Moderated Poster Australian and New Zealand Stroke Organisation Conference 2025

Improving self-efficacy in survivors of stroke and caregivers, including those with communication difficulties, via website usability testing: a methodological approach (123183)

Katie Nesbitt 1 , Niranjan Bidargaddi 1 , Richard Cullen 2 , Coralie English 3 , Erin Godecke 4 , Dominique Cadilhac 5 , Adrian O'Malley 6 , Annette McGrath 7 , Elizabeth Lynch 1
  1. Flinders University, Adelaide
  2. Stroke Foundation, Melbourne
  3. University of Newcastle, Newcastle
  4. Perron Institute for Neurological and Translational Science, , Perth
  5. Monash University, Melbourne
  6. Lived Experience of Stroke, Sydney
  7. Lived Experience of Stroke, Adelaide

Background/Aims: Usability testing of websites is core business for website designers. Survivors of stroke, particularly those with communication difficulties are rarely included in usability testing. Our team, which included survivors of stroke and carers, developed a website to support self-efficacy to manage life after stroke, and we sought to assess its usability. Accordingly, our aim is to describe the methodological approach designed for usability testing of a website with survivors of stroke, including those with communication difficulties. 

Methods: Established usability testing methodologies were adapted to meet the needs survivors of stroke through consultation with lived experience advisors and a speech pathologist.

Results: Eight survivors of stroke (4 moderate-severe aphasia) and three carers participated in usability testing. Sessions lasted 1-hour and were well tolerated. The final framework/checklist comprised:

  • Determining what to assess
  • Determining who to participate in testing
  • The needs of participant groups
  • Strategies to incorporate into testing procedures to meet participants’ needs
  • Usability outcomes to collect
  • Limitations of usability testing – areas for future testing.

Specific to working with survivors of stroke, the needs of the participant groups and strategies used included allowing extra time for session set up, flexible session length to avoid fatigue and the support of a speech pathologist.

Conclusions: Our methodological approach for usability testing with survivors of stroke, including those with communication difficulties can be used as a resource by other researchers and designers. This can contribute to the standardisation of study procedures and improve study quality and reporting when creating or adapting digital interventions.