Usability factors influencing the continuance intention of disaster apps: A mixed-methods study

Abstract

Mobile apps have the potential to aid disaster response by providing an avenue to distribute relevant and time-critical information to the public. Disaster apps already exist in the app markets. However, it is a challenge to engage users in retaining disaster apps on their smartphones. A mixed-methods approach is used in this study to investigate whether usability factors affect users' intention to continue to use an app (referred to here as continuance intention). First, quantitative methods, applying structural equation modelling with survey data from 271 disaster app users, tested a usability–continuance model. Second, a qualitative usability inquiry, using in-depth interviews with 18 participants, explored the users' insights of the relationships identified from the quantitative modelling. The results showed five usability factors to have significant influence on continuance intention. The key positive influencers are (1) users’ perceptions as to whether the app delivers its function (app utility); (2) whether it does so dependably (app dependability); and (3) whether it presents information that can be easily understood (user-interface output). Subsequently, too much focus on (4) user-interface graphics and (5) user-interface input can discourage continuance intention. The insights from the qualitative inquiry provide further meaning and context to these relationships. The results have practical implications for designers and developers, guiding what factors to focus on to enhance the continuance intention of disaster apps.

Introduction

The large-scale use of new technologies, such as mobile application (apps), by ordinary people, has improved communications with the public during disasters [1]. Mobile apps intended for managing disasters (hereinafter referred to as disaster apps) can aid the public in retrieving, understanding, and using time- and location-critical information to enhance their decision-making processes during a disaster situation [2]. Disaster apps are becoming popular among the general public [3]. Moreover, the public tends to perceive disaster apps to be more reliable than social media as a communication platform between citizens and authorities [4]. Crisis management authorities also have put effort into developing and promoting official disaster apps. For example, the Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies have released or are releasing disaster apps in different countries [5]. While disaster apps are becoming more readily available, only a limited number of scientific publications have looked into understanding the users and their perceptions on the usability of these disaster apps [6]. This study investigates disaster apps and in particular looks into apps that are one-way communication tools available to the public that provide credible information about natural hazards, such as severe weather, wildfires, earthquakes, or multi-hazards.

Disaster apps, like most publicly targeted apps, are accessible through app markets like Google Play [7] and the iOS App Store [8]. However, despite the existence of numerous apps in the market, one out of four apps is abandoned after the initial download and use [9,10]. Especially when users may have alternative options, and they can quickly uninstall apps after the initial experience and interaction with the app [11,12]. In other words, apps have a challenge of maintaining users' continuance intention, a term which refers to users' intention to continue using a particular technology after its initial acceptance [13]. The impressions made during early usage after download become critical to users’ intention to retain or abandon apps [14].

Usability and its relationship to continuance intention are important for disaster apps. Disaster apps are not necessarily designed for everyday use [15] and users do not expect to interact with disaster apps as frequently as other types of apps [16]. Users will rely on the usability of the technologies to facilitate critical decisions during disaster situations [17]. Disaster apps will be of little or no value if users find them unusable when interacting with them or abandon them after the initial download and interaction [4,18]. Some research has been published on usability and continuance intention for mobile apps, but none, to the authors' knowledge, has addressed these in the context of disaster apps. There is a need for more in-depth research into citizens' perceptions towards disaster apps and the effect of usability to users’ continuance intention. The paper seeks to answer the question: How does usability affect continuance intention of disaster apps? This paper intends to fill the gap in research by investigating whether usability factors affect continuance intention, in the context of disaster apps that are meant for use by the general public.