Improving the usability of a digital neurobehavioral assessment

Abstract

The rapid advancement of technology has encouraged the transition to digital psychological assessment [1–3]. The most recent trend is the use of mobile devices for neurophysiological, clinical, and/or computerized test batteries [4]. This rate of change has led to new and unique usability challenges [5]. The current work evaluated the usability of a neurobehavioral assessment application developed by the National Institute of Health (NIH) and Northwestern University that assesses neurological and behavioral function. A usability analysis of the NIH Toolbox® application, which is capable of assessing cognition, emotion, motor, and sensation, was performed and redesign recommendations were provided. The analysis consisted of: (1) user feedback, (2) heuristic evaluations, and (3) user testing. The analyses, results and recommendations are presented and focus on: (a) Reorganization to support task flow, (b) Search optimization for transparency of options and selections, and (c) Simplicity, for ease of use.