Design of the user interface for “Stappy”, a sensor-feedback system to facilitate walking in people after stroke: a user-centred approach

Abstract

Introduction: Sensor-feedback systems can be used to support people after stroke during independent practice of gait. The main aim of the study was to describe the user-centred approach to (re)design the user interface of the sensor feedback system “Stappy” for people after stroke, and share the deliverables and key observations from this process.

Methods: The user-centred approach was structured around four phases (the discovery, definition, development and delivery phase) which were fundamental to the design process. Fifteen participants with cognitive and/or physical limitations participated (10 women, 2/3 older than 65). Prototypes were evaluated in multiple test rounds, consisting of 2–7 individual test sessions.

Results: Seven deliverables were created: a list of design requirements, a personae, a user flow, a low-, medium- and high-fidelity prototype and the character “Stappy”. The first six deliverables were necessary tools to design the user interface, whereas the character was a solution resulting from this design process. Key observations related to “readability and contrast of visual information”, “understanding and remembering information”, “physical limitations” were confirmed by and “empathy” was additionally derived from the design process.

Conclusions: The study offers a structured methodology resulting in deliverables and key observations, which can be used to (re)design meaningful user interfaces for people after stroke. Additionally, the study provides a technique that may promote “empathy” through the creation of the character Stappy. The description may provide guidance for health care professionals, researchers or designers in future user interface design projects in which existing products are redesigned for people after stroke.

Implications for rehabilitation

• The case study provides a structured methodology and seven deliverables that may contribute to the (re)design of interfaces of existing supportive technologies for stroke rehabilitation.

• For supportive technologies in stroke rehabilitation important aspects to consider are the provision or presence of “feedback” (sensor-feedback system), “readability and contrast of visual information”, “understanding and remembering information”, “physical limitations” and “empathy”.

• Apart from functional requirements and an understandable user interface, i.e., good usability, our case study demonstrates that the inclusion of a (fictional) character like “Stappy” may lead to a more meaningful and enjoyable user experience.

Keywords:

• Gait
• (re)design
• interface
• sensor-feedback
• feedback
• stroke
• rehabilitation

Correction Statement

This article has been republished with minor changes. These changes do not impact the academic content of the article.

Acknowledgements

The authors would like to thank the participants that took part in the study. We thank Elisabetta Farella and Bojan Milosevic for their openness and support in integrating the new user interface in the technology.

Disclosure statement

The authors report no conflict of interest.

Notes

1 The user flow is a requirement for designing the user interface of the application and depicts the path that a user follows through to complete a certain task, e.g., connecting the sensors to the phone.

Additional information

Funding

This study is financially supported by Nationaal Regieorgaan Praktijkgericht Onderzoek SIA (RAAKPRO; grant number 2014-01-49PRO).