Usability assessment of a mobile app for art therapy

• Presentation of a mobile app incorporating art therapists’ recommendations.
• A usability evaluation revealed that the app was easy to use and could accommodate those with disabilities or allergies.
• The resulting design considerations may assist art therapists construct their own apps as they continue to use this technology in the field.

Art therapists recently assembled a list of desirable features for an art therapy app. The Art Therapy Draw! app includes two of them in its design: a portfolio option, and stronger security. Five art therapists evaluated the app through a System Usability Scale (SUS). The evaluation revealed both positive qualities of the program and areas requiring improvement. Overall, the layout of the app proved easy to navigate and required little knowledge to operate. It offered more security measures than other apps. In addition, the expert users commented that the app would likely be suitable for use with disabled persons or those allergic to conventional art materials. This study marks a step toward instituting design considerations for emerging mobile art therapy.

Progression from drawing an image to securely saving it.Figure optionsDownload as PowerPoint slide