerized critical care information systems (CCISs) with high usability increase quality of care and staff satisfaction, while reducing medication errors. Conversely, systems lacking usability can interrupt clinical workflow, facilitate errors, and increase charting time. The aim of this study was to investigate and compare usability across CCIS currently used in Germany. In this study, German intensive care unit (ICU) nurses and physicians completed a specialized, previously validated, web-based questionnaire. The questionnaire assessed CCIS usability based on three rating models: an overall rating of the systems, a model rating technical usability, and a model rating task-specific usability. We analyzed results from 535 survey participants and compared eight different CCIS commonly used in Germany. Our results showed that usability strongly differs across the compared systems. The system ICUData had the best overall rating and technical usability, followed by the platforms ICM and MetaVision. The same three systems performed best in the rating of task-specific usability without significant differences between each other. Across all systems, overall ratings were more dependent on ease-of-use aspects than on aspects of utility/functionality, and the general scope of the functions offered was rated better than how well the functions are realized. Our results suggest that manufacturers should shift some of their effort away from the development of new features and focus more on improving the ease-of-use and quality of existing features.

76 FR 8715 - Proposed Collection; Comment Request

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2011-02-15

.... Title; Associated Form; and OMB Number: Electronic Health Record (EHR) Usability Survey; OMB Control... longitudinal measure of how end-users perceive the usability of the Department of Defense (DoD) suite of... usability of a system. This usability attribute describes the ease with which people can use the system to...

77 FR 25707 - Submission for OMB Review; Comment request

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2012-05-01

... and OMB Number: Electronic Health Record (EHR) Usability Survey; OMB Control Number 0720-TBD. Type of... information collection is to develop a longitudinal measure of how end-users perceive the usability of the... the focus has shifted towards understanding the usability of a system. This usability attribute...

36 CFR § 1193.31 - Accessibility and usability.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-07-01

... 36 Parks, Forests, and Public Property 3 2013-07-01 2012-07-01 true Accessibility and usability. § 1193.31 Section § 1193.31 Parks, Forests, and Public Property ARCHITECTURAL AND TRANSPORTATION... and Usability § 1193.31 Accessibility and usability. When required by § 1193.21, telecommunications...

Colorectal cancer screening patient education materials-how effective is online health information?

PubMed

John, Elizabeth Sheena; John, Ann M; Hansberry, David R; Thomas, Prashant J; Agarwal, Prateek; Deitch, Christopher; Chokhavatia, Sita

2016-12-01

Patients screened for colorectal cancer (CRC) frequently turn to the Internet to improve their understanding of tests used for detection, including colonoscopy, flexible sigmoidoscopy, fecal occult blood test (FOBT), and CT colonography. It was of interest to determine the quality and readability levels of online health information. The screening tools were googled, and the top 20 results of each test were analyzed for readability, accessibility, usability, and reliability. The 80 articles excluded scientific literature and blogs. We used ten validated readability scales to measure grade levels, and one-way ANOVA and Tukey's honestly statistical different (HSD) post hoc analyses to determine any statistically significant differences among the four diagnostic tests. The LIDA tool assessed overall quality by measuring accessibility, usability, and reliability. The 80 articles were written at an 11.7 grade level, with CT colonography articles written at significantly higher levels than FOBT articles, F(3, 75) = 3.07, p = 0.033. LIDA showed moderate percentages in accessibility (83.9 %), usability (73.0 %), and reliability (75.9 %). Online health information about CRC screening tools are written at higher levels than the National Institute of Health (NIH) and American Medical Association (AMA) recommended third to seventh grade levels. More patients could benefit from this modality of information if it were written at a level and quality that would better facilitate understanding.

The Sus operon: a model system for starch uptake by the human gut Bacteroidetes

PubMed Central

Foley, Matthew H.; Cockburn, Darrell W.; Koropatkin, Nicole M.

2016-01-01

Resident bacteria in the densely populated human intestinal tract must efficiently compete for carbohydrate nutrition. The Bacteroidetes, a dominant bacterial phylum in the mammalian gut, encode a plethora of discrete polysaccharide utilization loci (PULs) that are selectively activated to facilitate glycan capture at the cell surface. The most well-studied PUL-encoded glycan-up-take system is the starch utilization system (Sus) of Bacteroides thetaiotaomicron. The Sus includes the requisite proteins for binding and degrading starch at the surface of the cell preceding oligosaccharide transport across the outer membrane for further depolymerization to glucose in the periplasm. All mammalian gut Bacteroidetes possess analogous Sus-like systems that target numerous diverse glycans. In this review, we discuss what is known about the eight Sus proteins of B. thetaiotaomicron that define the Sus-like paradigm of nutrient acquisition that is exclusive to the Gram-negative Bacteroidetes. We emphasize the well-characterized outer membrane proteins SusDEF and the α-amylase SusG, each of which have unique structural features that allow them to interact with starch on the cell surface. Despite the apparent redundancy in starch-binding sites among these proteins, each has a distinct role during starch catabolism. Additionally, we consider what is known about how these proteins dynamically interact and cooperate in the membrane and propose a model for the formation of the Sus outer membrane complex. PMID:27137179

Usability: Human Research Program - Space Human Factors and Habitability

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Sandor, Aniko; Holden, Kritina L.

2009-01-01

The Usability project addresses the need for research in the area of metrics and methodologies used in hardware and software usability testing in order to define quantifiable and verifiable usability requirements. A usability test is a human-in-the-loop evaluation where a participant works through a realistic set of representative tasks using the hardware/software under investigation. The purpose of this research is to define metrics and methodologies for measuring and verifying usability in the aerospace domain in accordance with FY09 focus on errors, consistency, and mobility/maneuverability. Usability metrics must be predictive of success with the interfaces, must be easy to obtain and/or calculate, and must meet the intent of current Human Systems Integration Requirements (HSIR). Methodologies must work within the constraints of the aerospace domain, be cost and time efficient, and be able to be applied without extensive specialized training.

A human reliability based usability evaluation method for safety-critical software

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Boring, R. L.; Tran, T. Q.; Gertman, D. I.

2006-07-01

Boring and Gertman (2005) introduced a novel method that augments heuristic usability evaluation methods with that of the human reliability analysis method of SPAR-H. By assigning probabilistic modifiers to individual heuristics, it is possible to arrive at the usability error probability (UEP). Although this UEP is not a literal probability of error, it nonetheless provides a quantitative basis to heuristic evaluation. This method allows one to seamlessly prioritize and identify usability issues (i.e., a higher UEP requires more immediate fixes). However, the original version of this method required the usability evaluator to assign priority weights to the final UEP, thusmore » allowing the priority of a usability issue to differ among usability evaluators. The purpose of this paper is to explore an alternative approach to standardize the priority weighting of the UEP in an effort to improve the method's reliability. (authors)« less

Drosophila Suppressor of Sable Protein [Su(s)] Promotes Degradation of Aberrant and Transposon-Derived RNAs▿

PubMed Central

Kuan, Yung-Shu; Brewer-Jensen, Paul; Bai, Wen-Li; Hunter, Cedric; Wilson, Carrie B.; Bass, Sarah; Abernethy, John; Wing, James S.; Searles, Lillie L.

2009-01-01

RNA-binding proteins act at various stages of gene expression to regulate and fine-tune patterns of mRNA accumulation. One protein in this class is Drosophila Su(s), a nuclear protein that has been previously shown to inhibit the accumulation of mutant transcripts by an unknown mechanism. Here, we have identified several additional RNAs that are downregulated by Su(s). These Su(s) targets include cryptic wild-type transcripts from the developmentally regulated Sgs4 and ng1 genes, noncoding RNAs derived from tandemly repeated αβ/αγ elements within an Hsp70 locus, and aberrant transcripts induced by Hsp70 promoter transgenes inserted at ectopic sites. We used the αβ RNAs to investigate the mechanism of Su(s) function and obtained evidence that these transcripts are degraded by the nuclear exosome and that Su(s) promotes this process. Furthermore, we showed that the RNA binding domains of Su(s) are important for this effect and mapped the sequences involved to a 267-nucleotide region of an αβ element. Taken together, these results suggest that Su(s) binds to certain nascent transcripts and stimulates their degradation by the nuclear exosome. PMID:19687295

Effect of anabolic steroids on overloaded and overloaded suspended skeletal muscle

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Tsika, R. W.; Herrick, R. E.; Baldwin, K. M.

1987-01-01

The effect of treatment with an anabolic steroid (nandrolone decanoate) on the muscle mass, the subcellular protein content, and the myosin patterns of normal overloaded and suspended overloaded plantaris muscle in female rat was investigated, dividing rats into six groups: normal control (NC), overload (OV), OV steroid (OV-S), normal suspended (N-sus), OV suspended (OV-sus), and OV suspended steroid (OV-sus-S). Relative to control values, overload produced a sparing effect on the muscle weight of the OV-sus group as well as increases of muscle weight of the OV group; increased protein content; and an increased expression of slow myosin in both OV and OV-sus groups. Steroid treatment of OV animals did not after the response of any parameter analyzed for the OV group, but in the OV-sus group steroid treatment induced increases in muscle weight and in protein content of the OV-sus-S group. The treatment did not alter the pattern of isomyosin expression observed in the OV or the OV-sus groups. These result suggest that the steroid acts synergistically with functional overload only under conditions in which the effect of overload is minimized by suspension.

Usability Evaluation of a Web-Based Learning System

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Nguyen, Thao

2012-01-01

The paper proposes a contingent, learner-centred usability evaluation method and a prototype tool of such systems. This is a new usability evaluation method for web-based learning systems using a set of empirically-supported usability factors and can be done effectively with limited resources. During the evaluation process, the method allows for…

The Development of MSFC Usability Lab

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Cheng, Yiwei; Richardson, Sally

2010-01-01

This conference poster reviews the development of the usability lab at Marshall Space Flight Center. The purpose of the lab was to integrate a fully functioning usability laboratory to provide a resource for future human factor assessments. and to implement preliminary usability testing on a MSFC website to validate the functionality of the lab.

Understanding Usability: Investigating an Integrated Design Environment and Management System

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Lee, Jason Chong; Wahid, Shahtab; McCrickard, D. Scott; Chewar, C. M.; Congleton, Ben

2007-01-01

Purpose: Decades of innovation in designing usable (and unusable) interfaces have resulted in a plethora of guidelines, usability methods, and other design tools. The purpose of this research is to develop ways for novice developers to effectively leverage and contribute to the large and growing body of usability knowledge and methods.…

Usability and Gratifications--Towards a Website Analysis Model.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Bunz, Ulla K.

This paper discusses Web site usability issues. Specifically, it assumes that the usability of a Web site depends more on the perception of the user than on the objectively assessable usability criteria of the Web site. Two pilot studies, based on theoretical notions of uses and gratifications theory and similar theories, are presented. In the…

Multiple, Distinct Isoforms of Sucrose Synthase in Pea1

PubMed Central

Barratt, D.H. Paul; Barber, Lorraine; Kruger, Nicholas J.; Smith, Alison M.; Wang, Trevor L.; Martin, Cathie

2001-01-01

Genes encoding three isoforms of sucrose synthase (Sus1, Sus2, and Sus3) have been cloned from pea (Pisum sativum). The genes have distinct patterns of expression in different organs of the plant, and during organ development. Studies of the isoforms expressed as recombinant proteins in Escherichia coli show that they differ in kinetic properties. Although not of great magnitude, the differences in properties are consistent with some differentiation of physiological function between the isoforms. Evidence for differentiation of function in vivo comes from the phenotypes of rug4 mutants of pea, which carry mutations in the gene encoding Sus1. One mutant line (rug4-c) lacks detectable Sus1 protein in both the soluble and membrane-associated fractions of the embryo, and Sus activity in the embryo is reduced by 95%. The starch content of the embryo is reduced by 30%, but the cellulose content is unaffected. The results imply that different isoforms of Sus may channel carbon from sucrose towards different metabolic fates within the cell. PMID:11598239

Integration of MSFC Usability Lab with Usability Testing

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Cheng, Yiwei; Richardson, Sally

2010-01-01

As part of the Stage Analysis Branch, human factors engineering plays an important role in relating humans to the systems of hardware and structure designs of the new launch vehicle. While many branches are involved in the technical aspects of creating a launch vehicle, human factors connects humans to the scientific systems with the goal of improving operational performance and safety while reducing operational error and damage to the hardware. Human factors engineers use physical and computerized models to visualize possible areas for improvements to ensure human accessibility to components requiring maintenance and that the necessary maintenance activities can be accomplished with minimal risks to human and hardware. Many methods of testing are used to fulfill this goal, such as physical mockups, computerized visualization, and usability testing. In this analysis, a usability test is conducted to test how usable a website is to users who are and are not familiar with it. The testing is performed using participants and Morae software to record and analyze the results. This analysis will be a preliminary test of the usability lab in preparation for use in new spacecraft programs, NASA Enterprise, or other NASA websites. The usability lab project is divided into two parts: integration of the usability lab and a preliminary test of the usability lab.

A usability evaluation of four commercial dental computer-based patient record systems

PubMed Central

Thyvalikakath, Thankam P.; Monaco, Valerie; Thambuganipalle, Hima Bindu; Schleyer, Titus

2008-01-01

Background The usability of dental computer-based patient record (CPR) systems has not been studied, despite early evidence that poor usability is a problem for dental CPR system users at multiple levels. Methods The authors conducted formal usability tests of four dental CPR systems by using a purposive sample of four groups of five novice users. The authors measured task outcomes (correctly completed, incorrectly completed and incomplete) in each CPR system while the participants performed nine clinical documentation tasks, as well as the number of usability problems identified in each CPR system and their potential relationship to task outcomes. The authors reviewed the software application design aspects responsible for these usability problems. Results The range for correctly completed tasks was 16 to 64 percent, for incorrectly completed tasks 18 to 38 percent and for incomplete tasks 9 to 47 percent. The authors identified 286 usability problems. The main types were three unsuccessful attempts, negative affect and task incorrectly completed. They also identified six problematic interface and interaction designs that led to usability problems. Conclusion The four dental CPR systems studied have significant usability problems for novice users, resulting in a steep learning curve and potentially reduced system adoption. Clinical Implications The significant number of data entry errors raises concerns about the quality of documentation in clinical practice. PMID:19047669

Usability study of clinical exome analysis software: top lessons learned and recommendations.

PubMed

Shyr, Casper; Kushniruk, Andre; Wasserman, Wyeth W

2014-10-01

New DNA sequencing technologies have revolutionized the search for genetic disruptions. Targeted sequencing of all protein coding regions of the genome, called exome analysis, is actively used in research-oriented genetics clinics, with the transition to exomes as a standard procedure underway. This transition is challenging; identification of potentially causal mutation(s) amongst ∼10(6) variants requires specialized computation in combination with expert assessment. This study analyzes the usability of user interfaces for clinical exome analysis software. There are two study objectives: (1) To ascertain the key features of successful user interfaces for clinical exome analysis software based on the perspective of expert clinical geneticists, (2) To assess user-system interactions in order to reveal strengths and weaknesses of existing software, inform future design, and accelerate the clinical uptake of exome analysis. Surveys, interviews, and cognitive task analysis were performed for the assessment of two next-generation exome sequence analysis software packages. The subjects included ten clinical geneticists who interacted with the software packages using the "think aloud" method. Subjects' interactions with the software were recorded in their clinical office within an urban research and teaching hospital. All major user interface events (from the user interactions with the packages) were time-stamped and annotated with coding categories to identify usability issues in order to characterize desired features and deficiencies in the user experience. We detected 193 usability issues, the majority of which concern interface layout and navigation, and the resolution of reports. Our study highlights gaps in specific software features typical within exome analysis. The clinicians perform best when the flow of the system is structured into well-defined yet customizable layers for incorporation within the clinical workflow. The results highlight opportunities to dramatically accelerate clinician analysis and interpretation of patient genomic data. We present the first application of usability methods to evaluate software interfaces in the context of exome analysis. Our results highlight how the study of user responses can lead to identification of usability issues and challenges and reveal software reengineering opportunities for improving clinical next-generation sequencing analysis. While the evaluation focused on two distinctive software tools, the results are general and should inform active and future software development for genome analysis software. As large-scale genome analysis becomes increasingly common in healthcare, it is critical that efficient and effective software interfaces are provided to accelerate clinical adoption of the technology. Implications for improved design of such applications are discussed. Copyright © 2014 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Design and validation of a questionnaire to evaluate the usability of computerized critical care information systems.

PubMed

von Dincklage, Falk; Lichtner, Gregor; Suchodolski, Klaudiusz; Ragaller, Maximilian; Friesdorf, Wolfgang; Podtschaske, Beatrice

2017-08-01

The implementation of computerized critical care information systems (CCIS) can improve the quality of clinical care and staff satisfaction, but also holds risks of disrupting the workflow with consecutive negative impacts. The usability of CCIS is one of the key factors determining their benefits and weaknesses. However, no tailored instrument exists to measure the usability of such systems. Therefore, the aim of this study was to design and validate a questionnaire that measures the usability of CCIS. Following a mixed-method design approach, we developed a questionnaire comprising two evaluation models to assess the usability of CCIS: (1) the task-specific model rates the usability individually for several tasks which CCIS could support and which we derived by analyzing work processes in the ICU; (2) the characteristic-specific model rates the different aspects of the usability, as defined by the international standard "ergonomics of human-system interaction". We tested validity and reliability of the digital version of the questionnaire in a sample population. In the sample population of 535 participants both usability evaluation models showed a strong correlation with the overall rating of the system (multiple correlation coefficients ≥0.80) as well as a very high internal consistency (Cronbach's alpha ≥0.93). The novel questionnaire is a valid and reliable instrument to measure the usability of CCIS and can be used to study the influence of the usability on their implementation benefits and weaknesses.

Improving access to clinical practice guidelines with an interactive graphical interface using an iconic language

PubMed Central

2014-01-01

Background Clinical practice guidelines are useful for physicians, and guidelines are available on the Internet from various websites such as Vidal Recos. However, these guidelines are long and difficult to read, especially during consultation. Similar difficulties have been encountered with drug summaries of product characteristics. In a previous work, we have proposed an iconic language (called VCM, for Visualization of Concepts in Medicine) for representing patient conditions, treatments and laboratory tests, and we have used these icons to design a user interface that graphically indexes summaries of product characteristics. In the current study, our objective was to design and evaluate an iconic user interface for the consultation of clinical practice guidelines by physicians. Methods Focus groups of physicians were set up to identify the difficulties encountered when reading guidelines. Icons were integrated into Vidal Recos, taking human factors into account. The resulting interface includes a graphical summary and an iconic indexation of the guideline. The new interface was evaluated. We compared the response times and the number of errors recorded when physicians answered questions about two clinical scenarios using the interactive iconic interface or a textual interface. Users’ perceived usability was evaluated with the System Usability Scale. Results The main difficulties encountered by physicians when reading guidelines were obtaining an overview and finding recommendations for patients corresponding to “particular cases”. We designed a graphical interface for guideline consultation, using icons to identify particular cases and providing a graphical summary of the icons organized by anatomy and etiology. The evaluation showed that physicians gave clinical responses more rapidly with the iconic interface than the textual interface (25.2 seconds versus 45.6, p < 0.05). The physicians appreciated the new interface, and the System Usability Scale score value was 75 (between good and excellent). Conclusion An interactive iconic interface can provide physicians with an overview of clinical practice guidelines, and can decrease the time required to access the content of such guidelines. PMID:25158762

Design and pilot evaluation of a system to develop computer-based site-specific practice guidelines from decision models.

PubMed

Sanders, G D; Nease, R F; Owens, D K

2000-01-01

Local tailoring of clinical practice guidelines (CPGs) requires experts in medicine and evidence synthesis unavailable in many practice settings. The authors' computer-based system enables developers and users to create, disseminate, and tailor CPGs, using normative decision models (DMs). ALCHEMIST, a web-based system, analyzes a DM, creates a CPG in the form of an annotated algorithm, and displays for the guideline user the optimal strategy. ALCHEMIST'S interface enables remote users to tailor the guideline by changing underlying input variables and observing the new annotated algorithm that is developed automatically. In a pilot evaluation of the system, a DM was used to evaluate strategies for staging non-small-cell lung cancer. Subjects (n = 15) compared the automatically created CPG with published guidelines for this staging and critiqued both using a previously developed instrument to rate the CPGs' usability, accountability, and accuracy on a scale of 0 (worst) to 2 (best), with higher scores reflecting higher quality. The mean overall score for the ALCHEMIST CPG was 1.502, compared with the published-CPG score of 0.987 (p = 0.002). The ALCHEMIST CPG scores for usability, accountability, and accuracy were 1.683, 1.393, and 1.430, respectively; the published CPG scores were 1.192, 0.941, and 0.830 (each comparison p < 0.05). On a scale of 1 (worst) to 5 (best), users' mean ratings of ALCHEMIST'S ease of use, usefulness of content, and presentation format were 4.76, 3.98, and 4.64, respectively. The results demonstrate the feasibility of a web-based system that automatically analyzes a DM and creates a CPG as an annotated algorithm, enabling remote users to develop site-specific CPGs. In the pilot evaluation, the ALCHEMIST guidelines met established criteria for quality and compared favorably with national CPGs. The high usability and usefulness ratings suggest that such systems can be a good tool for guideline development.

Self-reported difficulty and preferences of wheeled mobility device users for simulated low-floor bus boarding, interior circulation and disembarking.

PubMed

D'Souza, Clive; Paquet, Victor L; Lenker, James A; Steinfeld, Edward

2017-11-13

Low ridership of public transit buses among wheeled mobility device users suggests the need to identify vehicle design conditions that are either particularly accommodating or challenging. The objective of this study was to determine the effects of low-floor bus interior seating configuration and passenger load on wheeled mobility device user-reported difficulty, overall acceptability and design preference. Forty-eight wheeled mobility users evaluated three interior design layouts at two levels of passenger load (high vs. low) after simulating boarding and disembarking tasks on a static full-scale low-floor bus mockup. User self-reports of task difficulty, acceptability and design preference were analyzed across the different test conditions. Ramp ascent was the most difficult task for manual wheelchair users relative to other tasks. The most difficult tasks for users of power wheelchairs and scooters were related to interior circulation, including moving to the securement area, entry and positioning in the securement area and exiting the securement area. Boarding and disembarking at the rear doorway was significantly more acceptable and preferred compared to the layouts with front doorways. Understanding transit usability barriers, perceptions and preferences among wheeled mobility users is an important consideration for clinicians who recommend mobility-related device interventions to those who use public transportation. Implications for Rehabilitation In order to maximize community participation opportunities for wheeled mobility users, clinicians should consider potential public transit barriers during the processes of wheelchair device selection and skills training. Usability barriers experienced by wheeled mobility device users on transit vehicles differ by mobility device type and vehicle configurations. Full-scale environment simulations are an effective means of identifying usability barriers and design needs in people with mobility impairments and may provide an alternative model for determining readiness for using fixed route buses or eligibility for paratransit.

Examining construct and predictive validity of the Health-IT Usability Evaluation Scale: confirmatory factor analysis and structural equation modeling results.

