Web version of the protocol of the orofacial myofunctional evaluation with scores: usability and learning

Abstract

Purpose The Orofacial Myofunctional Evaluation with Scores (OMES) protocol has been validated and used in clinical practice and research. The goals of this study were to develop, analyze and improve a version of OMES for the Web and to investigate the relationship between the usability judgments and the prior experience of the evaluators and whether using the interface promotes learning, as shown by the task completion time (TCT). Methods Study steps: 1) inspection of the prototype by the team; 2) evaluation of usability by three experienced speech-language pathologists (SLPs); and 3) evaluation of its usability by 12 SLPs with varying levels of experience in the use of OMES. Participants answered the Heuristic evaluation (HE), the Computer System Usability Questionnaire (CSUQ), and expressed free comments. The TCT was recorded. Results The OMES-Web reached excellent usability levels, and the participants were highly satisfied. The correlations between the participants’ experience and the HE and CSUQ scores were not significant. The TCT decreased significantly throughout the tasks. Conclusion OMES-Web meets the usability criteria, and participants feel satisfied with the system regardless of their level of experience. The fact that it is easy to learn favors its adoption by professionals.