User-centered Design Framework Research Articles

Innovation through co-creation: a case study on the creation of new sustainable healthcare PPE clothing designs, integrating 3D digital technologies

Purpose The purpose of this study was to address a gap in the current literature by examining the integration of 3D digital prototyping technology in the co-creation process of new sustainable and multi-functional healthcare PPE clothing design in collaboration with real users. Design/methodology/approach Within the user-centered design framework, 35 participants from major hospitals, along with fashion college students in New York City, actively engaged in the co-creation innovation process for this research. Data collection and analysis were conducted through interview-based qualitative analysis, using the content analysis method. Findings The results highlight the effectiveness of integrating 3D digital prototyping technologies in the co-creation innovation process in achieving all research objectives, including fulfilling users’ health care PPE clothing needs. Originality/value This case study presents an example of co-creation innovation in collaboration with actual industry users, exploring the effectiveness of 3D digital prototyping for the co-creation process. The findings of this study can be used to formulate future research studies.

Applying a User-Centered Design Framework to Develop a Remote Research Assessment Protocol for a Randomized Clinical Trial for Toddlers with Early Autism Characteristics.

COVID-19 required many research teams to shift from in-person to remote assessments, which posed both procedural and theoretical challenges. While research has explored the utility of remote assessments for autism diagnosis from the perspective of families and clinicians, less is known about their application in clinical trials. This paper describes the development of a remote research assessment protocol for a randomized clinical trial focusing on the implementation of reciprocal imitation teaching (RIT) with toddlers in Part C early intervention. This project spans two phases. For Phase 1, our team developed and documented a series of steps utilizing user-centered design (UCD) strategies (e.g., recruiting potential users, creating a prototype, engaging in iterative development) for the purpose of redesigning an assessment protocol for a remote environment. For Phase 2, we examined preliminary outcomes of the redesign process. Primary end users (assessors) rated post-redesign usability and acceptability, while acceptability was examined using attrition data from secondary end users (family participants). Preliminary fidelity of implementation was also examined. The iterative redesign process allowed the research team to refine aspects of the assessment that ultimately led to promising preliminary ratings of usability, acceptability, and feasibility, as well as high fidelity. Preliminary data suggest that the redesigned assessment appears to be an acceptable, feasible, and usable tool for autism clinical trial research and that assessors can use it with fidelity. Further research is needed to examine the reliability and validity of the assessment, as well as implementation characteristics on a larger scale.

Improving Usability in Mobile Apps for Residential Energy Management: A Hybrid Approach Using Fuzzy Logic

This paper presents a study that evaluates the usability and user experience of a mobile application interface for residential energy management, adopting a hybrid approach that integrates quantitative and qualitative methods within a user-centered design framework. For the evaluation, metrics and tools such as the User Experience Questionnaire Short (UEQ-S) and the System Usability Scale (SUS) were used, in addition to the implementation of a fuzzy logic model to interpret and contrast the data obtained through these metrics, allowing a more accurate assessment of usability and user experience, reflecting the variability and trends in the responses. Three aspects evaluated stand out: satisfaction with the interface, ease of use, and efficiency. These are fundamental to understanding how users perceive the system. The results indicate a high likelihood of user recommendation of the system and a high overall quality of user experience. This study significantly contributes to mobile application usability, especially in residential energy management, offering valuable insights for designing more intuitive and effective user interfaces on mobile devices.

MOBILE GAME: TECNOLOGIA EDUCACIONAL PARA CUIDADOS DOMICILIARES DO PACIENTE SUBMETIDO AO TRANSPLANTE HEPÁTICO

ABSTRACT Objective: to develop and validate an educational game capable of supporting health education actions for patients undergoing liver transplantation. Method: this is a study of a technological product, based on the User-Centered Design framework, carried out in a reference hospital for liver transplantation. Participants were patients undergoing liver transplantation, nurses and information technology professionals. Data collection took place through semi-structured interviews and a questionnaire, using Brazilian standards for usability assessment. Data analysis occurred through content analysis, based on the calculation model for the System Usability Scale. Results: seventeen patients participated, including seven nurses and four information technology professionals. The game is made up of five paths with the main care to be carried out at home. Each path presents steps to be followed with its rules. As for validation, the overall mean was 1.38. Usability assessment by patients had a mean of 80 points, while by professionals it was above 75%. Conclusion: it is considered that the aforementioned tool is capable of being used in practice by users. Furthermore, this was adjusted to meet the needs of patients undergoing liver transplantation to support and manage home care.

