Emerging Usability Evaluation Tools and Techniques in Web-Based Health Communication

Background:  The shift from the traditional print model of communicating health information to patients, caregivers, and other stakeholders has been well underway for a decade or more.  The major shift that is being seen today is the move from the "traditional web" to a multi-modal, multi-digital -channel, and increasing mobile world.  In addition, consumers of digital health information have an increasingly high set of expectations when it comes to the usability and overall user experience of these new communication channels.  This is likely due to the interactions they are having with commercial online businesses and services, such as Amazon and FaceBook, where usability and the user experience can make or break a business.

Program background:  As a leader in digital health communications and technology consulting for Federal agencies, such as the US Department of Health and Human Services, our usability and user experience teams have been tasked with devising innovative usability evaluation tools and techniques for this new, multi-modal, multi-channel, world. 

Evaluation Methods and Results: Areas we will cover during this presentation, which will each include case-studies from our work with Federal healthcare agencies, include:  *  Portable Usability Labs:  going where your users are *  Mobile Device Testing:  mobile device-specific hardware for usability testing *  Online, Large-Scale Card Sorting:  engaging citizens/users during information architecture design *  Reverse, Online Card Sorting:  evaluating navigation hierarchies online *  Online First-Click Testing:  rapid usability feedback from remote participants *  Recruiting Participants Using Social Media:  getting the right participants with targeted messaging via targeted channels *  Crowd-Sourcing During Design:  engaging citizens/users throughout the entire design process  

Conclusions:  Digital health is no longer a question of why or when but how. The days of the permanent, traditional usability lab are certainly not going away, but we have been utilizing and evaluating new and emerging usability evaluation tools and techniques to meet the challenges in this new world.  During this presentation we will showcase some of these innovative tools and techniques, discuss what worked and what didn't, and lessons learned.     

Implications for research and/or practice:  Whether it be a patient, caregiver, or other stakeholder, a user's experience should be driven by their unique set of challenges and expectations. In shifting to a digital communication platform that embraces a multi-platform world, researchers and practitioners can better serve their information to consumers and help ensure program success.