The user experience of violinists playing with a novel ergonomic chinrest: An evaluation on motivation, usage behaviour, usability and acceptance.

BACKGROUND

This study focuses on the user experience of a novel developed ergonomic chinrest (EC), customised to accommodate the individual violinist's anthropometry and playing style. The EC was recently tested for biomechanical effect, but the violin player's motivation, usage behaviour, usability and acceptability may be equally important.

OBJECTIVE

To explore the user experience of violinists who used the novel EC with a low shoulder rest for two weeks. Through that experience, we wanted to learn about the potential user barriers and facilitators related to their motivation, usage behaviour, usability, and acceptability, when trying a new product.

METHODS

Thirty-eight professional violinists participated and evaluated motivation, user behaviour, usability and acceptance using a 5-point Likert scale and open-ended questions.

RESULTS

Participants showed high motivation hoping to improve posture, reduce muscle tension and enhance performance. Usage behaviour was also high, while product appearance, adjustment time, and sound impact were negatively evaluated. However, 37% planned to continue to use EC after the study.

CONCLUSION

Participants showed high motivation and usage behaviour but faced challenges with product appearance, adjustment time, and sound impact compared to their usual chinrest. Incorporating user feedback and addressing design and usability challenges can enhance the user experience.