Path To Gain Functional Transparency In Artificial Intelligence With Meaningful Explainability

Artificial Intelligence (AI) is rapidly integrating into various aspects of our daily lives, influencing decision-making processes in areas such as targeted advertising and matchmaking algorithms. As AI systems become increasingly sophisticated, ensuring their transparency and explainability becomes crucial. Functional transparency is a fundamental aspect of algorithmic decision-making systems, allowing stakeholders to comprehend the inner workings of these systems and enabling them to evaluate their fairness and accuracy. However, achieving functional transparency poses significant challenges that need to be addressed. In this paper, we propose a design for user-centered compliant-by-design transparency in transparent systems. We emphasize that the development of transparent and explainable AI systems is a complex and multidisciplinary endeavor, necessitating collaboration among researchers from diverse fields such as computer science, artificial intelligence, ethics, law, and social science. By providing a comprehensive understanding of the challenges associated with transparency in AI systems and proposing a user-centered design framework, we aim to facilitate the development of AI systems that are accountable, trustworthy, and aligned with societal values.

A Design-Driven Approach to Develop Innovative Clinical Experiences in Dysphagia

Purpose: This clinical focus article presents a modified user-centered design framework in order to facilitate the role of pediatric clinicians who treat feeding/swallowing disorders in redesigning the clinical experience in order to improve outcomes. The article establishes a physiologically based design framework and presents a user-centered design tool that clinicians may utilize to view the patient interaction from a design mindset in their practice. Method: Two case studies are presented to demonstrate the clinical application of the user-centered design tool. Case 1 applies the tool to controlled flow drinking cups and includes a pilot study that explores prototype testing of a novel cup design and the resulting patient experience. Case 2 presents a unique pediatric patient and the application of the user-centered method to analyze a modified treatment experience. Conclusions: Clinicians who treat pediatric feeding and swallowing disorders can benefit from the utilization of a user-centered design approach to observe the patient experience from a design perspective. This approach provides a structure to guide individual clinicians to key insights that may lead to improved treatments. Furthermore, user-centered methods may facilitate the analysis of complex patient scenarios by clinician-led teams, which may result in novel solutions.

User-Centered Design of a Machine Learning Dashboard for Prediction of Postoperative Complications.

Machine learning models can help anesthesiology clinicians assess patients and make clinical and operational decisions, but well-designed human-computer interfaces are necessary for machine learning model predictions to result in clinician actions that help patients. Therefore, the goal of this study was to apply a user-centered design framework to create a user interface for displaying machine learning model predictions of postoperative complications to anesthesiology clinicians. Twenty-five anesthesiology clinicians (attending anesthesiologists, resident physicians, and certified registered nurse anesthetists) participated in a 3-phase study that included (phase 1) semistructured focus group interviews and a card sorting activity to characterize user workflows and needs; (phase 2) simulated patient evaluation incorporating a low-fidelity static prototype display interface followed by a semistructured interview; and (phase 3) simulated patient evaluation with concurrent think-aloud incorporating a high-fidelity prototype display interface in the electronic health record. In each phase, data analysis included open coding of session transcripts and thematic analysis. During the needs assessment phase (phase 1), participants voiced that (a) identifying preventable risk related to modifiable risk factors is more important than nonpreventable risk, (b) comprehensive patient evaluation follows a systematic approach that relies heavily on the electronic health record, and (c) an easy-to-use display interface should have a simple layout that uses color and graphs to minimize time and energy spent reading it. When performing simulations using the low-fidelity prototype (phase 2), participants reported that (a) the machine learning predictions helped them to evaluate patient risk, (b) additional information about how to act on the risk estimate would be useful, and (c) correctable problems related to textual content existed. When performing simulations using the high-fidelity prototype (phase 3), usability problems predominantly related to the presentation of information and functionality. Despite the usability problems, participants rated the system highly on the System Usability Scale (mean score, 82.5; standard deviation, 10.5). Incorporating user needs and preferences into the design of a machine learning dashboard results in a display interface that clinicians rate as highly usable. Because the system demonstrates usability, evaluation of the effects of implementation on both process and clinical outcomes is warranted.

