Usability laboratory test of a novel mobile homecare application with experienced home help service staff

Design and Evaluation of Web-Based Dental Implant Registry (DIR) for Better Clinical Outcomes

Introduction

Identification of dental implant system in undocumented patients is a major challenge for dentists due to the vast variety of tools and technologies that are used in dental care. It also takes a long time to identify the type of connection or length and diameter of implant. To obtain accurate and timely information, it is necessary to have a Dental Implant Registry (DIR). In the present study, a DIR was designed, developed, and evaluated at the Dental Implant Research Center of Tehran University of Medical Sciences.

Materials and Methods

This is an applied, developmental, and cross-sectional study that was conducted between 2018 and 2020. In the present study, after determining the objectives of DIR system, its conceptual model was designed by EDraw Max 7.9 software. Then, the registry was developed in Visual Studio 2018 environment with the C# programming language and, finally, it was evaluated by Nielsen's ten principles of usability assessment.

Results

After creating the registry, its data entry search and report functions were tested. Also, in the exploratory evaluation, the highest number of problems related to the principles of system clarity and compatibility between the system and real world was identified.

Conclusion

The web-based DIR created in C# programming language has the ability to gather data, provide report with different access levels, and send text messages to patients for follow-up. This tool enables physicians to quickly identify the components of dental implant. The web-based DIR also provides support for health research, quality assessment, and dental performance assessment.

An evaluation of the usability of a computerized decision support system for nursing homes

BACKGROUND

Computerized decision support systems (CDSSs) have the potential to significantly improve the quality of nursing care of older people by enhancing the decision making of nursing personnel. Despite this potential, health care organizations have been slow to incorporate CDSSs into nursing home practices.

OBJECTIVE

This study describes facilitators and barriers that impact the ability of nursing personnel to effectively use a clinical CDSS for planning and treating pressure ulcers (PUs) and malnutrition and for following the suggested risk assessment guidelines for the care of nursing home residents.

METHODS

We employed a qualitative descriptive design using varied methods, including structured group interviews, cognitive walkthrough observations and a graphical user interface (GUI) usability evaluation. Group interviews were conducted with 25 nursing personnel from four nursing homes in southern Norway. Five nursing personnel participated in cognitive walkthrough observations and the GUI usability evaluation. Text transcripts were analyzed using qualitative content analysis.

RESULTS

Group interview participants reported that ease of use, usefulness and a supportive work environment were key facilitators of CDSS use. The barriers identified were lack of training, resistance to using computers and limited integration of the CDSS with the facility's electronic health record (EHR) system. Key findings from the usability evaluation also identified the difficulty of using the CDSS within the EHR and the poorly designed GUI integration as barriers.

CONCLUSION

Overall, we found disconnect between two types of nursing personnel. Those who were comfortable with computer technology reported positive feedback about the CDSS, while others expressed resistance to using the CDSS for various reasons. This study revealed that organizations must invest more resources in educating nursing personnel on the seriousness of PUs and poor nutrition in the elderly, providing specialized CDSS training and ensuring that nursing personnel have time in the workday to use the CDSS.

Web-based education for low-literate parents in Neonatal Intensive Care Unit: development of a website and heuristic evaluation and usability testing

PURPOSE

Low health literacy has been associated with poor health-related outcomes. The purposes are to report the development of a website for low-literate parents in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU), and the findings of heuristic evaluation and a usability testing of this website.

METHODS

To address low literacy of NICU parents, multimedia educational Website using visual aids (e.g., pictographs, photographs), voice-recorded text message in addition to a simplified text was developed. The text was created at the 5th grade readability level. The heuristic evaluation was conducted by three usability experts using 10 heuristics. End-users' performance was measured by counting the time spent completing tasks and number of errors, as well as recording users' perception of ease of use and usefulness (PEUU) in a sample of 10 NICU parents.

RESULTS

Three evaluators identified 82 violations across the 10 heuristics. All violations, however, received scores <2, indicating minor usability problems. Participants' time to complete task varies from 81.2 s (SD = 30.9) to 2.2 s (SD = 1.3). Participants rated the Website as easy to use and useful (PEUU mean = 4.52, SD = 0.53). Based on the participants' comments, appropriate modifications were made.

DISCUSSION AND CONCLUSIONS

Different types of visuals on the Website were well accepted by low-literate users and agreement of visuals with text improved understanding of the educational materials over that with text alone. The findings suggest that using concrete and realistic pictures and pictographs with clear captions would maximize the benefit of visuals. One emerging theme was "simplicity" in design (e.g., limited use of colors, one font type and size), content (e.g., avoid lengthy text), and technical features (e.g., limited use of pop-ups). The heuristic evaluation by usability experts and the usability test with actual users provided complementary expertise, which can give a richer assessment of a design for low literacy Website. These results facilitated design modification and implementation of solutions by categorizing and prioritizing the usability problems.