HealthCoach4Me

Evaluation and RecommendationsEsther Sheppard

IDIA612

Home page:“Take Charge of Your Health”

Activates users to take action

Pat

ient

Act

ivat

ion

Mea

sure

Goal: Visual simplification; V

isua

l Sim

plif

icat

ion

1. Three large boxes at bottom are more distinguishable then elements above.

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Site has vibrant color; implies energy, success, and fun with lots of information. Users can identify with portraits. Homepage is visually too busy; hard to read/scan

Hea

lthc

oach

4Me.

com

Hom

e pa

ge

1.Too much motion2. Not enough negative (empty/quiet) space

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By simplifying visual space user can find and read primary information easily

Vis

ual S

impl

ific

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n

Visual simplification

Vis

ual S

impl

ific

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1. Registration buttons have been consolidated to one prominent location. In interior pages it is a rectilinear button in similar location.

2. Animated squares were removed and replaced with two links to videos. “Why Register” was removed.

3. More negative space as well as appropriate space between lines of text makes reading and scanning easier to communicate important information.

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Healthcoach4Me.com

• Includes audience of older adults

– Stress Management

– COPD

– Heart Disease

– Diabetes

– Medicine

Aud

ienc

e

Goal: Navigation which is usable for all targeted age groups; Use proportional size to distance of targets

Nav

igat

ion

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1. The purple space between the main navigation and secondary navigation is too wide and isn’t utilized effectively.

2. The distance between links is too far and the targets are too small.3. Result: Older adults will have a more difficult time using the site.

Navigation is usable for all targeted age groups; Proportional size to distance of targets

Nav

igat

ion

1. Main navigation is grouped closely and larger in scale. Health Library opens to reveal Health Management and Medical Conditions categories.

2. My Coaching Plan slides down to accommodate two categories.

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Goal: Enable users to skip repetitive navigation linksN

avig

atio

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The previous animated program list opens to the same list which requires an added step to register or take a tour.

Nav

igat

ion

Process Flows: Animated Programs on left. Proposal on right.N

avig

atio

n

Home

Health Library

Health Management

Medicine

Home

View all Programs

Registration form

Dashboard

Health Library

Medicine

The previous animated program list which constitutes the Health Library, has been reorganized into two categories which open to reveal linked text.

Nav

igat

ion

1. Icons have been removed.2. Alternative, static, healthful happy person imageResult: Navigation is in one place; links go directly to content.

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Goal: Error PreventionE

rror

Pre

vent

ion

1. Unnecessary space contributes to need to scroll (2).3. Text is too small and not spaced well.Result: Chunking would enable older users to register more easily

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Provide clear feedback on actions; fix bugP

robl

em w

ith

logi

n

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1. Email is already registered but doesn’t match records.2. Password is correct

Registration ProcessE

rror

Pre

vent

ion

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1. Login and Register take user to one point of entry.

Login or register entry pointE

rror

Pre

vent

ion

User has single page to complete login process or initiate registration.

Text block is chunked to eliminate scrollingE

rror

Pre

vent

ion

Separation of text block from form enables quick scanning.

Goal: Consistency and AnticipationE

rror

Pre

vent

ion

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1. Registration steps let user know where they are in process2. Input is in consistent location

Consistency of location of inputE

rror

Pre

vent

ion

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1. Next Step in same location.

“Start my Coaching Plan” finalizes process with “Submit”E

rror

Pre

vent

ion

“Explore” programs are redundant with health library but don’t have a clear purpose.

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Alternative proposal on home page: “Try a Health Tool”H

ealt

h T

ools

Health Tools: Three health tools for users to sample directly.

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lth

Too

ls

Process Flows: Animated Programs on left. “Try a Health Tool” on right.H

ealt

h T

ools

Home

Try a Health Tool

Relaxation Activity

Home

View all Programs

Registration form

Dashboard

Health Library

COPD

Result: •Direct Access to tool•Less Frustration•Experiential information delivered•Provides broader understanding of resources on site•Interactive

Recommendations:• Consider older users as guide for interface and interaction design

• Simplify visual space

• Simplify and reorganize navigation; utilize Fitts’ Law

• Minimize vertical scrolling

• Use familiar language

• Organize registration for one point of entry; simplified visual field, consistency and anticipation

• Reconsider goal of animated program list; use minimal selection to inform potential members of available tools with direct action and broaden their understanding of what the site offers.

Additional recommendation:

• Consider content inventory of all PDF’s and reorganize to inform categorizations and access.

References Athavale, A., V., (2010) Usability evaluation of two websites providing

information on Diabetes. Journal of Health Informatics in Developing Countries. Vol.4 •

No.2.P46. Retrieved June 1, 2011 from http://www.jhidc.org/index.php/jhidc/article/viewFile/48/82

Chisnell,D, E., Redish, J, C., Lee, A. (2006) New heuristics for understanding older adults as web users. Retrieved May 28,2011 from www.usabilityworks.net/resources/chisnell_redish_lee_heuristics.pdf

De Jong, M., Van Der Geest, T., (2000) Characterizing web heuristics. TechnicalCommunication 47 pp 311-25. Retrieved May 28, 2011 from http://echo.iat.sfu.ca/library/jong_00_heuristics.pdf

Hibbard, J. (2007) The elusive health care consumer: What will it take to activate patients? Retrieved May 28, 2011 from http://www.academyhealth.org/Publications/BriefList.cfm?navItemNumber=534

Koivunen, M-R., McCathieNevile, C. (2009) Accesible graphics and multimedia on the web. Retreived on May 31, 2011 from http://www.w3.org/2001/05/hfweb/heuristics.htm

Nielsen, J. Ten usability heuristics. Retrieved on May 28, 2011. http://www.useit.com/papers/heuristic/heuristic_list.html

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References Paddison. C., Englefield, P., (2004) Applying heuristics to accessibility inspections. Interacting

with Computers 16, pp. 507–521. Retrieved May 28,2011 from: http://www.elsevier.com/locate/intcom

Randeree, E. and Rao, H.R. (2004) ‘E-health and assurance: curing hospital websites’, Int. J. Electronic Healthcare, Vol. 1, No. 1, pp.33–46.

Research-based web design & usability guidelines. Retrieved June 1, 2011 from

http://www.usability.gov/guidelines/

Section 508 standards guide Retrieved May 28, 2011 fromhttp://www.section508.gov/index.cfm?fuseAction=stdsdoc#Web

Tognazzini, B. First principles of interaction design Retrieved May 29, 2011 from http://www.asktog.com/basics/firstPrinciples.html

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