User-Centered Design for Gamified Voice and Communication App: Applying UCD to gender-affirming communication services

At present, there is no gamified app for voice and communication change desired by gender diverse people. However, UCD and gamification have led to increased user engagement, practice frequency, and skill learning in other healthcare scenarios. Optimizing behavior change using a UCD app is consistent with culturally-responsive, person-centered care in which an individual is empowered and able to access appropriate care. An app designed to facilitate voice and communication change has potential to be a valuable resource for a transgender person’s communication situation and overall well-being. This study aimed to investigate target user perceptions of potential voice and communication app features and design components to inform future app design for optimum communication-related well-being. Participants completed an electronic survey and a brief interview with investigators to expand upon survey responses. Participants in this study indicated greater predicted practice frequency when using a gamified app to practice voice- and communication-related skills compared with other practice options (e.g., following written instructions). In general, participants preferred primary task support features and dialogue support features (i.e., features to facilitate/improve performance of target behaviors) over system credibility and social support features (i.e., features to verify provided information and to engage/collaborate with other users). Participants in this study indicated a collective desire for customization of accessibility features, and indicated individual-specific variations in customizable feature preferences for color scheme, font, icon size, and player profile. Using UCD in gamified voice and communication practice app design therefore offers a promising path to improve access to person-centered, culturally-responsive voice and communication service provision.

Author

• Philippone, Maura

Language

• en

Keyword

• user-centered design
• app
• voice therapy
• transgender
• gamification
• gender diverse

Date created

• 2022

Type of Work

• Master's Thesis

License

• All rights reserved

Rights statement

• In Copyright

GW Unit

• Speech-Language Pathology

Degree

• M.A.

Advisor

• Hancock, Adrienne B

Committee Member(s)

• Kopf, Lisa
• Brundage, Shelley B

Persistent URL

•  https://scholarspace.library.gwu.edu/etd/p8418p009