1. Overview of Challenge Criteria
Health Literacy Principles – 20%
The app uses plain language and provides clear and actionable information for users
with limited health literacy.
Focus on Clinical Preventive Services & Wellness Information – 20%
Application connects users to healthfinder.gov information about wellness and
prevention.
Evidence of Co-Design – 20%
The solution has been thoughtfully designed with input from the intended audience,
e.g. the health consumer, health educators, etc.
Usability & Design – 15%
The solution’s interface has the potential to engage users, including those who may
not be particularly web-savvy.
Innovation in Design – 10%
The application is original, creative, and empowering.
Functionality/Accuracy – 10%
Application has been tested on intended platform, and can be accessed by the end
user.
healthfinder.gov Look & Feel – 5%
Application incorporates the look and feel of healthfinder.gov.
Supplemental Information for Criteria Weighted 15% and above
I. Usability & Design
Usability measures have been adapted from a heuristic tool developed by
usability experts, including the Institute of Medicine’s Roundtable on Health
Literacy.
Ensure that the Back button behaves predictably
Does clicking the Back button always go back to the page from which
the user came?

2. Provide clear feedback signals for actions
Are error messages informative and provide solutions to the user?
Do links and buttons clearly describe what people will find on the next
page (using different, distinct, and relevant key words)?
Provide a simplified user experience
Does the app include options to print, save, or email?
Does the app provide a feedback mechanism for users (such as
comment tools or easily-identified contact information)?
Is it easy to get back to the homepage from anywhere in the app with
just one click?
Incorporate multimedia
Does the app include audio, animation or multimedia to communicate
content?
Does the app include visual illustrations appropriately?
Does the app include audio and visual features?
Are images and other multimedia relevant to, and supportive of, the
text content?
Offer a functional homepage
Does the homepage look like a homepage (including mostly clear
navigation items and general site info, without too much detailed
content)?
Is the homepage simple yet engaging?
Does the homepage state the purpose of the app?
Does the homepage enable easy access to navigational items?
Is it easy to navigate to the homepage, with one click, from anywhere
in the app?
Do site pages use minimum words and few “clicks” to achieve a
learning objective?
Be clear and simple
Is the content written in the active voice, directed to the reader (using
“you” as though the page is “talking” to the reader)?
Are sentences short (20 words or fewer), simple, and
straightforward?
Are paragraphs short and scannable (covering only one subject, and
under 12 lines)?
Are headings, labels, and captions describe the content piece’s
purpose?

3. Use the users' language; minimize jargon and technical terms
Does the app use mixed case prose (sentences with upper and lower
case letters)?
Does the app use words familiar to the audience (without needing to
refer to a dictionary)?
If there are new or technical terms, does the app help users learn
what the terms mean?
Does the app define acronyms before using them?
II. Health Literacy Principles
Apps should incorporate health literacy principles. For guidance on developing
health literate content, visit/download ODPHP’s Quick Guide to Health Literacy
or Health Literacy Online: A Guide to Writing and Designing Easy-to-Use Health
Websites. All healthfinder.gov content is already based on these principles.
III. Focus on Prevention & Wellness
The Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (ACA) covers numerous clinical
preventive services and offers many benefits, yet many of them are unknown by
the general public. Policymakers, health professionals, and advocates face the
challenge of communicating these services to the public, and in engaging health
consumers in discussions related to health reform. healthfinder.gov provides
decision support for these services at myhealthfinder.
Information about preventive services covered under the ACA are available on
healthfinder.gov at http://www.healthfinder.gov/prevention/ACA-
crosswalk.aspx.
healthfinder.gov also provides wellness topics, including basic information and
“how to” steps to stay healthy.
healthfinder.gov provides content syndication and API on its website.
IV. Evidence of Co-Design
Developers are encouraged to work with or seek expertise from a professional or
subject matter expert who can provide guidance and insight into the needs of the
intended audience, or from general health consumers to provide feedback on the
usability, usefulness, functionality, and design of the app.
Please visit Health Tech Hatch to submit your ideas for public feedback.
Challenge submissions will require documentation and evidence that developers
have incorporated feedback provided on this platform.