PubMed

Yen, Po-Yin; Sousa, Karen H; Bakken, Suzanne

2014-10-01

In a previous study, we developed the Health Information Technology Usability Evaluation Scale (Health-ITUES), which is designed to support customization at the item level. Such customization matches the specific tasks/expectations of a health IT system while retaining comparability at the construct level, and provides evidence of its factorial validity and internal consistency reliability through exploratory factor analysis. In this study, we advanced the development of Health-ITUES to examine its construct validity and predictive validity. The health IT system studied was a web-based communication system that supported nurse staffing and scheduling. Using Health-ITUES, we conducted a cross-sectional study to evaluate users' perception toward the web-based communication system after system implementation. We examined Health-ITUES's construct validity through first and second order confirmatory factor analysis (CFA), and its predictive validity via structural equation modeling (SEM). The sample comprised 541 staff nurses in two healthcare organizations. The CFA (n=165) showed that a general usability factor accounted for 78.1%, 93.4%, 51.0%, and 39.9% of the explained variance in 'Quality of Work Life', 'Perceived Usefulness', 'Perceived Ease of Use', and 'User Control', respectively. The SEM (n=541) supported the predictive validity of Health-ITUES, explaining 64% of the variance in intention for system use. The results of CFA and SEM provide additional evidence for the construct and predictive validity of Health-ITUES. The customizability of Health-ITUES has the potential to support comparisons at the construct level, while allowing variation at the item level. We also illustrate application of Health-ITUES across stages of system development. Published by the BMJ Publishing Group Limited. For permission to use (where not already granted under a licence) please go to http://group.bmj.com/group/rights-licensing/permissions.

Improving access to clinical practice guidelines with an interactive graphical interface using an iconic language.

PubMed

Pereira, Suzanne; Hassler, Sylvain; Hamek, Saliha; Boog, César; Leroy, Nicolas; Beuscart-Zéphir, Marie-Catherine; Favre, Madeleine; Venot, Alain; Duclos, Catherine; Lamy, Jean-Baptiste

2014-08-26

Clinical practice guidelines are useful for physicians, and guidelines are available on the Internet from various websites such as Vidal Recos. However, these guidelines are long and difficult to read, especially during consultation. Similar difficulties have been encountered with drug summaries of product characteristics. In a previous work, we have proposed an iconic language (called VCM, for Visualization of Concepts in Medicine) for representing patient conditions, treatments and laboratory tests, and we have used these icons to design a user interface that graphically indexes summaries of product characteristics. In the current study, our objective was to design and evaluate an iconic user interface for the consultation of clinical practice guidelines by physicians. Focus groups of physicians were set up to identify the difficulties encountered when reading guidelines. Icons were integrated into Vidal Recos, taking human factors into account. The resulting interface includes a graphical summary and an iconic indexation of the guideline. The new interface was evaluated. We compared the response times and the number of errors recorded when physicians answered questions about two clinical scenarios using the interactive iconic interface or a textual interface. Users' perceived usability was evaluated with the System Usability Scale. The main difficulties encountered by physicians when reading guidelines were obtaining an overview and finding recommendations for patients corresponding to "particular cases". We designed a graphical interface for guideline consultation, using icons to identify particular cases and providing a graphical summary of the icons organized by anatomy and etiology. The evaluation showed that physicians gave clinical responses more rapidly with the iconic interface than the textual interface (25.2 seconds versus 45.6, p < 0.05). The physicians appreciated the new interface, and the System Usability Scale score value was 75 (between good and excellent). An interactive iconic interface can provide physicians with an overview of clinical practice guidelines, and can decrease the time required to access the content of such guidelines.

Systematic Review Protocol to Assess the Effectiveness of Usability Questionnaires in mHealth App Studies.

PubMed

Zhou, Leming; Bao, Jie; Parmanto, Bambang

2017-08-01

Usability questionnaires have a wide use in mobile health (mHealth) app usability studies. However, no systematic review has been conducted for assessing the effectiveness of these questionnaires. This paper describes a protocol for conducting a systematic review of published questionnaire-based mHealth app usability studies. In this systematic review, we will select recently published (2008-2017) articles from peer-reviewed journals and conferences that describe mHealth app usability studies and implement at least one usability questionnaire. The search strategy will include terms such as "mobile app" and "usability." Multiple databases such as PubMed, CINAHL, IEEE Xplore, ACM Digital Library, and INSPEC will be searched. There will be 2 independent reviewers in charge of screening titles and abstracts as well as determining those articles that should be included for a full-text review. The third reviewer will act as a mediator between the other 2 reviewers. Moreover, a data extraction form will be created and used during the full article data analysis. Notably, the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis Protocols (PRISMA-P) guidelines will be followed in reporting this protocol. A preliminary search produced 1271 articles, 40 of which are duplicate records. The inclusion-exclusion criteria are being strictly followed in performing the ongoing study selection. Usability questionnaires are an important tool in mHealth app usability studies. This review will summarize the usability questionnaires used in published research articles while assessing the efficacy of these questionnaires in determining the usability of mHealth apps. ©Leming Zhou, Jie Bao, Bambang Parmanto. Originally published in JMIR Research Protocols (http://www.researchprotocols.org), 01.08.2017.

Comparison of two heuristic evaluation methods for evaluating the usability of health information systems.

PubMed

Khajouei, Reza; Hajesmaeel Gohari, Sadrieh; Mirzaee, Moghaddameh

2018-04-01

In addition to following the usual Heuristic Evaluation (HE) method, the usability of health information systems can also be evaluated using a checklist. The objective of this study is to compare the performance of these two methods in identifying usability problems of health information systems. Eight evaluators independently evaluated different parts of a Medical Records Information System using two methods of HE (usual and with a checklist). The two methods were compared in terms of the number of problems identified, problem type, and the severity of identified problems. In all, 192 usability problems were identified by two methods in the Medical Records Information System. This was significantly higher than the number of usability problems identified by the checklist and usual method (148 and 92, respectively) (p < 0.0001). After removing the duplicates, the difference between the number of unique usability problems identified by the checklist method (n = 100) and usual method (n = 44) was significant (p < 0.0001). Differences between the mean severity of the real usability problems (1.83) and those identified by only one of the methods (usual = 2.05, checklist = 1.74) were significant (p = 0.001). This study revealed the potential of the two HE methods for identifying usability problems of health information systems. The results demonstrated that the checklist method had significantly better performance in terms of the number of identified usability problems; however, the performance of the usual method for identifying problems of higher severity was significantly better. Although the checklist method can be more efficient for less experienced evaluators, wherever usability is critical, the checklist should be used with caution in usability evaluations. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Improving the Usability of the User Interface for a Digital Textbook Platform for Elementary-School Students

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Lim, Cheolil; Song, Hae-Deok; Lee, Yekyung

2012-01-01

Usability is critical to the development of a user-friendly digital textbook platform interface, yet thorough research on interface development based on usability principles is in short supply. This study addresses that need by looking at usability attributes and corresponding design elements from a learning perspective. The researchers used a…

Using Cluster Analysis to Extend Usability Testing to Instructional Content. CRESST Report 816

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kerr, Deirdre S.; Chung, Gregory K. W. K.

2012-01-01

Commercial video games undergo usability studies to determine the degree to which the player is able to learn, control, and understand the game. Usability studies allow game designers to improve their games before they are released to the public. If usability studies could be expanded to include information about the presentation of the…

Usability Testing of a Multimedia e-Learning Resource for Electrolyte and Acid-Base Disorders

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Davids, Mogamat Razeen; Chikte, Usuf; Grimmer-Somers, Karen; Halperin, Mitchell L.

2014-01-01

The usability of computer interfaces may have a major influence on learning. Design approaches that optimize usability are commonplace in the software development industry but are seldom used in the development of e-learning resources, especially in medical education. We conducted a usability evaluation of a multimedia resource for teaching…

Advocating for Greater Usability in Clinical Technologies: The Role of the Practicing Nurse.

PubMed

Lopez, Karen Dunn; Fahey, Linda

2018-06-01

Health care, especially ICUs, rely on multiple types of technology to promote the best patient outcomes. Unfortunately, too often these technologies are poorly designed, causing errors, additional workload, and unnecessary frustration. The purpose of this article is to (1) empower nurses with the needed usability and usability testing vocabulary to identify and articulate clinical technology usability problems and (2) provide ideas on ways nurses can advocate to have an impact on positive change related to technology usability within a health care organization. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Development of a Video Coding Scheme for Analyzing the Usability and Usefulness of Health Information Systems.

PubMed

Kushniruk, Andre W; Borycki, Elizabeth M

2015-01-01

Usability has been identified as a key issue in health informatics. Worldwide numerous projects have been carried out in an attempt to increase and optimize health system usability. Usability testing, involving observing end users interacting with systems, has been widely applied and numerous publications have appeared describing such studies. However, to date, fewer works have been published describing methodological approaches to analyzing the rich data stream that results from usability testing. This includes analysis of video, audio and screen recordings. In this paper we describe our work in the development and application of a coding scheme for analyzing the usability of health information systems. The phases involved in such analyses are described.

Phosphorylation of sucrose synthase at serine 170: occurrence and possible role as a signal for proteolysis.

PubMed

Hardin, Shane C; Tang, Guo-Qing; Scholz, Anke; Holtgraewe, Daniela; Winter, Heike; Huber, Steven C

2003-09-01

Sequence analysis identified serine 170 (S170) of the maize (Zea mays L.) SUS1 sucrose synthase (SUS) protein as a possible, second phosphorylation site. Maize leaves contained two calcium-dependent protein kinase activities and a calcium-independent kinase activity with characteristics of an sucrose non-fermenting 1 (SNF1)-related protein kinase. Phosphorylation of the novel S170 and the known serine 15 (S15) site by these protein kinases was determined in peptide substrates and detected in SUS1 protein substrates utilizing sequence- and phosphorylation-specific antibodies. We demonstrate phosphorylation of S170 in vitro and in vivo. The calcium-dependent protein kinases phosphorylated both S170 and S15, whereas SNF1-related protein kinase activity was restricted to S15. Calcium-dependent protein-kinase-mediated S170 and S15 phosphorylation kinetics were determined in wild-type and mutant SUS1 substrates. These analyses revealed that kinase specificity for S170 was threefold lower than that for S15, and that phosphorylation of S170 was stimulated by prior phosphorylation at the S15 site. The SUS-binding peptides encoded by early nodulin 40 (ENOD40) specifically antagonized S170 phosphorylation in vitro. A model wherein S170 phosphorylation functions as part of a mechanism targeting SUS for proteasome-mediated degradation is supported by the observations that SUS proteolytic fragments: (i) were detected and possessed relatively high phosphorylated-S170 (pS170) stoichiometry; (ii) were spatially coincident with proteasome activity within developing leaves; and (iii) co-sedimented with proteasome activity. In addition, full-length pS170-SUS protein was less stable than S170-SUS in cultured leaf segments and was stabilized by proteasome inhibition. Post-translational control of SUS protein level through pS170-promoted proteolysis may explain the specific and significant decrease in SUS abundance that accompanies the sink-to-source transition in developing maize leaves.

Toward Optimization of Gaze-Controlled Human-Computer Interaction: Application to Hindi Virtual Keyboard for Stroke Patients.

PubMed

Meena, Yogesh Kumar; Cecotti, Hubert; Wong-Lin, Kongfatt; Dutta, Ashish; Prasad, Girijesh

2018-04-01

Virtual keyboard applications and alternative communication devices provide new means of communication to assist disabled people. To date, virtual keyboard optimization schemes based on script-specific information, along with multimodal input access facility, are limited. In this paper, we propose a novel method for optimizing the position of the displayed items for gaze-controlled tree-based menu selection systems by considering a combination of letter frequency and command selection time. The optimized graphical user interface layout has been designed for a Hindi language virtual keyboard based on a menu wherein 10 commands provide access to type 88 different characters, along with additional text editing commands. The system can be controlled in two different modes: eye-tracking alone and eye-tracking with an access soft-switch. Five different keyboard layouts have been presented and evaluated with ten healthy participants. Furthermore, the two best performing keyboard layouts have been evaluated with eye-tracking alone on ten stroke patients. The overall performance analysis demonstrated significantly superior typing performance, high usability (87% SUS score), and low workload (NASA TLX with 17 scores) for the letter frequency and time-based organization with script specific arrangement design. This paper represents the first optimized gaze-controlled Hindi virtual keyboard, which can be extended to other languages.

Challenges in Managing Trustworthy Large-scale Digital Science

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Evans, B. J. K.

2017-12-01

The increased use of large-scale international digital science has opened a number of challenges for managing, handling, using and preserving scientific information. The large volumes of information are driven by three main categories - model outputs including coupled models and ensembles, data products that have been processing to a level of usability, and increasingly heuristically driven data analysis. These data products are increasingly the ones that are usable by the broad communities, and far in excess of the raw instruments data outputs. The data, software and workflows are then shared and replicated to allow broad use at an international scale, which places further demands of infrastructure to support how the information is managed reliably across distributed resources. Users necessarily rely on these underlying "black boxes" so that they are productive to produce new scientific outcomes. The software for these systems depend on computational infrastructure, software interconnected systems, and information capture systems. This ranges from the fundamentals of the reliability of the compute hardware, system software stacks and libraries, and the model software. Due to these complexities and capacity of the infrastructure, there is an increased emphasis of transparency of the approach and robustness of the methods over the full reproducibility. Furthermore, with large volume data management, it is increasingly difficult to store the historical versions of all model and derived data. Instead, the emphasis is on the ability to access the updated products and the reliability by which both previous outcomes are still relevant and can be updated for the new information. We will discuss these challenges and some of the approaches underway that are being used to address these issues.

Usability in product development practice; an exploratory case study comparing four markets.

PubMed

van Kuijk, Jasper; van Driel, Liesbeth; van Eijk, Daan

2015-03-01

This study explored how usability was dealt with in four product development organizations active in different sectors: high-end automotive, professional printers and copiers, office coffee makers and fast moving consumer goods. The primary differentiators of the selected cases were whether they were targeting businesses or consumers and the degree of product complexity. Interviews with 19 product development practitioners were conducted, focussing on three topics: 1) the product development process and the integration of user involvement, 2) multidisciplinary teamwork, and 3) organizational attitude towards usability. Based on the interviews, context descriptions of the companies were created and barriers and enablers for usability were identified. To verify the findings and to discuss remaining issues a feedback workshop was held in which the primary contact from each company participated. The results indicate that differences in product-market combination lead to differences in organizational attitude towards usability. The prioritization of usability in an organization seems to be influenced by the degree of product complexity (complex products are more prone to suffer from usability issues) and whether developers think that usability is a purchase consideration for their clients. The product-market combination a company targets also affects the methods for user-centred design that a company can apply and that are relevant. What methods for user-centred design are used also seems to be influenced by the attitude towards usability: if usability is considered more important, methods that require more resources can be applied. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ltd and The Ergonomics Society. All rights reserved.

Usability test of an internet-based informatics tool for diabetes care providers: the comprehensive diabetes management program.

PubMed

Fonda, Stephanie J; Paulsen, Christine A; Perkins, Joan; Kedziora, Richard J; Rodbard, David; Bursell, Sven-Erik

2008-02-01

Research suggests Internet-based care management tools are associated with improvements in care and patient outcomes. However, although such tools change workflow, rarely is their usability addressed and reported. This article presents a usability study of an Internet-based informatics application called the Comprehensive Diabetes Management Program (CDMP), developed by content experts and technologists. Our aim is to demonstrate a process for conducting a usability study of such a tool and to report results. We conducted the usability test with six diabetes care providers under controlled conditions. Each provider worked with the CDMP in a single session using a "think aloud" process. Providers performed standardized tasks with fictitious patient data, and we observed how they approached these tasks, documenting verbalizations and subjective ratings. The providers then completed a usability questionnaire and interviews. Overall, the scores on the usability questionnaire were neutral to favorable. For specific subdomains of the questionnaire, the providers' reported problems with the application's ease of use, performance, and support features, but were satisfied with its visual appeal and content. The results from the observational and interview data indicated areas for improvement, particularly in navigation and terminology. The usability study identified several issues for improvement, confirming the need for usability testing of Internet-based informatics applications, even those developed by experts. To our knowledge, there have been no other usability studies of an Internet-based informatics application with the functionality of the CDMP. Such studies can form the foundation for translation of Internet-based medical informatics tools into clinical practice.

Usability Evaluation of An Electronic Medication Administration Record (eMAR) Application

PubMed Central

Guo, J.; Iribarren, S.; Kapsandoy, S.; Perri, S.; Staggers, N.

2011-01-01

Background Electronic medication administration records (eMARs) have been widely used in recent years. However, formal usability evaluations are not yet available for these vendor applications, especially from the perspective of nurses, the largest group of eMAR users. Objective To conduct a formal usability evaluation of an implemented eMAR. Methods Four evaluators examined a commercial vendor eMAR using heuristic evaluation techniques. The evaluators defined seven tasks typical of eMAR use and independently evaluated the application. Consensus techniques were used to obtain 100% agreement of identified usability problems and severity ratings. Findings were reviewed with 5 clinical staff nurses and the Director of Clinical Informatics who verified findings with a small group of clinical nurses. Results Evaluators found 60 usability problems categorized into 233 heuristic violations. Match, Error, and Visibility heuristics were the most frequently violated. Administer Medication and Order and Modify Medications tasks had the highest number of heuristic violations and usability problems rated as major or catastrophic. Conclusion The high number of usability problems could impact the effectiveness, efficiency and satisfaction of nurses’ medication administration activities and may include concerns about patient safety. Usability is a joint responsibility between sites and vendors. We offer a call to action for usability evaluations at all sites and eMAR application redesign as necessary to improve the user experience and promote patient safety. PMID:23616871

Reusable Software Usability Specifications for mHealth Applications.

PubMed

Cruz Zapata, Belén; Fernández-Alemán, José Luis; Toval, Ambrosio; Idri, Ali

2018-01-25

One of the key factors for the adoption of mobile technologies, and in particular of mobile health applications, is usability. A usable application will be easier to use and understand by users, and will improve user's interaction with it. This paper proposes a software requirements catalog for usable mobile health applications, which can be used for the development of new applications, or the evaluation of existing ones. The catalog is based on the main identified sources in literature on usability and mobile health applications. Our catalog was organized according to the ISO/IEC/IEEE 29148:2011 standard and follows the SIREN methodology to create reusable catalogs. The applicability of the catalog was verified by the creation of an audit method, which was used to perform the evaluation of a real app, S Health, application created by Samsung Electronics Co. The usability requirements catalog, along with the audit method, identified several usability flaws on the evaluated app, which scored 83%. Some flaws were detected in the app related to the navigation pattern. Some more issues related to the startup experience, empty screens or writing style were also found. The way a user navigates through an application improves or deteriorates user's experience with the application. We proposed a reusable usability catalog and an audit method. This proposal was used to evaluate a mobile health application. An audit report was created with the usability issues identified on the evaluated application.

Low-Cost Rapid Usability Testing: Its Application in Both Product Development and System Implementation.

PubMed

Kushniruk, Andre; Borycki, Elizabeth

2017-01-01

In recent years there has been considerable discussion around the need for certification and regulation of healthcare information technology (IT). In particular, the usability of the products being developed needs to be evaluated. This has included the application of standards designed to ensure the process of system development is user-centered and takes usability into consideration while a product is being developed. In addition to this, in healthcare, organizations in the United States and Europe have also addressed the need and requirement for product certification. However, despite these efforts there are continued reports of unusable and unsafe implementations. In this paper we discuss the need to not only include (and require) usability testing in the one-time development process of health IT products (such as EHRs), but we also argue for the need to additionally develop specific usability standards and requirements for usability testing during the implementation of vendor products (i.e. post product development) in healthcare settings. It is further argued that health IT products that may have been certified regarding their development process will still require application of usability testing in the process of implementing them in real hospital settings in order to ensure usability and safety. This is needed in order to ensure that the final result of both product development and implementation processes take into account and apply the latest usability principles and methods.

Usability in the real world: assessing medical information technologies in patients' homes.

PubMed

Kaufman, David R; Patel, Vimla L; Hilliman, Charlyn; Morin, Philip C; Pevzner, Jenia; Weinstock, Ruth S; Goland, Robin; Shea, Steven; Starren, Justin

2003-01-01

This paper presents an approach to usability evaluation of computer-based health care systems designed for patient use in their homes. Although such devices are becoming more prevalent, there is very little known about their usability. The theoretical foundations for the methods are discussed. The approach incorporates a cognitive walkthrough usability evaluation and new methods for usability testing that can be conducted in patient's homes. The method was applied to the IDEATel intervention, a multi-institution randomized controlled trial of the feasibility, acceptability, and clinical utility of a home-based telemedicine system for diabetic Medicare population. The usability study was designed to assess barriers to optimal use of the system. The focus was both on dimensions of the interface and on dimensions of patient skills and competency. The usability field research involved testing 25 patients in their homes using the system. The analysis included a range of video-analytic methods of varying levels of granularity. The usability evaluation revealed aspects of the interface that were sub-optimal and impeded the performance of certain tasks. It also found a range of patient-related factors such as numeracy and psychomotor skills that constituted barriers to productive use. A multifaceted usability approach provided important insight regarding use of technology by an elderly chronic-care patient population and more generally, for understanding how home health initiatives can more effectively use such technology.

Exploring the Role of Usability in the Software Process: A Study of Irish Software SMEs

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

O'Connor, Rory V.

This paper explores the software processes and usability techniques used by Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs) that develop web applications. The significance of this research is that it looks at development processes used by SMEs in order to assess to what degree usability is integrated into the process. This study seeks to gain an understanding into the level of awareness of usability within SMEs today and their commitment to usability in practice. The motivation for this research is to explore the current development processes used by SMEs in developing web applications and to understand how usability is represented in those processes. The background for this research is provided by the growth of the web application industry beyond informational web sites to more sophisticated applications delivering a broad range of functionality. This paper presents an analysis of the practices of several Irish SMEs that develop web applications through a series of case studies. With the focus on SMEs that develop web applications as Management Information Systems and not E-Commerce sites, informational sites, online communities or web portals. This study gathered data about the usability techniques practiced by these companies and their awareness of usability in the context of the software process in those SMEs. The contribution of this study is to further the understanding of the current role of usability within the software development processes of SMEs that develop web applications.

Using a fuzzy comprehensive evaluation method to determine product usability: A proposed theoretical framework.

PubMed

Zhou, Ronggang; Chan, Alan H S

2017-01-01

In order to compare existing usability data to ideal goals or to that for other products, usability practitioners have tried to develop a framework for deriving an integrated metric. However, most current usability methods with this aim rely heavily on human judgment about the various attributes of a product, but often fail to take into account of the inherent uncertainties in these judgments in the evaluation process. This paper presents a universal method of usability evaluation by combining the analytic hierarchical process (AHP) and the fuzzy evaluation method. By integrating multiple sources of uncertain information during product usability evaluation, the method proposed here aims to derive an index that is structured hierarchically in terms of the three usability components of effectiveness, efficiency, and user satisfaction of a product. With consideration of the theoretical basis of fuzzy evaluation, a two-layer comprehensive evaluation index was first constructed. After the membership functions were determined by an expert panel, the evaluation appraisals were computed by using the fuzzy comprehensive evaluation technique model to characterize fuzzy human judgments. Then with the use of AHP, the weights of usability components were elicited from these experts. Compared to traditional usability evaluation methods, the major strength of the fuzzy method is that it captures the fuzziness and uncertainties in human judgments and provides an integrated framework that combines the vague judgments from multiple stages of a product evaluation process.

3D CPR Game Can Improve CPR Skill Retention.

