A theoretically driven K4Health website user experience study in new delhi, India

The K4Health project, led by JHU/CCP and partners FHI 360 and MSH, provides the latest research and best practices in the area of reproductive health and family planning through a suite of web-based products and services. India, which had the most hits (21,000) to the K4health website in 2010-2011, has a large network of health care workers who have access to online resources through widespread mobile phone coverage and data and information sharing technologies such as Bluetooth and SD chips.

Given the large audience in India, K4Health conducted a user experience study there to identify how products and services were accessed, used and shared with a goal of identifying strategies to how to make information more “usable.” K4Health's research drew on several theories and models: (1)Brenda Dervin's sense making theory, (2) Knowledge Management Logic Model, (3) Actionability framework (timeliness, quantity, access, language, simplicity), and (4) Sadharanikaran. The first two theoretical frameworks provide a macro-analysis of information while the second two provide a micro-analysis of knowledge with a focus on simplification without dilution and adaptation to the context.

These theories formed the backbone of a user experience study conducted in New Delhi from April-May 2012 with 9 website users and 14 website nonusers using in depth interviews, including policy makers, program managers, researchers, KM professionals and clinicians.

Study participants expressed a need for a website that's alive and interactive, with links to social media. Five instances of KM outcomes were identified. These include two examples of application to capacity building, two instances of the website triggering new thinking and one instance of application to health policy. New thinking includes visual content, information innovation and social media. The results can be used to develop a quantitative evaluation study for KM outcomes.