Usability Evaluation of Laboratory Information Systems.

PubMed

Mathews, Althea; Marc, David

2017-01-01

Numerous studies have revealed widespread clinician frustration with the usability of electronic health records (EHRs) that is counterproductive to adoption of EHR systems to meet the aims of health-care reform. With poor system usability comes increased risk of negative unintended consequences. Usability issues could lead to user error and workarounds that have the potential to compromise patient safety and negatively impact the quality of care.[1] While there is ample research on EHR usability, there is little information on the usability of laboratory information systems (LISs). Yet, LISs facilitate the timely provision of a great deal of the information needed by physicians to make patient care decisions.[2] Medical and technical advances in genomics that require processing of an increased volume of complex laboratory data further underscore the importance of developing user-friendly LISs. This study aims to add to the body of knowledge on LIS usability. A survey was distributed among LIS users at hospitals across the United States. The survey consisted of the ten-item System Usability Scale (SUS). In addition, participants were asked to rate the ease of performing 24 common tasks with a LIS. Finally, respondents provided comments on what they liked and disliked about using the LIS to provide diagnostic insight into LIS perceived usability. The overall mean SUS score of 59.7 for the LIS evaluated is significantly lower than the benchmark of 68 ( P < 0.001). All LISs evaluated received mean SUS scores below 68 except for Orchard Harvest (78.7). While the years of experience using the LIS was found to be a statistically significant influence on mean SUS scores, the combined effect of years of experience and LIS used did not account for the statistically significant difference in the mean SUS score between Orchard Harvest and each of the other LISs evaluated. The results of this study indicate that overall usability of LISs is poor. Usability lags that of systems evaluated across 446 usability surveys.

User-centered development and testing of a monitoring system that provides feedback regarding physical functioning to elderly people

PubMed Central

Vermeulen, Joan; Neyens, Jacques CL; Spreeuwenberg, Marieke D; van Rossum, Erik; Sipers, Walther; Habets, Herbert; Hewson, David J; de Witte, Luc P

2013-01-01

Purpose To involve elderly people during the development of a mobile interface of a monitoring system that provides feedback to them regarding changes in physical functioning and to test the system in a pilot study. Methods and participants The iterative user-centered development process consisted of the following phases: (1) selection of user representatives; (2) analysis of users and their context; (3) identification of user requirements; (4) development of the interface; and (5) evaluation of the interface in the lab. Subsequently, the monitoring and feedback system was tested in a pilot study by five patients who were recruited via a geriatric outpatient clinic. Participants used a bathroom scale to monitor weight and balance, and a mobile phone to monitor physical activity on a daily basis for six weeks. Personalized feedback was provided via the interface of the mobile phone. Usability was evaluated on a scale from 1 to 7 using a modified version of the Post-Study System Usability Questionnaire (PSSUQ); higher scores indicated better usability. Interviews were conducted to gain insight into the experiences of the participants with the system. Results The developed interface uses colors, emoticons, and written and/or spoken text messages to provide daily feedback regarding (changes in) weight, balance, and physical activity. The participants rated the usability of the monitoring and feedback system with a mean score of 5.2 (standard deviation 0.90) on the modified PSSUQ. The interviews revealed that most participants liked using the system and appreciated that it signaled changes in their physical functioning. However, usability was negatively influenced by a few technical errors. Conclusion Involvement of elderly users during the development process resulted in an interface with good usability. However, the technical functioning of the monitoring system needs to be optimized before it can be used to support elderly people in their self-management. PMID:24039407

A usability evaluation of a SNOMED CT based compositional interface terminology for intensive care.

