Information for the public about disease: usability issues in the development of the National Electronic Library for Communicable Diseases

Williams, Peter; Madle, Gemma; Weinberg, Johannes; Kostkova, Patty; Mani-Saada, Jane

doi:10.1108/00012530410529468

Cited by 8 publications

(7 citation statements)

References 9 publications

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“…The findings of this research also suggest the usefulness of using open-ended questions in the satisfaction questionnaire to identify additional and specific usability problems on a JMS system, problems which could not be identified using the performance data and observation. This is in agreement with the findings of a previous study which also included open-ended questions in the satisfaction questionnaire, and found that this method provided greater depth of usability problems on the tested site [19].…”

Section: B Quantitative Datasupporting

confidence: 92%

Usability Testing for IAJIT OpenConf Journal Management System

Hasan¹,

Abuelrub²

2013

JSW

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The technological advances of the 21^st century and the increasing use of the Internet have provided new ways to manage the processes of scientific journals, and led journals to employ electronic journal management systems using the web. Journals seeking to achieve significant benefits through their electronic journal management systems should create effective and usable web systems to ensure successful interaction and communication with their users (i.e. authors, reviewers, and advocators). Despite the importance of making journal management systems usable, there is a lack of research that investigates the usability of such systems. This paper presents the findings from a usability evaluation for IAJIT OpenConf Journal Management System (JMS) of the International Arab Journal of Information Technology (IAJIT) using user testing method. IAJIT OpenConf JMS is a customized version of OpenConf, which used the main screens of OpenConf. OpenConf is a common management system that is used worldwide to manage the processes of various scientific events (i.e. conference, workshops, and symposia). The focus of the evaluation was to identify usability problems of the system from the point of view of three groups of users: authors, reviewers, and advocators. The findings highlight nine areas with usability problems in the OpenConf management system related to its main screens and functionality. General recommendations to OpenConf management system were suggested.

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Section: B Quantitative Datasupporting

confidence: 92%

Usability Testing for IAJIT OpenConf Journal Management System

Hasan¹,

Abuelrub²

2013

JSW

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“…Unlike previous work by the Rix Centre looking at usability of ICT with regard to people with learning disabilities (Williams, 2006; Williams and Minnion, 2007; Williams and Nicholas, 2006), as participants in this study had only mild to moderate learning difficulties the researchers could approximate the method of usability they have undertaken with people who do not have learning disabilities (e.g. Williams, Madle, Weinberg et al., 2004; Williams and Nicholas, 2001; Williams, Nicholas, Huntington et al., 2002a, b). This consists of observing and interviewing groups of ‘real’ users (i.e.…”

Section: Methodsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Testing a web information portal for people with learning disabilities

Williams

Hanson-Baldauf

2010

Journal of Research in Special Educational Needs

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This paper contributes to an incremental base of research exploring usability issues related to information and communication experiences and needs of individuals with learning difficulties. A web portal designed specifically with the intended users in mind (i.e. individuals with learning difficulties) has been developed and piloted through a Rix Centre (UEL (University of East London) ) initiative in collaboration with a number of schools and adult service organisations. Seven individuals aged 14–16 years and identified with mild learning difficulties participated in the study. Assessment of findings includes evidence of participant self‐directed interest and initiated use of web technologies, recognition and competent utilisation of basic navigation tools, and simple task completion within the web portal itself. Areas of noted interest warranting further exploration include participant behaviour in regard to limited length, depth, and frequency of individual web site browsing; participant difficulty with advanced navigation skills and eye–hand coordination connected to directed cursor movement and mouse manipulation; and web content readability levels. Additionally, further consideration exploring a user's degree of real information acquisition is necessary better to ensure meaningful and relevant web experiences for individuals with learning difficulties.

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“…While these studies provide cumulative data on Internet usage, it is also essential to investigate users’ search and online behavior to understand their online information needs and how these are fulfilled technically as well as in the context of site usability [9]. Furthermore, do members of the public access medical information online for the same reasons as health care professionals and does their search behavior differ?…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Major Infection Events Over 5 Years: How Is Media Coverage Influencing Online Information Needs of Health Care Professionals and the Public?

Kostkova¹,

Fowler²,

Wiseman³

et al. 2013

J Med Internet Res

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BackgroundThe last decade witnessed turbulent events in public health. Emerging infections, increase of antimicrobial resistance, deliberately released threats and ongoing battles with common illnesses were amplified by the spread of disease through increased international travel. The Internet has dramatically changed the availability of information about outbreaks; however, little research has been done in comparing the online behavior of public and professionals around the same events and the effect of media coverage of outbreaks on information needs.ObjectiveTo investigate professional and public online information needs around major infection outbreaks and correlate these with media coverage. Questions include (1) How do health care professionals’ online needs for public health and infection control information differ from those of the public?, (2) Does dramatic media coverage of outbreaks contribute to the information needs among the public?, and (3) How do incidents of diseases and major policy events relate to the information needs of professionals?MethodsWe used three longitudinal time-based datasets from mid-2006 until end of 2010: (1) a unique record of professional online behavior on UK infection portals: National electronic Library of Infection and National Resource of Infection Control (NeLI/NRIC), (2) equivalent public online information needs (Google Trends), and (3) relevant media coverage (LexisNexis). Analysis of NeLI/NRIC logs identified the highest interest around six major infectious diseases: Clostridium difficile (C difficile)/Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA), tuberculosis, meningitis, norovirus, and influenza. After pre-processing, the datasets were analyzed and triangulated with each other.ResultsPublic information needs were more static, following the actual disease occurrence less than those of professionals, whose needs increase with public health events (eg, MRSA/C difficile) and the release of major national policies or important documents. Media coverage of events resulted in major public interest (eg, the 2007/2008 UK outbreak of C difficile/MRSA). An exception was norovirus, showing a seasonal pattern for both public and professionals, which matched the periodic disease occurrence. Meningitis was a clear example of a disease with heightened media coverage tending to focus on individual and celebrity cases. Influenza was a major concern during the 2009 H1N1 outbreak creating massive public interest in line with the spring and autumn peaks in cases; although in autumn 2009, there was no corresponding increase in media coverage. Online resources play an increasing role in fulfilling professionals’ and public information needs.ConclusionsSignificant factors related to a surge of professional interest around a disease were typically key publications and major policy changes. Public interests seem more static and correlate with media influence but to a lesser extent than expected. The only exception was norovirus, exhibiting online public and professional interest corr...

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Information for the public about disease: usability issues in the development of the National Electronic Library for Communicable Diseases

Cited by 8 publications

References 9 publications

Usability Testing for IAJIT OpenConf Journal Management System

Usability Testing for IAJIT OpenConf Journal Management System

Testing a web information portal for people with learning disabilities

Major Infection Events Over 5 Years: How Is Media Coverage Influencing Online Information Needs of Health Care Professionals and the Public?

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