ReachCare Mobile Apps for Patients Experiencing Suicidality in the Emergency Department: Development and Usability Testing Using Mixed Methods.

Many individuals with suicide risk present to acute care settings such as emergency departments (EDs). However, staffing and time constraints mean that many EDs are not well equipped to deliver evidence-based interventions for patients experiencing suicidality. An existing intervention initiated in the ED for patients with suicide risk (Emergency Department Safety Assessment and Follow-up Evaluation [ED-SAFE]) has been found to be effective but faces trenchant barriers for widespread adoption. On the basis of the ED-SAFE intervention, we aimed to develop 2 apps for patients with suicide risk: a web app guiding patients through safety planning in the ED (ED app) and a smartphone app providing patients components of the ED-SAFE program on their phones after discharge (patient app). We then tested the usability of these apps with patients presenting to the ED with suicide risk. Using a user-centered design framework, we first developed user personas to explore the needs and characteristics of patients who are at risk for suicide using inputs from clinicians (n=3) and suicidologists (n=4). Next, we validated these personas during interviews with individuals with lived experience of suicidality (n=6) and used them to inform our application designs. We field-tested the apps with ED patients presenting with suicide risk (n=14) in 2 iterative cycles to assess their usability and engagement using a mixed methods approach. We also rated the quality and fidelity of the safety plans created. We developed 2 interoperable and complementary apps. The first is a web app designed for use on a tablet device during ED admission that guides the patient by creating a safety plan using a chatbot-style interface. The second is a smartphone app for use after discharge and allows the patient to view, edit, and share their completed safety plan; access self-care education, helplines, and behavioral health referrals; and track follow-up appointments with the study clinician. The initial prototype usability testing (n=9) demonstrated satisfactory scores (ED app System Usability Scale [SUS], mean 78.6/100, SD 24.1; User Engagement Scale, mean 3.74/5, SD 0.72; patient app SUS, mean 81.7/100, SD 20.1). After refining the apps based on participant feedback, the second cycle testing (n=5) showed improvement (ED app SUS, mean 90.5/100, SD 9.9; User Engagement Scale, mean 4.07/5, SD 0.36; patient app SUS, mean 97.0/100, SD 1.9). The quality ratings for completed safety plans were satisfactory (Safety Planning Intervention Scoring Algorithm-Brief, mean 27.4, SD 3.4). By adopting a user-centered approach and creating personas to guide development, we were able to create apps for ED patients with suicide risk and obtain satisfactory usability, engagement, and quality scores. Developing digital health tools based on user-centered design principles that deliver evidence-based intervention components may help overcome trenchant implementation barriers in challenging health care settings.

Tackling the COVID-19 infodemic among Syrian refugees in Lebanon: Development and evaluation of the "Wikaytek" tool.

The COVID-19 infodemic has been a global public health challenge, especially affecting vulnerable populations such as Syrian refugees with limited internet access and functional, health, digital, and media literacies. To address this problem, we developed Wikaytek, a software to diffuse reliable COVID-19 information using WhatsApp, the preferred communication channel among Syrian refugees. In this paper, we describe the systematic development of the tool. We undertook a pilot study guided by the Humanitarian Engineering Initiative (HEI)'s user-centered design framework, comprising five stages: (a) user research, including needs assessment and desk review of interventions with target users; (b) concept design based on platform and source selection, message format, concept testing, and architecture design; (c) prototyping and implementation, encompassing software development and system operation; (d) user testing (alpha and beta); and (e) evaluation through software analytics and user interviews. We reported a qualitative process evaluation. Wikaytek scrapes validated and reliable COVID-19-related information from reputable sources on Twitter, automatically translates it into Arabic, attaches relevant media (images/video), and generates an audio format using Google text-to-speech. Then, messages are broadcast to WhatsApp. Our evaluation shows that users appreciate receiving "push" information from reliable sources they can trust and prefer the audio format over text. Wikaytek is a useful and well-received software for diffusing credible information on COVID-19 among Syrian refugees with limited literacy, as it complements the texts with audio messages. The tool can be adapted to diffuse messages about other public health issues among vulnerable communities, extending its scope and reach in humanitarian settings.

