CycleTel™: Interactive Voice Response Testing

IRH was awarded a 5-year FAM Project by the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) in October 2013. The project aims to increase access and use of FAM within a broad range of service delivery programs using systems-oriented scaling up approaches. The FAM Project focuses on developing and testing an interactive voice response (IVR) system, known as CycleTel, to provide fertility awareness-based family planning information and services to women. CycleTel is designed to be an easy-to-use, low-cost, and accessible tool for women to manage their reproductive health. The system uses a menu-driven interface to guide users through a series of questions and provide personalized information and services. The CycleTel IVR product testing was conducted in two phases, with a total of 25 respondents participating in the study. The objectives of the study were to assess the comprehensibility of the IVR flow and messages, identify any problematic words or phrases, and gather feedback from respondents on the system's usability and effectiveness. The study area was not specified, but it is likely that the testing was conducted in a developing country where access to reproductive health services is limited. The results of the study showed that respondents generally had a good understanding of the IVR flow and messages, with some areas for improvement identified. Respondents reported that they were able to handle the keys of the phone and select the language with ease, but some had difficulty understanding the voice prompts related to registration and other items. The study also identified some problematic words and phrases in the messages, which were revised based on the feedback from respondents. The study found that respondents preferred the IVR system over other methods of receiving fertility awareness-based family planning information and services. The system was also found to be effective in providing personalized information and services to users. Based on the results of the study, changes were made to the IVR flow and messages to improve their comprehensibility and usability. The CycleTel IVR system has the potential to be a valuable tool for increasing access to reproductive health services, particularly in developing countries where access to healthcare is limited. The system's ease of use, low cost, and accessibility make it an attractive option for women who may not have access to other forms of family planning information and services. Further testing and evaluation of the system are needed to ensure its effectiveness and usability in different contexts.