Abstract:

The paper presents results of a comprehensive analysis of a mobile health and well-being application containing gamification elements. The Mobile Application Rating Scale (MARS) questionnaire, as a standardized instrument designed to assess the quality of mobile applications, was used in the case study. This method enables covering different aspects of User Experience, including usability, accessibility, user engagement, satisfaction, functionality, aesthetics, and information quality. Additionally, it includes optional sections assessing subjective quality and app-specific effects, which capture the app’s potential influence on users’ health behaviours, knowledge, and outcomes.

As the research object, the Waterful application was chosen. It is a mobile application that is devoted to monitoring the body’s hydration status. It enables tracking the daily fluid intake and developing positive health habits by incorporating the gamification features with engaging reminders and user achievements.

The following criteria were adopted for selecting the research objects: the application had to be mobile and designed for the Android system, have a medical character, and include gamification elements. Additionally, it was required to offer functionalities related to tracking user progress and to have an interface in English.

The experiment was conducted among a diverse research group representing various nationalities. The participant profile covers a diversified age range and gender. All the participants demonstrate basic medical knowledge and proficiency in the use of Android applications. The experiment was conducted using the same English version of the application interface.

This paper presents the results of the application analysis across different aspects using the MARS questionnaire, with respect to various nationality groups. The overall mean MARS score for all participants was 3.97±0.47, demonstrating quite good application quality.

This research was conducted in preparation for implementing MARS into the curriculum for computer science students in the Human-Computer Interaction and Universal Design courses.

Keywords:

Interface quality assessment, mobile health app, MARS, nationalities groups comparison, curriculum preparation.