PubMed

Bakhshi-Raiez, F; de Keizer, N F; Cornet, R; Dorrepaal, M; Dongelmans, D; Jaspers, M W M

2012-05-01

To evaluate the usability of a large compositional interface terminology based on SNOMED CT and the terminology application for registration of the reasons for intensive care admission in a Patient Data Management System. Observational study with user-based usability evaluations before and 3 months after the system was implemented and routinely used. Usability was defined by five aspects: effectiveness, efficiency, learnability, overall user satisfaction, and experienced usability problems. Qualitative (the Think-Aloud user testing method) and quantitative (the System Usability Scale questionnaire and Time-on-Task analyses) methods were used to examine these usability aspects. The results of the evaluation study revealed that the usability of the interface terminology fell short (SUS scores before and after implementation of 47.2 out of 100 and 37.5 respectively out of 100). The qualitative measurements revealed a high number (n=35) of distinct usability problems, leading to ineffective and inefficient registration of reasons for admission. The effectiveness and efficiency of the system did not change over time. About 14% (n=5) of the revealed usability problems were related to the terminology content based on SNOMED CT, while the remaining 86% (n=30) was related to the terminology application. The problems related to the terminology content were more severe than the problems related to the terminology application. This study provides a detailed insight into how clinicians interact with a controlled compositional terminology through a terminology application. The extensiveness, complexity of the hierarchy, and the language usage of an interface terminology are defining for its usability. Carefully crafted domain-specific subsets and a well-designed terminology application are needed to facilitate the use of a complex compositional interface terminology based on SNOMED CT. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

Usability: a critical success factor for managing change in the clinical info-structure.

PubMed

Kay, S

2005-06-01

There can be no doubt that the clinical info-structure is being significantly enriched with the deployment of new systems throughout the health sector. From a technological perspective, the initial emphasis has been mainly on functionality and only latterly on the usability of these clinical information systems. However, the large scale and rapid pace of the changes being wrought in the health sector will have a major impact on clinicians and patients, not least in how they interact with the technology. Therefore, it is not only hardware and software but people-ware, too, that needs to be actively managed; not simply a one-off functional specification but an ongoing, complex relationship. Usability is the human factor that encompasses the ethical, educational, and evaluative aspects of design. There is also a strong case for regarding usability of clinical information systems as a key critical success factor for the management of change within the health-care domain. In particular, the relationship between usability, and education and training is examined.

Usability of Videogame-Based Dexterity Training in the Early Rehabilitation Phase of Stroke Patients: A Pilot Study.

PubMed

Vanbellingen, Tim; Filius, Suzanne J; Nyffeler, Thomas; van Wegen, Erwin E H

2017-01-01

Approximately 70-80% of stroke survivors have limited activities of daily living, mainly due to dexterous problems. Videogame-based training (VBT) along with virtual reality seems to be beneficial to train upper limb function. To evaluate the usability of VBT using the Leap Motion Controller (LMC) to train fine manual dexterity in the early rehabilitation phase of stroke patients as an add-on to conventional therapy. Additionally, this study aimed to estimate the feasibility and potential efficacy of the VBT. During 3 months, 64 stroke patients were screened for eligibility, 13 stroke patients were included (4 women and 9 men; age range: 24-91 years; mean time post stroke: 28.2 days). Nine sessions of 30 min VBT, three times per week as an add-on to conventional therapy with stroke inpatients. Primary outcome was the usability of the system measured with the System Usability Scale. Secondary outcomes concerning feasibility were the compliance rate calculated from the total time spent on the intervention (TT) compared to planned time, the opinion of participants via open-end questions, and the level of active participation measured with the Pittsburgh Rehabilitation Participation Scale. Regarding the potential efficacy secondary outcomes were: functional dexterity measured with the Nine Hole Peg Test (NHPT), subjective dexterity measured with the Dexterity Questionnaire 24, grip strength measured with the Jamar dynamometer, and motor impairment of the upper limb measured with the Fugl-Meyer Upper Extremity (FM-UE) scale. Primarily, the usability of the system was good to excellent. The patient's perception of usability remained stable over a mean period of 3 weeks of VBT. Secondly, the compliance rate was good, and the level of active participation varied between good and very good. The opinion of the participants revealed that despite individual differences, the overall impression of the therapy and device was good. Patients showed significant improvements in hand dexterity. No changes were found in motor impairment of the upper limb (FM-UE) during intervention. VBT using LMC is a usable rehabilitation tool to train dexterity in the early rehabilitation phase of stroke inpatients.