PubMed

Li, Jia; Xu, Yimin; Xu, Yahong; Yue, Peng; Sun, Liu; Guo, Ming; Xiao, Shuqin; Ding, Shu; Cui, Yanyan; Li, Shulan; Yang, Qiuying; Chang, Polun; Wu, Ying

2015-01-01

Adequate cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) skill is essential in improving survival rate of sudden cardiac arrest (SCA). However, the skill deteriorates rapidly following CPR training. We developed a computer game by using 3-Dimensional virtual technology (3-D CPR game) for laypersons in the purpose to improve skill retention. As the testing phase, a randomized control trial, in which we recruited 97 freshman medical students who had no prior CPR training experience, was used to test its effect on 3-month CPR Skill retention. The usability of the game was also tested using a 33 item questionnaire rated with 5-point Likert scale. Three months after the initial CPR training, the retention rate of CPR skill in the game group was significantly higher compared with the control (p<0.05) and the average score on 4 dimensions of usability were 3.99-4.05. Overall, using 3-D CPR game in improving CPR skill retention is feasible and effective.

Usability Evaluation of a Web-Based Symptom Monitoring Application for Heart Failure.

PubMed

Wakefield, Bonnie; Pham, Kassie; Scherubel, Melody

2015-07-01

Symptom recognition and reporting by patients with heart failure are critical to avoid hospitalization. This project evaluated a patient symptom tracking application. Fourteen end users (nine patients, five clinicians) from a Midwestern Veterans Affairs Medical Center evaluated the website using a think aloud protocol. A structured observation protocol was used to assess success or failure for each task. Measures included task time, success, and satisfaction. Patients had a mean age of 70 years; clinicians averaged 42 years in age. Patients took 9.3 min and clinicians took less than 3 min per scenario. Most patients needed some assistance, but few patients were completely unable to complete some tasks. Clinicians demonstrated few problems navigating the site. Patient System Usability Scale item scores ranged from 2.0 to 3.6; clinician item scores ranged from 1.8 to 4.0. Further work is needed to determine whether using the web-based tool improves symptom recognition and reporting. © The Author(s) 2015.

AIM - Agile Instrumented Monitoring for Improving User Experience of Participation in HealthIT Development.

PubMed

Pitkänen, Janne; Nieminen, Marko

2017-01-01

Participation of healthcare professionals in information technology development has emerged as an important challenge. As end-users, the professionals are willing to participate in the development activities, but their experiences on the current methods of participation remain mostly negative. There is lack of applicable methods for meeting the needs of agile development approach and scaling up to the largest implementation projects, while maintaining the interest of the professional users to participate in development activities and keeping up their ability to continue working in a productive manner. In this paper, we describe the Agile Instrumented Monitoring as a methodology, based on the methods of instrumented usability evaluation, for improving user experience in HealthIT development. The contribution of the proposed methodology is analyzed in relation to activities of whole iteration cycle and chosen usability evaluation methods, while the user experience of participation is addressed regarding healthcare professionals. Prospective weak and strong market tests for AIM are discussed in the conclusions for future work.

Determining the Number of Participants Needed for the Usability Evaluation of E-Learning Resources: A Monte Carlo Simulation

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Davids, Mogamat Razeen; Harvey, Justin; Halperin, Mitchell L.; Chikte, Usuf M. E.

2015-01-01

The usability of computer interfaces has a major influence on learning. Optimising the usability of e-learning resources is therefore essential. However, this may be neglected because of time and monetary constraints. User testing is a common approach to usability evaluation and involves studying typical end-users interacting with the application…

Better bioinformatics through usability analysis.

PubMed

Bolchini, Davide; Finkelstein, Anthony; Perrone, Vito; Nagl, Sylvia

2009-02-01

Improving the usability of bioinformatics resources enables researchers to find, interact with, share, compare and manipulate important information more effectively and efficiently. It thus enables researchers to gain improved insights into biological processes with the potential, ultimately, of yielding new scientific results. Usability 'barriers' can pose significant obstacles to a satisfactory user experience and force researchers to spend unnecessary time and effort to complete their tasks. The number of online biological databases available is growing and there is an expanding community of diverse users. In this context there is an increasing need to ensure the highest standards of usability. Using 'state-of-the-art' usability evaluation methods, we have identified and characterized a sample of usability issues potentially relevant to web bioinformatics resources, in general. These specifically concern the design of the navigation and search mechanisms available to the user. The usability issues we have discovered in our substantial case studies are undermining the ability of users to find the information they need in their daily research activities. In addition to characterizing these issues, specific recommendations for improvements are proposed leveraging proven practices from web and usability engineering. The methods and approach we exemplify can be readily adopted by the developers of bioinformatics resources.

An eHealth Application of Self-Reported Sports-Related Injuries and Illnesses in Paralympic Sport: Pilot Feasibility and Usability Study

PubMed Central

2017-01-01

Background Sport participation is associated with a risk of sports-related injuries and illnesses, and Paralympic athletes’ additional medical issues can be a challenge to health care providers and medical staff. However, few prospective studies have assessed sports-related injuries and illnesses in Paralympic sport (SRIIPS) over time. Advances in mobile phone technology and networking systems offer novel opportunities to develop innovative eHealth applications for collection of athletes’ self-reports. Using eHealth applications for collection of self-reported SRIIPS is an unexplored area, and before initiation of full-scale research of SRIIPS, the feasibility and usability of such an approach needs to be ascertained. Objective The aim of this study was to perform a 4-week pilot study and (1) evaluate the monitoring feasibility and system usability of a novel eHealth application for self-reported SRIIPS and (2) report preliminary data on SRIIPS. Methods An eHealth application for routine collection of data from athletes was developed and adapted to Paralympic athletes. A 4-week pilot study was performed where Paralympic athletes (n=28) were asked to weekly self-report sport exposure, training load, general well-being, pain, sleep, anxiety, and possible SRIIPS. The data collection was followed by a poststudy use assessment survey. Quantitative data related to the system use (eg, completed self-reports, missing responses, and errors) were analyzed using descriptive statistics. The qualitative feasibility and usability data provided by the athletes were condensed and categorized using thematic analysis methods. Results The weekly response rate was 95%. The athletes were of the opinion that the eHealth application was usable and feasible but stated that it was not fully adapted to Paralympic athletes and their impairments. For example, it was difficult to understand how a new injury or illness should be identified when the impairment was involved. More survey items related to the impairments were requested, as the athletes perceived that injuries and illnesses often occurred because of the impairment. Options for description of multifactorial incidents including an injury, an illness, and the impairment were also insufficient. Few technical issues were encountered, but athletes with visual impairment reported usability difficulties with the speech synthesizer. An incidence rate of 1.8 injuries and 1.7 illnesses per 100 hours of athlete exposure were recorded. The weekly pain prevalence was 56% and the impairment contributed to 20% of the reported incidents. Conclusions The novel eHealth-based application for self-reported SRIIPS developed and tested in this pilot study was generally feasible and usable. With some adaptation to accommodate Paralympic athletes’ prerequisites and improved technical support for athletes with visual impairment, this application can be recommended for use in prospective studies of SRIIPS. Trial Registration ClinicalTrials.gov NCT02788500; https://clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT02788500 (Archived by WebCite at http://www.webcitation.org/6v56OqTeP) PMID:29187343

Current State of Agile User-Centered Design: A Survey

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hussain, Zahid; Slany, Wolfgang; Holzinger, Andreas

Agile software development methods are quite popular nowadays and are being adopted at an increasing rate in the industry every year. However, these methods are still lacking usability awareness in their development lifecycle, and the integration of usability/User-Centered Design (UCD) into agile methods is not adequately addressed. This paper presents the preliminary results of a recently conducted online survey regarding the current state of the integration of agile methods and usability/UCD. A world wide response of 92 practitioners was received. The results show that the majority of practitioners perceive that the integration of agile methods with usability/UCD has added value to their adopted processes and to their teams; has resulted in the improvement of usability and quality of the product developed; and has increased the satisfaction of the end-users of the product developed. The top most used HCI techniques are low-fidelity prototyping, conceptual designs, observational studies of users, usability expert evaluations, field studies, personas, rapid iterative testing, and laboratory usability testing.

Hello World! - Experiencing Usability Methods without Usability Expertise

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Eriksson, Elina; Cajander, Åsa; Gulliksen, Jan

How do you do usability work when no usability expertise is available? What happens in an organization when system developers, with no previous HCI knowledge, after a 3-day course, start applying usability methods, and particularly field studies? In order to answer these questions qualitative data were gathered through participatory observations, a feed back survey, field study documentation and interviews from 47 system developers from a public authority. Our results suggest that field studies enhance the developer’s understanding of the user perspective, and provide a more holistic overview of the use situation, but that some developers were unable to interpret their observations and see solutions to the users’ problems. The field study method was very much appreciated and has now become standard operating procedure within the organization. However, although field studies may be useful, it does not replace the need for usability pro fes sion als, as their knowledge is essential for more complex observations, analysis and for keeping the focus on usability.

The use of think-aloud and instant data analysis in evaluation research: Exemplar and lessons learned.

PubMed

Joe, Jonathan; Chaudhuri, Shomir; Le, Thai; Thompson, Hilaire; Demiris, George

2015-08-01

While health information technologies have become increasingly popular, many have not been formally tested to ascertain their usability. Traditional rigorous methods take significant amounts of time and manpower to evaluate the usability of a system. In this paper, we evaluate the use of instant data analysis (IDA) as developed by Kjeldskov et al. to perform usability testing on a tool designed for older adults and caregivers. The IDA method is attractive because it takes significantly less time and manpower than the traditional usability testing methods. In this paper we demonstrate how IDA was used to evaluate usability of a multifunctional wellness tool, discuss study results and lessons learned while using this method. We also present findings from an extension of the method which allows the grouping of similar usability problems in an efficient manner. We found that the IDA method is a quick, relatively easy approach to identifying and ranking usability issues among health information technologies. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

A Comparison of What Is Part of Usability Testing in Three Countries

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Clemmensen, Torkil

The cultural diversity of users of technology challenges our methods for usability evaluation. In this paper we report and compare three ethnographic interview studies of what is a part of a standard (typical) usability test in a company in Mumbai, Beijing and Copenhagen. At each of these three locations, we use structural and contrast questions do a taxonomic and paradigm analysis of a how a company performs a usability test. We find similar parts across the three locations. We also find different results for each location. In Mumbai, most parts of the usability test are not related to the interactive application that is tested, but to differences in user characteristics, test preparation, method, and location. In Copenhagen, considerations about the client's needs are part of a usability test. In Beijing, the only varying factor is the communication pattern and relation to the user. These results are then contrasted in a cross cultural matrix to identify cultural themes that can help interpret results from existing laboratory research in usability test methods.

Usability Evaluation of a Private Social Network on Mental Health for Relatives.

PubMed

Toribio-Guzmán, José Miguel; García-Holgado, Alicia; Soto Pérez, Felipe; García-Peñalvo, Francisco J; Franco Martín, Manuel

2017-09-01

Usability is one of the most prominent criteria that must be fulfilled by a software product. This study aims to evaluate the usability of SocialNet, a private social network for monitoring the daily progress of patients by their relatives, using a mixed usability approach: heuristic evaluation conducted by experts and user testing. A double heuristic evaluation with one expert evaluator identified the issues related to consistency, design, and privacy. User testing was conducted on 20 users and one evaluator using observation techniques and questionnaires. The main usability problems were found to be related to the structure of SocialNet, and the users presented some difficulties in locating the buttons or links. The results show a high level of usability and satisfaction with the product. This evaluation provides data on the usability of SocialNet based on the difficulties experienced by the users and the expert. The results help in redesigning the tool to resolve the identified problems as part of an iterative process.

Getting a Technology-based Diabetes Intervention Ready for Primetime: A Review of Usability Testing Studies

PubMed Central

Lyles, Courtney R.; Sarkar, Urmimala; Osborn, Chandra Y.

2014-01-01

Consumer health technologies can educate patients about diabetes and support their self-management, yet usability evidence is rarely published even though it determines patient engagement, optimal benefit of any intervention, and an understanding of generalizability. Therefore, we conducted a narrative review of peer-reviewed articles published from 2009–2013 that tested the usability of a web- or mobile-delivered system/application designed to educate and support patients with diabetes. Overall, the 23 papers included in our review used mixed (n=11), descriptive quantitative (n=9), and qualitative methods (n=3) to assess usability, such as documenting which features performed as intended and how patients rated their experiences. More sophisticated usability evaluations combined several complementary approaches to elucidate more aspects of functionality. Future work pertaining to the design and evaluation of technology-delivered diabetes education/support interventions should aim to standardize the usability testing processes, and publish usability findings to inform interpretation of why an intervention succeeded or failed, and for whom. PMID:25173689

Usability evaluation of Laboratory and Radiology Information Systems integrated into a hospital information system.

PubMed

Nabovati, Ehsan; Vakili-Arki, Hasan; Eslami, Saeid; Khajouei, Reza

2014-04-01

This study was conducted to evaluate the usability of widely used laboratory and radiology information systems. Three usability experts independently evaluated the user interfaces of Laboratory and Radiology Information Systems using heuristic evaluation method. They applied Nielsen's heuristics to identify and classify usability problems and Nielsen's severity rating to judge their severity. Overall, 116 unique heuristic violations were identified as usability problems. In terms of severity, 67 % of problems were rated as major and catastrophic. Among 10 heuristics, "consistency and standards" was violated most frequently. Moreover, mean severity of problems concerning "error prevention" and "help and documentation" heuristics was higher than of the others. Despite widespread use of specific healthcare information systems, they suffer from usability problems. Improving the usability of systems by following existing design standards and principles from the early phased of system development life cycle is recommended. Especially, it is recommended that the designers design systems that inhibit the initiation of erroneous actions and provide sufficient guidance to users.

End-Users' Voice in EHR Selection: Development of a Usability Questionnaire for Demonstrations in Procurement (DPUQ).

PubMed

Tyllinen, Mari; Kaipio, Johanna; Lääveri, Tinja; Nieminen, Marko

2017-01-01

This paper describes the development of a questionnaire for evaluating usability during EHR system procurement (DPUQ). Established usability questionnaires can be used to gather user feedback after using the systems. However, during procurement, experimenting with real system use is practical only with a limited number of system candidates. There is a need for less resource-demanding usability evaluation in the early stages of procurement in cases with several vendors. DPUQ has been designed for usability evaluation by end-users during special scenario-based vendor demonstrations. The questionnaire includes three sets of questions to be used during and after the vendor demonstration. DPUQ delivers specific usability scores and can be used to compare system candidates in procurement complementing other evaluation methods.

Design for Usability; practice-oriented research for user-centered product design.

PubMed

van Eijk, Daan; van Kuijk, Jasper; Hoolhorst, Frederik; Kim, Chajoong; Harkema, Christelle; Dorrestijn, Steven

2012-01-01

The Design for Usability project aims at improving the usability of electronic professional and consumer products by creating new methodology and methods for user-centred product development, which are feasible to apply in practice. The project was focused on 5 key areas: (i) design methodology, expanding the existing approach of scenario-based design to incorporate the interaction between product design, user characteristics, and user behaviour; (ii) company processes, barriers and enablers for usability in practice; (iii) user characteristics in relation to types of products and use-situations; (iv) usability decision-making; and (v) product impact on user behaviour. The project team developed methods and techniques in each of these areas to support the design of products with a high level of usability. This paper brings together and summarizes the findings.

A Framework for Usability Evaluation in EHR Procurement.

PubMed

Tyllinen, Mari; Kaipio, Johanna; Lääveri, Tinja

2018-01-01

Usability should be considered already by the procuring organizations when selecting future systems. In this paper, we present a framework for usability evaluation during electronic health record (EHR) system procurement. We describe the objectives of the evaluation, the procedure, selected usability attributes and the evaluation methods to measure them. We also present the emphasis usability had in the selection process. We do not elaborate on the details of the results, the application of methods or gathering of data. Instead we focus on the components of the framework to inform and give an example to other similar procurement projects.

A note on contemporary psychometrics.

PubMed

Vitoratou, Silia; Pickles, Andrew

2017-12-01

Psychometrics provide the mathematical underpinnings for psychological assessment. From the late 19th century, a plethora of methodological research achievements equipped researchers and clinicians with efficient tools whose practical value becomes more evident in the era of the internet and big data. Nowadays, powerful probabilistic models exist for most types of data and research questions. As the usability of the psychometric scales is better comprehended, there is an increased interest in applied research outcomes. Paradoxically, while the interest in applications for psychometric scales increases, publishing research on the development and/or evaluation of those scales per se, is not welcomed by many relevant journals. This special issue in psychometrics is therefore a great opportunity to briefly review the main ideas and methods used in psychometrics, and to discuss the challenges in contemporary applied psychometrics.

Situation Awareness and Workload Measures for SAFOR

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

DeMaio, Joe; Hart, Sandra G.; Allen, Ed (Technical Monitor)

1999-01-01

The present research was conducted in support of the NASA Safe All-Weather Flight Operations for Rotorcraft (SAFOR) program. The purpose of the work was to investigate the utility of two measurement tools developed by the British Defense Evaluation Research Agency. These tools were a subjective workload assessment scale, the DRA Workload Scale (DRAWS), and a situation awareness measurement tool in which the crews self-evaluation of performance is compared against actual performance. These two measurement tools were evaluated in the context of a test of an innovative approach to alerting the crew by way of a helmet mounted display. The DRAWS was found to be usable, but it offered no advantages over extant scales, and it had only limited resolution. The performance self-evaluation metric of situation awareness was found to be highly effective.

A Guided Online and Mobile Self-Help Program for Individuals With Eating Disorders: An Iterative Engagement and Usability Study.

PubMed

Nitsch, Martina; Dimopoulos, Christina N; Flaschberger, Edith; Saffran, Kristina; Kruger, Jenna F; Garlock, Lindsay; Wilfley, Denise E; Taylor, Craig B; Jones, Megan

2016-01-11

Numerous digital health interventions have been developed for mental health promotion and intervention, including eating disorders. Efficacy of many interventions has been evaluated, yet knowledge about reasons for dropout and poor adherence is scarce. Most digital health intervention studies lack appropriate research design and methods to investigate individual engagement issues. User engagement and program usability are inextricably linked, making usability studies vital in understanding and improving engagement. The aim of this study was to explore engagement and corresponding usability issues of the Healthy Body Image Program-a guided online intervention for individuals with body image concerns or eating disorders. The secondary aim was to demonstrate the value of usability research in order to investigate engagement. We conducted an iterative usability study based on a mixed-methods approach, combining cognitive and semistructured interviews as well as questionnaires, prior to program launch. Two separate rounds of usability studies were completed, testing a total of 9 potential users. Thematic analysis and descriptive statistics were used to analyze the think-aloud tasks, interviews, and questionnaires. Participants were satisfied with the overall usability of the program. The average usability score was 77.5/100 for the first test round and improved to 83.1/100 after applying modifications for the second iteration. The analysis of the qualitative data revealed five central themes: layout, navigation, content, support, and engagement conditions. The first three themes highlight usability aspects of the program, while the latter two highlight engagement issues. An easy-to-use format, clear wording, the nature of guidance, and opportunity for interactivity were important issues related to usability. The coach support, time investment, and severity of users' symptoms, the program's features and effectiveness, trust, anonymity, and affordability were relevant to engagement. This study identified salient usability and engagement features associated with participant motivation to use the Healthy Body Image Program and ultimately helped improve the program prior to its implementation. This research demonstrates that improvements in usability and engagement can be achieved by testing and adjusting intervention design and content prior to program launch. The results are consistent with related research and reinforce the need for further research to identify usage patterns and effective means for reducing dropout. Digital health research should include usability studies prior to efficacy trials to help create more user-friendly programs that have a higher likelihood of "real-world" adoption.

Consensus Recommendations on Sulfonylurea and Sulfonylurea Combinations in the Management of Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus – International Task Force

PubMed Central

Kalra, Sanjay; Bahendeka, Silver; Sahay, Rakesh; Ghosh, Sujoy; Md, Fariduddin; Orabi, Abbas; Ramaiya, Kaushik; Al Shammari, Sameer; Shrestha, Dina; Shaikh, Khalid; Abhayaratna, Sachitha; Shrestha, Pradeep K.; Mahalingam, Aravinthan; Askheta, Mazen; A. Rahim, Aly Ahmed; Eliana, Fatimah; Shrestha, Hari K.; Chaudhary, Sandeep; Ngugi, Nancy; Mbanya, Jean Claude; Aye, Than Than; Latt, Tint Swe; Akanov, Zhanay A.; Syed, Abbas Raza; Tandon, Nikhil; Unnikrishnan, A. G.; Madhu, S. V.; Jawa, Ali; Chowdhury, Subhankar; Bajaj, Sarita; Das, Ashok Kumar

2018-01-01

For decades, sulfonylureas (SUs) have been important drugs in the antidiabetic therapeutic armamentarium. They have been used as monotherapy as well as combination therapy. Focus on newer drugs and concerns about the risk of severe hypoglycemia and weight gain with some SUs have led to discussion on their safety and utility. It has to be borne in mind that the adverse events associated with SUs should not be ascribed to the whole class, as many modern SUs, such as glimepiride and gliclazide modified release, are associated with better safety profiles. Furthermore, individualization of treatment, using SUs in combination with other drugs, backed with careful monitoring and patient education, ensures maximum benefits with minimal side effects. The current guidelines, developed by experts from Africa, Asia, and the Middle East, promote the safe and smart use of SUs in combination with other glucose-lowering drugs. PMID:29535952

CUNY+ Web: Usability Study of the Web-Based GUI Version of the Bibliographic Database of the City University of New York (CUNY).

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Oulanov, Alexei; Pajarillo, Edmund J. Y.

2002-01-01

Describes the usability evaluation of the CUNY (City University of New York) information system in Web and Graphical User Interface (GUI) versions. Compares results to an earlier usability study of the basic information database available on CUNY's wide-area network and describes the applicability of the previous usability instrument to this…

The Relationship between Personality Type and Software Usability Using the Myers-Briggs Type Indicator (MBTI) and the Software Usability Measurement Inventory (SUMI)

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Lindsey, William H.

2011-01-01

The study attempted to determine if there is a relationship between user's psychological personality types, measured by the Myers Briggs Type Indicator[R] (MBTI[R]) and distinct measures of usability measured by the Software Usability Measurement Inventory (SUMI). The study was expected to provide an answer to the following basic research…

Mapping Usability: A Critical Research Analysis of Trends in Software Usability Research, Theory, and Practice

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Sousa, Morgan Margaret

2009-01-01

The impetus for this project stemmed from a curiosity about two particular areas in the history of usability research. For one, I began research for this project with a desire to learn about patterns in the theory, practice, attitude, and perception about usability work, both in academic contexts and in corporate contexts, with a focus on the…

Usability study of the EduMod eLearning Program for contouring nodal stations of the head and neck.

