Success Factors for Usability Testing of Digital Health Solutions

Background: The design and development of patient-centered digital health solutions requires user involvement, for example through usability testing. Although there are guidelines for conducting usability tests, there is a lack of knowledge about the technical, human, and organizational factors that influence the success of the tests. Objective: To summarize the success factors of usability testing in the context of patient-centered digital health solutions. Method: We considered three case studies and collected experiences related to time management, relevance of results and challenges encountered. Results: Success factors relate to participant privacy and data protection, test environment setup, device and application readiness, user comfort and accessibility, test tools and procedures, and adaptability to user limitations. Conclusions: Small organizational and technical details can have a big impact on the outcome of a usability test. Considering the aspects mentioned in this paper will not only save resources but also the trust of the participating patients.