Background: Community-based social participation has shown promise in delaying cognitive decline in older adults with mild cognitive impairment (MCI) who are at risk of developing dementia. Although group storytelling interventions have proven effective, the need for a skilled workforce to support people with MCI can limit broader community implementation. Technology-based interventions may offer a solution to this limitation by replicating the abilities of therapists. Objective: This study aims to co-design a digital storytelling intervention and evaluate its usability. Methods: This co-design process involved 3 stages, engaging people with MCI (n=12), their caregivers (n=4), and therapists (n=5) in Beijing, China. In the first stage, we used card sorting and voting methods to identify potential incentives for social participation and target the specific abilities that people with MCI wanted to enhance. In the second stage, we conducted brainstorming sessions with people with MCI and their caregivers to identify the potential features of a digital storytelling application named Huiyou (“meeting new friends” in Chinese). Finally, we assessed Huiyou’s usability with people with MCI and therapists, leading to iterative improvements based on the usability findings. Results: We uncovered a crucial link between boosting the self-confidence of people with MCI and their ability to address social participation challenges. Notably, we identified memory improvement and enhanced language expression as key factors for effective communication with grandchildren. Subsequently, participants suggested features and interfaces to address these challenges, leading to the development of Huiyou, a group-based digital storytelling application featuring functions such as generating story materials, conducting memory retrieval activities, and sharing stories. It received an “excellent” rating in the User Experience Questionnaire benchmark, displaying high levels of attractiveness, dependability, stimulation, and novelty. People with MCI achieved an average task completion rate of 87% (n=19; SD 0.13) of the 22 tasks. However, feedback from people with MCI and therapists highlighted usability issues in navigation, activity management, user interface, and feature optimization, indicating a need for improved accessibility and efficiency. Conclusions: The co-design approach contributed to developing the Huiyou prototype, supporting community-based social participation. User feedback highlighted the potential of Huiyou to enhance well-being and facilitate meaningful social interactions while maintaining crucial existing relationships.

Because of the spread of smartphones, older adults enjoy the assistance of smartphones. However, fewer mobile applications are designed for older adults. Smartphone user interface (UI) serves as an external brain to capture information, and older adults may have memory complaints that affect self-confidence and lead to memory decline. Non-declarative memory requires more effort. Therefore, this study aims to design and evaluate a to-do list application to help older adults encode, store, and retrieve non-declarative memory, such as tasks they plan to do. We recruited 15 participants (5 men and 10 women) aged 60 to 75 years old (SD = 5.32). They were asked to complete nine usability tasks, and to answer a user experience questionnaire (UEQ) and a few interview questions. Sixty percent of users completed with only one or two attempts (median = 2.80, SD = 1.63). We found three usability issues and proposed an iteration plan. The application has attractiveness, efficiency, dependability, stimulation, novelty, and good perspicuity for older adults. The product was rated excellent except for perspicuity, which met the users’ expectations. This indicates that the user is satisfied with the application prototype. The results of this measurement can be utilized as a benchmark for the next model for developing mobile to-do list applications on user experience.

User experience (UX) has drawn the attention of the banking industry in the past few decades. Although banking systems have a complete service process to ensure financial safety for customers, the mobile banking UX has much potential to be improved. Most research in this field of study relies on existing criteria to describe a user’s experience. However, these criteria are focused more on usability measurement, which neglects to identify the requirements of end-users. Users are asked to give feedback on the provided application, limiting the scope of the user study. Therefore, this study uses mixed methods research and in-depth semi-structured interviews to collect end-user UX requirements to build a UX measurement framework of five main services transfers, including financial management, loans, account openings, and credit cards. This study uses an online survey to validate and revise the framework by applying analytic hierarchy process (AHP) analysis to quantify criteria. We interviewed 17 customers and collected 857 online validation surveys, and 400 customers attended the AHP analysis. As a result, this study proposes a three-level measurement framework for mobile banking applications in a Chinese context. The first-level criteria are scenario requirements (24.03%), data requirements (20.98%), and function requirements (54.99%). We hope that the framework will guide designers and researchers to design better user-friendly user interfaces and improve customer satisfaction rates in the future.

