JMIR Publications

ABSTRACT

Technology-based interventions in the field of disability and rehabilitation, which may be assistive, therapeutic, and service delivery in nature, are considered complex due to the skills required of service providers and recipients, degree of individual tailoring, and diversity of use settings. Feasibility evaluation is an important step in the evolution of complex interventions that can help refine the intervention, inform implementation, and prevent wasted resources. However, guidance is lacking regarding specific considerations for evaluating the feasibility of technology-based interventions. This leaves researchers and developers to rely on resources from other fields that do not address important properties of technology-based interventions, such as usability. In this viewpoint article we: (1) Delineate a definition and framework for feasibility studies within the specific context of technology-based disability and rehabilitation interventions; (2) Highlight important and unique imperatives for feasibility studies of these interventions; and (3) Articulate feasibility dimensions and associated evaluation criteria that are relevant to these interventions. Building on previous work, we distinguish between feasibility studies, wherein we focus on iterative intervention refinement by addressing key development questions (e.g., usability), and pilot studies, which are small-scale versions of a larger study that will evaluate intervention outcomes. Integrating previous typologies, we present 13 feasibility dimensions relevant to technology-based interventions and provide sample evaluation criteria. This information may be useful for interest holders within clinical, technical design, academic, industry, and policy communities who play a role in the development, evaluation, and adoption of technology-based interventions. It is hoped that this discussion encourages comprehensive feasibility evaluations that examine unique aspects of technology-based interventions to promote real-world impact.