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Are English-language pedometer instructions readable?

Lorraine S Wallace¹, Kenneth Bielak, Brian Linn

¹Dept of Family Medicine, University of Tennessee, Knoxville, TN, USA.

Journal of Physical Activity & Health

|June 17, 2010

Summary

Pedometer instructions often exceed recommended reading levels and lack clear formatting. Enhancing readability and highlighting key information like the 10,000-step goal is crucial for user comprehension.

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Area of Science:

Health Informatics
Human-Computer Interaction
Usability Engineering

Background:

English-language pedometer instructions were evaluated for readability and design.
Key features assessed included reading grade level, layout, formatting, and emphasis of critical information.

Purpose of the Study:

To assess the readability and usability of instructions accompanying pedometers.
To identify areas for improvement in the design of pedometer user manuals.

Main Methods:

Fifteen pedometers available in the US market were selected.
Reading grade levels were determined using Flesch-Kinkaid (FK) and SMOG formulas.
Text size, illustration count, and layout features were quantitatively measured.

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Main Results:

Reading grade levels ranged from 8th to 11th (FK) and 8th to 12th (SMOG).
Average text point size was 6.9, with limited white space in most manuals.
Only 26.7% of instructions highlighted the 10,000 steps-per-day goal.

Conclusions:

Pedometer instructions should be revised to a 6th-grade reading level.
Enlarging paper size, text, illustrations, and increasing white space are recommended.
Prominently highlighting the daily step goal and proper pedometer use is advised.