User Interface Design Factors Influencing Perceived Usability in Digital Health Platforms

Abstract

Digital health platforms have become a primary channel for delivering healthcare services, yet many mobile and web applications continue to exhibit usability issues that limit user growth and time-on-task. Given that user interface (UI) design quality fundamentally shapes perceptions, behaviours, and experience, this study identified the key UI attributes that drive perceived usability from a user-centred, design-oriented standpoint. A quantitative design was adopted, using a structured survey administered to users of mobile and web-based digital health applications. Guided by the Technology Acceptance Model (TAM), the framework examined relationships between perceived usability and UI factors, including visual clarity, layout consistency, navigation structure, colour and typography, and feedback mechanisms. Descriptive statistics profiled respondents and usage patterns, while inferential analyses tested the significance of associations among constructs. Findings indicate that visual clarity, simple navigation, and interface consistency are the strongest predictors of perceived usability, while aesthetic appeal supports user confidence and reduces interaction difficulty. Timely feedback cues and readable typography further contributed, especially during common tasks such as appointment booking, teleconsultation, medication tracking, and viewing personal records. These results underscore the central role of UI design in shaping usability judgements in digital health contexts. Well-designed interfaces not only make functions easier to learn and execute, but also cultivate positive perceptions that enable sustained acceptance and adoption of digital health platforms. The study recommends that healthcare application designers and developers prioritise evidence-based, user-centred UI decisions and pursue innovative yet consistent interaction patterns to meet users’ expectations for effective, user-friendly digital health services.