Assessment of a Wireless Health Program for HIV Prevention Among Diverse Young Men of Different Ethnic Backgrounds: User Experience Investigation
In an effort to enhance its potential as an HIV prevention tool, the MyPEEPS Mobile app has undergone significant refinements and improvements following a comprehensive usability study. The app, a mobile web application, was initially based on an evidence-based, face-to-face HIV prevention curriculum.
The usability study, which involved experts and end users, aimed to assess the app's usability from both perspectives. A heuristic evaluation with five informatics experts was conducted to identify violations of usability principles, while end user usability testing with 20 young men aged 15 to 18 years was carried out in New York, NY, Birmingham, AL, and Chicago, IL to identify potential obstacles to their use of the app.
The findings revealed usability violations with severity ratings ranging mostly between minor to moderate problems, indicating opportunities for enhancement rather than catastrophic failures. Based on the feedback, several key improvements were implemented:
- Enhancement of task-focused design: Navigation and task flows within the app were streamlined to make it easier for users to complete HIV prevention activities.
- Adaptability for diverse mobile environments: Adjustments were made to improve the app's functionality and display across various mobile devices and screen sizes, enhancing engagement and accessibility.
- User interface (UI) enhancements: The app introduced more intuitive controls, clearer prompts, and better visual organization of content to improve overall ease of use.
- Incorporation of user options and functionalities: Developers expanded available options and content to cater to diverse user needs and preferences, increasing personalization and engagement.
These improvements aimed to reduce usability obstacles identified during testing, thereby increasing the MyPEEPS Mobile app's effectiveness and appeal. The expert and end-user driven iterative design process ensured the app became more user-centered and contextually adaptable.
The mean scores of heuristic violation severity, as rated by experts, ranged from 0.4 to 2.6. End users provided comments and recommendations for further improving the app's usability. The mean of the overall Post-Study System Usability Questionnaire scores, rated by end users, was 1.63 (SD 0.65), reflecting strong user acceptance of the app.
The pilot study, which will not be limited to New York, Birmingham, and Chicago, aims to evaluate the app's usability in real-world scenarios and assess its acceptability across diverse sexual minority young men in their everyday lives. The goal is to refine MyPEEPES Mobile for wider use, not just for HIV prevention information delivery.
It's worth noting that young men aged 13-24 years account for 21% of new HIV diagnoses in the United States. These refinements and improvements to the MyPEEPS Mobile app could play a crucial role in reaching this demographic and promoting HIV prevention efforts.
- The refinements made to the MyPEEPS Mobile app, including a task-focused design, adaptability for diverse mobile environments, user interface enhancements, and the incorporation of user options and functionalities, demonstrate the application of media analytics and technology to better cater to the health-and-wellness needs of users, specifically in the area of mental health and HIV prevention.
- The streamlined navigation and task flows, improved functionality across different devices and screen sizes, more intuitive controls, clearer prompts, and better visual organization of content within the MyPEEPS Mobile app are examples of how science and facial coding can be employed in the design of gadgets like smartphones to enhance user experience and promote mental health awareness.
- The expert and end-user driven iterative design process used in the development of the MyPEEPS Mobile app shows the potential of health-and-wellness apps to leverage technology and media analytics for creating user-centered solutions that are contextually adaptable and appealing to their target demographic.
- The success of the MyPEEPS Mobile app in scoring high on usability tests and user acceptance suggests that such health-and-wellness apps, when designed effectively, can play a significant role in bridging the gap between science, technology, and the health needs of young adults, especially in critical areas such as HIV prevention and mental health support.