Background: Growing evidence suggests cognitive and social health benefits can be derived from digital storytelling for older adults with cognitive impairment. Digital storytelling apps offer the potential to serve as an on-demand, easy-to-access platform for enhancing cognitive abilities and promoting social well-being. Yet, despite the increasing quantity of such apps being available on the market, there is a gap in research investigating their quality. Objective: This app review aims to assess the digital storytelling apps available in the Chinese market and evaluate them in accordance with the Mobile Application Rating Scale (MARS). The goal was to identify key features and evaluate the overall quality in the context of cognitively impaired users. Methods: A systematic search was conducted in both the Google Play store (Google LLC) and iTunes store (Apple Inc), using English and Chinese keywords. Apps were chosen according to specific criteria that included features, including (but not limited to) memory capture, story saving, cue-based reminiscing, and the ability to share stories or memories with others. The MARS was used by 3 individual researchers to independently assess app quality across several domains, such as engagement, functionality, aesthetics, and information quality, for both Android and iOS apps. Results: From an initial screening of 297 apps, only 9 (3%) met the criteria for detailed evaluation using MARS. The reviewed apps featured capture memory, save, reminisce, and share functions, which are critical in supporting cognitive functions and enhancing user engagement. The analysis revealed patterns in platform diversity and geographical distribution of developers, with apps available on both iOS and Android. Memoirs of Life and Memorize: Diaries, Memories, Notes, Ideas, Timelines, Categories (Fair Apps Mobile) had the highest mean MARS scores of 3.35, indicating strong engagement, functionality, and information quality, while the lowest score was 2.33. The overall mean score across all apps was only 3.03 (SD 0.60), highlighting significant variation, particularly in information quality. User feedback also showed considerable variability, ranging from 0 comments for apps such as Grand Storyteller (VarIT Inc) and PWI Storyteller (Project World Impact, LLC) to as many as 5361 comments for FamilySearch, which received extensive positive reviews. This wide range of user feedback underscores the importance of continuous improvement and user-centered design, particularly in enhancing information quality and content accuracy. Conclusions: The systematic search and evaluation highlight the diverse capabilities yet variable quality of digital storytelling apps available within the Chinese market, reflecting user experiences, satisfaction levels, and efficacy in supporting cognitively impaired users. While some apps excel in engagement and functionality, others need significant improvements in information quality and user interface design to better serve those with cognitive impairments. Future research is recommended to investigate regional limitations and features that would result in more inclusive and effective digital storytelling apps.

Cognitive function declines with age, and when cognitive deterioration reaches a critical value and pathological changes occur, the brain neurons are irreversible. The aging of working memory even has profound adverse effects on older adults. This study aims to understand the psychological and physiological characteristics of older adults and to achieve mobile application design solutions that train working memory. According to the user study, the factors influencing the design of mobile applications for working memory training for older adults were mainly focused on six dimensions: training content, motivation, emotion, interaction, current state, and experience. Design opportunities were transformed, and seven new design strategies were obtained. Nine product functions with the highest priority were selected: daily practice, challenge mode, level-by-level difficulty selection, novice teaching, practice mode, sharing function, two-player mode, ranking, and desktop components. Finally, an interactive prototype was designed for usability testing, and the product solution was iterated based on expert evaluation and user feedback. The results indicate that the interface design provides a good user experience when applied daily. The process and results will be applied to make more solutions for training cognitive functions to be used in different situations.

Background: The current digital storytelling applications present advantages for individuals with Mild Cognitive Impairment (MCI); however, there exists a notable oversight regarding their potential to facilitate group-based storytelling activities with this population. This study endeavors to identify design requirements for a more inclusive and accessible digital storytelling tool for people with MCI. Method: The methodological framework encompasses distinct stages, commencing with focus groups and interviews (Stage 1), followed by prototyping workshops (Stage 2) and qualitative prototype testing (Stage 3). The comprehensive three-stage research involved participants residing in Beijing, China, including 43 people with MCI aged 65–95 years ( M = 79.09, SD = 8.99), with a mean Montreal Cognitive Assessment score of 21.91 (range = 18–26, SD = 2.40). Additionally, 17 care partners and 10 occupational or clinical therapists actively participated. Result: The culmination of the three-stage research process has yielded 12 discernible key design requirements. Preferred storytelling themes center around narratives designed to elicit positive emotions. The narrative material generation process involves a systematic approach, unlocking memories through carefully formulated questions. In memory retrieval, users are provided with hints, bolstering confidence and perpetuating a semblance of face-to-face interaction. The focus in story sharing lies in transcending mere narration and extending it to a wider audience. Conclusion: This case study centers on crafting a digital storytelling application to enhance social connections for people with MCI. It delves into crucial design requirements addressing memory challenges, emphasizing individual preparation and group sharing. The developed digital storytelling application demonstrates potential to offer valuable memory support and foster personal and collective connections. Future research will focus on formal testing to evaluate these outcomes.