A Tablet-Based Interactive Movement Tool for Pediatric Rehabilitation: Development and Preliminary Usability Evaluation.
Danielle Levac, Helene M Dumas, Waleed Meleis
PMID 30478025WHAT IT FOUND
Seven pediatric therapists found the prototype movement toy hard to operate: selecting games, configuring keys, and moving panels caused frequent failures.
They liked its head, foot, and tactile options, but changes are needed before testing with children.
Key findings
01All participants made errors when using game descriptions to select a game, selecting appropriate game settings, selecting game keys, and opening, closing, or sliding panels.
02Across 26 tasks, 8 were completed successfully by at least one participant and 18 had goal or action failures by at least two participants.
03Therapists reported hardware concerns about fragility and durability, and software problems with key configuration and game settings.
STILL TO COME
How it was doneWhat they foundWhat it means for PTsWhat it means for OTs
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What it does not show
The study did not test children or families, who are the intended users. No clinical utility or effectiveness outcomes were measured. Only 7 therapists participated, and 2 of the 7 did not complete the full cognitive walkthrough. Only 2 occupational therapists participated, so occupational therapy perspectives were thinly represented. The moderators were investigators invested in the device, which may have made therapists less willing to express negative opinions. No member checking or triangulation was used in the qualitative analysis. The sample may not have been large enough to discover all usability problems, and it did not allow comparisons between physical and occupational therapists.
Declared interests
The authors declared no conflicts of interest.
The easy way to misread this
Do not conclude that the FITBoard improves children's movement skills or is ready for clinical use. This study tested prototype usability with therapists only, found frequent task failures, and did not measure child outcomes.