Overall, participants agreed that the prototype report was a good idea. Participants agreed with the idea of having the type of prototypes presented by the GP and they thought the prototypes they were shown were clear and easy to understand. The participants also understood the information presented in various design formats (speed meter, graph) and they prefer them to the control report.
The overall feeling was that the use of colours was good and made the report attractive. Participants perceived the full prototype as a reminder. They felt it was a positive addition to have their names on the full prototype.
All participants felt that the coloured line graph was useful. All agreed that the graph should have four colour bands: red (extremely high), yellow (high), green (normal), and red (dangerously below normal). They felt that the yellow band was an important motivational tool. All were working hard to reduce their blood sugar levels. The consensus was that when you are trying to reduce blood sugar, it is an achievement to go from red to yellow, and this encourages further action, because the transitions from red to yellow to green are difficult but achievable. In other words, going from red to yellow and yellow to green is manageable. Going from high red to green is so hard it can be de-motivating.
Participants stated that the use of pictures of other people, pictures of food and pictures of sport was good and improved understanding. Participants perceived the grape picture in the report as irrelevant because they knew that grapes increase sugar levels. Pictures in reports need to be fact based. Participants did not find the syringe picture useful, and suggested removing it from the prototype. Participants preferred to add detailed information about medication and food to the prototype. In addition, they preferred to include both positives and negative messages.