Evaluating the usability of a co-designed power assisted exercise graphical user interface for people with stroke

YOUNG, Rachel, SAGE, Karen, BROOM, David, HEXT, Andrew, SNOWDON, Nicky and SMITH, Christine (2023). Evaluating the usability of a co-designed power assisted exercise graphical user interface for people with stroke. Journal of NeuroEngineering and Rehabilitation, 20 (1): 95.

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Abstract

Background: Digital advancement of power assisted exercise equipment will advance exercise prescription for people with stroke (PwS). This article reports on the remote usability evaluation of a co-designed graphical user interface (GUI) and denotes an example of how video-conference software can increase reach to participants in the testing of rehabilitation technologies. The aim of this study was to evaluate the usability of two sequential versions of the GUI. Methods: We adopted a mixed methods approach. Ten professional user (PU) (2M/8F) and 10 expert user (EU) participants (2M/8F) were recruited. Data collection included a usability observation, a ‘think aloud’ walk through, task completion, task duration and user satisfaction as indicated by the Post Study System Usability Questionnaire (PSSUQ). Identification of usability issues informed the design of version 2 which included an additional submenu. Descriptive analysis was conducted upon usability issues and number of occurrences detected on both versions of the GUI. Inferential analysis enabled comparison of task duration and PSSUQ data between the PU and EU groups. Results: Analysis of the ‘think aloud’ walkthrough data enabled identification of 22 usability issues on version 1 from a total of 100 usability occurrences. Task completion for all tasks was 100%. Eight usability issues were directly addressed in the development of version 2. Two recurrent and 24 new usability issues were detected in version 2 with a total of 86 usability occurrences. Paired two tailed T-tests on task duration data indicated a significant decrease amongst the EU group for task 1.1 on version 2 (P = 0.03). The mean PSSUQ scores for version 1 was 1.44 (EU group) and 1.63 (PU group) compared with 1.40 (EU group) and 1.41 (PU group) for version 2. Conclusions: The usability evaluation enabled identification of usability issues on version 1 of the GUI which were effectively addressed on the iteration of version 2. Testing of version 2 identified usability issues within the new submenu. Application of multiple usability evaluation methods was effective in identifying and addressing usability issues in the GUI to improve the experience of PAE for PwS. The use of video-conference software to conduct synchronous, remote usability testing is an effective alternative to face to face testing methods.

Item Type:	Article
Additional Information:	** From Springer Nature via Jisc Publications Router ** Licence for this article: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/ ** Acknowledgements: The research team would like to extend our gratitude to the participants who contributed their time towards the usability evaluation reported in this article. We would also like to express gratitude towards the Shapemaster team for their engagement in this programme of research. **Journal IDs: eissn 1743-0003 **Article IDs: publisher-id: s12984-023-01207-7; manuscript: 1207 **History: collection 12-2023; online 24-07-2023; published_online 24-07-2023; accepted 19-06-2023; registration 19-06-2023; submitted 21-05-2022
Uncontrolled Keywords:	Stroke, Usability evaluation, Graphical user interface, Assistive technology, Co-design, Rehabilitation technology, Power assisted exercise
Identification Number:	https://doi.org/10.1186/s12984-023-01207-7
SWORD Depositor:	Colin Knott
Depositing User:	Colin Knott
Date Deposited:	25 Jul 2023 14:56
Last Modified:	11 Oct 2023 13:02
URI:	https://shura.shu.ac.uk/id/eprint/32190

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