Translating an Economic Analysis into a Tool for Public Health Resource Allocation in Cancer Survivorship.

Model complexity and unclear purpose are 2 barriers that prevent lay users from integrating decision science tools into their workflow.Modelers could integrate the user-centered design framework when developing a model for lay users to reduce complexity and ensure the model meets the needs of the users.

Narrowing the Implementation Gap

Developing new digital tools to fit the needs of communicative urban and green area planning requires understanding of the various prospective user groups, the different contexts of use, the planning tasks, and the communicative activities at hand. However, it is not self-evident that user research can be applied in research and innovation projects with limited human and time resources. In this article, a user-centered design (UCD) approach is applied in the development of new collaborative 3D tools for urban and green area planning in a multidisciplinary research team in the GreenTwins project. This research shows how essential it is to select easy-to-learn user research methods, identify the knowledge needs for tool development, and ensure that user insight is transmitted to development. In the GreenTwins project, this was achieved by applying a simple UCD framework (PACT) and engaging the research and development team in the process. Despite the challenges, the results show that the methodology used was beneficial.

Development of a Website for a Living Network Meta-analysis of Atopic Dermatitis Treatments Using a User-Centered Design: Multimethod Study.

A rapid expansion of systemic immunological treatment options for atopic dermatitis (AD) has created a need for clinically relevant and understandable comparative efficacy and safety information for patients and clinicians. Given the scarcity of head-to-head trials, network meta-analysis (NMA) is an alternative way to enable robust comparisons among treatment options; however, NMA results are often complex and difficult to directly implement in shared decision-making. The aim of this study is to develop a website that effectively presents the results of a living systematic review and NMA on AD treatments to patient and clinician users. We conducted a multimethod study using iterative feedback from adults with AD, adult caregivers of children with AD, dermatologists, and allergists within a user-centered design framework. We used questionnaires followed by workshops among patients and clinicians to develop and improve the website interface. Usability testing was done with a caregiver of a patient with eczema. Questionnaires were completed by 31 adults with AD or caregivers and 94 clinicians. Patients and caregivers felt it was very important to know about new treatments (20/31, 65%). Clinicians felt the lack of evidence-based comparisons between treatments was a barrier to care (55/93, 59%). "Avoiding dangerous side effects" was ranked as the most important priority for patients (weighted ranking 5.2/7, with higher ranking being more important), and "improving patients' overall symptoms" was the most important priority for clinicians (weighted ranking 5.0/6). A total of 4 patients and 7 clinicians participated in workshops; they appreciated visualizations of the NMA results and found the website valuable for comparing different treatments. The patients suggested changes to simplify the interface and clarify terminology related to comparative efficacy. The user in the usability testing found the website intuitive to navigate. We developed a website, "eczematherapies.com," with a user-centered design approach. Visualizations of NMA results enable users to compare treatments as part of their shared decision-making process.

Longitudinal high-frequency ethnographic interviewing to simulate and prepare for intensive smartphone data collection among veterans with homeless experience.

