Mobile Applications for Participation at the Shopping Mall: Content Analysis and Usability for Persons with Physical Disabilities and Communication or Cognitive Limitations

The aim of this exploratory study was to determine the important features in content and usability of existing mobile applications evaluating environmental barriers and facilitators (EBF) to participation for persons with physical disabilities presenting mild communication or cognitive limitations....

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Main Authors: Claudine Auger, Emilie Leduc, Delphine Labbé, Cassioppée Guay, Brigitte Fillion, Carolina Bottari, Bonnie Swaine
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: MDPI AG 2014-12-01
Series:International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health
Subjects:
Online Access:http://www.mdpi.com/1660-4601/11/12/12777
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spelling doaj-2dc9849053374b78b28f32d35f98b05c2020-11-24T23:14:22ZengMDPI AGInternational Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health1660-46012014-12-011112127771279410.3390/ijerph111212777ijerph111212777Mobile Applications for Participation at the Shopping Mall: Content Analysis and Usability for Persons with Physical Disabilities and Communication or Cognitive LimitationsClaudine Auger0Emilie Leduc1Delphine Labbé2Cassioppée Guay3Brigitte Fillion4Carolina Bottari5Bonnie Swaine6Center for Interdisciplinary Research in Rehabilitation of Greater Montreal—Lucie-Bruneau Rehabilitation Center (CRIR-CRLB), 2275 Avenue Laurier East, Montreal, QC H2H 2N8, CanadaCenter for Interdisciplinary Research in Rehabilitation of Greater Montreal—Lucie-Bruneau Rehabilitation Center (CRIR-CRLB), 2275 Avenue Laurier East, Montreal, QC H2H 2N8, CanadaCenter for Interdisciplinary Research in Rehabilitation of Greater Montreal—Lucie-Bruneau Rehabilitation Center (CRIR-CRLB), 2275 Avenue Laurier East, Montreal, QC H2H 2N8, CanadaCenter for Interdisciplinary Research in Rehabilitation of Greater Montreal—Lucie-Bruneau Rehabilitation Center (CRIR-CRLB), 2275 Avenue Laurier East, Montreal, QC H2H 2N8, CanadaCenter for Interdisciplinary Research in Rehabilitation of Greater Montreal—Lucie-Bruneau Rehabilitation Center (CRIR-CRLB), 2275 Avenue Laurier East, Montreal, QC H2H 2N8, CanadaCenter for Interdisciplinary Research in Rehabilitation of Greater Montreal—Lucie-Bruneau Rehabilitation Center (CRIR-CRLB), 2275 Avenue Laurier East, Montreal, QC H2H 2N8, CanadaCenter for Interdisciplinary Research in Rehabilitation of Greater Montreal—Lucie-Bruneau Rehabilitation Center (CRIR-CRLB), 2275 Avenue Laurier East, Montreal, QC H2H 2N8, CanadaThe aim of this exploratory study was to determine the important features in content and usability of existing mobile applications evaluating environmental barriers and facilitators (EBF) to participation for persons with physical disabilities presenting mild communication or cognitive limitations. A rigorous process based on a user-centered design approach led to the identification of two relevant mobile applications to evaluate the EBF. An accessibility expert, the research team as well as five users then tested the mobile applications in a shopping mall. A thematic content analysis of the research team’s and users’ comments established 10 categories of key features that adequately respond to the needs of the clientele targeted in this study. In terms of content, granularity and contextualization of the information provided were considered important. With respect to usability, relevant features were place finding, rating system, presentation of results, compatibility, user-friendliness, aesthetics, credibility of the information as well as connectivity/interactiveness. The research team and the users agreed on some aspects such as aesthetics, but had different perspectives on features such as the rating system or the connectivity/interactiveness of the application. The users proposed new features suggesting that the existing mobile applications did not correspond to all their needs.http://www.mdpi.com/1660-4601/11/12/12777universal designmobile applicationsparticipationuser-centered designevaluation
collection DOAJ
language English
format Article
sources DOAJ
author Claudine Auger
Emilie Leduc
Delphine Labbé
Cassioppée Guay
Brigitte Fillion
Carolina Bottari
Bonnie Swaine
spellingShingle Claudine Auger
Emilie Leduc
Delphine Labbé
Cassioppée Guay
Brigitte Fillion
Carolina Bottari
Bonnie Swaine
Mobile Applications for Participation at the Shopping Mall: Content Analysis and Usability for Persons with Physical Disabilities and Communication or Cognitive Limitations
International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health
universal design
mobile applications
participation
user-centered design
evaluation
author_facet Claudine Auger
Emilie Leduc
Delphine Labbé
Cassioppée Guay
Brigitte Fillion
Carolina Bottari
Bonnie Swaine
author_sort Claudine Auger
title Mobile Applications for Participation at the Shopping Mall: Content Analysis and Usability for Persons with Physical Disabilities and Communication or Cognitive Limitations
title_short Mobile Applications for Participation at the Shopping Mall: Content Analysis and Usability for Persons with Physical Disabilities and Communication or Cognitive Limitations
title_full Mobile Applications for Participation at the Shopping Mall: Content Analysis and Usability for Persons with Physical Disabilities and Communication or Cognitive Limitations
title_fullStr Mobile Applications for Participation at the Shopping Mall: Content Analysis and Usability for Persons with Physical Disabilities and Communication or Cognitive Limitations
title_full_unstemmed Mobile Applications for Participation at the Shopping Mall: Content Analysis and Usability for Persons with Physical Disabilities and Communication or Cognitive Limitations
title_sort mobile applications for participation at the shopping mall: content analysis and usability for persons with physical disabilities and communication or cognitive limitations
publisher MDPI AG
series International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health
issn 1660-4601
publishDate 2014-12-01
description The aim of this exploratory study was to determine the important features in content and usability of existing mobile applications evaluating environmental barriers and facilitators (EBF) to participation for persons with physical disabilities presenting mild communication or cognitive limitations. A rigorous process based on a user-centered design approach led to the identification of two relevant mobile applications to evaluate the EBF. An accessibility expert, the research team as well as five users then tested the mobile applications in a shopping mall. A thematic content analysis of the research team’s and users’ comments established 10 categories of key features that adequately respond to the needs of the clientele targeted in this study. In terms of content, granularity and contextualization of the information provided were considered important. With respect to usability, relevant features were place finding, rating system, presentation of results, compatibility, user-friendliness, aesthetics, credibility of the information as well as connectivity/interactiveness. The research team and the users agreed on some aspects such as aesthetics, but had different perspectives on features such as the rating system or the connectivity/interactiveness of the application. The users proposed new features suggesting that the existing mobile applications did not correspond to all their needs.
topic universal design
mobile applications
participation
user-centered design
evaluation
url http://www.mdpi.com/1660-4601/11/12/12777
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