A literature review and three consecutive studies were developed to offer insights into usability testing and construct clarity within the realm of exercise interventions. The overarching goal was to accurately characterise and quantify the multidimensional concept of exercise programme usability, laying a robust foundation for measurement and subsequent improvement. Through the development and rigorous psychometric assessment of the Intervention Usability Scale for Exercise (IUSE), subconstructs contributing to intervention usability and their impact on the intention to use an exercise intervention were proposed.

Adherence to prescribed exercise interventions are typically low,1 and some proposed barriers for use involve programme design issues, lack of enjoyment, knowledge gaps, and resource constraints.2–4 Drawing inspiration from successful methodologies in product development, particularly in technological domains, the study explored the potential of usability testing as a tool for enhancing exercise intervention effectiveness. However, first, a foundational understanding of the concept of ‘exercise intervention usability’ was deemed necessary. For instance, it was unclear what factors seem to determine exercise usability and further affect uptake of and adherence to exercise interventions.

A critical literature review on usability and its application in exercise medicine laid the groundwork. This review justified further investigations, encompassing quantitative, qualitative and psychometric research methodologies. The purpose …