Evaluation of a gamified digital intervention programme for self-management of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease: protocol for convergent mixed-methods usability testing study

Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) imposes a substantial health burden, and while digital health tools such as mHealth apps offer promise for supporting self-management, their effectiveness hinges on usability and user acceptance. This paper describes the protocol for a usability testing study to evaluate the usability among individuals with COPD who use a gamified intervention (‘HooHoo Frog’) to transform conventional breathing exercises into interactive activities. The planned usability testing study will use a convergent mixed-methods design, combining a questionnaire survey and semi-structured interviews. Participants will be recruited via online advertisements combined with offline clinics advertisements, then complete the study online through Zoom, including task interaction, survey completion, and interviews. Measures will include the System Usability Scale (SUS), User Satisfaction Evaluation Questionnaire (USEQ), as well as a semi-structured interview. We plan to conduct a mixed-methods usability testing study to evaluate the gamified interventions’ usability. The SUS and USEQ will provide important insights into whether the intervention has reached an acceptable level of usability and user experience to support progression to a subsequent randomised controlled trial. This protocol outlines a convergent mixed methods study to evaluate the usability of the gamified digital intervention for individuals with COPD. The findings will provide preliminary evidence for application refinements and a larger randomised controlled trial.