ObjectiveWhile Veteran homelessness has steadily declined over the last decade, those who continue to be unhoused have complex health and social concerns. Housing instability interferes with access to healthcare, social services, and treatment adherence. Preventing unwanted housing transitions is a public health priority. This study is the first phase of a larger research agenda that aims to test the acceptability and feasibility of smartphone-enabled data collection with veterans experiencing homelessness. In preparation for the development of the smartphone data collection application, we utilized ethnographic methods guided by user-centered design principles to inform survey content, approach to recruitment and enrollment, and design decisions.MethodsWe used a case study design, selecting a small sample (n = 10) of veterans representing a range of homelessness experiences based on risk and length of time. Participants were interviewed up to 14 times over a 4-week period, using a combination of qualitative methods. Additionally, 2 focus group discussions were conducted. Interviews were audio-recorded and transcribed. Data were synthesized and triangulated through use of rapid analysis techniques.ResultsAll participants had experience using smartphones and all but one owned one at the time of enrollment. Participants described their smartphones as “lifelines” to social network members, healthcare, and social service providers. Social relationships, physical and mental health, substance use, income, and housing environment were identified as being directly and indirectly related to transitions in housing. Over the course of ~30 days of engagement with participants, the research team observed dynamic fluctuations in emotional states, relationships, and utilization of services. These fluctuations could set off a chain of events that were observed to both help participants transition into more stable housing or lead to setbacks and further increase vulnerability and instability. In addition to informing the content of survey questions that will be programmed into the smartphone app, participants also provided a broad range of recommendations for how to approach recruitment and enrollment in the future study and design features that are important to consider for veterans with a range of physical abilities, concerns with trust and privacy, and vulnerability to loss or damage of smartphones.ConclusionThe ethnographic approach guided by a user-centered design framework provided valuable data to inform our future smartphone data collection effort. Data were critical to understanding aspects of day-to-day life that important to content development, app design, and approach to data collection.

Development of A User-Centered Design Framework for Palliative and Hospice Care Patients for a Better Quality of Life Experience

Goal Three of the Sustainable Development Goals emphasizes the concept of “leaving no one behind”; a model for inclusivity and coherence. Amongst those that are often “left behind” are patients at the end stage of their life due to a terminal illness or a medical diagnosis. These are often left to die without thought to the quality of life that they receive before their demise, and many experience this stage at home due to fear of expenses, or in a best-case scenario at a hospital to help alleviate or manage pain. In many places worldwide, this is where palliative and hospice care come in and focus on the End-of-Life care provided to patients who fit the criteria.The number of architecture and design related studies in this field are not numerous, and those that are there do not focus on the patient as a user with rights, but merely as a patient that is there. The concept of a user-centered design is forgotten in midst of all the pain and suffering of all concerned, namely, the patient, his beloved, and his caregivers. However, focusing on this nexus at the core of the design project may help promote this painful and stressful time in life and induce serenity and acceptance in a time that is often dark and ominous. This research aims to develop a design framework for places that deal with End-of-Life care and how to provide a better quality of End-of-Life experience for terminally ill patients.

Application of the User Centered Design Framework – Case Study Using the Example of an AR Feature for a Mobile Shopping App

Augmented reality (AR) has become increasingly important in recent years and is already being used in many areas. AR is also increasingly penetrating the retail sector as a functionality of mobile apps. At the same time, companies must meet user requirements when developing AR features. This case study exemplifies how the User Centered Design framework (UCD) can be used to develop an AR feature for a mobile shopping app that can be used to virtually color walls in a room. To begin, the UCD will be introduced and compared to the New Product Development framework and the Information System Research framework. The four phases of the UCD and possible methods to be applied are discussed. One method per phase is then applied as an example. The results are shown and discussed.

Overcoming Challenges to Inclusive User-based Testing of Health Information Technology with Vulnerable Older Adults: Recommendations from a Human Factors Engineering Expert Inquiry

