Evaluating the Usability of an Exercise Guide Program for Breast Cancer Survivors

Abstract

One in eight U.S. women may be diagnosed with breast cancer in her lifetime. As the number of cancer survivors increases, survivorship should include, but not limited to, long-term care, recurrence prevention, and quality of life. Exercise is a key factor in achieving a satisfactory post-treatment life; nonetheless, a large population of breast cancer survivors remains physically inactive. Inadequate exercise information for survivors whose medical conditions are different from general users increases barriers to adopting physical exercise into their life. The purpose of this research was to evaluate the usability of the exercise guide program for breast cancer survivors to help them meet the exercise requirements recommended by the World Health Organization. The website was designed with Case-Based Learning and the American College of Sports Medicine Roundtable and evaluated by five principles of Nielsen’s heuristics. Ten participants evaluated the ease-of-use of the navigation and validation of the exercise plan in visual design, navigation, contents, and effectiveness of the website. Quantitative and qualitative data were analyzed using descriptive statistics during three iterated rounds. Results indicated the importance of simplicity and user interaction in improving user satisfaction. The further study focuses on young survivors’ unique needs in balanced exercises.