Light, activity, and sleep: Design and usability evaluations of a web-based course supporting changes to routines and the home

While research indicates that indoor lighting, exposure to daylight, physical activity, and sleep interact to influence functioning, mood, and daily rhythm, strategies are needed to support behavioral changes among older adults who often spend more time at home after retirement. The objective was to design a web-based course to encourage behavior change related to light, activity, and sleep. Grounded in the information-motivation-behavioral skills model, the course aims to promote well-being and improve lighting and darkness conditions at home. The technology acceptance model was used as a framework for evaluating usability aspects of the course. Data were collected through video observations, interviews, and questionnaires. Three experts on pedagogy, design for older adults, and/or interaction design were invited to independently assess usability of the course content in a full-scale model of an apartment. Six adults (age 70 – 79) participated in a similar usability evaluation in a second round in the apartment. A two-step usability evaluation by experts in the first round and target users in the second proved valuable. Findings enabled refinement of the course content and significantly reduced the number of identified usability issues in the second round. All six participants in the second round rated the overall user-friendliness as 6 out of 7. Changes to the content after the second round included, e.g., clarifying the different types of text links and considering issues with online enrolment in the course. The web-based course, supplemented with physical meetings, can benefit late-life learners because of the relevant easy-to-use content.