Evidence map›Paper›PMID 34003135›Full record

ArticleJMIR research protocols2021

Usability Testing of a Digital Assessment Routing Tool: Protocol for an Iterative Convergent Mixed Methods Study.

Cabella Lowe, Harry Hanuman Sing, Mitchell Browne, Meshari F Alwashmi, William Marsh, Dylan Morrissey

Open access · goldAbstract read
In one paragraph

Article in JMIR research protocols, 2021. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 3 papers.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
3citing papers in PubMed
1.7field-weighted citation impact, top 14% of its field
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

3 citing papers in PubMed, 7 citations in OpenAlex.

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4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

6 authors at 2 institutions in 2 countries.

Cabella LoweCentre for Sports & Exercise Medicine, William Harvey Research Institute, Queen Mary University of London, London, United Kingdom.ORCID https://orcid.org/0000-0002-1168-8731
Harry Hanuman SingCentre for Sports & Exercise Medicine, William Harvey Research Institute, Queen Mary University of London, London, United Kingdom.ORCID https://orcid.org/0000-0003-3429-9648
Mitchell BrowneCentre for Sports & Exercise Medicine, William Harvey Research Institute, Queen Mary University of London, London, United Kingdom.ORCID https://orcid.org/0000-0002-0948-4465
Meshari F AlwashmiFaculty of Medicine, Memorial University, St John's, NL, Canada.ORCID https://orcid.org/0000-0001-5052-5911
William MarshRisk and Information Systems Research Group, School of Electronic Engineering and Computer Science, Queen Mary University of London, London, United Kingdom.ORCID https://orcid.org/0000-0003-0212-6363
Dylan MorrisseyCentre for Sports & Exercise Medicine, William Harvey Research Institute, Queen Mary University of London, London, United Kingdom.ORCID https://orcid.org/0000-0001-7045-3644
Queen Mary University of London · GBMemorial University of Newfoundland · CA

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

backgroundMusculoskeletal conditions account for 16% of global disability, resulting in a negative effect on millions of patients and an increasing burden on health care utilization. Digital technologies that improve health care outcomes and efficiency are considered a priority; however, innovations are often inadequately developed and poorly adopted. Further, they are rarely tested with sufficient rigor in clinical trials-the gold standard for clinical proof of efficacy. We have developed a new musculoskeletal Digital Assessment Routing Tool (DART) that allows users to self-assess and be directed to the right care. DART requires usability testing in preparation for clinical trials.

objectiveThis study will use the iterative convergent mixed methods design to assess and mitigate all serious usability issues to optimize user experience and adoption. Using this methodology, we will provide justifiable confidence to progress to full-scale randomized controlled trials when DART is integrated into clinical management pathways. This study protocol will provide a blueprint for future usability studies of mobile health solutions.

methodsWe will collect qualitative and quantitative data from 20-30 participants aged 18 years and older for 4 months. The exact number of participants recruited will be dependent on the number of iterative cycles required to reach the study end points. Building on previous internal testing and stakeholder involvement, quantitative data collection is defined by the constructs within the ISO 9241-210-2019 standard and the system usability scale, providing a usability score for DART. Guided by the participant responses to quantitative questioning, the researcher will focus the qualitative data collection on specific usability problems. These will then be graded to provide the rationale for further DART system improvements throughout the iterative cycles.

resultsThis study received approval from the Queen Mary University of London Ethics of Research Committee (QMREC2018/48/048) on June 4, 2020. At manuscript submission, study recruitment was on-going, with data collection to be completed and results published in 2021.

conclusionsThis study will provide evidence concerning mobile health DART system usability and acceptance determining system improvements required to support user adoption and minimize suboptimal system usability as a potential confounder within subsequent noninferiority clinical trials. Success should produce a safe effective system with excellent usability, facilitating quicker and easier patient access to appropriate care while reducing the burden on primary and secondary care musculoskeletal services. This deliberately rigorous approach to mobile health innovation could be used as a guide for other developers of similar apps. INTERNATIONAL REGISTERED REPORT IDENTIFIER (IRRID): DERR1-10.2196/27205.

Indexed as

acceptabilitydigital healthdigital technologyeHealthmHealthmobile healthmusculoskeletal conditionsmusculoskeletal injuryphysiotherapy triagetriageusability

Identifiers

PMID34003135
PMCPMC8170557
OpenAlexW3153306891

What OpenQuestion holds

Textmetadata
LicenceCC BY
Read underepoch 390

Registered trials

None linked

Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.