PubMed

Deraniyagala, Rohan; Amdur, Robert J; Boyer, Arthur L; Kaylor, Scott

2015-01-01

A major strategy for improving radiation oncology education and competence evaluation is to develop eLearning programs that reproduce the real work environment. A valuable measure of the quality of an eLearning program is "usability," which is a multidimensional endpoint defined from the end user's perspective. The gold standard for measuring usability is the Software Usability Measurement Inventory (SUMI). The purpose of this study is to use the SUMI to measure usability of an eLearning course that uses innovative software to teach and test contouring of nodal stations of the head and neck. This is a prospective institutional review board-approved study in which all participants gave written informed consent. The study population was radiation oncology residents from 8 different programs across the United States. The subjects had to pass all sections of the same 2 eLearning modules and then complete the SUMI usability evaluation instrument. We reached the accrual goal of 25 participants. Usability results for the EduMod eLearning course, "Nodal Stations of the Head and Neck," were compared with a large database of scores of other major software programs. Results were evaluated in 5 domains: Affect, Helpfulness, Control, Learnability, and Global Usability. In all 5 domains, usability scores for the study modules were higher than the database mean and statistically superior in 4 domains. This is the first study to evaluate usability of an eLearning program related to radiation oncology. Usability of 2 representative modules related to contouring nodal stations of the head and neck was highly favorable, with scores that were superior to the industry standard in multiple domains. These results support the continued development of this type of eLearning program for teaching and testing radiation oncology technical skills. Copyright © 2015 American Society for Radiation Oncology. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

The use of fault reporting of medical equipment to identify latent design flaws.

PubMed

Flewwelling, C J; Easty, A C; Vicente, K J; Cafazzo, J A

2014-10-01

Poor device design that fails to adequately account for user needs, cognition, and behavior is often responsible for use errors resulting in adverse events. This poor device design is also often latent, and could be responsible for "No Fault Found" (NFF) reporting, in which medical devices sent for repair by clinical users are found to be operating as intended. Unresolved NFF reports may contribute to incident under reporting, clinical user frustration, and biomedical engineering technologist inefficacy. This study uses human factors engineering methods to investigate the relationship between NFF reporting frequency and device usability. An analysis of medical equipment maintenance data was conducted to identify devices with a high NFF reporting frequency. Subsequently, semi-structured interviews and heuristic evaluations were performed in order to identify potential usability issues. Finally, usability testing was conducted in order to validate that latent usability related design faults result in a higher frequency of NFF reporting. The analysis of medical equipment maintenance data identified six devices with a high NFF reporting frequency. Semi-structured interviews, heuristic evaluations and usability testing revealed that usability issues caused a significant portion of the NFF reports. Other factors suspected to contribute to increased NFF reporting include accessory issues, intermittent faults and environmental issues. Usability testing conducted on three of the devices revealed 23 latent usability related design faults. These findings demonstrate that latent usability related design faults manifest themselves as an increase in NFF reporting and that devices containing usability related design faults can be identified through an analysis of medical equipment maintenance data. Copyright © 2014 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Developing Local Scale, High Resolution, Data to Interface with Numerical Storm Models

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Witkop, R.; Becker, A.; Stempel, P.

2017-12-01

High resolution, physical storm models that can rapidly predict storm surge, inundation, rainfall, wind velocity and wave height at the intra-facility scale for any storm affecting Rhode Island have been developed by Researchers at the University of Rhode Island's (URI's) Graduate School of Oceanography (GSO) (Ginis et al., 2017). At the same time, URI's Marine Affairs Department has developed methods that inhere individual geographic points into GSO's models and enable the models to accurately incorporate local scale, high resolution data (Stempel et al., 2017). This combination allows URI's storm models to predict any storm's impacts on individual Rhode Island facilities in near real time. The research presented here determines how a coastal Rhode Island town's critical facility managers (FMs) perceive their assets as being vulnerable to quantifiable hurricane-related forces at the individual facility scale and explores methods to elicit this information from FMs in a format usable for incorporation into URI's storm models.

Evaluating clinicians’ user experience and acceptability of LearnTB, a smartphone application for tuberculosis in India

PubMed Central

Pande, Tripti; Saravu, Kavitha; Temesgen, Zelalem; Seyoum, Al; Rai, Shipra; Rao, Raghavendra; Mahadev, Deekshith; Pai, Madhukar

2017-01-01

Background Tuberculosis (TB) is the leading infectious killer, and India accounts for 2.8 of the 10.4 million TB cases that occur each year, making it the highest TB burden country worldwide. Poor quality of TB care is a major driver of the epidemic in India. India’s large private, unregulated sector manages over 50% of the TB patients, with studies showing suboptimal diagnosis and treatment in the private sector. Better education of doctors using mobile applications (apps) is a possible solution. While India has seen an explosion of mobile phone services, and while the use of mobile health interventions has been gaining interest, little is known about mHealth around tuberculosis in India. Methods Our study aimed to understand the user experience and acceptability of a smartphone application, LearnTB, amongst private sector academic clinicians in India. This study was conducted amongst 101 clinicians at Kasturba Hospital, Manipal, India. The user experience of participants (part 1) and acceptability (part 2) were evaluated with the use of two valid, English, paper-based questionnaires. The first questionnaire was based on the System Usability Scale (SUS); the second questionnaire was based on the Technology Acceptance Model (TAM). Data were collected during February and March 2017 and were analyzed using descriptive statistics, multiple linear regression as well as logistic regression analysis. Results A response rate of 99% was achieved; 100 participants responded to the second questionnaire and 100% of the participants responded to the first questionnaire. User experience was very high [mean SUS score =94.4 (92.07–96.76)]. Perceived usefulness (PU) was significantly correlated to intention to use (IU) (r=0.707, P<0.0001), and perceived ease of use (PEU) was significantly correlated to PU (r=0.466, P<0.0001). Path analysis confirmed the direct relationship between PU and IU (0.936, P<0.0001), and the indirect relationship between PEU and IU (0.5102, P<0.0001). Logistic regression analysis helped target items strongly influencing IU, such as “The use of the LearnTB application is compatible with my work habits” [OR =3.20 (1.04–9.84), P=0.004] and “The use of the LearnTB application could promote good clinical practice” [OR =5.23 (1.35–20.29); P=0.016]. Conclusion The first part of the study indicated high user experience of the LearnTB application. The TAM questionnaire (second part) explained a significant portion of the variance in clinicians’ IU the LearnTB application. The PU of the application has the highest impact on the clinicians’ IU the Learn TB application. This study provides a preliminary analysis of mobile health interventions for tuberculosis in India, and emphasizes the need for future research in this domain. PMID:28828377

13 CFR 113.3-3 - Structural accommodations for handicapped clients.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-01-01

... accessible to and usable by persons with handicaps. Alterations to existing facilities that affect usability... permitted where substantially equivalent or greater access to and usability of the building is provided. (2...

You're a What? Usability Engineer.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Crosby, Olivia

2001-01-01

Describes the work of usability engineers, who improve computer hardware, software, and websites by focusing on how users perceive and manipulate those tools. Discusses education, training, salaries, and talents needed by usability engineers. (Author/JOW)

Feasibility study into self-administered training at home using an arm and hand device with motivational gaming environment in chronic stroke.

PubMed

Nijenhuis, Sharon M; Prange, Gerdienke B; Amirabdollahian, Farshid; Sale, Patrizio; Infarinato, Francesco; Nasr, Nasrin; Mountain, Gail; Hermens, Hermie J; Stienen, Arno H A; Buurke, Jaap H; Rietman, Johan S

2015-10-09

Assistive and robotic training devices are increasingly used for rehabilitation of the hemiparetic arm after stroke, although applications for the wrist and hand are trailing behind. Furthermore, applying a training device in domestic settings may enable an increased training dose of functional arm and hand training. The objective of this study was to assess the feasibility and potential clinical changes associated with a technology-supported arm and hand training system at home for patients with chronic stroke. A dynamic wrist and hand orthosis was combined with a remotely monitored user interface with motivational gaming environment for self-administered training at home. Twenty-four chronic stroke patients with impaired arm/hand function were recruited to use the training system at home for six weeks. Evaluation of feasibility involved training duration, usability and motivation. Clinical outcomes on arm/hand function, activity and participation were assessed before and after six weeks of training and at two-month follow-up. Mean System Usability Scale score was 69 % (SD 17 %), mean Intrinsic Motivation Inventory score was 5.2 (SD 0.9) points, and mean training duration per week was 105 (SD 66) minutes. Median Fugl-Meyer score improved from 37 (IQR 30) pre-training to 41 (IQR 32) post-training and was sustained at two-month follow-up (40 (IQR 32)). The Stroke Impact Scale improved from 56.3 (SD 13.2) pre-training to 60.0 (SD 13.9) post-training, with a trend at follow-up (59.8 (SD 15.2)). No significant improvements were found on the Action Research Arm Test and Motor Activity Log. Remotely monitored post-stroke training at home applying gaming exercises while physically supporting the wrist and hand showed to be feasible: participants were able and motivated to use the training system independently at home. Usability shows potential, although several usability issues need further attention. Upper extremity function and quality of life improved after training, although dexterity did not. These findings indicate that home-based arm and hand training with physical support from a dynamic orthosis is a feasible tool to enable self-administered practice at home. Such an approach enables practice without dependence on therapist availability, allowing an increase in training dose with respect to treatment in supervised settings. This study has been registered at the Netherlands Trial Registry (NTR): NTR3669 .

Development of the Telehealth Usability Questionnaire (TUQ).

PubMed

Parmanto, Bambang; Lewis, Allen Nelson; Graham, Kristin M; Bertolet, Marnie H

2016-01-01

Current telehealth usability questionnaires are designed primarily for older technologies, where telehealth interaction is conducted over dedicated videoconferencing applications. However, telehealth services are increasingly conducted over computer-based systems that rely on commercial software and a user supplied computer interface. Therefore, a usability questionnaire that addresses the changes in telehealth service delivery and technology is needed. The Telehealth Usability Questionnaire (TUQ) was developed to evaluate the usability of telehealth implementation and services. This paper addresses: (1) the need for a new measure of telehealth usability, (2) the development of the TUQ, (3) intended uses for the TUQ, and (4) the reliability of the TUQ. Analyses indicate that the TUQ is a solid, robust, and versatile measure that can be used to measure the quality of the computer-based user interface and the quality of the telehealth interaction and services.

Effective Usability Engineering in Healthcare: A Vision of Usable and Safer Healthcare IT.

PubMed

Kushniruk, Andre; Senathirajah, Yalini; Borycki, Elizabeth

2017-01-01

Persistent problems with healthcare IT that is unusable and unsafe have been reported worldwide. In this paper we present our vision for deploying usability engineering in healthcare in a more substantive way in order to improve the current situation. The argument will be made that stronger and more substantial efforts need to be made to bring multiple usability engineering methods to bear on points in both system design and deployment (and not just as a one-time effort restricted to software product development). In addition, improved processes for ensuring the usability of commercial vendor-based systems being implemented in healthcare organizations need to be addressed. A discussion will also be provided on challenges and barriers that will need to be overcome to ensure that the heatlhcare IT that is released is both usable and safe.

Using a fuzzy comprehensive evaluation method to determine product usability: A proposed theoretical framework

PubMed Central

Zhou, Ronggang; Chan, Alan H. S.

2016-01-01

BACKGROUND: In order to compare existing usability data to ideal goals or to that for other products, usability practitioners have tried to develop a framework for deriving an integrated metric. However, most current usability methods with this aim rely heavily on human judgment about the various attributes of a product, but often fail to take into account of the inherent uncertainties in these judgments in the evaluation process. OBJECTIVE: This paper presents a universal method of usability evaluation by combining the analytic hierarchical process (AHP) and the fuzzy evaluation method. By integrating multiple sources of uncertain information during product usability evaluation, the method proposed here aims to derive an index that is structured hierarchically in terms of the three usability components of effectiveness, efficiency, and user satisfaction of a product. METHODS: With consideration of the theoretical basis of fuzzy evaluation, a two-layer comprehensive evaluation index was first constructed. After the membership functions were determined by an expert panel, the evaluation appraisals were computed by using the fuzzy comprehensive evaluation technique model to characterize fuzzy human judgments. Then with the use of AHP, the weights of usability components were elicited from these experts. RESULTS AND CONCLUSIONS: Compared to traditional usability evaluation methods, the major strength of the fuzzy method is that it captures the fuzziness and uncertainties in human judgments and provides an integrated framework that combines the vague judgments from multiple stages of a product evaluation process. PMID:28035943

Scaling Task Management in Space and Time: Reducing User Overhead in Ubiquitous-Computing Environments

DTIC Science & Technology

2005-03-28

consequently users are torn between taking advantage of increasingly pervasive computing systems, and the price (in attention and skill) that they have to... advantage of the surrounding computing environments; and (c) that it is usable by non-experts. Second, from a software architect’s perspective, we...take full advantage of the computing systems accessible to them, much as they take advantage of the furniture in each physical space. In the example

Seven ways to make a hypertext project fail

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Glushko, Robert J.

1990-01-01

Hypertext is an exciting concept, but designing and developing hypertext applications of practical scale is hard. To make a project feasible and successful 'hypertext engineers' must overcome the following problems: (1) developing realistic expectations in the face of hypertext hype; (2) assembling a multidisciplinary project team; (3) establishing and following design guidelines; (4) dealing with installed base constraints; (5) obtaining usable source files; (6) finding appropriate software technology and methods; and (7) overcoming legal uncertainties about intellectual property concerns.

Development of a Just-in-Time Adaptive mHealth Intervention for Insomnia: Usability Study.

PubMed

Pulantara, I Wayan; Parmanto, Bambang; Germain, Anne

2018-05-17

Healthy sleep is a fundamental component of physical and brain health. Insomnia, however, is a prevalent sleep disorder that compromises functioning, productivity, and health. Therefore, developing efficient treatment delivery methods for insomnia can have significant societal and personal health impacts. Cognitive behavioral therapy for insomnia (CBTI) is the recommended first-line treatment of insomnia but access is currently limited for patients, since treatment must occur in specialty sleep clinics, which suffer from an insufficient number of trained clinicians. Smartphone-based interventions offer a promising means for improving the delivery of CBTI. Furthermore, novel features such as real-time monitoring and assessment, personalization, dynamic adaptations of the intervention, and context awareness can enhance treatment personalization and effectiveness, and reduce associated costs. Ultimately, this "Just in Time Adaptive Intervention" for insomnia-an intervention approach that is acceptable to patients and clinicians, and is based on mobile health (mHealth) platform and tools-can significantly improve patient access and clinician delivery of evidence-based insomnia treatments. This study aims to develop and assess the usability of a Just in Time Adaptive Intervention application platform called iREST ("interactive Resilience Enhancing Sleep Tactics") for use in behavioral insomnia interventions. iREST can be used by both patients and clinicians. The development of iREST was based on the Iterative and Incremental Development software development model. Requirement analysis was based on the case study's description, workflow and needs, clinician inputs, and a previously conducted BBTI military study/implementation of the Just in Time Adaptive Intervention architecture. To evaluate the usability of the iREST mHealth tool, a pilot usability study was conducted. Additionally, this study explores the feasibility of using an off-the-shelf wearable device to supplement the subjective assessment of patient sleep patterns. The iREST app was developed from the mobile logical architecture of Just in Time Adaptive Intervention. It consists of a cross-platform smartphone app, a clinician portal, and secure 2-way communications platform between the app and the portal. The usability study comprised 19 Active Duty Service Members and Veterans between the ages of 18 and 60. Descriptive statistics based on in-app questionnaires indicate that on average, 12 (mean 12.23, SD 8.96) unique devices accessed the clinician portal per day for more than two years, while the app was rated as "highly usable", achieving a mean System Usability Score score of 85.74 (SD 12.37), which translates to an adjective rating of "Excellent". The participants also gave high scores on "ease of use and learnability" with an average score of 4.33 (SD 0.65) on a scale of 1 to 5. iREST provides a feasible platform for the implementation of Just in Time Adaptive Intervention in mHealth-based and remote intervention settings. The system was rated highly usable and its cross-platformness made it readily implemented within the heavily segregated smartphone market. The use of wearables to track sleep is promising; yet the accuracy of this technology needs further improvement. Ultimately, iREST demonstrates that mHealth-based Just in Time Adaptive Intervention is not only feasible, but also works effectively. ©I Wayan Pulantara, Bambang Parmanto, Anne Germain. Originally published in JMIR Human Factors (http://humanfactors.jmir.org), 17.05.2018.

Usability evaluation of pharmacogenomics clinical decision support aids and clinical knowledge resources in a computerized provider order entry system: a mixed methods approach.

PubMed

Devine, Emily Beth; Lee, Chia-Ju; Overby, Casey L; Abernethy, Neil; McCune, Jeannine; Smith, Joe W; Tarczy-Hornoch, Peter

2014-07-01

Pharmacogenomics (PGx) is positioned to have a widespread impact on the practice of medicine, yet physician acceptance is low. The presentation of context-specific PGx information, in the form of clinical decision support (CDS) alerts embedded in a computerized provider order entry (CPOE) system, can aid uptake. Usability evaluations can inform optimal design, which, in turn, can spur adoption. The study objectives were to: (1) evaluate an early prototype, commercial CPOE system with PGx-CDS alerts in a simulated environment, (2) identify potential improvements to the system user interface, and (3) understand the contexts under which PGx knowledge embedded in an electronic health record is useful to prescribers. Using a mixed methods approach, we presented seven cardiologists and three oncologists with five hypothetical clinical case scenarios. Each scenario featured a drug for which a gene encoding drug metabolizing enzyme required consideration of dosage adjustment. We used Morae(®) to capture comments and on-screen movements as participants prescribed each drug. In addition to PGx-CDS alerts, 'Infobutton(®)' and 'Evidence' icons provided participants with clinical knowledge resources to aid decision-making. Nine themes emerged. Five suggested minor improvements to the CPOE user interface; two suggested presenting PGx information through PGx-CDS alerts using an 'Infobutton' or 'Evidence' icon. The remaining themes were strong recommendations to provide succinct, relevant guidelines and dosing recommendations of phenotypic information from credible and trustworthy sources; any more information was overwhelming. Participants' median rating of PGx-CDS system usability was 2 on a Likert scale ranging from 1 (strongly agree) to 7 (strongly disagree). Usability evaluation results suggest that participants considered PGx information important for improving prescribing decisions; and that they would incorporate PGx-CDS when information is presented in relevant and useful ways. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

Usability and clinical efficacy of diabetes mobile applications for adults with type 2 diabetes: A systematic review.

PubMed

Fu, Helen; McMahon, Siobhan K; Gross, Cynthia R; Adam, Terrence J; Wyman, Jean F

2017-09-01

To assess the usability and clinical effectiveness of diabetes mobile applications (diabetes apps) developed for adults with type 2 diabetes. A systematic review of the usability and effectiveness of diabetes apps was conducted. Searches were performed using MEDLINE, EMBASE, COMPENDEX, and IEEE XPLORE for articles published from January 1, 2011, to January 17, 2017. Search terms included: diabetes, mobile apps, and mobile health (mHealth). The search yielded 723 abstracts of which seven usability studies and ten clinical effectiveness studies met the inclusion criteria from 20 publications. Usability, as measured by satisfaction ratings from experts and patients, ranged from 38% to 80%. Usability problem ratings ranged from moderate to catastrophic. Top usability problems are multi-steps task, limited functionality and interaction, and difficult system navigation. Clinical effectiveness, measured by reductions in HbA1c, ranged from 0.15% to 1.9%. Despite meager satisfaction ratings and major usability problems, there is some limited evidence supporting the effectiveness of diabetes apps to improve glycemic control for adults with type 2 diabetes. Findings strongly suggest that efforts to improve user satisfaction, incorporate established principles of health behavior change, and match apps to user characteristics will increase the therapeutic impact of diabetes apps. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Web usability evaluation on BloobIS website by using hallway usability testing method and ISO 9241:11

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Dwi Susanto, Tony; Ingesti Prasetyo, Anisa; Astuti, Hanim Maria

2018-03-01

At this moment, the need for web as an information media is highly important. Not only confined in the infotainment area, government, and education, but health as well uses the web media as a medium for providing information effectively. BloobIS is a web based application which integrates blood supply and distribution information at the Blood Transfusion Unit. Knowing how easy information is on BloobIS is marked by how convenient the website is used. Up until now, the BloobIS website is nearing completion but testing has not yet been performed to users and is on the testing and development phase in the Development Life Cycle software. Thus, an evaluation namely the quality control software which focuses on the perspective of BloobIs web usability is required. Hallway Usability Testing and ISO 9241:11 are the methods chosen to measure the BloobIS application usability. The expected outputs of the quality control software focusing on the usability evaluation are being able to rectify the usability deficiencies on the BloobIs web and provide recommendations to develop the web as a basic BloobIS web quality upgraed which sets a goal to amplify the satisfaction of web users based on usability factors in ISO 9241:11.

Interface Usability Across and Within EHR Vendors and Medical Settings: The Often Unexamined Need for Interface Similarities.

PubMed

Koppel, Ross; Kuziemsky, Craig

2017-01-01

Usability of health information technology (HIT), if considered at all, is usually focused on individual providers, settings and vendors. However, in light of transformative models of healthcare delivery such as collaborative care delivery that crosses providers and settings, we need to think of usability as a collective and constantly emerging process. To address this new reality we develop a matrix of usability that spans several dimensions and contexts, incorporating differing vendors, user, settings, disciplines, and display configurations. The matrix, while conceptual, extends existing work by providing the means for discussion of usability issues and needs beyond one setting and one user type.

LATCH usability in vehicles.

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

2012-04-01

This project investigated the usability of Lower Anchors and Tethers for CHildren (LATCH) hardware by measuring LATCH implementations in 98 2011 or 2010 model-year vehicles. ISO and SAE LATCH usability rating systems were used to assess all vehicles ...

Applying usability testing techniques to improve a health promotion website.

PubMed

Hinchliffe, Anetta; Mummery, W Kerry

2008-04-01

Use of the Internet for health promotion is increasing; however, the lack of published research regarding website usability suggests that health promotion websites are being developed without consultation with their users or formal evaluation. This study conducted usability testing of an existing health promotion website to inform modifications and to identify common usability themes that should be addressed by organisations developing or maintaining a health promotion website. A combination of qualitative and quantitative techniques were implemented during the usability testing sessions to gather data from users while completing tasks on the website. Techniques included performance measures (time taken), direct observation (participant observation) and subjective user preferences (questionnaire and interview). Improvements to the website were measured in terms of reduced problems reported, reduced time taken to complete tasks and increased subjective reports. Seven usability themes emerged from the data: design, feedback, format, instructions, navigation, terminology and learnability. This study demonstrates the application of usability testing to the design and modification of a health promotion website and illustrates the areas or themes that can be used as a framework for testing and modification.

The Superorbital Expansion Tube concept, experiment and analysis

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Neely, A. J.; Morgan, R. G.

1995-01-01

In response to the need for ground testing facilities for super orbital re-entry research, a small scale facility has been set up at the University of Queensland to demonstrate the superorbital expansion tube concept. This unique device is a free piston driven, triple diaphragm, impulse shock facility which uses the enthalpy multiplication mechanism of the unsteady expansion process and the addition of a secondary shock driver to further heat the driver gas. The pilot facility has been operated to produce quasi-steady test flows in air with shock velocities in excess of 13 km/s and with a usable test flow duration of the order of 15 micro sec. an experimental condition produced in the facility with total enthalpy of 108 MJ/kg and a total pressure of 335 MPa is reported. A simple analytical flow model which accounts for non-ideal rupture of the light tertiary diaphragm and the resulting entropy increase in the test gas is discussed. It is shown that equilibrium calculations more accurately model the unsteady expansion process than calculations assuming frozen chemistry. This is because the high enthalpy flows produced in the facility can only be achieved if the chemical energy stored in the test flow during shock heating of the test gas is partially returned to the flow during the process of unsteady expansion. Measurements of heat transfer rates to a flat plate demonstrate the usability of test flow for aerothermodynamic testing and comparison of these rates with empirical calculations confirms the usable accuracy of the flow model.