Usability of clinical decision support system as a facilitator for learning the assistive technology adaptation process.

PubMed

Danial-Saad, Alexandra; Kuflik, Tsvi; Weiss, Patrice L Tamar; Schreuer, Naomi

2016-01-01

The aim of this study was to evaluate the usability of Ontology Supported Computerized Assistive Technology Recommender (OSCAR), a Clinical Decision Support System (CDSS) for the assistive technology adaptation process, its impact on learning the matching process, and to determine the relationship between its usability and learnability. Two groups of expert and novice clinicians (total, n = 26) took part in this study. Each group filled out system usability scale (SUS) to evaluate OSCAR's usability. The novice group completed a learning questionnaire to assess OSCAR's effect on their ability to learn the matching process. Both groups rated OSCAR's usability as "very good", (M [SUS] = 80.7, SD = 11.6, median = 83.7) by the novices, and (M [SUS] = 81.2, SD = 6.8, median = 81.2) by the experts. The Mann-Whitney results indicated that no significant differences were found between the expert and novice groups in terms of OSCAR's usability. A significant positive correlation existed between the usability of OSCAR and the ability to learn the adaptation process (rs = 0.46, p = 0.04). Usability is an important factor in the acceptance of a system. The successful application of user-centered design principles during the development of OSCAR may serve as a case study that models the significant elements to be considered, theoretically and practically in developing other systems. Implications for Rehabilitation Creating a CDSS with a focus on its usability is an important factor for its acceptance by its users. Successful usability outcomes can impact the learning process of the subject matter in general, and the AT prescription process in particular. The successful application of User-Centered Design principles during the development of OSCAR may serve as a case study that models the significant elements to be considered, theoretically and practically. The study emphasizes the importance of close collaboration between the developers and the end users.

Quantifying usability: an evaluation of a diabetes mHealth system on effectiveness, efficiency, and satisfaction metrics with associated user characteristics.

PubMed

Georgsson, Mattias; Staggers, Nancy

2016-01-01

Mobile health (mHealth) systems are becoming more common for chronic disease management, but usability studies are still needed on patients' perspectives and mHealth interaction performance. This deficiency is addressed by our quantitative usability study of a mHealth diabetes system evaluating patients' task performance, satisfaction, and the relationship of these measures to user characteristics. We used metrics in the International Organization for Standardization (ISO) 9241-11 standard. After standardized training, 10 patients performed representative tasks and were assessed on individual task success, errors, efficiency (time on task), satisfaction (System Usability Scale [SUS]) and user characteristics. Tasks of exporting and correcting values proved the most difficult, had the most errors, the lowest task success rates, and consumed the longest times on task. The average SUS satisfaction score was 80.5, indicating good but not excellent system usability. Data trends showed males were more successful in task completion, and younger participants had higher performance scores. Educational level did not influence performance, but a more recent diabetes diagnosis did. Patients with more experience in information technology (IT) also had higher performance rates. Difficult task performance indicated areas for redesign. Our methods can assist others in identifying areas in need of improvement. Data about user background and IT skills also showed how user characteristics influence performance and can provide future considerations for targeted mHealth designs. Using the ISO 9241-11 usability standard, the SUS instrument for satisfaction and measuring user characteristics provided objective measures of patients' experienced usability. These could serve as an exemplar for standardized, quantitative methods for usability studies on mHealth systems. © The Author 2015. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the American Medical Informatics Association.

