Evaluation of User-Centred Design in the User Interface (UI) and User Experience (UX) of a Gamified Edutainment Application on Disaster Preparedness

Sakinah Ali Pitchay; Farida Ridzuan; Najwa Hayaati Mohd Alwi; Azni A H

doi:10.33102/mjosht.535

Authors

Sakinah Ali Pitchay Faculty of Science and Technology, Universiti Sains Islam Malaysia. 71800 Nilai, Negeri Sembilan, Malaysia.
Farida Ridzuan Faculty of Science and Technology, Universiti Sains Islam Malaysia. 71800 Nilai, Negeri Sembilan, Malaysia.
Najwa Hayaati Mohd Alwi Cybersecurity & Systems Research Unit, Universiti Sains Islam Malaysia, 71800, Negeri Sembilan, Malaysia.
Azni A H Cybersecurity & Systems Research Unit, Universiti Sains Islam Malaysia, 71800, Negeri Sembilan, Malaysia.

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.33102/mjosht.535

Keywords:

Disaster preparedness, user interface (UI), user experience (UX), gamification, edutainment

Abstract

Recent years have witnessed a rise in the frequency and intensity of natural disasters, disproportionately affecting vulnerable communities, as reported by the United Nations Office for Disaster Risk Reduction (UNDRR, 2022). Public preparedness, particularly among youth and rural populations, remains limited due to the absence of accessible and engaging educational tools. Conventional approaches often lack interactivity, reducing knowledge retention and behavioural change. To address these gaps, this study developed DisasterPrep, a user-centred mobile edutainment solution designed to enhance disaster awareness and preparedness. The research pursued three objectives: (i) to identify knowledge gaps among target users, (ii) to design a gamified mobile application tailored to their needs, and (iii) to evaluate its effectiveness in improving preparedness and resilience. A mixed-methods approach was adopted, including surveys, focus groups, and co-design workshops, followed by prototype testing with 30 participants in Malaysia. Quantitative data were collected through a structured survey measuring User Interface (UI) and User Experience (UX) using a 5-point Likert scale, with descriptive statistics computed for usability and engagement. Results revealed strong usability, with UI mean scores ranging from 4.04 to 4.60 and UX outcomes between 4.20 and 4.56. Tutorials, navigation flow, and progress tracking emerged as the most valued features, while simulation realism and quiz integration revealed more variable responses. Findings confirm alignment with Malaysia’s MySTIE strategic goals and contributions to SDG 3 (Good Health) and SDG 4 (Quality Education). This research demonstrates that gamified, user-centred mobile tools can significantly enhance disaster preparedness education, offering a scalable, inclusive model to strengthen community resilience. The novelty lies in integrating edutainment with structured evaluation, establishing a replicable framework for disaster education that bridges gaps in interactivity, engagement, and scalability.

Downloads

Download data is not yet available.

References

[1] Department of Statistics Malaysia, Special Report on Impact of Floods in Malaysia 2022. Putrajaya, Malaysia: Department of Statistics Malaysia, 2023. [Online]. Available: https://www.dosm.gov.my

[2] United Nations Office for Disaster Risk Reduction, Report of the Midterm Review of the Implementation of the Sendai Framework 2015–2030, 2023. [Online]. Available: https://sendaiframework-mtr.undrr.org/reports-midterm-review-implementation-sendai-framework-disaster-risk-reduction-2015-2030

[3] A. S. Zainal Azman, “Malaysia: National Disaster Management Agency (NADMA) and its philosophy,” in Proc. Asian Conf. Disaster Reduction (ACDR), 2017.

[4] Academy of Sciences Malaysia, “10-10 MySTIE Framework,” 2020. [Online]. Available: https://www.akademisains.gov.my

[5] United Nations, “SDG 3: Good health and well-being.” [Online]. Available: https://sdgs.un.org/goals/goal3

[6] United Nations, “SDG 4: Quality education.” [Online]. Available: https://sdgs.un.org/goals/goal4

[7] S. Bai, H. Zeng, Q. Zhong, Y. Shen, L. Cao, and M. He, “Application of gamification teaching in disaster education: Scoping review,” JMIR Serious Games, vol. 12, p. e64939, 2024.

[8] L. Galbusera, M. Cardarilli, M. Gómez Lara, and G. Giannopoulos, “Game-based training in critical infrastructure protection and resilience,” Int. J. Disaster Risk Reduction, vol. 78, p. 103109, 2022.

[9] A. Goretti and G. Musacchio, “Serious games for seismic risk education: The case of the ENP-CP project,” GeoHazards, vol. 5, no. 2, pp. 310–328, 2024.

