Evaluating User Experiences and Preferred Features of a Web-Based 24-Hour Dietary Assessment Tool: Usability Study

Area of Science:

• Nutrition science
• Human-computer interaction
• Public health

Background:

• The Intake24-NZ tool is a web-based 24-hour dietary recall system adapted for New Zealand.
• Customizations necessitated a usability evaluation to ensure effectiveness.

Purpose of the Study:

• To assess the usability of the Intake24-NZ tool.
• To identify areas for improvement in user experience and dietary data collection.

Main Methods:

• A mixed-methods approach was employed, including screen observation and verbal feedback during 24-hour recalls.
• A usability survey was administered to participants.

Main Results:

• Most participants found Intake24-NZ easy to use, but challenges were noted.
• Specific issues included search term accuracy, food result relevance, portion size estimation, and response prompts.

Conclusions:

• The study identified key usability challenges within Intake24-NZ.
• Findings guided improvements to the food list, search functionality, portion size visuals, and user instructions to enhance data quality.