The aim of the PLUS Survey was to investigate the usability, key strengths, limitations, and desired improvements of current online guideline platforms.
Participants included guideline developers, people with lived experience/consumers, clinicians, and policy-makers who had used an online guideline platform.
The anonymous online cross-sectional survey included an adapted version of the System Usability Scale (SUS) and open-ended questions assessing key strengths, barriers, and areas for improvement.
Participants
Key findings
Overall, usability scores were below average regardless of the platform used.
Weaknesses included difficult navigation, slow performance, and lack of suitability to living guidelines.
Strengths included linking evidence to recommendations and producing useful outputs.
Developers desired improved performance, better interoperability and comprehensive data management.
Users (clinicians, people with lived experience and policymakers) wanted a comprehensive search function, easily understandable, customisable presentations and clearly signposted updates.
Conclusion
The ideal living guideline platform should prioritise user experience by offering easy access, intuitive navigation, comprehensive data management and clear presentation of up-to-date, relevant, and evidence-based information.
It needs to support the workflow/needs of both guideline developers and end-users and facilitate the creation, dissemination and implementation of living guidelines.
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