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Accepted for/Published in: Journal of Medical Internet Research

Date Submitted: Oct 19, 2025
Date Accepted: Jul 13, 2026

The final, peer-reviewed published version of this preprint can be found here:

Developing and Applying a Usability Testing Methodology for a Website With Survivors of Stroke and Caregivers: Tutorial

Nesbitt K, Bidargaddi N, Cullen R, Godecke E, English C, Cadilhac D, O'Malley A, McGrath A, Lynch E

Developing and Applying a Usability Testing Methodology for a Website With Survivors of Stroke and Caregivers: Tutorial

J Med Internet Res 2026;28:e86143

DOI: 10.2196/86143

PMID: 42611529

PMCID: 13535304

Warning: This is an author submission that is not peer-reviewed or edited.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 and applying a usability testing methodology for a website with survivors of stroke and caregivers: a tutorial

  • Katie Nesbitt; 
  • Niranjan Bidargaddi; 
  • Richard Cullen; 
  • Erin Godecke; 
  • Coralie English; 
  • Dominique Cadilhac; 
  • Adrian O'Malley; 
  • Annette McGrath; 
  • Elizabeth Lynch

ABSTRACT

Survivors of stroke, particularly those with communication difficulties, are often excluded from usability testing of digital health tools. This exclusion limits the accessibility and relevance of digital interventions. This tutorial presents a tailored methodology for usability testing of a co-designed website, EmpowerMe, developed to enhance self-efficacy in survivors of stroke and caregivers. A multidisciplinary team created a usability conceptual framework that included survivors with and without communication difficulties. Testing procedures were adapted to accommodate cognitive, motor and communication needs. Outcome measures included usability scores, task completion rates, knowledge acquisition, and user experience feedback. The tutorial offers a replicable framework for inclusive usability testing in digital health, especially for populations with neurological and communication impairments.


 Citation

Please cite as:

Nesbitt K, Bidargaddi N, Cullen R, Godecke E, English C, Cadilhac D, O'Malley A, McGrath A, Lynch E

Developing and Applying a Usability Testing Methodology for a Website With Survivors of Stroke and Caregivers: Tutorial

J Med Internet Res 2026;28:e86143

DOI: 10.2196/86143

PMID: 42611529

PMCID: 13535304

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