Shift-Integrated mHealth for Safety-Critical Work: Formative Evaluation of a Police Wellbeing App
Authors: Ayorinde, O., Dogan, H., Adedoyin, F., Jiang, N., Bitters, F., Dempsey, S.
Conference: 39th International BCS Human-Computer Interaction Conference 2026 (BRITCHI26)
Dates: 01/11/2026
Publication Date: 03/11/2026
DOI: 10.14236/ewic/BRITCHI26.27
Abstract:Designing mHealth tools for police personnel requires attention to irregular schedules, interrupted breaks and operational unpredictability. This paper reports a qualitative formative usability evaluation of a shift-integrated wellbeing app developed for police shift workers. Seven police personnel with 8–33 years of shift-work experience and three Human-Computer Interaction (HCI) experts participated in a 90-minute guided demonstration and focus group evaluation. Transcripts, facilitator notes and expert usability observations were analysed thematically. Findings show that the usability of a shift-integrated wellbeing tool was shaped by four occupational conditions: operational unpredictability, fragmented interaction windows, institutional trust concerns and shift- linked wellbeing needs. These conditions generated formative design requirements across four areas: operational adaptability, low-burden interaction, learnability and discoverability, and trustworthy schedule-aware wellbeing support. The paper proposes a formative analytic framing of the shift schedule as usability infrastructure in policing and related shift-work settings, describing how shift schedules may shape the timing, adjustability and perceived relevance of wellbeing support when operational work disrupts planned routines.
Source: Manual