Development and testing of new upper-limb prosthetic devices: Research designs for usability testing

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Development and testing of new upper-limb
prosthetic devicesResearch designs for
usability testing

• Linda Resnik, PT, PhD, OCS

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• Study Aim
• Describe usability testing and designs and
  methods of usability testing research related to
  upper-limb prosthetics.
• Relevance
• Upper-limb prostheses must meet users needs or
  will likely be abandoned.
• Participants in 2006 State of the Science Meeting
  in Prosthetics and Orthotics identified
  development and evaluation of new, better devices
  as a high priority.

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Concepts

• Usability Research
• Helps ensure that products are designed,
  developed, and optimized to meet user needs.
• User Testing Studies
• Provide feedback on device performance and
  perceived usability from users perspective.
  Methods include-
• Observations of user interacting with device.
• User satisfaction reports.
• Evaluation of usability of specific device
  features.
• Collection of standardized usability metrics.

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Usability Study Design

• Designs
• Single case studies or case series (most common).
• Crossover designs or quasi-experimental studies.
• Typically involve small, purposeful, and
  convenience samples.
• Should represent important subsets of users.
• Often involves qualitative and quantitative
  assessments.
• Quantitative assessments require reliable and
  valid measures appropriate for stage of
  prosthetic development.

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Prosthesis Development Cycle
Development cycle of prostheses (black).
International Classification of Functioning,
Disability, and Health components of assessment
and their location within cycle (gray). Adapted
from Hill W, Stavdahl O, Hermansson LN, Kyberd P,
Swanson S, Hubbard S. Functional outcomes in the
WHO-ICF model Establishment of the Upper Limb
Prosthetic Outcome Measures Group. J Prosthet
Orthot. 200921(2)11519. DOI
10.1097JPO0b013e3181a1d2dc
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Conclusions

• Usability research helps ensure that products are
  designed, developed, and optimized to meet user
  needs.
• Testing method depends on usability attributes
  being assessed.
• Usability testing new to many in prosthetics
  research, but complements other study types
  necessary to advance research and practice in
  upper-limb prosthetics.