JMIR Publications

ABSTRACT

Background:

Web-based Parent Training (PT) programs can strengthen parent-child relationships by equipping caregivers with knowledge and evidence-based strategies to manage behavior. Hybrid facilitation of PT includes facilitator interaction paired with self-administered and web-based PT. Web-based administrative dashboards provide users (e.g., administrators, facilitators, researchers) an integrated platform to monitor parent progress and activities within a PT program or website. Despite the utility and prevalence of administrative dashboards for web-based behavioral interventions, to our knowledge, no research studies have explored the perspectives and insights of dashboard users to enhance user experience and program delivery.

Objective:

The purpose of this study is to evaluate the usability of the administrative dashboard for the ezParent program, a 6-module web-based parent training program for parents of children aged 2-5 years.

Methods:

The study used a descriptive, single group design with administrators who were overseeing implementation of the ezParent program and trained facilitators for hybrid ezParent delivery. Participantsspent at least 30 minutes reviewing and evaluating the ezParent dashboard and then completed a survey of their experience with the dashboard. The survey included the validated 10-item System Usability Scale (SUS) and open-ended questions focusing on user performance, navigation ease, and overall usefulness of the dashboard.

Results:

Participants (n=15) indicated high usability of the ezParent Administrative Dashboard, with SUS scoring a total mean score of 83.5. Most participants (87%) rated the overall user-friendliness of the dashboard as good (20%), excellent (60%), or best imaginable (7%). Open-ended questions revealed the dashboard is or would be useful to monitor parent progress (40%), communicate with parents (13%), review topics for discussion (20%), and identify trends in parent participation engagement with the web-based PT (13%). ezParent administrators (n=4) identified real-time data for ezParent use helps overall management of program uptake. Suggestions for features to add to the dashboard included the ability to track partial progress of program modules (29%), total time spent per module (14%), and exportable reports (7%). Other ideas for improvement included direct messaging capabilities, video-conferencing platform integration, and being able to modify participant account and contact information.

Conclusions:

Results indicate that the dashboard is easy to use and provides functional information to facilitators and administrators in delivering ezParent. Qualitative results indicate that integrating suggested features into the dashboard may help provide a smoother experience for facilitators, administrators, and ultimately the parents using the program. Providing resources for facilitators and administrators in real time to monitor intervention participants progress in a program can be helpful in tracking progress and providing facilitated support in tailoring program content and program completion.