Usability of a soft-electron (low-energy electron) machine for disinfestation of grains contaminated with insect pests

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Imamura, Taro; Miyanoshita, Akihiro; Todoriki, Setsuko; Hayashi, Toru

2004-09-01

Efficacy of soft-electron treatment for disinfestations of grains was investigated by treating pre-infested brown rice and adzuki bean with a commercial-scale soft-electron machine (soft-electron processor). Soft-electrons at 150 kV efficiently disinfested brown rice grains pre-infested with maize weevil ( Stiophilus zeamais Motchulsky) and Indian meal moth ( Plodia interpunctella (Hübner)) and adzuki beans with adzuki bean weevil ( Callosobruchus chinensis (Linne)), although small numbers of the internal feeders such as C. chinensis in adzuki bean and S. zeamais in brown rice survived. The results indicate that the commercial-scale soft-electron machine can disinfest grains and beans, especially those contaminated with external feeders.

Investigating the effect of m-commerce design usability on customers' trust

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hussain, Azham Bin; Mahmood, Alaa Thamer; Naser, Raed Kamil

2017-10-01

User experience may vary from one user to another based on the design characteristics for processing a certain task. Our review of the literature revealed that there is a noticeable lack of studies on the effect of mobile or m-commerce design usability on customers' trust to perform certain activities. We investigated the effect of m-commerce design usability in terms of navigability, supportability, readability, creditability, and content relevant. A close-ended questionnaire was distributed to 20 customers who were asked to perform some tasks. The result showed that majority of the participants found m-commerce design usability to influence their trust of the app. The mentioned usability elements were found to positively influence customers' trust except for supportability. Our findings provide some insights to the m-commerce designers and developers and extend the current understanding about the potential of design usability in explaining users' usage behavior.

Usability of Low-Cost Android Data Collection System for Community-Based Participatory Research.

PubMed

Salihu, Hamisu M; Salinas-Miranda, Abraham; Turner, DeAnne; King, Lindsey; Paothong, Arnut; Austin, Deborah; Berry, Estrellita Lo

2016-01-01

Android tablet computers can be valuable tools for data collection, but their usability has not been evaluated in community-based participatory research (CBPR). This article examines the usability of a low-cost bilingual touchscreen computerized survey system using Android tablets, piloted with a sample of 201 community residents in Tampa, Florida, from November 2013 to March 2014. Needs assessment questions were designed with the droidSURVEY software, and deployed using Android tablet computers. In addition, participants were asked questions about system usability. The mean system usability was 77.57 ± 17.66 (range, 0-100). The mean completion time for taking the 63 survey questions in the needs assessment was 23.11 ± 9.62 minutes. The survey completion rate was optimal (100%), with only 6.34% missingness per variable. We found no sociodemographic differences in usability scores. Our findings indicate that Android tablets could serve as useful tools in CBPR studies.

Usability engineering: domain analysis activities for augmented-reality systems

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gabbard, Joseph; Swan, J. E., II; Hix, Deborah; Lanzagorta, Marco O.; Livingston, Mark; Brown, Dennis B.; Julier, Simon J.

2002-05-01

This paper discusses our usability engineering process for the Battlefield Augmented Reality System (BARS). Usability engineering is a structured, iterative, stepwise development process. Like the related disciplines of software and systems engineering, usability engineering is a combination of management principals and techniques, formal and semi- formal evaluation techniques, and computerized tools. BARS is an outdoor augmented reality system that displays heads- up battlefield intelligence information to a dismounted warrior. The paper discusses our general usability engineering process. We originally developed the process in the context of virtual reality applications, but in this work we are adapting the procedures to an augmented reality system. The focus of this paper is our work on domain analysis, the first activity of the usability engineering process. We describe our plans for and our progress to date on our domain analysis for BARS. We give results in terms of a specific urban battlefield use case we have designed.

Multifunctional Nutrient-Binding Proteins Adapt Human Symbiotic Bacteria for Glycan Competition in the Gut by Separately Promoting Enhanced Sensing and Catalysis

PubMed Central

Cameron, Elizabeth A.; Kwiatkowski, Kurt J.; Lee, Byung-Hoo; Hamaker, Bruce R.; Koropatkin, Nicole M.

2014-01-01

ABSTRACT To compete for the dynamic stream of nutrients flowing into their ecosystem, colonic bacteria must respond rapidly to new resources and then catabolize them efficiently once they are detected. The Bacteroides thetaiotaomicron starch utilization system (Sus) is a model for nutrient acquisition by symbiotic gut bacteria, which harbor thousands of related Sus-like systems. Structural investigation of the four Sus outer membrane proteins (SusD, -E, -F, and -G) revealed that they contain a total of eight starch-binding sites that we demonstrated, using genetic and biochemical approaches, to play distinct roles in starch metabolism in vitro and in vivo in gnotobiotic mice. SusD, whose homologs are abundant in the human microbiome, is critical for the initial sensing of available starch, allowing sus transcriptional activation at much lower concentrations than without this function. In contrast, seven additional binding sites across SusE, -F, and -G are dispensable for sus activation. However, they optimize the rate of growth on starch in a manner dependent on the expression of the bacterial polysaccharide capsule, suggesting that they have evolved to offset the diffusion barrier created by this structure. These findings demonstrate how proteins with similar biochemical behavior can serve orthogonal functions during different stages of cellular adaptation to nutrients. Finally, we demonstrated in gnotobiotic mice fed a starch-rich diet that the Sus binding sites confer a competitive advantage to B. thetaiotaomicron in vivo in a manner that is dependent on other colonizing microbes. This study reveals how numerically dominant families of carbohydrate-binding proteins in the human microbiome fulfill separate and sometimes cooperative roles to optimize gut commensal bacteria for nutrient acquisition. PMID:25205092

Why Citizen Science Without Usability Testing Will Underperform

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Romano, C.; Gay, P.; Owens, R.; Burlea, G.

2017-12-01

Citizen science projects must undergo usability testing and optimization if they are to meet their stated goals. This presentation will include video of usability tests conducted upon citizen science websites. Usability testing is essential to the success of online interaction, however, citizen science projects have just begun to include this critical activity. Interaction standards in citizen science lag behind those of commercial interests, and published research on this topic is limited. Since online citizen science is by definition, an exchange of information, a clear understanding of how users experience an online project is essential to informed decision-making. Usability testing provides that insight. Usability testing collects data via direct observation of a person while she interacts with a digital product, such as a citizen science website. The test participant verbalizes her thoughts while using the website or application; the moderator follows the participant and captures quantitative measurement of the participant's confidence of success as she advances through the citizen science project. Over 15 years of usability testing, we have observed that users who do not report a consistent sense of progress are likely to abandon a website after as few as three unrewarding interactions. Since citizen science is also a voluntary activity, ensuring seamless interaction for users is mandatory. Usability studies conducted on citizen science websites demonstrate that project teams frequently underestimate a user's need for context and ease of use. Without usability testing, risks to online citizen science projects include high bounce rate (users leave the website without taking any action), abandonment (of the website, tutorials, registration), misunderstanding instructions (causing disorientation and erroneous conclusions), and ultimately, underperforming projects.

Pattern mining of user interaction logs for a post-deployment usability evaluation of a radiology PACS client.

PubMed

Jorritsma, Wiard; Cnossen, Fokie; Dierckx, Rudi A; Oudkerk, Matthijs; van Ooijen, Peter M A

2016-01-01

To perform a post-deployment usability evaluation of a radiology Picture Archiving and Communication System (PACS) client based on pattern mining of user interaction log data, and to assess the usefulness of this approach compared to a field study. All user actions performed on the PACS client were logged for four months. A data mining technique called closed sequential pattern mining was used to automatically extract frequently occurring interaction patterns from the log data. These patterns were used to identify usability issues with the PACS. The results of this evaluation were compared to the results of a field study based usability evaluation of the same PACS client. The interaction patterns revealed four usability issues: (1) the display protocols do not function properly, (2) the line measurement tool stays active until another tool is selected, rather than being deactivated after one use, (3) the PACS's built-in 3D functionality does not allow users to effectively perform certain 3D-related tasks, (4) users underuse the PACS's customization possibilities. All usability issues identified based on the log data were also found in the field study, which identified 48 issues in total. Post-deployment usability evaluation based on pattern mining of user interaction log data provides useful insights into the way users interact with the radiology PACS client. However, it reveals few usability issues compared to a field study and should therefore not be used as the sole method of usability evaluation. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

Interdisciplinary development of manual and automated product usability assessments for older adults with dementia: lessons learned.

PubMed

Boger, Jennifer; Taati, Babak; Mihailidis, Alex

2016-10-01

The changes in cognitive abilities that accompany dementia can make it difficult to use everyday products that are required to complete activities of daily living. Products that are inherently more usable for people with dementia could facilitate independent activity completion, thus reducing the need for caregiver assistance. The objectives of this research were to: (1) gain an understanding of how water tap design impacted tap usability and (2) create an automated computerized tool that could assess tap usability. 27 older adults, who ranged from cognitively intact to advanced dementia, completed 1309 trials on five tap designs. Data were manually analyzed to investigate tap usability as well as used to develop an automated usability analysis tool. Researchers collaborated to modify existing techniques and to create novel ones to accomplish both goals. This paper presents lessons learned through the course of this research, which could be applicable in the development of other usability studies, automated vision-based assessments and the development of assistive technologies for cognitively impaired older adults. Collaborative interdisciplinary teamwork, which included older adult with dementia participants, was key to enabling innovative advances that achieved the projects' research goals. Implications for Rehabilitation Products that are implicitly familiar and usable by older adults could foster independent activity completion, potentially reducing reliance on a caregiver. The computer-based automated tool can significantly reduce the time and effort required to perform product usability analysis, making this type of analysis more feasible. Interdisciplinary collaboration can result in a more holistic understanding of assistive technology research challenges and enable innovative solutions.

Data Envelopment Analysis for steel production with the use of Total Material Requirement

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Oyaizu, Akira; Cravioto, Jordi; Yamasue, Eiji; Daigo, Ichiro

2018-06-01

High properties of stainless steels can be achieved by adding alloying elements and/or by structure control through complex heat treatments. Evaluations of such processes have so far been made in terms of the carbon dioxide emissions emitted or the energy consumption, but less attention has been given to resource intensity and "hidden flows". Using Data Envelopment Analysis (DEA), this study evaluates the efficiency of the environmental impact, characterised through Total Material Requirement (TMR), a measurement of hidden flows, and three properties (two mechanical and one chemical) of the materials obtained after manufacturing. Out of sample of 72 stainless steels it was found that seven (SUS312L, SUS836L, SUS447J1, SUSXM27, SUS410, SUS420F2, and SUS329J4L) showed the highest comparative efficiency, and that, when classifying the sample into four groups, the production of martensitic steels showed the highest efficiency (88%), followed by ferritic and duplex (82.6% each) and lastly austenitic (43.3%).

Web-Based Intervention for Postpartum Depression: Formative Research and Design of the MomMoodBooster Program.

PubMed

Danaher, Brian G; Milgrom, Jeannette; Seeley, John R; Stuart, Scott; Schembri, Charlene; Tyler, Milagra S; Ericksen, Jennifer; Lester, Whitney; Gemmill, Alan W; Lewinsohn, Peter

2012-11-22

Postpartum depression is a significant public health problem affecting approximately 13% of women. There is strong evidence supporting Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) for successful psychosocial treatment. This treatment model combines cognitive and behavioral strategies to address pessimism, attributions for failure, low self-esteem, low engagement in pleasant activities, social withdrawal, anxiety, and low social support. Encouraging results have been reported for using Web-based CBT interventions for mental health domains, including the treatment of panic disorder, post-traumatic stress disorder, and complicated grief and depression. To date, however, Web-based interventions have not been used and evaluated specifically for the treatment of postpartum depression. We describe the formative work that contributed to the development of our Web-based intervention for helping to ameliorate symptoms of postpartum depression, and the design and key components of the program. A total of 17 focus group participants and 22 usability testers, who shared key characteristics with the participants of our planned feasibility study, took part. The proposed structure and ingredients of the program and mock-ups of selected webpages were presented to focus group participants. At various points, participants were asked a series of thought questions designed to elicit opinions and set the occasion for group discussion. At the end of the session, participants were asked to describe their overall reaction to the proposed features of the program emphasizing candid opinions about what they did not like and features they thought were missing and should be added. Usability testers were asked to interact with a series of seven different Web-based interactions planned for the program while receiving minimal direction. Each tester was asked to describe her thoughts using a think-aloud technique. They were then asked to consider all that they had learned about the program and complete the System Usability Scale that we adapted slightly to be appropriate for evaluating the proposed website. Transcripts from the focus groups and usability tests were reviewed by research team members for overarching themes with particular emphasis on suggested changes. A list emerged, and iterative and incremental adjustments were made as a result. The qualitative and quantitative data gathered in the focus groups and usability sessions reported here suggest that the new mothers involved had largely positive reactions to the major features of the program and that those program features performed well in terms of usability. An overview of the eventual design, architecture, and key program ingredients of the MomMoodBooster program is provided including innovative features supplementing 6 core CBT sessions, which include a partner's website, a library, and individual feedback by a personal coach.

Using Heuristic Evaluation to Improve Sepsis Alert Usability.

PubMed

Pertiwi, Ariani Arista Putri; Fraczkowski, Dan; Stogis, Sheryl L; Lopez, Karen Dunn

2018-06-01

Sepsis, life-threatening organ dysfunction in response to infection, is an alarmingly common and aggressive illness in US hospitals, especially for intensive care patients. Preventing sepsis deaths rests on the clinicians' ability to promptly recognize and treat sepsis. To aid early recognition, many organizations have employed clinician-facing electronic sepsis alert systems. However, the effectiveness of the alert relies on heavily on the visual interface, textual information, and overall usability. This article reports a usability inspection of a sepsis alert system. The authors found violations in 12 of the 14 usability principles and promote use of this method in practice to systematically identify usability problems. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Field Evaluation of Programmable Thermostats

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Sachs, O.; Tiefenbeck, V.; Duvier, C.

2012-12-01

Prior research suggests that poor programmable thermostats usability may prevent their effective use to save energy. We hypothesized that home occupants with a high-usability thermostats would be more likely to use them to save energy than people with a basic thermostat. We randomly installed a high-usability thermostat in half the 77 apartments of an affordable housing complex, installing a basic thermostat in the other half. During the heating season, we collected space temperature and furnace on-off data to evaluate occupant interaction with the thermostats, foremost nighttime setbacks. We found that thermostat usability did not influence energy-saving behaviors, finding no significantmore » difference in temperature maintained among apartments with high- and low-usability thermostats.« less

Usability Evaluation of Multimedia Courseware (MEL-SindD)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yussof, Rahmah Lob; Badioze Zaman, Halimah

Constructive evaluations on any software are needed to ensure the effectiveness and usability of the software. This assesment on the multimedia courseware is part of the researcher's study towards the development and usability of the early reading software for students with Down Syndrome (MEL-SindD). This paper will discuss the usability assesment of this courseware, the methods used for the evaluation as well as suitable approaches that can be deployed to evaluate the courseware effectiveness to disabled children.

A Usability Study of Users’ Perceptions Toward a Multimedia Computer-Assisted Learning Tool for Neuroanatomy

PubMed Central

Gould, Douglas J.; Terrell, Mark A.; Fleming, Jo

2015-01-01

This usability study evaluated users’ perceptions of a multimedia prototype for a new e-learning tool: Anatomy of the Central Nervous System: A Multimedia Course. Usability testing is a collection of formative evaluation methods that inform the developmental design of e-learning tools to maximize user acceptance, satisfaction, and adoption. Sixty-two study participants piloted the prototype and completed a usability questionnaire designed to measure two usability properties: program need and program applicability. Statistical analyses were used to test the hypothesis that the multimedia prototype was well designed and highly usable, it was perceived as: 1) highly needed across a spectrum of educational contexts, 2) highly applicable in supporting the pedagogical processes of teaching and learning neuroanatomy, and 3) was highly usable by all types of users. Three independent variables represented user differences: level of expertise (faculty vs. student), age, and gender. Analysis of the results supports the research hypotheses that the prototype was designed well for different types of users in various educational contexts and for supporting the pedagogy of neuroanatomy. In addition, the results suggest that the multimedia program will be most useful as a neuroanatomy review tool for health-professions students preparing for licensing or board exams. This study demonstrates the importance of integrating quality properties of usability with principles of human learning during the instructional design process for multimedia products. PMID:19177405

U.S.A.B.I.L.I.T.Y. Framework for Older Adults.

PubMed

Caboral-Stevens, Meriam; Whetsell, Martha V; Evangelista, Lorraine S; Cypress, Brigitte; Nickitas, Donna

2015-01-01

The purpose of the current study was to present a framework to determine potential usability of health websites by older adults. Review of the literature showed paucity of nursing theory related to the use of technology and usability, particularly in older adults. The Roy Adaptation Model, a widely used nursing theory, was chosen to provide framework for the new model. Technology constructs from the Technology Acceptance Model and United Theory of Acceptance and Use of Technology and behavioral control construct from the Theory of Planned Behavior were integrated into the construction of the derived model. The Use of Technology for Adaptation by Older Adults and/or Those With Limited Literacy (U.S.A.B.I.L.I.T.Y.) Model was constructed from the integration of diverse theoretical/conceptual perspectives. The four determinants of usability in the conceptual model include (a) efficiency, (b) learnability, (c) perceived user experience, and (d) perceived control. Because of the lack of well-validated survey questionnaires to measure these determinants, a U.S.A.B.I.L.I.T.Y. Survey was developed. A panel of experts evaluated face and content validity of the new instrument. Internal consistency of the new instrument was 0.96. Usability is key to accepting technology. The derived U.S.A.B.I.L.I.T.Y. framework could serve as a guide for nurses in formative evaluation of technology. Copyright 2015, SLACK Incorporated.

A Re-evaluation of Discarded Deceased Donor Kidneys in the UK: Are Usable Organs Still Being Discarded?

PubMed

Mittal, Shruti; Adamusiak, Anna; Horsfield, Catherine; Loukopoulos, Ioannis; Karydis, Nikolaos; Kessaris, Nicos; Drage, Martin; Olsburgh, Jonathon; Watson, Christopher Je; Callaghan, Chris J

2017-07-01

A significant proportion of procured deceased donor kidneys are subsequently discarded. The UK Kidney Fast-Track Scheme (KFTS) was introduced in 2012, enabling kidneys at risk of discard to be simultaneously offered to participating centers. We undertook an analysis of discarded kidneys to determine if unnecessary organ discard was still occurring since the KFTS was introduced. Between April and June 2015, senior surgeons independently inspected 31 consecutive discarded kidneys from throughout the United Kingdom. All kidneys were biopsied. Organs were categorized as usable, possibly usable pending histology, or not usable for implantation. After histology reports were available, final assessments of usability were made. There were 19 donors (6 donations after brain death, 13 donations after circulatory death), with a median (range) donor age of 67 (29-83) years and Kidney Donor Profile Index of 93 (19-100). Reasons for discard were variable. Only 3 discarded kidneys had not entered the KFTS. After initial assessment postdiscard, 11 kidneys were assessed as usable, with 9 kidneys thought to be possibly usable. Consideration of histological data reduced the number of kidneys thought usable to 10 (10/31; 32%). The KFTS scheme is successfully identifying organs at high risk of discard, though potentially transplantable organs are still being discarded. Analyses of discarded organs are essential to identify barriers to organ utilization and develop strategies to reduce unnecessary discard.

Oak Ridge Leadership Computing Facility Position Paper

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Oral, H Sarp; Hill, Jason J; Thach, Kevin G

This paper discusses the business, administration, reliability, and usability aspects of storage systems at the Oak Ridge Leadership Computing Facility (OLCF). The OLCF has developed key competencies in architecting and administration of large-scale Lustre deployments as well as HPSS archival systems. Additionally as these systems are architected, deployed, and expanded over time reliability and availability factors are a primary driver. This paper focuses on the implementation of the Spider parallel Lustre file system as well as the implementation of the HPSS archive at the OLCF.

The Determinants of Medical Tourism Intentions: Applying the Theory of Planned Behavior.

PubMed

Ramamonjiarivelo, Zo; Martin, David S; Martin, Warren S

2015-01-01

This study introduces the theory of planned behavior to health care marketers by extending and replicating a prior study that predicted student's intention to engage in medical tourism. Based on a sample of 164 usable survey responses, our findings suggested that the MEDTOUR scale (developed and introduced a prior study) is robust and works reasonably well with a national sample. Based on these findings, MEDTOUR appears to be worthy of further consideration by health marketing scholars.

Low cost solar array project: Experimental process system development unit for producing semiconductor-grade silicon using silane-to-silicon process

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1980-01-01

The design, fabrication, and installation of an experimental process system development unit (EPSDU) were analyzed. Supporting research and development were performed to provide an information data base usable for the EPSDU and for technological design and economical analysis for potential scale-up of the process. Iterative economic analyses were conducted for the estimated product cost for the production of semiconductor grade silicon in a facility capable of producing 1000-MT/Yr.

Designing Telemedicine Systems for Geriatric Patients: A Review of the Usability Studies.

PubMed

Narasimha, Shraddhaa; Madathil, Kapil Chalil; Agnisarman, Sruthy; Rogers, Hunter; Welch, Brandon; Ashok, Aparna; Nair, Aswathi; McElligott, James

2017-06-01

One area where telemedicine may prove to be highly effective is in providing medical care to the geriatric population, an age group predicted to account for 20% of the population in the near future. However, even though telemedicine has certain advantages, the usability of these systems with this population merits investigation. This article reviews the literature published from 2000 to 2016 with the goal of analyzing the characteristics of usability-related studies conducted using geriatric participants and the subsequent usability challenges identified. Articles were found using Web of Knowledge and PubMed citation indexing portals using the keywords (1) Telemedicine* AND Geriatrics* (2) Telemedicine* AND Usability* (3) Telemedicine* AND Usability* AND Older Adults*. A total of 297 articles were obtained from the initial search. After further detailed screening, 16 articles were selected for review based on the inclusion criteria. Of these, 60% of the studies focused on the overall usability of telemedicine systems; 6.25% focused on the usability of a telepresence robot; 12.5% compared a face-to-face medical consultation with the use of telemedicine systems, and 25% focused on the study of other aspects of telemedicine in addition to its usability. Findings reported in the studies included high patient satisfaction with telemedicine in 31.25%, whereas another 31.25% indicated a high acceptance of this method of medical consultation. Care coordination in 6.25% of the studies; confidence in telemedicine in 6.25%; trust, privacy, and reliability in 6.25%; and increased convenience when compared to personal visits in 18.75% were also reported. This review suggests limited research providing scientifically valid and reproducible usability evaluation at various stages of telemedicine system development. Telemedicine system designers need to consider the age-related issues in cognition, perception, and behavior of geriatric patients while designing telemedicine applications. Future directions for research were developed based on the limitations as well as other results found in this systematic review.

Effect of font size, italics, and colour count on web usability.