Involving representative users in usability testing of health information technology (HIT) is central to user-centered design. However, (vulnerable) older adults as representative users have unique requirements. Aging processes may affect physical capabilities and cognitive skills, which can hamper testing with this demographic and may require special attention and revised protocols. This study was performed to provide expert-based recommendations for HIT user-testing with (vulnerable) older adults to support inclusive HIT design and evaluation. First, we conducted a structured workshop with ten experts in HIT implementation and research, recruited through purposeful sampling, to generate insights into how characteristics of older adults may influence user-testing. Next, five Human Factor researchers experienced in HIT user-testing with (vulnerable) older adults validated the results and provided additional textual insights to gain consensus on the most important recommendations. A thematic analysis was performed on the resulting inquiries. Applied codes were based on the User-Centered Design framework. The analysis resulted in nine recommendations for user-testing of HIT with older adults, divided into three main themes: (1) empathetic approach and trust-building, (2) new requirements for testing and study design, and (3) adjustments to usability evaluation methods. For each theme a checklist of relevant items to follow-up on the recommendation is provided. The recommendations generated through expert inquiry contribute to more effective usability testing of HIT with older adults. This provides an important step towards improved accessibility of HIT amongst older adults through inclusive user-centered design.

A Clinical Decision Support System for Sleep Staging Tasks With Explanations From Artificial Intelligence: User-Centered Design and Evaluation Study.

BackgroundDespite the unprecedented performance of deep learning algorithms in clinical domains, full reviews of algorithmic predictions by human experts remain mandatory. Under these circumstances, artificial intelligence (AI) models are primarily designed as clinical decision support systems (CDSSs). However, from the perspective of clinical practitioners, the lack of clinical interpretability and user-centered interfaces hinders the adoption of these AI systems in practice.ObjectiveThis study aims to develop an AI-based CDSS for assisting polysomnographic technicians in reviewing AI-predicted sleep staging results. This study proposed and evaluated a CDSS that provides clinically sound explanations for AI predictions in a user-centered manner.MethodsOur study is based on a user-centered design framework for developing explanations in a CDSS that identifies why explanations are needed, what information should be contained in explanations, and how explanations can be provided in the CDSS. We conducted user interviews, user observation sessions, and an iterative design process to identify three key aspects for designing explanations in the CDSS. After constructing the CDSS, the tool was evaluated to investigate how the CDSS explanations helped technicians. We measured the accuracy of sleep staging and interrater reliability with macro-F1 and Cohen κ scores to assess quantitative improvements after our tool was adopted. We assessed qualitative improvements through participant interviews that established how participants perceived and used the tool.ResultsThe user study revealed that technicians desire explanations that are relevant to key electroencephalogram (EEG) patterns for sleep staging when assessing the correctness of AI predictions. Here, technicians wanted explanations that could be used to evaluate whether the AI models properly locate and use these patterns during prediction. On the basis of this, information that is closely related to sleep EEG patterns was formulated for the AI models. In the iterative design phase, we developed a different visualization strategy for each pattern based on how technicians interpreted the EEG recordings with these patterns during their workflows. Our evaluation study on 9 polysomnographic technicians quantitatively and qualitatively investigated the helpfulness of the tool. For technicians with <5 years of work experience, their quantitative sleep staging performance improved significantly from 56.75 to 60.59 with a P value of .05. Qualitatively, participants reported that the information provided effectively supported them, and they could develop notable adoption strategies for the tool.ConclusionsOur findings indicate that formulating clinical explanations for automated predictions using the information in the AI with a user-centered design process is an effective strategy for developing a CDSS for sleep staging.

Recommendations for designing games for players with dyscalculia

Recomendações para o design de jogos para jogadores com discalculia Matheus Cezarotto, New Mexico State University, USA matheus@nmsu.edu Abstrac t Educational digital games are interactive digital systems that promote learning experiences for the learner through a multimedia environment. Researchers and professionals have been using educational digital games as an intervention for children with dyscalculia. The literature demonstrates a limitation in research as regards these users' experiences with games. This study offers a user-centered design framework to investigate specific game elements that can promote and sustain users' motivation with dyscalculia during their neuropsychological treatment. It can be seen as an instance of applied research, with a descriptive goal and a qualitative data analysis approach. The study has used three main methods to inform the design of games that are better able to reach learners with dyscalculia: field research with both neuropsychological rehabilitation and game developers, and qualitative observations and interviews with players who have dyscalculia while they play math games. In addition, it offers a set of game design recommendations focusing on the motivation of children with dyscalculia.

