User experience evaluation of Cogscreen for screening mild cognitive impairment: Formative and summative evaluation

Area of Science:

• Digital health
• Neuroscience
• Gerontology

Background:

• Mild cognitive impairment (MCI) is a precursor to dementia, necessitating early detection.
• Digital screening tools offer potential for MCI assessment but often face usability challenges.
• Independent completion of cognitive tests is crucial for accuracy and accessibility.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate the usability of Cogscreen, a mobile cognitive screening tool designed for independent use.
• To assess the clarity and usability of Cogscreen's design through expert review.
• To determine task completion rates and user satisfaction with Cogscreen in a target population.

Main Methods:

• A two-step usability evaluation was performed.
• Formative evaluation involved 5 physiatrists assessing design and usability.
• Summative evaluation included 15 participants analyzing task completion and System Usability Scale (SUS) scores.

Main Results:

• Formative evaluation highlighted strengths in interface design and usability, with suggestions for refinement.
• Summative evaluation yielded a 97% task completion rate and an average SUS score of 80.2, indicating strong usability.
• Minor issues were noted in personal information entry and graphical result interpretation.

Conclusions:

• Cogscreen demonstrates high usability as a digital tool for MCI screening.
• The tool shows promise for early detection of cognitive decline.
• Future improvements should focus on error handling and demographic guidance, with validation in diverse populations.