PubMed

Bhatia, Sanjiv K; Samal, Ashok; Rajan, Nithin; Kiviniemi, Marc T

2011-04-01

Web usability measures the ease of use of a website. This study attempts to find the effect of three factors - font size, italics, and colour count - on web usability. The study was performed using a set of tasks and developing a survey questionnaire. We performed the study using a set of human subjects, selected from the undergraduate students taking courses in psychology. The data computed from the tasks and survey questionnaire were statistically analysed to find if there was any effect of font size, italics, and colour count on the three web usability dimensions. We found that for the student population considered, there was no significant effect of font size on usability. However, the manipulation of italics and colour count did influence some aspects of usability. The subjects performed better for pages with no italics and high italics compared to moderate italics. The subjects rated the pages that contained only one colour higher than the web pages with four or six colours. This research will help web developers better understand the effect of font size, italics, and colour count on web usability in general, and for young adults, in particular.

Web usability testing with a Hispanic medically underserved population.

PubMed

Moore, Mary; Bias, Randolph G; Prentice, Katherine; Fletcher, Robin; Vaughn, Terry

2009-04-01

Skilled website developers value usability testing to assure user needs are met. When the target audience differs substantially from the developers, it becomes essential to tailor both design and evaluation methods. In this study, researchers carried out a multifaceted usability evaluation of a website (Healthy Texas) designed for Hispanic audiences with lower computer literacy and lower health literacy. METHODS INCLUDED: (1) heuristic evaluation by a usability engineer, (2) remote end-user testing using WebEx software; and (3) face-to-face testing in a community center where use of the website was likely. Researchers found standard usability testing methods needed to be modified to provide interpreters, increased flexibility for time on task, presence of a trusted intermediary such as a librarian, and accommodation for family members who accompanied participants. Participants offered recommendations for website redesign, including simplified language, engaging and relevant graphics, culturally relevant examples, and clear navigation. User-centered design is especially important when website developers are not representative of the target audience. Failure to conduct appropriate usability testing with a representative audience can substantially reduce use and value of the website. This thorough course of usability testing identified improvements that benefit all users but become crucial when trying to reach an underserved audience.

Mobile Health Applications, in the Absence of an Authentic Regulation, Does the Usability Score Correlate with a Better Medical Reliability?

PubMed

Yasini, Mobin; Marchand, Guillaume

2015-01-01

Health-related mobile applications (apps) have been shown to improve the quality of health and patient care. Their use in clinical and health-related environments is becoming more considerable. The number of health-related apps available for download has considerably increased, while the regulatory position of this new industry is not well known. Despite this lack of regulation, measuring the usability score of these apps is not difficult. We compared two samples of twenty health-related applications each. One of the samples contained the apps with top-rated usability scores, and the other contained the apps with lowest-rated usability scores. We found that a good usability score correlates with a better medical reliability of the app's content (p<0.005). In the period in which a valid regulation is still lacking, calculation and attribution of usability scores to mobile applications could be used to identify apps with better medical quality. However, the usability score method ought to be rigorous and should not be rounded off with a simple five stars rating (as is the case in the classic app stores).

Measuring the Usability of Augmented Reality e-Learning Systems: A User-Centered Evaluation Approach

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Pribeanu, Costin; Balog, Alexandru; Iordache, Dragoş Daniel

The development of Augmented Reality (AR) systems is creating new challenges and opportunities for the designers of e-learning systems. The mix of real and virtual requires appropriate interaction techniques that have to be evaluated with users in order to avoid usability problems. Formative usability aims at finding usability problems as early as possible in the development life cycle and is suitable to support the development of such novel interactive systems. This work presents an approach to the user-centered usability evaluation of an e-learning scenario for Biology developed on an Augmented Reality educational platform. The evaluation has been carried on during and after a summer school held within the ARiSE research project. The basic idea was to perform usability evaluation twice. In this respect, we conducted user testing with a small number of students during the summer school in order to get a fast feedback from users having good knowledge in Biology. Then, we repeated the user testing in different conditions and with a relatively larger number of representative users. In this paper we describe both experiments and compare the usability evaluation results.

Effect of font size, italics, and colour count on web usability

PubMed Central

Samal, Ashok; Rajan, Nithin; Kiviniemi, Marc T.

2013-01-01

Web usability measures the ease of use of a website. This study attempts to find the effect of three factors – font size, italics, and colour count – on web usability. The study was performed using a set of tasks and developing a survey questionnaire. We performed the study using a set of human subjects, selected from the undergraduate students taking courses in psychology. The data computed from the tasks and survey questionnaire were statistically analysed to find if there was any effect of font size, italics, and colour count on the three web usability dimensions. We found that for the student population considered, there was no significant effect of font size on usability. However, the manipulation of italics and colour count did influence some aspects of usability. The subjects performed better for pages with no italics and high italics compared to moderate italics. The subjects rated the pages that contained only one colour higher than the web pages with four or six colours. This research will help web developers better understand the effect of font size, italics, and colour count on web usability in general, and for young adults, in particular. PMID:24358055

SUS Source Level Error Analysis

DTIC Science & Technology

1978-01-20

RIECIP1IEN’ CATALOG NUMBER * ITLE (and SubaltIe) S. TYP aof REPORT & _V9RCO SUS~ SOURCE LEVEL ERROR ANALYSIS & Fia 1.r,. -. pAURWORONTIUMm N (s)$S...Fourier Transform (FFTl) SUS Signal model ___ 10 TRA&C (CeEOINIMII1& ro"* *140O tidat n9#*#*Y a"d 0e~ntiff 6T 69*.4 apbt The report provides an analysis ...of major terms which contribute to signal analysis error in a proposed experiment to c-librate sourr - I levels of SUS (Signal Underwater Sound). A

Neutrophil dysfunction in rats with natural gingivitis.

PubMed

Isogai, E; Wakizaka, H; Miura, H; Isogai, H; Hayashi, M

1993-01-01

The functions of polymorphonuclear neutrophils (PMN) from SUS rats with naturally occurring gingivitis were examined by the luminol-dependent chemiluminescence (CL), adherence and bactericidal tests. SUS rats with pre-gingivitis showed lower CL responses of isolated PMNs and whole blood than control rats (RES rats). After plague formation and progression of gingivitis, the CL response gradually increased in SUS rats. RES rats had healthy gingiva and showed no increase in CL responses. Impaired PMN adherence was observed in SUS rats with pre-gingivitis but not in RES rats. PMNs from SUS rats with pre-gingivitis also showed lower bactericidal activity than those from RES rats. Dysfunction of PMNs might induce gingivitis as a result of decreased protection against periodontal pathogens and an elevated level of CL response can be recognized with progression of gingivitis.

The SAGA/TREX-2 subunit Sus1 binds widely to transcribed genes and affects mRNA turnover globally.

PubMed

García-Molinero, Varinia; García-Martínez, José; Reja, Rohit; Furió-Tarí, Pedro; Antúnez, Oreto; Vinayachandran, Vinesh; Conesa, Ana; Pugh, B Franklin; Pérez-Ortín, José E; Rodríguez-Navarro, Susana

2018-03-29

Eukaryotic transcription is regulated through two complexes, the general transcription factor IID (TFIID) and the coactivator Spt-Ada-Gcn5 acetyltransferase (SAGA). Recent findings confirm that both TFIID and SAGA contribute to the synthesis of nearly all transcripts and are recruited genome-wide in yeast. However, how this broad recruitment confers selectivity under specific conditions remains an open question. Here we find that the SAGA/TREX-2 subunit Sus1 associates with upstream regulatory regions of many yeast genes and that heat shock drastically changes Sus1 binding. While Sus1 binding to TFIID-dominated genes is not affected by temperature, its recruitment to SAGA-dominated genes and RP genes is significantly disturbed under heat shock, with Sus1 relocated to environmental stress-responsive genes in these conditions. Moreover, in contrast to recent results showing that SAGA deubiquitinating enzyme Ubp8 is dispensable for RNA synthesis, genomic run-on experiments demonstrate that Sus1 contributes to synthesis and stability of a wide range of transcripts. Our study provides support for a model in which SAGA/TREX-2 factor Sus1 acts as a global transcriptional regulator in yeast but has differential activity at yeast genes as a function of their transcription rate or during stress conditions.

Expression induction of P450 genes by imidacloprid in Nilaparvata lugens: A genome-scale analysis.

PubMed

Zhang, Jianhua; Zhang, Yixi; Wang, Yunchao; Yang, Yuanxue; Cang, Xinzhu; Liu, Zewen

2016-09-01

The overexpression of P450 monooxygenase genes is a main mechanism for the resistance to imidacloprid, a representative neonicotinoid insecticide, in Nilaparvata lugens (brown planthopper, BPH). However, only two P450 genes (CYP6AY1 and CYP6ER1), among fifty-four P450 genes identified from BPH genome database, have been reported to play important roles in imidacloprid resistance until now. In this study, after the confirmation of important roles of P450s in imidacloprid resistance by the synergism analysis, the expression induction by imidacloprid was determined for all P450 genes. In the susceptible (Sus) strain, eight P450 genes in Clade4, eight in Clade3 and two in Clade2 were up-regulated by imidacloprid, among which three genes (CYP6CS1, CYP6CW1 and CYP6ER1, all in Clade3) were increased to above 4.0-fold and eight genes to above 2.0-fold. In contrast, no P450 genes were induced in Mito clade. Eight genes induced to above 2.0-fold were selected to determine their expression and induced levels in Huzhou population, in which piperonyl butoxide showed the biggest effects on imidacloprid toxicity among eight field populations. The expression levels of seven P450 genes were higher in Huzhou population than that in Sus strain, with the biggest differences for CYP6CS1 (9.8-fold), CYP6ER1 (7.7-fold) and CYP6AY1 (5.1-fold). The induction levels for all tested genes were bigger in Sus strain than that in Huzhou population except CYP425B1. Screening the induction of P450 genes by imidacloprid in the genome-scale will provide an overall view on the possible metabolic factors in the resistance to neonicotinoid insecticides. The further work, such as the functional study of recombinant proteins, will be performed to validate the roles of these P450s in imidacloprid resistance. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

36 CFR 1193.21 - Accessibility, usability, and compatibility.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-07-01

... 36 Parks, Forests, and Public Property 3 2010-07-01 2010-07-01 false Accessibility, usability, and compatibility. 1193.21 Section 1193.21 Parks, Forests, and Public Property ARCHITECTURAL AND TRANSPORTATION... Accessibility, usability, and compatibility. Where readily achievable, telecommunications equipment and customer...

36 CFR 1193.21 - Accessibility, usability, and compatibility.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-07-01

... 36 Parks, Forests, and Public Property 3 2011-07-01 2011-07-01 false Accessibility, usability, and compatibility. 1193.21 Section 1193.21 Parks, Forests, and Public Property ARCHITECTURAL AND TRANSPORTATION... Accessibility, usability, and compatibility. Where readily achievable, telecommunications equipment and customer...

36 CFR 1193.21 - Accessibility, usability, and compatibility.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-07-01

... 36 Parks, Forests, and Public Property 3 2012-07-01 2012-07-01 false Accessibility, usability, and compatibility. 1193.21 Section 1193.21 Parks, Forests, and Public Property ARCHITECTURAL AND TRANSPORTATION... Accessibility, usability, and compatibility. Where readily achievable, telecommunications equipment and customer...

36 CFR 1193.21 - Accessibility, usability, and compatibility.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-07-01

... 36 Parks, Forests, and Public Property 3 2014-07-01 2014-07-01 false Accessibility, usability, and compatibility. 1193.21 Section 1193.21 Parks, Forests, and Public Property ARCHITECTURAL AND TRANSPORTATION... Accessibility, usability, and compatibility. Where readily achievable, telecommunications equipment and customer...

Usability testing of a prototype multi-user telehealth kiosk.

PubMed

Courtney, Karen L; Matthews, Judith T; McMillan, Julie M; Person Mecca, Laurel; Smailagic, Asim; Siewiorek, Daniel

2015-01-01

The overall purpose of this study was to learn how community-dwelling older adults would interact with our prototype multi-user telehealth kiosk and their views about its usability. Seven subjects participated in laboratory-based usability sessions to evaluate the physical design, appearance, functionality and perceived ease of use of a multi-user telehealth kiosk prototype. During usability testing participants recommended 18 new features (29% of comments), identified 15 software errors (23% of comments) and 29 user interface errors (47% of comments).

An eHealth Application of Self-Reported Sports-Related Injuries and Illnesses in Paralympic Sport: Pilot Feasibility and Usability Study.

PubMed

Fagher, Kristina; Jacobsson, Jenny; Dahlström, Örjan; Timpka, Toomas; Lexell, Jan

2017-11-29

Sport participation is associated with a risk of sports-related injuries and illnesses, and Paralympic athletes' additional medical issues can be a challenge to health care providers and medical staff. However, few prospective studies have assessed sports-related injuries and illnesses in Paralympic sport (SRIIPS) over time. Advances in mobile phone technology and networking systems offer novel opportunities to develop innovative eHealth applications for collection of athletes' self-reports. Using eHealth applications for collection of self-reported SRIIPS is an unexplored area, and before initiation of full-scale research of SRIIPS, the feasibility and usability of such an approach needs to be ascertained. The aim of this study was to perform a 4-week pilot study and (1) evaluate the monitoring feasibility and system usability of a novel eHealth application for self-reported SRIIPS and (2) report preliminary data on SRIIPS. An eHealth application for routine collection of data from athletes was developed and adapted to Paralympic athletes. A 4-week pilot study was performed where Paralympic athletes (n=28) were asked to weekly self-report sport exposure, training load, general well-being, pain, sleep, anxiety, and possible SRIIPS. The data collection was followed by a poststudy use assessment survey. Quantitative data related to the system use (eg, completed self-reports, missing responses, and errors) were analyzed using descriptive statistics. The qualitative feasibility and usability data provided by the athletes were condensed and categorized using thematic analysis methods. The weekly response rate was 95%. The athletes were of the opinion that the eHealth application was usable and feasible but stated that it was not fully adapted to Paralympic athletes and their impairments. For example, it was difficult to understand how a new injury or illness should be identified when the impairment was involved. More survey items related to the impairments were requested, as the athletes perceived that injuries and illnesses often occurred because of the impairment. Options for description of multifactorial incidents including an injury, an illness, and the impairment were also insufficient. Few technical issues were encountered, but athletes with visual impairment reported usability difficulties with the speech synthesizer. An incidence rate of 1.8 injuries and 1.7 illnesses per 100 hours of athlete exposure were recorded. The weekly pain prevalence was 56% and the impairment contributed to 20% of the reported incidents. The novel eHealth-based application for self-reported SRIIPS developed and tested in this pilot study was generally feasible and usable. With some adaptation to accommodate Paralympic athletes' prerequisites and improved technical support for athletes with visual impairment, this application can be recommended for use in prospective studies of SRIIPS. ClinicalTrials.gov NCT02788500; https://clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT02788500 (Archived by WebCite at http://www.webcitation.org/6v56OqTeP). ©Kristina Fagher, Jenny Jacobsson, Örjan Dahlström, Toomas Timpka, Jan Lexell. Originally published in JMIR Human Factors (http://humanfactors.jmir.org), 29.11.2017.

Imaging of the midpalatal suture in a porcine model: flat-panel volume computed tomography compared with multislice computed tomography.

PubMed

Hahn, Wolfram; Fricke-Zech, Susanne; Fialka-Fricke, Julia; Dullin, Christian; Zapf, Antonia; Gruber, Rudolf; Sennhenn-kirchner, Sabine; Kubein-Meesenburg, Dietmar; Sadat-Khonsari, Reza

2009-09-01

An investigation was conducted to compare the image quality of prototype flat-panel volume computed tomography (fpVCT) and multislice computed tomography (MSCT) of suture structures. Bone samples were taken from the midpalatal suture of 5 young (16 weeks) and 5 old (200 weeks) Sus scrofa domestica and fixed in formalin solution. An fpVCT prototype and an MSCT were used to obtain images of the specimens. The facial reformations were assessed by 4 observers using a 1 (excellent) to 5 (poor) rating scale for the weighted criteria visualization of the suture structure. A linear mixed model was used for statistical analysis. Results with P < .05 were considered to be statistically significant. The visualization of the suture of young specimens was significantly better than that of older animals (P < .001). The visualization of the suture with fpVCT was significantly better than that with MSCT (P < .001). Compared with MSCT, fpVCT produces superior results in the visualization of the midpalatal suture in a Sus scrofa domestica model.

Thermal infrared imagery as a tool for analysing the variability of surface saturated areas at various temporal and spatial scales

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Glaser, Barbara; Antonelli, Marta; Pfister, Laurent; Klaus, Julian

2017-04-01

Surface saturated areas are important for the on- and offset of hydrological connectivity within the hillslope-riparian-stream continuum. This is reflected in concepts such as variable contributing areas or critical source areas. However, we still lack a standardized method for areal mapping of surface saturation and for observing its spatiotemporal variability. Proof-of-concept studies in recent years have shown the potential of thermal infrared (TIR) imagery to record surface saturation dynamics at various temporal and spatial scales. Thermal infrared imagery is thus a promising alternative to conventional approaches, such as the squishy boot method or the mapping of vegetation. In this study we use TIR images to investigate the variability of surface saturated areas at different temporal and spatial scales in the forested Weierbach catchment (0.45 km2) in western Luxembourg. We took TIR images of the riparian zone with a hand-held FLIR infrared camera at fortnightly intervals over 18 months at nine different locations distributed over the catchment. Not all of the acquired images were suitable for a derivation of the surface saturated areas, as various factors influence the usability of the TIR images (e.g. temperature contrasts, shadows, fog). Nonetheless, we obtained a large number of usable images that provided a good insight into the dynamic behaviour of surface saturated areas at different scales. The images revealed how diverse the evolution of surface saturated areas can be throughout the hydrologic year. For some locations with similar morphology or topography we identified diverging saturation dynamics, while other locations with different morphology / topography showed more similar behaviour. Moreover, we were able to assess the variability of the dynamics of expansion / contraction of saturated areas within the single locations, which can help to better understand the mechanisms behind surface saturation development.

The McMaster Optimal Aging Portal: Usability Evaluation of a Unique Evidence-Based Health Information Website.

PubMed

Barbara, Angela M; Dobbins, Maureen; Haynes, R Brian; Iorio, Alfonso; Lavis, John N; Raina, Parminder; Levinson, Anthony J

2016-05-11

Increasingly, older adults and their informal caregivers are using the Internet to search for health-related information. There is a proliferation of health information online, but the quality of this information varies, often based on exaggerated or dramatic findings, and not easily comprehended by consumers. The McMaster Optimal Aging Portal (Portal) was developed to provide Internet users with high-quality evidence about aging and address some of these current limitations of health information posted online. The Portal includes content for health professionals coming from three best-in-class resources (MacPLUS, Health Evidence, and Health Systems Evidence) and four types of content specifically prepared for the general public (Evidence Summaries, Web Resource Ratings, Blog Posts, and Twitter messages). Our objectives were to share the findings of the usability evaluation of the Portal with particular focus on the content features for the general public and to inform designers of health information websites and online resources for older adults about key usability themes. Data analysis included task performance during usability testing and qualitative content analyses of both the usability sessions and interviews to identify core themes. A total of 37 participants took part in 33 usability testing sessions and 21 focused interviews. Qualitative analysis revealed common themes regarding the Portal's strengths and challenges to usability. The strengths of the website were related to credibility, applicability, browsing function, design, and accessibility. The usability challenges included reluctance to register, process of registering, searching, terminology, and technical features. The study reinforced the importance of including end users during the development of this unique, dynamic, evidence-based health information website. The feedback was applied to iteratively improve website usability. Our findings can be applied by designers of health-related websites.

The McMaster Optimal Aging Portal: Usability Evaluation of a Unique Evidence-Based Health Information Website

PubMed Central

Dobbins, Maureen; Haynes, R. Brian; Iorio, Alfonso; Lavis, John N; Raina, Parminder

2016-01-01

Background Increasingly, older adults and their informal caregivers are using the Internet to search for health-related information. There is a proliferation of health information online, but the quality of this information varies, often based on exaggerated or dramatic findings, and not easily comprehended by consumers. The McMaster Optimal Aging Portal (Portal) was developed to provide Internet users with high-quality evidence about aging and address some of these current limitations of health information posted online. The Portal includes content for health professionals coming from three best-in-class resources (MacPLUS, Health Evidence, and Health Systems Evidence) and four types of content specifically prepared for the general public (Evidence Summaries, Web Resource Ratings, Blog Posts, and Twitter messages). Objective Our objectives were to share the findings of the usability evaluation of the Portal with particular focus on the content features for the general public and to inform designers of health information websites and online resources for older adults about key usability themes. Methods Data analysis included task performance during usability testing and qualitative content analyses of both the usability sessions and interviews to identify core themes. Results A total of 37 participants took part in 33 usability testing sessions and 21 focused interviews. Qualitative analysis revealed common themes regarding the Portal’s strengths and challenges to usability. The strengths of the website were related to credibility, applicability, browsing function, design, and accessibility. The usability challenges included reluctance to register, process of registering, searching, terminology, and technical features. Conclusions The study reinforced the importance of including end users during the development of this unique, dynamic, evidence-based health information website. The feedback was applied to iteratively improve website usability. Our findings can be applied by designers of health-related websites. PMID:27170443

Usability of a New Writing Assistive Device for Persons with Cervical Spinal Cord Injury.

PubMed

Lim, MyungJoon; Park, Jiyoung; Lee, Kuem Ju; Kweon, Hyosun; Kim, Byungchul; Cho, Kyujin; Choi, Hyun

2015-01-01

The hand function for persons with cervical spinal cord injury (PCSCI) is most frequently cause difficulties in leading normal lives. The purpose of this study was to test the usability of a new writing assistive device (NWAD) for PCSCI. To access its usability, the authors design usability testing method and test the NWAD to five individuals with cervical spinal cord injury. From the usability testing, we have found number of issues that lead us to key design concept about developing the NWAD. The NWAD will be redesigned based on the result of the present study. We expect that the NWAD will help PCSCI use their affected hand better and improve the level of independence and quality of life.

A Usability Case Study Using TREC and ZPRISE.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Downey, Laura L.; Tice, Dawn M.

1999-01-01

Examines the challenges involved in conducting an informal usability case study based on the introduction of a new information-retrieval system to experienced users. Identifies problems users were having with TREC (Text Retrieval Conference) and examines the usability of the new ZPRISE interface. (Author/LRW)

7 CFR 42.102 - Definitions, general.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-01-01

... the serviceability, including appearance as well as usability, of the container for its intended.... A defect that seriously affects, or is likely to seriously affect, the usability of the container... materially affect, the usability of the container for its intended purpose. (c) Minor defect. A defect that...

Dimensions for hearing-impaired mobile application usability model

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Nathan, Shelena Soosay; Hussain, Azham; Hashim, Nor Laily; Omar, Mohd Adan

2017-10-01

This paper discuss on the dimensions that has been derived for the hearing-impaired mobile applications usability model. General usability model consist of general dimension for evaluating mobile application however requirements for the hearing-impaired are overlooked and often scanted. This led towards mobile application developed for the hearing-impaired are left unused. It is also apparent that these usability models do not consider accessibility dimensions according to the requirement of the special users. This complicates the work of usability practitioners as well as academician that practices research usability when application are developed for the specific user needs. To overcome this issue, dimension chosen for the hearing-impaired are ensured to be align with the real need of the hearing-impaired mobile application. Besides literature studies, requirements for the hearing-impaired mobile application have been identified through interview conducted with hearing-impaired mobile application users that were recorded as video outputs and analyzed using Nvivo. Finally total of 6 out of 15 dimensions gathered are chosen for the proposed model and presented.

