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

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

doi:10.2147/PPA.S45897

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

Joan Vermeulen^*, Jacques C. L. Neyens, Marieke D. Spreeuwenberg, Erik van Rossum, Walther Sipers, Herbert Habets, David J. Hewson, Luc P. de Witte

^*Corresponding author for this work

Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › Academic › peer-review

Abstract

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.

Original language	English
Pages (from-to)	843-854
Journal	Patient Preference and Adherence
Volume	7
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.2147/PPA.S45897
Publication status	Published - 2013

Keywords

user-centered design
telemonitoring
physical functioning
community-dwelling elderly people
usability

Access to Document

10.2147/PPA.S45897Licence: CC BY-NC

Cite this

@article{51f83c7e7673464e90915f9cea0b252a,

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

abstract = "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.",

keywords = "user-centered design, telemonitoring, physical functioning, community-dwelling elderly people, usability",

author = "Joan Vermeulen and Neyens, {Jacques C. L.} and Spreeuwenberg, {Marieke D.} and {van Rossum}, Erik and Walther Sipers and Herbert Habets and Hewson, {David J.} and {de Witte}, {Luc P.}",

year = "2013",

doi = "10.2147/PPA.S45897",

language = "English",

volume = "7",

pages = "843--854",

journal = "Patient Preference and Adherence",

issn = "1177-889X",

publisher = "Dove Medical Press Ltd",

}

TY - JOUR

T1 - User-centered development and testing of a monitoring system that provides feedback regarding physical functioning to elderly people

AU - Vermeulen, Joan

AU - Neyens, Jacques C. L.

AU - Spreeuwenberg, Marieke D.

AU - van Rossum, Erik

AU - Sipers, Walther

AU - Habets, Herbert

AU - Hewson, David J.

AU - de Witte, Luc P.

PY - 2013

Y1 - 2013

N2 - 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.

AB - 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.

KW - user-centered design

KW - telemonitoring

KW - physical functioning

KW - community-dwelling elderly people

KW - usability

U2 - 10.2147/PPA.S45897

DO - 10.2147/PPA.S45897

M3 - Article

C2 - 24039407

SN - 1177-889X

VL - 7

SP - 843

EP - 854

JO - Patient Preference and Adherence

JF - Patient Preference and Adherence

ER -