Enhancing Usability of Mobile Health Applications for Time Strapped Office Workers with Busy Work Life

Abstract

In today's fast paced contemporary world, where office workers often find themselves managing a multitude of tasks and responsibilities, the role of mobile health applications has become pivotal in delivering accessible and effective healthcare support. Modern office workers face the challenge of balancing demanding work schedules, family commitments, and personal obligations, leaving limited opportunities to maintain a healthy lifestyle. Mobile health applications have emerged as a vital solution in this digital era, addressing the needs of individuals striving to sustain their well-being amidst the demands of their professional careers and personal lives. As the pressures of the contemporary workplace increasingly encroach on leisure time, it is imperative to examine and optimize the usability of mobile health apps to ensure they effectively engage and satisfy users. This thesis addresses the specific challenges encountered by office workers in the adoption of mobile health applications, explores potential solutions to overcome these challenges, and investigates strategies for enhancing usability and user experience. Initial user Interviews (8 Participants) revealed several issues experienced by office workers while using mobile health applications, including usability concerns, navigation difficulties, frustrations with manual data entry, accessibility, and privacy issues, among others. In response to these key pain points identified in the initial interviews, an interactive high-fidelity prototype of the mobile health application "Health Mentor" was developed to support office workers in their daily lives. "Health Mentor" offers a simplified user interface, personalized health monitoring and exercise plans, enhanced self-care tools, efficient health management, and social connectivity features. To evaluate the design and usability of the "Health Mentor" application, evaluation interviews (6 Participants) were conducted to assess its alignment with user needs and preferences, yielding promising results. Users expressed a favorable inclination towards the design, particularly appreciating the health monitoring and customizable health features, indicating a willingness to utilize the application to maintain their fitness and overall well-being. This research effectively elucidates the challenges faced by office workers in their daily lives and proposes "Health Mentor" as a tailored user-centric solution to address to empower office workers in managing their health and well-being effectively. Application designers need to consider more user-friendly designs with motivational reminders, keeping in mind different user groups, goals and ethnicities for an all-inclusive design for better usage.