title: Development of a computer-based system for continence health promotion.
abstract: Computer-based systems (CBS) can provide information to help individuals analyze their health care needs and make decisions about management of health problems. This article discusses the development of a CBS that delivers an individualized educational intervention for continence health promotion. System development included cycles of prototype design, testing, analysis, and redesign. Knowledge acquisition, representation methods, and design decisions are discussed. Participants completed 4 rounds of usability testing and a pilot test, which resulted in enhancements to both the CBS and the expert system feature that produced individualized feedback. This iterative design process involved users throughout system development. User involvement resulted in a tutorial to explain navigation and other features of the CBS, graphics to enhance the written message, and clarification of continence-related content. The procedures resulted in an informative, usable product; they can be used to develop systems that provide information about symptom self-management for other health conditions.
authors.affiliation: School of Nursing, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, UNC-CH, Carrington Hall, CB #7460, Chapel Hill, NC 27599-7460, USA. ddboying@email.unc.edu
authors.forename: Alice R
authors.initials: AR
authors.lastname: Boyington
authors.forename: Barbara M
authors.initials: BM
authors.lastname: Wildemuth
authors.forename: Molly C
authors.initials: MC
authors.lastname: Dougherty
authors.forename: Elizabeth Palena
authors.initials: EP
authors.lastname: Hall
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged / Q000523:psychology; D001185:Artificial Intelligence; D001292:Attitude to Computers; D003194:Computer-Assisted Instruction / Q000379:methods*; D005103:Expert Systems; D005240:Feasibility Studies; D005260:Female; D006293:Health Promotion / Q000379:methods*; D006801:Humans; D020380:Needs Assessment; D010353:Patient Education as Topic / Q000379:methods*; D010865:Pilot Projects; D012984:Software; D014549:Urinary Incontinence / Q000517:prevention & control*; D014584:User-Computer Interface; D014930:Women / Q000193:education* / Q000523:psychology