The Basics
Invite Web users to customize content to their interests
and provide feedback about their experiences. Examples include:
- Printing information out or e-mailing it to a friend
- Taking a poll or rating the quality of information on
the site
- Entering personal data such as age or weight to get
tailored information
- Using calorie or body mass index (BMI) calculators,
activity logs, recipe finders, personal assessments, and quizzes
Interactive tools increase user engagement.32 Section 2
introduced the idea of engagement. Engagement is the process of involving users
in health content in a way that motivates them to take action.37 Interactive tools that provide personalized
health content can engage users and promote learning.
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Actions
5.1. Include printer-friendly tools and
resources.
Many Web users with limited literacy skills prefer to
print pages from a Web site rather than read text on a computer screen.6,13,16,34 Also, they
may want to share health information with family members or friends who don't
have access to a computer or post it on their refrigerator.
- Provide a link to printable pages. Make
the link or icon clearly visible. If possible, give users the option to print a
single page, a complete section, or just a portion of the text.
Users of NIH SeniorHealth's Web
site can print an entire topic or select specific pages. They also can choose
whether to include images in the printout.
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5.2. Simplify screen-based controls and
enlarge buttons.
Design buttons that are easy to find and click on by
making them:
- Large
- Bright
- Contrasting color from the surrounding text and
background
- Obviously clickable3,13,18,20
Keep in mind that widgets and tools that are too flashy
are often interpreted as advertisements.21
- Some users with limited literacy skills
did not understand the term "submit." Use an alternative label such as "go" or
"get started" for buttons.
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5.3. Include interactive content that
users can tailor—but not too much.
Users want personalized health information, but they don't
want to enter a lot of personal data.14,15,19
This interactive Ovulation and
Due Date Calculator from the Web site for the Office on Women's Health asks for
the date of the user's last menstrual period and the number of days in her
menstrual cycle.
The myhealthfinder tool on
healthfinder.gov prompts users to enter their age, sex, and pregnancy status to
get personalized recommendations. Users can specify whether they are searching
for information for themselves, a child, or someone else.
Create a link between the information entered by users and
their results.15 This can help
compensate for users' limited working memory.
![I'm very comfortable [entering my age]. That way, I get exact information for me, not different age groups.](images/Page-57_quote.gif)
The myhealthfinder results page
from healthfinder.gov includes a summary of the user's personal information
entered on the previous screen.
- Keep required information to a minimum,
and avoid creating accounts or sign-in pages.
If your content requires a registration page, ask for the
minimum amount of information. Be sure to:
- Distinguish between logging in and registering.
- Make the username an e-mail address.
- Keep registration to no more than three screens, and
provide cues (for example, "page 1 of 3").
- Display input fields as a vertical list.
- Include a final results page with questions and
responses.
- Display fields that need corrections on a new page.
Include instructions for correcting information.46–48
This registration form for the
MyPyramid Tracker Web site displays fields as a vertical list.
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5.4. Incorporate audio and visual
features.
Whenever possible, provide health information in multiple
formats, such as audio clips, video clips, or slide shows. Be sure to include a
text alternative or transcript. There is some evidence that audio and video can
enhance comprehension and retention of online information; however, more
research is needed.49–51
NIH SeniorHealth offers short
video clips on popular health topics. Each video includes a transcript and a
help tool.
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5.5. Explore new media such as Twitter
or text messaging.
Text messaging, blogs, Twitter, and Webcasting are
examples of new media. To date, there has been little testing of new media with
users with limited literacy. We expect this will change in the near future.
What we know about new media leads us to believe it holds
potential for reaching people with limited literacy skills for several
reasons:
- Communications are shorter (a message on Twitter is 140
characters or less).
- The tone is conversational.
- Most messages are user-generated.
healthfinder.gov links to news
releases through Twitter updates.
Text messages, also known as SMS (short-message services),
are increasingly being used to reach the public with health messages.52,53 Text
messages can be used for one-way messaging (tips and reminders) or two-way
communication.
Many of the groups receptive to the use of text messaging
for health, such as adults below the poverty threshold and immigrants and
refugees, are also likely to have limited literacy skills.2,52,54
Instructions appear on AIDS.gov
for mobile phone users to send a text message with their ZIP code to "KNOWIT"
(566948). Within seconds, they will receive a text message identifying an HIV
testing site near them.
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Iterative Design Methods and
Tips
Methods
- Prototypes
- Usability testing
Tips for designing and testing your Web site with users
- During testing, observe participants
using the input fields for interactive or personalized tools.
- Give users a sample task to perform
with the tool. Do users know how to use the tool without prompting?
