Using “USEtool”: Usability Evaluation Method for Quality Architecture in-Use

Abstract

The main priority of Malaysian healthcare design quality is to organize an informational domain of a patient-oriented care design by patient experience to usable environment. The usability evaluation is an appropriate qualitative research design dealing with a process concerning the understanding of the user and context of use. This paper provides strategies for evaluating quality architecture in use from user experience and approaches for analyses of applicable qualitative data. Case studies have been conducted to explore the usability of three replacement hospitals in Peninsular Malaysia using “USEtool” evaluation method introduced by Hansen, Blakstad, and Knudsen (2011). It is a five-stage evaluation process focusing on the following questions: for what, what, where and whom, why, and lastly, the final report as an action plan and input for the improvement of a building quality environment design in use. The process of data analysis is based on thematic analysis principles using NVivo 9. The findings indicate that (1) the quality of care is the positive users’ experience feedback on the usability of physical environment design that fulfils their needs and expectations, (2) there is a strong relationship between the usability physical environment criteria and overall patient satisfaction, and (3) the usability evaluation is useful for benchmarking and creating comparative databases, which optimally accommodates the needs of users and acts as a learning feature for improving the existing or future design.