Usability Evaluation of a Distributed User Interface Application for Visuomotor Organization Assessment.

Area of Science:

• Rehabilitation technology
• Neuroscience
• Occupational therapy

Background:

• Acquired brain injury (ABI) assessment often relies on traditional methods that can be cumbersome.
• A novel distributed user interface (DUI) application was developed to streamline visuomotor organization ability assessments.
• The DUI allows patients to interact with a touchscreen while therapists observe remotely, improving upon traditional assessment methodologies.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate the quality in use of DUIs for the Pegboard Construction assessment in patients with ABI.
• To gather therapist perspectives on the usability of DUIs in occupational therapy settings.
• To assess the effectiveness of a new digital tool for diagnosing and assessing ABI patients.

Main Methods:

• A usability evaluation was conducted following ISO/IEC 25010 and ISO/IEC 25062 standards.
• The evaluation involved collaboration with therapists and psychologists experienced in ABI assessment.
• The system was tested to measure task completeness, time, errors, and assistance required.

Main Results:

• Data on task completeness (assisted vs. unassisted), completion time, number of mistakes, and assists required were collected.
• User satisfaction was evaluated using the System Usability Scale.
• Results indicate high participant satisfaction and adherence to software quality standards.

Conclusions:

• Information technology, specifically DUIs, simplifies and automates assessments for therapists.
• The DUI application provides an efficient and user-friendly digital alternative to traditional paper-based assessments.
• The high satisfaction rates demonstrate the successful usability and design of the DUI application for ABI assessment.