[10] D. Tzioutzios, S. Song, H. Bean, and A. M. Cruz, “Serious gaming for Natech risk awareness: Introducing EGNARIA,” Int. J. Disaster Risk Reduction, vol. 115, p. 105080, 2024.

[11] M. Giuffrè, V. Tomassoni, M.S. Benigni & C. Fontana, “Pathways to seismic risk awareness in urban areas,” Int. J. Disaster Risk Reduction, 2025.

[12] P. Mukherjee and E. Guardiola, “Serious games for education and training in the humanitarian sector: State of the art,” in Proc. 18th Eur. Conf. Games Based Learn., 2024, pp. 1155–1162.

[13] P. Buchanan, “Serious games as an inclusive disaster risk reduction tool,” Natural Hazards Center, Univ. of Colorado Boulder, 2023. [Online]. Available: https://hazards.colorado.edu/uploads/freeform/buchanan-literature-review-web-v2.pdf

[14] S. Bai, H. Zeng, Q. Zhong, L. Cao, and M. He, “Effectiveness of gamified teaching in disaster nursing education for health care workers: Systematic review,” J. Med. Internet Res., vol. 27, p. e74955, 2025.

[15] A. Hinderks, F. J. Domínguez Mayo, J. Thomaschewski, and M. J. Escalona, “Approaches to manage the user experience process in agile software development: A systematic literature review,” Inf. Softw. Technol., 2022.

[16] M. Hyzy, R. Bond, M. Mulvenna, L. Bai, A. Dix, S. Leigh, and S. Hunt, “System usability scale benchmarking for digital health apps: Meta-analysis,” JMIR Mhealth Uhealth, vol. 10, no. 8, p. e37290, 2022.

[17] M. Schrepp, User Experience Questionnaire (UEQ) Handbook, 2022. [Online]. Available: https://ueq-online.org

[18] M. Schrepp, UEQ+ Handbook V5: Modular Extension of the UEQ, 2023. [Online]. Available: https://ueqplus.ueq-research.org

[19] R. E. Mayer and L. Fiorella, Eds., The Cambridge Handbook of Multimedia Learning, 3rd ed. Cambridge, U.K.: Cambridge Univ. Press, 2021.

[20] R. E. Mayer, “Cognitive theory of multimedia learning,” in The Cambridge Handbook of Multimedia Learning, 3rd ed., R. E. Mayer and L. Fiorella, Eds. Cambridge, U.K.: Cambridge Univ. Press, 2021, pp. 57–72.

[21] Academy of Sciences Malaysia, “10-10 MySTIE Framework—Annual Report Update,” 2021. [Online]. Available: https://www.akademisains.gov.my/ar21/10-10-mystie-framework/

[22] World Health Organization, “SDG target 3.d—Early warning, risk reduction and management of global health risks.” [Online]. Available: https://www.who.int/data/gho/data/themes/topics/indicator-groups/indicator-group-details/GHO/sdg-target-3.d-national-and-global-health-risks

[23] M.-H. Tsai, Y.-L. Chang, J.-S. Shiau, and S.-M. Wang, “Exploring the effects of a serious game-based learning package for disaster prevention education: The case of Battle of Flooding Protection,” Int. J. Disaster Risk Reduction, vol. 43, p. 101393, 2020.

[24] C. S. Boothe, L. Strawderman, R. F. Burch V, B. K. Smith, C. L. Bethel, and K. Holmes, “Generalized user experience questionnaire (UEQ-G): Holistic measurement of multimodal UX,” J. User Experience, vol. 19, no. 2, pp. 75–103, Feb. 2024.

[25] S. Ali Pitchay, F. Ridzuan, A. H. A. Halim, and N. H. M. Alwi, “DISASTERPREP: Gamified mobile edutainment for future disaster preparedness and resilience,” Asian J. Teach. Learn. Higher Educ., vol. 16, no. 2, 2024.

[26] L. F. Rojas, D. Quiñones, and C. Cubillos, “FRAMUX-EV: A framework for evaluating user experience in agile software development,” Appl. Sci., vol. 14, no. 19, p. 8991, 2024.

[27] D. A. Norman, “Likert scales, levels of measurement and the ‘laws’ of statistics,” Adv. Health Sci. Educ., vol. 15, no. 5, pp. 625–632, Dec. 2010.

[28] Y. S. N. Syed and R. Ibrahim, “Exploring user experience evaluation in mobile educational games: A systematic literature review,” in Proc. 2024 IEEE Int. Symp. Advances Comput. Intell. Eng. (ISCAIE), 2024, pp. 540–545.

[29] M. Tian, L. Xie, W. Wei, Y. Chen, and J. Tang, “User experience and acceptability of a digital educational game for self-management health education among people living with HIV,” Patient Prefer. Adherence, vol. 19, pp. 2593–2608, 2025.