Designing an mHealth Application to Support Horse Owners in Assessing Their Horse’s Health Status – Results of a Usability Test.
Abstract: Existing research agrees that a well-thought design of the user interface is a key point for an mHealth application for animal owners, supporting them obtain information and make decisions regarding their pet's specific situation. However, there is currently a lack of specific advice on the design of such an application. Methods: As part of a user-centered design (UCD) process, a formative, explorative usability test with n = 5 users was conducted for collecting design ideas. The test was conducted for two applications that were already available on the market. Results: The need of supporting comprehensive information input in guided processes that can be adapted to the individual level of knowledge, was identified as a key aspect. Conclusions: In this paper, recommendations for the design of a suitable user interface are suggested to support application developers and designers.
Publication Date: 2024-09-05 PubMed ID: 39234738DOI: 10.3233/SHTI240875Google Scholar: Lookup
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- Journal Article
Summary
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The research article discusses the process and results of a usability test conducted to gather design ideas for an mHealth application aimed at assisting horse owners in assessing their horses’ health. The study hints on the criticality of a user-friendly interface in achieving the app’s goal, and offers recommendations towards that end.
Research Methods
- The study employed a user-centered design (UCD) approach. This is a type of project approach that places the end-user at the center of the design and development processes.
- To gather design ideas, researchers performed a formative, explorative usability test involving five users.
- The usability tests were conducted on two pre-existing applications currently available in the market. These acted as the starting point for the project.
Key Findings
- The study identified a primary need for the application to support exhaustive information input. This is essential as it provides the user with more interactive and detailed guidance in managing their horse’s health.
- It also underscored the need for the app’s processes to be adaptable to the user’s unique level of knowledge. This level of personalization ensures that the application remains user-friendly, irrespective of the user’s knowledge or experience with horses.
Conclusion and Recommendations
- The key findings of the research led to the conclusion that a well-designed user interface plays a pivotal role in the effectiveness of an mHealth application targeted at horse owners.
- The researchers made design suggestions to support application developers and designers in creating a suitable interface. While no specifics are given in the abstract, it could be assumed that the full article provides a comprehensive discussion of these design recommendations.
- The results of this study have the potential to refine the development and design of animal health-oriented mHealth apps, not only for horses but potentially for other pets as well.
Cite This Article
APA
Haase L, Sedlmayr B, Jung IC, Sedlmayr M, Monett D, Winter J.
(2024).
Designing an mHealth Application to Support Horse Owners in Assessing Their Horse’s Health Status – Results of a Usability Test.
Stud Health Technol Inform, 317, 335-345.
https://doi.org/10.3233/SHTI240875 Publication
Researcher Affiliations
- Institute for Medical Informatics and Biometry, Carl Gustav Carus Faculty of Medicine, Technische Universität Dresden, Dresden, Germany.
- Department of Cooperative Studies - Computer Science, Berlin School of Economics and Law, Berlin, Germany.
- Institute for Medical Informatics and Biometry, Carl Gustav Carus Faculty of Medicine, Technische Universität Dresden, Dresden, Germany.
- Institute for Medical Informatics and Biometry, Carl Gustav Carus Faculty of Medicine, Technische Universität Dresden, Dresden, Germany.
- Institute for Medical Informatics and Biometry, Carl Gustav Carus Faculty of Medicine, Technische Universität Dresden, Dresden, Germany.
- Department of Cooperative Studies - Computer Science, Berlin School of Economics and Law, Berlin, Germany.
- Department of Cooperative Studies - Computer Science, Berlin School of Economics and Law, Berlin, Germany.
MeSH Terms
- Telemedicine
- Horses
- Mobile Applications
- Animals
- Humans
- User-Computer Interface
- User-Centered Design
- Health Status
- Software Design
Citations
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