Acceptability and Usability of a Digital Platform Promoting Mental Health at Work: A Qualitative Evaluation

Abstract

The increase of digital health solutions to mitigate work-related mental health issues has been marked, and the COVID-19 pandemic has further reinforced this trend. This paper evaluates the usability and acceptability of a digital platform developed to provide tools and resources to support key organizational stakeholders. Through semi-structured interviews with think-aloud and cognitive walkthrough techniques, 31 potential end-users identified critical factors influencing the usability and acceptability of the platform. Key usability themes included the perceived intuitiveness of the system, clarity of information, and users’ emotional response to the platform tools, namely perceived enjoyment. Acceptability themes included performance expectancy, trust, and facilitating conditions. The findings provide insights for both research and practice, enriching the understanding of the usability and acceptability of digital health platforms from the perspectives of different organizational stakeholders. This knowledge can also guide designers and developers of eHealth applications in the workplace.