Developing Analytical Inspection Criteria for Health IT Personnel with Minimum Training in Cognitive Ergonomics: A Practical Solution to EHR Improving EHR Usability

PubMed Central

Zhang, Zhen; Franklin, Amy; Walji, Muhammad; Zhang, Jiajie; Gong, Yang

2014-01-01

EHR usability has been identified as a major barrier to care quality optimization. One major challenge of improving EHR usability is the lack of systematic training in usability or cognitive ergonomics for EHR designers/developers in the vendor community and EHR analysts making significant configurations in healthcare organizations. A practical solution is to provide usability inspection tools that can be easily operationalized by EHR analysts. This project is aimed at developing a set of usability tools with demonstrated validity and reliability. We present a preliminary study of a metric for cognitive transparency and an exploratory experiment testing its validity in predicting the effectiveness of action-effect mapping. Despite the pilot nature of both, we found high sensitivity and specificity of the metric and higher response accuracy within a shorter time for users to determine action-effect mappings in transparent user interface controls. We plan to expand the sample size in our empirical study. PMID:25954439

Usability and acceptability of balance exergames in older adults: A scoping review.

PubMed

Nawaz, Ather; Skjæret, Nina; Helbostad, Jorunn Lægdheim; Vereijken, Beatrix; Boulton, Elisabeth; Svanaes, Dag

2016-12-01

Serious games (exergames) have the potential to be effective for postural balance and increasing muscle strength. Several games have been developed to increase physical fitness and balance among older adults. However, it is unclear to which degree usability and acceptability of exergames for older adults have been evaluated. The aim of this study was to summarize usability evaluation and acceptability of studies in older adults. We conducted a scoping review on studies focusing on usability of exergames for older adults. The result shows that older adults consider usability and acceptability of exercise video games good. The review shows that longitudinal studies mainly use off-the-shelf exergame and evaluated game effectiveness and acceptability, whereas cross-sectional studies focus on interactional experience. Studies varied in their approaches to measure usability and acceptability of exergames for older adults. There is a need for a systematic developmental approach to involve older adults in development of exergames for longitudinal studies. © The Author(s) 2015.

A usability evaluation toolkit for In-Vehicle Information Systems (IVISs).

PubMed

Harvey, Catherine; Stanton, Neville A; Pickering, Carl A; McDonald, Mike; Zheng, Pengjun

2011-05-01

Usability must be defined specifically for the context of use of the particular system under investigation. This specific context of use should also be used to guide the definition of specific usability criteria and the selection of appropriate evaluation methods. There are four principles which can guide the selection of evaluation methods, relating to the information required in the evaluation, the stage at which to apply methods, the resources required and the people involved in the evaluation. This paper presents a framework for the evaluation of usability in the context of In-Vehicle Information Systems (IVISs). This framework guides designers through defining usability criteria for an evaluation, selecting appropriate evaluation methods and applying those methods. These stages form an iterative process of design-evaluation-redesign with the overall aim of improving the usability of IVISs and enhancing the driving experience, without compromising the safety of the driver. Copyright © 2010 Elsevier Ltd and The Ergonomics Society. All rights reserved.

Usability and Culture as Two of the Value Criteria for Evaluating the Artifact

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kurosu, Masaaki

In this paper, the conceptual framework of the Artifact Development Analysis (ADA) and its relationship to the usability engineering are outlined. The ADA analyses the significance of all artifacts including hardware, software, humanware and system. Its viewpoint extends both in temporal and spatial dimensions. In short, it deals with the diversity of the artifact and casts the questions "why it is so" and "why it is not so". In this respect, the ADA is related to the usability engineering as one of the value attitudes. The usability engineering puts emphasis on effectiveness and efficiency. The usability is not always the value criterion of highest importance and some people sometimes put more emphasis on other criteria such as the aesthetic aspect, the cost, etc. Based on the findings of ADA, we should focus on the extent where the usability can provide the core satisfaction and we should also summarize the guideline on how the artifact should be designed.

A Method for Automated Detection of Usability Problems from Client User Interface Events

PubMed Central

Saadawi, Gilan M.; Legowski, Elizabeth; Medvedeva, Olga; Chavan, Girish; Crowley, Rebecca S.

2005-01-01

Think-aloud usability analysis provides extremely useful data but is very time-consuming and expensive to perform because of the extensive manual video analysis that is required. We describe a simple method for automated detection of usability problems from client user interface events for a developing medical intelligent tutoring system. The method incorporates (1) an agent-based method for communication that funnels all interface events and system responses to a centralized database, (2) a simple schema for representing interface events and higher order subgoals, and (3) an algorithm that reproduces the criteria used for manual coding of usability problems. A correction factor was empirically determining to account for the slower task performance of users when thinking aloud. We tested the validity of the method by simultaneously identifying usability problems using TAU and manually computing them from stored interface event data using the proposed algorithm. All usability problems that did not rely on verbal utterances were detectable with the proposed method. PMID:16779121

Situated Usability Testing for Security Systems

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Greitzer, Frank L.

2011-03-02

While usability testing is well established, assessing the usability of security software, tools, or methods deserves more careful consideration. It has been argued that dealing with security has become too difficult for individuals or organizations to manage effectively or to use conveniently. As difficult as it is for system administrators and developers to deal with, security is even more challenging for casual users. Indeed, it is much too easy for casual/home users to configure the security of their systems in non-optimal ways that leave their systems inadvertently insecure. This is exacerbated by the fact that casual users are focused onmore » matters other than security, and likely would prefer not even to think about security. This brief report argues that when security and/or privacy are part of the equation, traditional methods for usability testing should be re-considered. The purpose of this brief report is to argue for and outline a method associated with a new approach to usability testing for examining usable security issues.« less

Effective dominance of resistance of Spodoptera frugiperda to Bt maize and cotton varieties: implications for resistance management

PubMed Central

Horikoshi, Renato J.; Bernardi, Daniel; Bernardi, Oderlei; Malaquias, José B.; Okuma, Daniela M.; Miraldo, Leonardo L.; Amaral, Fernando S. de A. e; Omoto, Celso

2016-01-01

The resistance of fall armyworm (FAW), Spodoptera frugiperda, has been characterized to some Cry and Vip3A proteins of Bacillus thuringiensis (Bt) expressed in transgenic maize in Brazil. Here we evaluated the effective dominance of resistance based on the survival of neonates from selected Bt-resistant, heterozygous, and susceptible (Sus) strains of FAW on different Bt maize and cotton varieties. High survival of strains resistant to the Cry1F (HX-R), Cry1A.105/Cry2Ab (VT-R) and Cry1A.105/Cry2Ab/Cry1F (PW-R) proteins was detected on Herculex, YieldGard VT PRO and PowerCore maize. Our Vip3A-resistant strain (Vip-R) exhibited high survival on Herculex, Agrisure Viptera and Agrisure Viptera 3 maize. However, the heterozygous from HX-R × Sus, VT-R × Sus, PW-R × Sus and Vip-R × Sus had complete mortality on YieldGard VT PRO, PowerCore, Agrisure Viptera, and Agrisure Viptera 3, whereas the HX-R × Sus and Vip-R × Sus strains survived on Herculex maize. On Bt cotton, the HX-R, VT-R and PW-R strains exhibited high survival on Bollgard II. All resistant strains survived on WideStrike, but only PW-R and Vip-R × Sus survived on TwinLink. Our study provides useful data to aid in the understanding of the effectiveness of the refuge strategy for Insect Resistance Management of Bt plants. PMID:27721425

Effective dominance of resistance of Spodoptera frugiperda to Bt maize and cotton varieties: implications for resistance management

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Horikoshi, Renato J.; Bernardi, Daniel; Bernardi, Oderlei; Malaquias, José B.; Okuma, Daniela M.; Miraldo, Leonardo L.; Amaral, Fernando S. De A. E.; Omoto, Celso

2016-10-01

The resistance of fall armyworm (FAW), Spodoptera frugiperda, has been characterized to some Cry and Vip3A proteins of Bacillus thuringiensis (Bt) expressed in transgenic maize in Brazil. Here we evaluated the effective dominance of resistance based on the survival of neonates from selected Bt-resistant, heterozygous, and susceptible (Sus) strains of FAW on different Bt maize and cotton varieties. High survival of strains resistant to the Cry1F (HX-R), Cry1A.105/Cry2Ab (VT-R) and Cry1A.105/Cry2Ab/Cry1F (PW-R) proteins was detected on Herculex, YieldGard VT PRO and PowerCore maize. Our Vip3A-resistant strain (Vip-R) exhibited high survival on Herculex, Agrisure Viptera and Agrisure Viptera 3 maize. However, the heterozygous from HX-R × Sus, VT-R × Sus, PW-R × Sus and Vip-R × Sus had complete mortality on YieldGard VT PRO, PowerCore, Agrisure Viptera, and Agrisure Viptera 3, whereas the HX-R × Sus and Vip-R × Sus strains survived on Herculex maize. On Bt cotton, the HX-R, VT-R and PW-R strains exhibited high survival on Bollgard II. All resistant strains survived on WideStrike, but only PW-R and Vip-R × Sus survived on TwinLink. Our study provides useful data to aid in the understanding of the effectiveness of the refuge strategy for Insect Resistance Management of Bt plants.

Fretting fatigue behaviour of Ni-free high-nitrogen stainless steel in a simulated body fluid.

PubMed

Maruyama, Norio; Hiromoto, Sachiko; Akiyama, Eiji; Nakamura, Morihiko

2013-04-01

Fretting fatigue behaviour of Ni-free high-nitrogen steel (HNS) with a yield strength of about 800 MPa, which was prepared by nitrogen gas pressurized electroslag remelting, was studied in air and in phosphate-buffered saline (PBS(-)). For comparison, fretting fatigue behaviour of cold-rolled SUS316L steel (SUS316L(CR)) with similar yield strength was examined. The plain fatigue limit of HNS was slightly lower than that of SUS316L(CR) although the former had a higher tensile strength than the latter. The fretting fatigue limit of HNS was higher than that of SUS316L(CR) both in air and in PBS(-). A decrease in fatigue limit of HNS by fretting was significantly smaller than that of SUS316L(CR) in both environments, indicating that HNS has better fretting fatigue resistance than SUS316L(CR). The decrease in fatigue limit by fretting is discussed taking into account the effect of friction stress due to fretting and the additional influences of wear, tribocorrosion and plastic deformation in the fretted area.

Fretting fatigue behaviour of Ni-free high-nitrogen stainless steel in a simulated body fluid

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Maruyama, Norio; Hiromoto, Sachiko; Akiyama, Eiji; Nakamura, Morihiko

2013-04-01

Fretting fatigue behaviour of Ni-free high-nitrogen steel (HNS) with a yield strength of about 800 MPa, which was prepared by nitrogen gas pressurized electroslag remelting, was studied in air and in phosphate-buffered saline (PBS(-)). For comparison, fretting fatigue behaviour of cold-rolled SUS316L steel (SUS316L(CR)) with similar yield strength was examined. The plain fatigue limit of HNS was slightly lower than that of SUS316L(CR) although the former had a higher tensile strength than the latter. The fretting fatigue limit of HNS was higher than that of SUS316L(CR) both in air and in PBS(-). A decrease in fatigue limit of HNS by fretting was significantly smaller than that of SUS316L(CR) in both environments, indicating that HNS has better fretting fatigue resistance than SUS316L(CR). The decrease in fatigue limit by fretting is discussed taking into account the effect of friction stress due to fretting and the additional influences of wear, tribocorrosion and plastic deformation in the fretted area.

Hybrid cooperative spectrum sharing for cognitive radio networks: A contract-based approach

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhang, Songwei; Mu, Xiaomin; Wang, Ning; Zhang, Dalong; Han, Gangtao

2018-06-01

In order to improve the spectral efficiency, a contract-based hybrid cooperative spectrum sharing approach is proposed in this paper, in which multiple primary users (PUs) and multiple secondary users (SUs) share the primary channels in a hybrid manner. Specifically, the SUs switch their transmission mode between underlay and overlay based on the second-order statistics of the primary links. The average transmission rates of PUs and SUs are analyzed for the two transmission modes, and an optimization problem is formulated to maximize the utility of PUs under the constraint that the utility of SUs is nonnegative, which is further solved by a contract-based approach in global statistical channel statistical information (S-CSI) scenarios and local S-CSI scenarios, individually. Numerical results show that the average transmission rate of the PUs is significantly improved by using the proposed method in both of the two scenarios, and in the meantime, the SUs can achieve a good average rate, especially while the SUs have the same number of the PUs in the local S-CSI scenarios.

Internal Stress Distribution Measurement of TIG Welded SUS304 Samples Using Neutron Diffraction Technique

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Muslih, M. Refai; Sumirat, I.; Sairun; Purwanta

2008-03-01

The distribution of residual stress of SUS304 samples that were undergone TIG welding process with four different electric currents has been measured. The welding has been done in the middle part of the samples that was previously grooved by milling machine. Before they were welded the samples were annealed at 650 degree Celsius for one hour. The annealing process was done to eliminate residual stress generated by grooving process so that the residual stress within the samples was merely produced from welding process. The calculation of distribution of residual stress was carried out by measuring the strains within crystal planes of Fe(220) SUS304. Strain, Young modulus, and Poisson ratio of Fe(220) SUS304 were measured using DN1-M neutron diffractometer. Young modulus and Poisson ratio of Fe(220) SUS304 sample were measured in-situ. The result of calculations showed that distribution of residual stress of SUS304 in the vicinity of welded area is influenced both by treatments given at the samples-making process and by the electric current used during welding process.

7 CFR 42.102 - Definitions, general.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-01-01

... freedom from defects which affect the serviceability, including appearance as well as usability, of the..., the usability of the container for its intended purpose. (b) Major defect. A defect that materially affects, or is likely to materially affect, the usability of the container for its intended purpose. (c...

Evaluating Web Usability

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Snider, Jean; Martin, Florence

2012-01-01

Web usability focuses on design elements and processes that make web pages easy to use. A website for college students was evaluated for underutilization. One-on-one testing, focus groups, web analytics, peer university review and marketing focus group and demographic data were utilized to conduct usability evaluation. The results indicated that…

Using participative inquiry in usability analysis to align a development team's mental model with its users' needs

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Kneifel, A. A.; Guerrero, C.

2003-01-01

In this web site usability case study, two methods of participative inquiry are used to align a development team's objectives with their users' needs and to promote the team awareness of the benefit of qualitative usability analysis.

7 CFR 42.102 - Definitions, general.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-01-01

... freedom from defects which affect the serviceability, including appearance as well as usability, of the..., the usability of the container for its intended purpose. (b) Major defect. A defect that materially affects, or is likely to materially affect, the usability of the container for its intended purpose. (c...

7 CFR 42.102 - Definitions, general.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-01-01

... freedom from defects which affect the serviceability, including appearance as well as usability, of the..., the usability of the container for its intended purpose. (b) Major defect. A defect that materially affects, or is likely to materially affect, the usability of the container for its intended purpose. (c...

36 CFR § 1193.21 - Accessibility, usability, and compatibility.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-07-01

... 36 Parks, Forests, and Public Property 3 2013-07-01 2012-07-01 true Accessibility, usability, and compatibility. § 1193.21 Section § 1193.21 Parks, Forests, and Public Property ARCHITECTURAL AND... § 1193.21 Accessibility, usability, and compatibility. Where readily achievable, telecommunications...

Direct Activation of Epac by Sulfonylurea is Isoform Selective

PubMed Central

Herbst, Katie J.; Coltharp, Carla; Amzel, L. Mario; Zhang, Jin

2011-01-01

Summary Commonly used as a treatment for Type II diabetes, sulfonylureas (SUs) stimulate insulin secretion from pancreatic β cells by binding to sulfonylurea receptors. Recently, SUs have been shown to also activate exchange protein directly activated by cAMP 2 (Epac2), however little is known about this molecular action. Using biosensor imaging and biochemical analysis, we show that SUs activate Epac2 and the downstream signaling via direct binding to Epac2. We further identify R447 of Epac2 to be critically involved in SU binding. This distinct binding site from cAMP points to a new mode of allosteric activation of Epac2. We also show that SUs selectively activate Epac2 isoform, but not the closely related Epac1, further establishing SUs as a new class of isoform-selective enzyme activators. PMID:21338921

Distributed electrochemical sensors: recent advances and barriers to market adoption.

PubMed

Hoekstra, Rafael; Blondeau, Pascal; Andrade, Francisco J

2018-07-01

Despite predictions of their widespread application in healthcare and environmental monitoring, electrochemical sensors are yet to be distributed at scale, instead remaining largely confined to R&D labs. This contrasts sharply with the situation for physical sensors, which are now ubiquitous and seamlessly embedded in the mature ecosystem provided by electronics and connectivity protocols. Although chemical sensors could be integrated into the same ecosystem, there are fundamental issues with these sensors in the three key areas of analytical performance, usability, and affordability. Nevertheless, advances are being made in each of these fields, leading to hope that the deployment of automated and user-friendly low-cost electrochemical sensors is on the horizon. Here, we present a brief survey of key challenges and advances in the development of distributed electrochemical sensors for liquid samples, geared towards applications in healthcare and wellbeing, environmental monitoring, and homeland security. As will be seen, in many cases the analytical performance of the sensor is acceptable; it is usability that is the major barrier to commercial viability at this moment. Were this to be overcome, the issue of affordability could be addressed. Graphical Abstract ᅟ.

Evaluating Usability in a Distance Digital Systems Laboratory Class

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kostaras, N.; Xenos, M.; Skodras, A. N.

2011-01-01

This paper presents the usability evaluation of a digital systems laboratory class offered to distance-learning students. It details the way in which students can participate remotely in such a laboratory, the methodology employed in the usability assessment of the laboratory infrastructure (hardware and software), and also outlines the main…

A Usability Evaluation of Academic Virtual Reference Services

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Chow, Anthony S.; Croxton, Rebecca A.

2014-01-01

This study examined the usability of five virtual reference services--instant messenger chat, e-mail, telephone, text messaging, and Skype videoconferencing--by having 31 undergraduate and graduate students evaluate the usability of the virtual reference services of two different universities. The study's results suggest that user preference and…

An Online Social Constructivist Course: Toward a Framework for Usability Evaluations

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Phillips, Alana S.; Sheffield, Anneliese; Moore, Michelle; Robinson, Heather A.

2016-01-01

There is a need for a holistic usability evaluation framework that accommodates social constructivist online courses. Social knowledge construction may not be adequately evaluated using current frameworks. This qualitative research study examined the usability needs of a social constructivist online course. Data from an online course were analyzed…

A Call for Bioimaging Software Usability

PubMed Central

Carpenter, Anne E.; Kamentsky, Lee; Eliceiri, Kevin W.

2013-01-01

Bioimaging software developed in a research setting often fails to be widely used by the scientific community. We suggest that, to maximize both the public’s and researchers’ investments, usability should be a more highly valued goal. We describe specific characteristics of usability towards which bioimaging software projects should aim. PMID:22743771

Training Teachers and Serving Students: Applying Usability Testing in Writing Programs

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

McGovern, Heather

2007-01-01

Teachers often test course materials by using them in class. Usability testing provides an alternative: teachers receive student feedback and revise materials "before" teaching a class. Case studies based on interviews and observations with two teaching assistants who usability tested materials before teaching introductory technical writing…

Usability Assessment of E-Café Operational Management Simulation Game

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Chang, Chiung-sui; Huang, Ya-Ping

2013-01-01

To ensure the quality of digital simulation game, we utilized the usability evaluation heuristic in the design and development processes of e-café operational management game-based learning material for students. The application of usability evaluations during this study is described. Additionally, participant selection, data collection and…

Users Views about the Usability of Digital Libraries

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Koohang, Alex; Ondracek, James

2005-01-01

This study examined users' views about the usability of digital libraries' current and perceived importance. Age, gender, prior experience with the Internet, college status, and digital library proficiency are the independent variables. Users' current views about the usability of digital libraries and users perceived importance of digital library…

A systematic review of usability test metrics for mobile video streaming apps

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hussain, Azham; Mkpojiogu, Emmanuel O. C.

2016-08-01

This paper presents the results of a systematic review regarding the usability test metrics for mobile video streaming apps. In the study, 238 studies were found, but only 51 relevant papers were eventually selected for the review. The study reveals that time taken for video streaming and the video quality were the two most popular metrics used in the usability tests for mobile video streaming apps. Besides, most of the studies concentrated on the usability of mobile TV as users are switching from traditional TV to mobile TV.

Task-specific usability requirements of electronic medical records systems: Lessons learned from a national survey of end-users.

PubMed

Farzandipour, Mehrdad; Meidani, Zahra; Riazi, Hossein; Sadeqi Jabali, Monireh

2018-09-01

There are various approaches to evaluating the usability of electronic medical record (EMR) systems. User perspectives are an integral part of evaluation. Usability evaluations efficiently and effectively contribute to user-centered design and supports tasks and increase user satisfaction. This study determined the main usability requirements for EMRs by means of an end-user survey. A mixed-method strategy was conducted in three phases. A qualitative approach was employed to collect and formulate EMR usability requirements using the focus group method and the modified Delphi technique. Classic Delphi technique was used to evaluate the proposed requirements among 380 end-users in Iran. The final list of EMR usability requirements was verified and included 163 requirements divided into nine groups. The highest rates of end-user agreement relate to EMR visual clarity (3.65 ± 0.61), fault tolerance (3.58 ± 0.56), and suitability for learning (3.55 ± 0.54). The lowest end-user agreement was for auditory presentation (3.18 ± 0.69). The highest and lowest agreement among end-users was for visual clarity and auditory presentation by EMRs, respectively. This suggests that user priorities in determination of EMR usability and their understanding of the importance of the types of individual tasks and context characteristics differ.

A literature review about usability evaluation methods for e-learning platforms.

PubMed

Freire, Luciana Lopes; Arezes, Pedro Miguel; Campos, José Creissac

2012-01-01

The usability analysis of information systems has been the target of several research studies over the past thirty years. These studies have highlighted a great diversity of points of view, including researchers from different scientific areas such as Ergonomics, Computer Science, Design and Education. Within the domain of information ergonomics, the study of tools and methods used for usability evaluation dedicated to E-learning presents evidence that there is a continuous and dynamic evolution of E-learning systems, in many different contexts -academics and corporative. These systems, also known as LMS (Learning Management Systems), can be classified according to their educational goals and their technological features. However, in these systems the usability issues are related with the relationship/interactions between user and system in the user's context. This review is a synthesis of research project about Information Ergonomics and embraces three dimensions, namely the methods, models and frameworks that have been applied to evaluate LMS. The study also includes the main usability criteria and heuristics used. The obtained results show a notorious change in the paradigms of usability, with which it will be possible to discuss about the studies carried out by different researchers that were focused on usability ergonomic principles aimed at E-learning.

Usability of online psychoeducation for siblings of people with psychosis.