Implementation and Effects of an Information Technology-Based Intervention to Support Speech and Language Therapy Among Stroke Patients With Aphasia: Protocol for a Virtual Randomized Controlled Trial.

BackgroundMobile app–based therapies are increasingly being employed by speech-language pathologists in the rehabilitation of people with aphasia as adjuncts or substitutes for traditional in-person therapy approaches. These apps can increase the intensity of treatment and have resulted in meaningful outcomes across several domains.ObjectiveVoiceAdapt is a mobile therapy app designed with user and stakeholder feedback within a user-centered design framework. VoiceAdapt uses two evidence-based lexical retrieval treatments to help people with aphasia in improving their naming abilities through interactions with the app. The purpose of the randomized controlled trial (RCT) proposed here is to examine the feasibility and clinical efficacy of training with VoiceAdapt on the language and communication outcomes of people with aphasia.MethodsA multicenter RCT is being conducted at two locations within Canada. A total of 80 people with aphasia will be recruited to participate in a two-arm, waitlist-controlled, crossover group RCT. After baseline assessment, participants will be randomized into an intervention group or a waitlist control group. The intervention group participants will engage in 5 weeks of training with the app, followed by posttreatment and follow-up assessments after an additional 5 weeks. Those in the waitlist control group will have no training for 5 weeks; this is followed by pretreatment assessment, training for 5 weeks, and posttreatment assessment. All trial procedures are being conducted remotely given the COVID-19 pandemic.ResultsRecruitment of participants started in September 2020, and the study is expected to be completed by March 2022. Publication of results is expected within 6 months of study completion.ConclusionsThe results of the RCT will provide information on evidence-based practice using technology-based solutions to treat aphasia. If positive results are obtained from this RCT, the VoiceAdapt app can be recommended as an efficacious means of improving lexical retrieval and communicative functioning in people with aphasia in an easily accessible and a cost-effective manner. Moreover, the implementation of this RCT through remote assessment and delivery can provide information to therapists on telerehabilitation practices and monitoring of app-based home therapy programs.Trial RegistrationClinicalTrials.gov NCT04108364; https://clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT04108364International Registered Report Identifier (IRRID)DERR1-10.2196/30621

O47 Chat with Maya: Assessing the Usability of the Texas WIC Chatbot

<h3>Background</h3> To address declining participation rates in the Women, Infants, and Children (WIC) program, Texas WIC developed and deployed Maya, the Texas WIC chatbot, in June 2020. Maya is an automated software application that allows visitors of TexasWIC.org to ask questions about eligibility and begin the process of making an appointment. Maya has been developed within a user-centered design framework, with WIC clients, potential WIC clients, and WIC staff consulted throughout the ideation and design process. In continuation of this process, usability studies are ongoing. <h3>Objective</h3> The objectives of this study were to assess the usability of Maya and solicit user feedback on overall satisfaction. <h3>Study Design, Setting, Participants</h3> A Think Aloud interview methodology was employed to assess participants' real-time cognitive processes when using Maya. Participants (n = 9) were recruited after accessing Maya on TexasWIC.org. Interviews were conducted via Zoom with a moderator and assistant moderator. First, participants explored Maya's features with minimal input from the interviewer. Next, utilizing a semi-structured interview guide, the interviewer probed for participants' perceptions regarding how Maya may facilitate convenient information retrieval for WIC clients. <h3>Measurable Outcomes/Analysis</h3> Employing a 2-coder structure, interviews were recorded, transcribed, and themed. <h3>Results</h3> Maya's ability to immediately provide critical information about benefits, enrollment, recertification, and WIC-related frequently asked questions was described as efficient and highly useful. Additionally, participants approved of Maya's overall layout and expressed confidence in their ability to find what they needed. The few issues that were uncovered include minor confusion on how to return to Maya's main menu, some chat responses seeming long, and occasional glitches. <h3>Conclusion</h3> Maya was well-received with specific appreciation for her ability to efficiently provide information. However, some issues related to functionality indicate room for improvement. Enhancing Maya's usability to ensure easy usage has the potential further facilitate optimal information retrieval and program participation.