Exploring the user-experience of animation tailoring: A mixed-methods approach comparing animation and video tailoring (Preprint)

BACKGROUND Computer-tailored programs have shown their efficacy to enhance lifestyle behaviours. Video-based messaging improves user evaluations but is expensive and may be replaced by animations. OBJECTIVE This study aimed to explore the effects of animation-based tailoring compared to video-based tailoring on the user-experience, using a modified case intervention: Support-to-Quit. METHODS A randomised controlled cross-over design was used with two periods (animation-based tailoring vs. video-based tailoring). A mixed-methods study was conducted using structured face-to-face interviews and digital questionnaires. The intervention Support-to-Quit was a web-based computer-tailored program to support smoking cessation. We recruited 58 participants (34.9% response rate) with 17 interviewees and 41 survey participations. RESULTS No significant differences in the scores between the video-based and the animation-based versions of the program were obtained (all p-values ≥ 0.14), indicating similar user-experience, and intention to use the program between the delivery modes. Small effect sizes favouring animated texts were found for loyalty and enjoyment. Interviews showed consistent findings, further revealing the specific perceptions surrounding the concepts of the user-experience model, and overall more positive feedback was given to the animated versions CONCLUSIONS This study showed that animation-based tailoring and video-based tailoring yield similar user-experience of smokers. Due to the overall similar user-experience and two trends favouring animated texts, one can argue that animation-based tailoring may be a better and cheaper option from an intervention development perspective. Yet, future studies with larger sample sizes are needed.