PubMed

Sin, Jacqueline; Henderson, Claire; Norman, Ian

2014-10-01

The E Sibling Project aims to address the needs of siblings of individuals affected by psychosis through provision of a comprehensive online intervention. The online intervention comprises four core elements, including: information on psychosis; various coping and promoting well-being strategies; siblings' blogs and discussion forum with peers; and an "Ask the Experts" function. After the intervention-prototype was developed, we tested its feasibility, usability and acceptability by siblings. We evaluated the usability of the intervention-prototype using a non-randomised usability study with siblings of individuals diagnosed with psychosis. The usability study adapted Poulson et al's framework to collect subjective feedback from participants on ease of use, perceived usefulness and acceptability, together with objective usage data on the intervention. Twenty siblings were recruited to the usability test; 19 tried out the resource-prototype over a 4-week period and 17 completed the online evaluation after using the intervention. In total, 906 page-views were made by the participants and each spent about two hours using the resource. Participants evaluated the intervention as helpful, relevant and useful in terms of content, design and usability. Developments are needed to improve the navigation and intuitiveness of the resource. Using an internet-based information-giving and peer support intervention to promote wellbeing and coping is feasible and acceptable to siblings of people with psychosis.

The STEP database through the end-users eyes--USABILITY STUDY.

PubMed

Salunke, Smita; Tuleu, Catherine

2015-08-15

The user-designed database of Safety and Toxicity of Excipients for Paediatrics ("STEP") is created to address the shared need of drug development community to access the relevant information of excipients effortlessly. Usability testing was performed to validate if the database satisfies the need of the end-users. Evaluation framework was developed to assess the usability. The participants performed scenario based tasks and provided feedback and post-session usability ratings. Failure Mode Effect Analysis (FMEA) was performed to prioritize the problems and improvements to the STEP database design and functionalities. The study revealed several design vulnerabilities. Tasks such as limiting the results, running complex queries, location of data and registering to access the database were challenging. The three critical attributes identified to have impact on the usability of the STEP database included (1) content and presentation (2) the navigation and search features (3) potential end-users. Evaluation framework proved to be an effective method for evaluating database effectiveness and user satisfaction. This study provides strong initial support for the usability of the STEP database. Recommendations would be incorporated into the refinement of the database to improve its usability and increase user participation towards the advancement of the database. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

How Do Clinical Information Systems Affect the Cognitive Demands of General Practitioners?: Usability Study with a Focus on Cognitive Workload.

PubMed

Ariza, Ferran; Kalra, Dipak; Potts, Henry Ww

2015-11-20

Clinical information systems in the National Health Service do not need to conform to any explicit usability requirements. Poor usability can increase the mental workload experienced by clinicians and cause fatigue, increase error rates and impact the overall patient safety. Mental workload can be used as a measure of usability. To assess the subjective cognitive workload experienced by general practitioners (GPs) with their systems. To raise awareness of the importance of usability in system design among users, designers, developers and policymakers. We used a modified version of the NASA Task Load Index, adapted for web. We developed a set of common clinical scenarios and computer tasks on an online survey. We emailed the study link to 199 clinical commissioning groups and 1,646 GP practices in England. Sixty-seven responders completed the survey. The respondents had spent an average of 17 years in general practice, had experience of using a mean of 1.5 GP computer systems and had used their current system for a mean time of 6.7 years. The mental workload score was not different among systems. There were significant differences among the task scores, but these differences were not specific to particular systems. The overall score and task scores were related to the length of experience with their present system. Four tasks imposed a higher mental workload on GPs: 'repeat prescribing', 'find episode', 'drug management' and 'overview records'. Further usability studies on GP systems should focus on these tasks. Users, policymakers, designers and developers should remain aware of the importance of usability in system design.What does this study add?• Current GP systems in England do not need to conform to explicit usability requirements. Poor usability can increase the mental workload of clinicians and lead to errors.• Some clinical computer tasks incur more cognitive workload than others and should be considered carefully during the design of a system.• GPs did not report overall very high levels of subjective cognitive workload when undertaking common clinical tasks with their systems.• Further usability studies on GP systems should focus on the tasks incurring higher cognitive workload.• Users, policymakers, and designers and developers should remain aware of the importance of usability in system design.

Usability Testing of a Smartphone for Accessing a Web-Based e-Diary for Self-Monitoring of Pain and Symptoms in Sickle Cell Disease

PubMed Central

Jacob, Eufemia; Stinson, Jennifer; Duran, Joana; Gupta, Ankur; Gerla, Mario; Lewis, Mary Ann; Zeltzer, Lonnie

2012-01-01

We examined the usability of smartphones for accessing a web-based e-Diary for self-monitoring symptoms in children and adolescents with sickle cell disease (SCD). One group of participants (n=10; mean age 13.1 ± 2.4 years; 5M; 5F) responded to questions using pre-completed paper-based measures. A second group (n=21; mean age 13.4 ± 2.4 years; 10M;11F) responded based on pain and symptoms they experienced over the previous 12 hours. The e-Diary was completed with at least 80% accuracy when compared to paper-based measures. Symptoms experienced over the previous 12 hours included feeling tired (33.3%), headache (28.6%), coughing (23.8%), lack of energy/fatigue (19.0%), yellowing of the eyes (19.0%), pallor (19.0%), irritability (19.0%), stiffness in joints (19.0%), general weakness (14.3%), and pain (14.3%), rating on average as 2.0 ± 1.7 (on 0 to 10 scale). Overall, sleep was good (8.1 ± 1.4 on the 0 to 10 scale). In conclusion, children with SCD were able to use smartphones to access a web-based e-Diary for reporting pain and symptoms. Smartphones may improve self-reporting of symptoms and communication between patients and their health care providers, who may consequently be able to improve pain and symptom management in children and adolescents with SCD in a timely manner. PMID:22627570

WEbcoli: an interactive and asynchronous web application for in silico design and analysis of genome-scale E.coli model.

PubMed

Jung, Tae-Sung; Yeo, Hock Chuan; Reddy, Satty G; Cho, Wan-Sup; Lee, Dong-Yup

2009-11-01

WEbcoli is a WEb application for in silico designing, analyzing and engineering Escherichia coli metabolism. It is devised and implemented using advanced web technologies, thereby leading to enhanced usability and dynamic web accessibility. As a main feature, the WEbcoli system provides a user-friendly rich web interface, allowing users to virtually design and synthesize mutant strains derived from the genome-scale wild-type E.coli model and to customize pathways of interest through a graph editor. In addition, constraints-based flux analysis can be conducted for quantifying metabolic fluxes and charactering the physiological and metabolic states under various genetic and/or environmental conditions. WEbcoli is freely accessible at http://webcoli.org. cheld@nus.edu.sg.

Formation and psychometric evaluation of a health-related quality of life instrument for children living with HIV in India.

PubMed

Das, Aritra; Detels, Roger; Afifi, Abdelmonem A; Javanbakht, Marjan; Sorvillo, Frank; Panda, Samiran

2018-03-01

In-depth interviews and focus group discussions were conducted to inform the development of an instrument to measure the health-related quality of life of children living with HIV. The QOL-CHAI instrument consists of four generic core scales of the "Pediatric Quality of Life Inventory" and two HIV-targeted scales-"symptoms" and "discrimination." A piloting exercise involving groups of children living with HIV and HIV-negative children born to HIV-infected parents provided evidence for the acceptable psychometric properties and usability of the instrument. It is expected that the QOL-CHAI can serve well as a brief, standardized, and culturally appropriate instrument for assessing health-related quality of life of Indian children living with HIV.

XVis: Visualization for the Extreme-Scale Scientific-Computation Ecosystem: Mid-year report FY17 Q2

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Moreland, Kenneth D.; Pugmire, David; Rogers, David

The XVis project brings together the key elements of research to enable scientific discovery at extreme scale. Scientific computing will no longer be purely about how fast computations can be performed. Energy constraints, processor changes, and I/O limitations necessitate significant changes in both the software applications used in scientific computation and the ways in which scientists use them. Components for modeling, simulation, analysis, and visualization must work together in a computational ecosystem, rather than working independently as they have in the past. This project provides the necessary research and infrastructure for scientific discovery in this new computational ecosystem by addressingmore » four interlocking challenges: emerging processor technology, in situ integration, usability, and proxy analysis.« less

XVis: Visualization for the Extreme-Scale Scientific-Computation Ecosystem: Year-end report FY17.

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Moreland, Kenneth D.; Pugmire, David; Rogers, David

The XVis project brings together the key elements of research to enable scientific discovery at extreme scale. Scientific computing will no longer be purely about how fast computations can be performed. Energy constraints, processor changes, and I/O limitations necessitate significant changes in both the software applications used in scientific computation and the ways in which scientists use them. Components for modeling, simulation, analysis, and visualization must work together in a computational ecosystem, rather than working independently as they have in the past. This project provides the necessary research and infrastructure for scientific discovery in this new computational ecosystem by addressingmore » four interlocking challenges: emerging processor technology, in situ integration, usability, and proxy analysis.« less

XVis: Visualization for the Extreme-Scale Scientific-Computation Ecosystem. Mid-year report FY16 Q2

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Moreland, Kenneth D.; Sewell, Christopher; Childs, Hank

The XVis project brings together the key elements of research to enable scientific discovery at extreme scale. Scientific computing will no longer be purely about how fast computations can be performed. Energy constraints, processor changes, and I/O limitations necessitate significant changes in both the software applications used in scientific computation and the ways in which scientists use them. Components for modeling, simulation, analysis, and visualization must work together in a computational ecosystem, rather than working independently as they have in the past. This project provides the necessary research and infrastructure for scientific discovery in this new computational ecosystem by addressingmore » four interlocking challenges: emerging processor technology, in situ integration, usability, and proxy analysis.« less

XVis: Visualization for the Extreme-Scale Scientific-Computation Ecosystem: Year-end report FY15 Q4.

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Moreland, Kenneth D.; Sewell, Christopher; Childs, Hank

The XVis project brings together the key elements of research to enable scientific discovery at extreme scale. Scientific computing will no longer be purely about how fast computations can be performed. Energy constraints, processor changes, and I/O limitations necessitate significant changes in both the software applications used in scientific computation and the ways in which scientists use them. Components for modeling, simulation, analysis, and visualization must work together in a computational ecosystem, rather than working independently as they have in the past. This project provides the necessary research and infrastructure for scientific discovery in this new computational ecosystem by addressingmore » four interlocking challenges: emerging processor technology, in situ integration, usability, and proxy analysis.« less

Feasibility of an Online and Mobile Videogame Curriculum for Teaching Children Safe and Healthy Cellphone and Internet Behaviors.

PubMed

Hswen, Yulin; Rubenzahl, Lauren; Bickham, David S

2014-08-01

Increased prevalence and penetration of cellphone and mobile Internet use have raised significant concerns about children's health and safety by offering new spaces for cyberbullying, harassment, and sexual misconduct. "Cyberhero Mobile Safety" is a videogame-based education program designed using tenets of the capacity model with the goal of instilling the knowledge and skills necessary to safely and productively navigate the mobile online environment. This study evaluates its usability, appeal, and perceived impact and usefulness. Six educational videogames were part of a program delivered to 3rd-6th grade students (n=108) across six public schools in Upstate New York. Videogame play was electronically captured to evaluate usability. Likeability, acceptability, and perceived usefulness of videogame content were evaluated through postgame questionnaires. Videogame usability criteria were achieved on 82.7 percent of the students' gameplays. On a scale from 1 (low) to 5 (high), mean ratings were 4.09 (standard deviation [SD]=1.28) for likeability, 3.54 (SD=1.61) for acceptability, and 4.16 (SD=1.33) for perceived message usefulness. The "Cyberhero Mobile Safety" program is a feasible and potentially effective platform for delivering information about safe and healthy cellphone and Internet use to children. Results support the use of the capacity model to design educational videogames because games that aligned with theory principles were reported as having the most impact and being the most useful at shifting children's online behaviors. Future research should directly test the individual components of the capacity model to inform educational game design.

Scientific impact of Association for Academic Surgery and Society of University Surgeons plenary session abstracts increases in the era of the Academic Surgical Congress from 2006 to 2010.

PubMed

Kaifi, Jussuf T; Kibbe, Melina R; LeMaire, Scott A; Staveley-O'Carroll, Kevin F; Kao, Lillian S; Sosa, Julie A; Kimchi, Eric T; Pawlik, Timothy M; Gusani, Niraj J

2013-06-01

The objective of our study was to analyze plenary abstracts since 2006, when the Association for Academic Surgery (AAS) and Society of University Surgeons (SUS) began hosting the combined annual Academic Surgical Congress (ASC). Plenary session abstracts from the separate AAS and SUS meetings from 2002 to 2004 had previously revealed no significant difference in the scientific impact of published manuscripts. In total, 76 abstracts from the AAS (n = 40) and SUS (n = 36) plenary sessions at the annual ASC meetings (2006-2010) were reviewed. Publication rate, citation number, 2010 impact factor (IF), and 5-y IF were obtained. Statistical analysis was conducted using Fisher exact and Student t-tests. Overall, 60 (79%) of 76 ASC plenary abstracts presented between 2006 and 2010 were published in peer-reviewed journals. Analysis revealed a higher publication rate for AAS (90%) compared with SUS (67%) plenary abstracts (P = 0.02). Among the articles published, the overall mean number of total citations was 6.7, with no difference between AAS and SUS (5.9 versus 7.8, P = 0.46). The mean 2010 five-year IF for all publications was 4.6 (AAS, 4.3 versus SUS, 5.0; P = 0.54). Compared with a previous analysis from the separate meetings, the mean IF has increased for both societies at an equivalent rate of 0.4. After the initiation of the joint ASC meeting in 2006, the SUS and AAS plenary presentations continue to exhibit high-quality research. This study supports the benefit of a joint meeting for the AAS and SUS, as it has been associated with an increasing overall scientific impact for plenary abstracts. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

[Methodology for construction of a panel of indicators for monitoring and evaluation of unified health system (SUS) management].

PubMed

Tamaki, Edson Mamoru; Tanaka, Oswaldo Yoshimi; Felisberto, Eronildo; Alves, Cinthia Kalyne de Almeida; Drumond Junior, Marcos; Bezerra, Luciana Caroline de Albuquerque; Calvo, Maria Cristina Marino; Miranda, Alcides Silva de

2012-04-01

This study sought to develop methodology for the construction of a Panel for the Monitoring and Evaluation of Management of the Unified Health System (SUS). The participative process used in addition to the systematization conducted made it possible to identify an effective strategy for building management tools in partnership with researchers, academic institutions and managers of the SUS. The final systematization of the Panel selected indicators for the management of the SUS in terms of Demand, Inputs, Processes, Outputs and Outcomes in order to provide a simple, versatile and useful tool for evaluation at any level of management and more transparent and easier communication with all stakeholders in decision-making. Taking the management of the SUS as the scope of these processes and practices in all normative aspects enabled dialog between systemic theories and those which consider the centrality of the social actor in the decision-making process.

User Interface Problems of a Nationwide Inpatient Information System: A Heuristic Evaluation.

PubMed

Atashi, Alireza; Khajouei, Reza; Azizi, Amirabbas; Dadashi, Ali

2016-01-01

While studies have shown that usability evaluation could uncover many design problems of health information systems, the usability of health information systems in developing countries using their native language is poorly studied. The objective of this study was to evaluate the usability of a nationwide inpatient information system used in many academic hospitals in Iran. Three trained usability evaluators independently evaluated the system using Nielsen's 10 usability heuristics. The evaluators combined identified problems in a single list and independently rated the severity of the problems. We statistically compared the number and severity of problems identified by HIS experienced and non-experienced evaluators. A total of 158 usability problems were identified. After removing duplications 99 unique problems were left. The highest mismatch with usability principles was related to "Consistency and standards" heuristic (25%) and the lowest related to "Flexibility and efficiency of use" (4%). The average severity of problems ranged from 2.4 (Major problem) to 3.3 (Catastrophe problem). The experienced evaluator with HIS identified significantly more problems and gave higher severities to problems (p<0.02). Heuristic Evaluation identified a high number of usability problems in a widely used inpatient information system in many academic hospitals. These problems, if remain unsolved, may waste users' and patients' time, increase errors and finally threaten patient's safety. Many of them can be fixed with simple redesign solutions such as using clear labels and better layouts. This study suggests conducting further studies to confirm the findings concerning effect of evaluator experience on the results of Heuristic Evaluation.

User Interface Problems of a Nationwide Inpatient Information System: A Heuristic Evaluation

PubMed Central

Atashi, Alireza; Azizi, Amirabbas; Dadashi, Ali

2016-01-01

Summary Introduction While studies have shown that usability evaluation could uncover many design problems of health information systems, the usability of health information systems in developing countries using their native language is poorly studied. The objective of this study was to evaluate the usability of a nationwide inpatient information system used in many academic hospitals in Iran. Material and Methods Three trained usability evaluators independently evaluated the system using Nielsen’s 10 usability heuristics. The evaluators combined identified problems in a single list and independently rated the severity of the problems. We statistically compared the number and severity of problems identified by HIS experienced and non-experienced evaluators. Results A total of 158 usability problems were identified. After removing duplications 99 unique problems were left. The highest mismatch with usability principles was related to “Consistency and standards” heuristic (25%) and the lowest related to “Flexibility and efficiency of use” (4%). The average severity of problems ranged from 2.4 (Major problem) to 3.3 (Catastrophe problem). The experienced evaluator with HIS identified significantly more problems and gave higher severities to problems (p<0.02). Discussion Heuristic Evaluation identified a high number of usability problems in a widely used inpatient information system in many academic hospitals. These problems, if remain unsolved, may waste users’ and patients’ time, increase errors and finally threaten patient’s safety. Many of them can be fixed with simple redesign solutions such as using clear labels and better layouts. This study suggests conducting further studies to confirm the findings concerning effect of evaluator experience on the results of Heuristic Evaluation. PMID:27081409

Evaluating Usability of Radiology Information Systems in Hospitals of Tabriz University of Medical Sciences.

PubMed

Rezaei-Hachesu, Peyman; Pesianian, Esmaeil; Mohammadian, Mohsen

2016-02-01

Radiology information system (RIS) in order to reduce workload and improve the quality of services must be well-designed. Heuristic evaluation is one of the methods that understand usability problems with the least time, cost and resources. The aim of present study is to evaluate the usability of RISs in hospitals. This is a cross-sectional descriptive study (2015) that uses heuristic evaluation method to evaluate the usability of RIS used in 3 hospitals of Tabriz city. The data are collected using a standard checklist based on 13 principles of Nielsen Heuristic evaluation method. Usability of RISs was investigated based on the number of components observed from Nielsen principles and problems of usability based on the number of non-observed components as well as non-existent or unrecognizable components. by evaluation of RISs in each of the hospitals 1, 2 and 3, total numbers of observed components were obtained as 173, 202 and 196, respectively. It was concluded that the usability of RISs in the studied population, on average and with observing 190 components of the 291 components related to the 13 principles of Nielsen is 65.41 %. Furthermore, problems of usability were obtained as 26.35%. The established and visible nature of some components such as response time of application, visual feedbacks, colors, view and design and arrangement of software objects cause more attention to these components as principal components in designing UI software. Also, incorrect analysis before system design leads to a lack of attention to secondary needs like Help software and security issues.

Applying heuristic evaluation to improve the usability of a telemedicine system.

PubMed

Tang, Zhihua; Johnson, Todd R; Tindall, R Douglas; Zhang, Jiajie

2006-02-01

The development of a telemedicine system should not only take advantage of technological advances but also pay close attention to users and the human issues involved. In this paper we examine the utility of heuristic evaluation in improving the usability of a digital emergency medical services (EMS) system equipped on an ambulance. The digital EMS system used advanced communication technologies to help remotely located trauma specialists gain access to patient data in real-time and direct life-saving measures in a timely fashion. To improve its usability, three experts inspected prototypes of the system according to 14 software usability heuristics. The analyses revealed information on the prevalence, severity, and nature of heuristic violations in the user interface design. The results were subsequently utilized to guide the iterative software design process. A comparison between two consecutive prototypes showed that the second design had only half as many usability violations as the first prototype and had considerable improvement in a number of usability heuristic categories. The validity of heuristic evaluation was examined in an ethnographic study of paramedics using a prototype of the system in their work environment. Users' task performances partially verified heuristic evaluation results. However, they also revealed problems that were not identified in heuristic evaluation but only became prominent during field observation. In conclusion, we argue that usability should be given high priority in the development of a telemedicine system, and that heuristic evaluation can be an effective and efficient way to identify usability problems in the early stage of software development.

Spray sealing: A breakthrough in integral fuel tank sealing technology

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Richardson, Martin D.; Zadarnowski, J. H.

1989-11-01

In a continuing effort to increase readiness, a new approach to sealing integral fuel tanks is being developed. The technique seals potential leak sources by spraying elastomeric materials inside the tank cavity. Laboratory evaluations project an increase in aircraft supportability and reliability, an improved maintainability, decreasing acquisition and life cycle costs. Increased usable fuel volume and lower weight than conventional bladders improve performance. Concept feasibility was demonstrated on sub-scale aircraft fuel tanks. Materials were selected by testing sprayable elastomers in a fuel tank environment. Chemical stability, mechanical properties, and dynamic durability of the elastomer are being evaluated at the laboratory level and in sub-scale and full scale aircraft component fatigue tests. The self sealing capability of sprayable materials is also under development. Ballistic tests show an improved aircraft survivability, due in part to the elastomer's mechanical properties and its ability to damp vibrations. New application equipment, system removal, and repair methods are being investigated.

New Options for Usability Testing Projects in Business Communication Courses

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Jameson, Daphne A.

2013-01-01

The increasing availability of recording technologies makes it easier to include usability testing projects in business communication courses. Usability testing is a method of discovering whether people can navigate, read, and understand a print or electronic communication well enough to achieve a particular purpose in a reasonable time frame.…

Collecting and Applying Usability Data from Distance Learners

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Mitchell, Emily; West, Brandon

2017-01-01

Growth of their college's off-campus and online course offerings led librarians at SUNY Oswego to run usability tests with off-campus students to compensate for a lack of responses from this population during earlier usability testing. Constraints on testing with off-campus students included lack of funding and librarian time, as well as…

Evaluation of Usability Utilizing Markov Models

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Penedo, Janaina Rodrigues; Diniz, Morganna; Ferreira, Simone Bacellar Leal; Silveira, Denis S.; Capra, Eliane

2012-01-01

Purpose: The purpose of this paper is to analyze the usability of a remote learning system in its initial development phase, using a quantitative usability evaluation method through Markov models. Design/methodology/approach: The paper opted for an exploratory study. The data of interest of the research correspond to the possible accesses of users…

Adding Users to the Website Design Process

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Tomeo, Megan L.

2012-01-01

Alden Library began redesigning its website over a year ago. Throughout the redesign process the students, faculty, and staff that make up the user base were added to the conversation by utilizing several usability test methods. This article focuses on the usability testing conducted at Alden Library and delves into future usability testing, which…

Effect of Improving the Usability of an E-Learning Resource: A Randomized Trial

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Davids, Mogamat Razeen; Chikte, Usuf M. E.; Halperin, Mitchell L.

2014-01-01

Optimizing the usability of e-learning materials is necessary to reduce extraneous cognitive load and maximize their potential educational impact. However, this is often neglected, especially when time and other resources are limited. We conducted a randomized trial to investigate whether a usability evaluation of our multimedia e-learning…