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The Easyline+ project: evaluation of a user interface developed to enhance independent living of elderly and disabled people

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Abstract

This paper reports the usability evaluation of interfaces developed to enable elderly and disabled people interact remotely with kitchen appliances in the home to enhance their independent living. A number of evaluation exercises were undertaken throughout the project’s development, including user-participative workshops and focus groups. This paper focuses on the summative usability evaluation exercise, which comprised a laboratory-based study in a simulated home environment, with a view to determining the appropriateness of employing this approach with potentially vulnerable participants. The study involved 27 participants interacting with the user interface. Their behaviour was observed and recorded, and their interaction with the system was analysed. They were also given a post-session questionnaire, where their opinions of the usability of the interface were solicited. The results of the usability testing were positive, and insight has been gained into how products of this nature can be further improved. The experience of conducting laboratory-based studies with vulnerable users was positive and led to propose in this paper a set of guidelines for future work in evaluating usability for work in this domain.

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Notes

  1. Question 20, which is not shown in the analysis, asked the participant the open question: how would you improve the product?

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Acknowledgments

This work was supported by the European Union funded framework 6 project Easyline+: Low cost advance white goods for a longer independent life of elderly people. [INFSO-IST-045515]. The authors would like to thank all participants involved in the study, and in particular the staff and students of Derwen College, Oswestry, and the members of the Outside/In group, Wrexham.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Centre for Applied Internet Research, Glyndŵr University, Wrexham, Wales, UK

    Rich Picking, Alexia Robinet, John McGinn & Vic Grout

  2. Grupo Tecnodiscap, Universidad de Zaragoza, Zaragoza, Aragon, Spain

    Roberto Casas & Rubén Blasco

Authors
  1. Rich Picking
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  2. Alexia Robinet
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  3. John McGinn
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  4. Vic Grout
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  5. Roberto Casas
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  6. Rubén Blasco
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to Rich Picking.

Appendix: Orientation script used prior to usability evaluation tests

Appendix: Orientation script used prior to usability evaluation tests

“First of all, welcome to the usability lab and thank you for agreeing to participate in this evaluation study.

As you can see, we’ve designed this lab to look like a small living room with a kitchen area. It looks like this because we want to test a new product which aims to make life easier for people who are not as mobile as they once were—perhaps through age or disability. The idea is that when something needs to be dealt with in the house, you don’t necessarily have to run around straight away to sort it out. An example might be that you’ve accidentally left the oven on. Using this product, you can switch it off from here, rather than have to go into the kitchen to sort it out.

We’re going to do that type of thing in this room. When something needs to be dealt with, it will attract your attention through the different displays and help you sort it out. We’ll show you how it works in a little whilst, but in the meantime, we want you to make yourselves comfortable. There’s a television for you to watch, some newspapers and magazines, and plenty of books on the bookshelf. We have drinks too. Would you like a hot drink perhaps?

〈make drinks〉

Today you will be asked to perform some tasks using our system. Our goal is to observe your interaction with it. This will help us to improve the system over time. So, you will have to search for information and complete scenarios or tasks using these interfaces.

〈Show and explain system/interfaces/appliances and the various input devices at hand〉

Your reactions and comments of the interfaces you’ll view will be recorded. In a room nearby, there is someone who also observe your interaction with the system and appliances. During this session I will not be able to offer any suggestions or hints. There may be times, however, you will be asked to explain why you said or did something. You also will be asked a series of questions about your experience at the end of this session.

Here are some things that you should know about your participation:

  • This is not a test of you; you’re testing the system. So don’t worry about making mistakes.

  • There is no right or wrong answer. We really just want to know if we designed the interfaces well for you.

  • If you ever feel that you are lost or cannot complete a scenario with the information that you have been given, please let us know. We’ll ask you what you might do in a real-world setting and then either put you on the right track or move you on to the next scenario.

  • We will be video recording this session for further study if needed. Your name will not be associated or reported with data or findings from this evaluation. Please fill out this consent form.

  • Finally, as you use the system, please behave as you would at home.

Now, let’s begin, shall we?”

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Picking, R., Robinet, A., McGinn, J. et al. The Easyline+ project: evaluation of a user interface developed to enhance independent living of elderly and disabled people. Univ Access Inf Soc 11, 99–112 (2012). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10209-011-0246-8

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