Accepted for/Published in: JMIR Human Factors
Date Submitted: Feb 29, 2024
Date Accepted: Nov 25, 2024
Warning: This is an author submission that is not peer-reviewed or edited. Preprints - unless they show as "accepted" - should not be relied on to guide clinical practice or health-related behavior and should not be reported in news media as established information.
Developing an App for Real-Time Daily Life Observations in a Nursing Home Setting: A User-Centered Co-Design Approach
ABSTRACT
Background:
Insight into the daily lives of older adults, especially those in nursing homes, is crucial for improving their quality of life. Methods such as the Excel-based Maastricht Electronic Daily Life Observation tool (MEDLO) are time-consuming and require extensive manual input, making them difficult to use.
Objective:
The aim of this study was to develop an app-based version of the MEDLO using a User-Centered Design (UCD) approach to enhance efficiency and usability.
Methods:
Participants included a diverse group of researchers and care professionals experienced in using the MEDLO. The UCD approach involved multiple iterative phases including semi-structured interviews, user research sessions, and application development. Data were analyzed using a qualitative (thematic) approach of UCD and user research sessions. This method primed the continuous iterative development of the app, resulting in a Minimum Viable Product (MVP).
Results:
This study included 14 participants, primarily female, from diverse professional backgrounds. Their feedback highlighted the need for efficiency improvements in tool preparation and data management. The app, which was preferred to the traditional Excel-based MEDLO, underwent multiple iterations. Key improvements included automated data handling, an intuitive tablet interface, and functionalities such as randomization and offline data syncing.
Conclusions:
By adopting a UCD, this study successfully transformed the MEDLO tool from an Excel-based system to a more accessible app-based solution. Early and continuous user involvement was key in enhancing the application's usability, demonstrating the importance of user feedback in the development process.
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