Quantifying usability: an evaluation of a diabetes mHealth system on effectiveness, efficiency, and satisfaction metrics with associated user characteristics

PubMed Central

Staggers, Nancy

2016-01-01

Objective Mobile health (mHealth) systems are becoming more common for chronic disease management, but usability studies are still needed on patients’ perspectives and mHealth interaction performance. This deficiency is addressed by our quantitative usability study of a mHealth diabetes system evaluating patients’ task performance, satisfaction, and the relationship of these measures to user characteristics. Materials and Methods We used metrics in the International Organization for Standardization (ISO) 9241-11 standard. After standardized training, 10 patients performed representative tasks and were assessed on individual task success, errors, efficiency (time on task), satisfaction (System Usability Scale [SUS]) and user characteristics. Results Tasks of exporting and correcting values proved the most difficult, had the most errors, the lowest task success rates, and consumed the longest times on task. The average SUS satisfaction score was 80.5, indicating good but not excellent system usability. Data trends showed males were more successful in task completion, and younger participants had higher performance scores. Educational level did not influence performance, but a more recent diabetes diagnosis did. Patients with more experience in information technology (IT) also had higher performance rates. Discussion Difficult task performance indicated areas for redesign. Our methods can assist others in identifying areas in need of improvement. Data about user background and IT skills also showed how user characteristics influence performance and can provide future considerations for targeted mHealth designs. Conclusion Using the ISO 9241-11 usability standard, the SUS instrument for satisfaction and measuring user characteristics provided objective measures of patients’ experienced usability. These could serve as an exemplar for standardized, quantitative methods for usability studies on mHealth systems. PMID:26377990

Reduction of Burnout in Mental Health Care Providers Using the Provider Resilience Mobile Application.

PubMed

Wood, Amanda Ernst; Prins, Annabel; Bush, Nigel E; Hsia, Jennifer F; Bourn, Laura E; Earley, Michael D; Walser, Robyn D; Ruzek, Josef

2017-05-01

This pilot study examined the usability, acceptability, and effectiveness of a free Provider Resilience (PR) mobile application (app) designed by the National Center for Telehealth and Technology to reduce provider burnout. Outpatient mental health providers (N = 30) used the PR app for 1 month. Participants rated the PR app on the System Usability Scale with an overall score of 79.7, which is in the top quartile for usability. Results of paired sample t tests on the Professional Quality of Life Scale indicated significant decreases on the Burnout (t = 3.65, p < .001) and Compassion Fatigue (t = 4.54, p < .001) subscales. The Provider Resilience app shows promise in reducing burnout and compassion fatigue in mental health care providers.

A personal health information toolkit for health intervention research.

PubMed

Kizakevich, Paul N; Eckhoff, Randall; Weger, Stacey; Weeks, Adam; Brown, Janice; Bryant, Stephanie; Bakalov, Vesselina; Zhang, Yuying; Lyden, Jennifer; Spira, James

2014-01-01

With the emergence of mobile health (mHealth) apps, there is a growing demand for better tools for developing and evaluating mobile health interventions. Recently we developed the Personal Health Intervention Toolkit (PHIT), a software framework which eases app implementation and facilitates scientific evaluation. PHIT integrates self-report and physiological sensor instruments, evidence-based advisor logic, and self-help interventions such as meditation, health education, and cognitive behavior change. PHIT can be used to facilitate research, interventions for chronic diseases, risky behaviors, sleep, medication adherence, environmental monitoring, momentary data collection health screening, and clinical decision support. In a series of usability evaluations, participants reported an overall usability score of 4.5 on a 1-5 Likert scale and an 85 score on the System Usability Scale, indicating a high percentile rank of 95%.

Electronic physiologic and subjective data acquisition in home-dwelling heart failure patients: An assessment of patient use and perception of usability.

PubMed

Gardner, Cubby L; Flanagan, Michael C; Franklin, Cathy; John-Swayers, Cherly; Walsh-Pouch, Stacy; Bryant, F Joyce; Romano, Carol A; Gibbons, Susanne; De Jong, Marla; Hoang, Albert; Becher, Dorothy; Burke, Harry B

2016-09-01

The current approach to the outpatient management of heart failure involves patients recollecting what has happened to them since their last clinic visit. But patients' recollection of their symptoms may not be sufficiently accurate to optimally manage their disease. Most of what is known about heart failure is related to patients' diurnal symptoms and activities. Some mobile electronic technologies can operate continuously to collect data from the time patients go to bed until they get up in the morning. We were therefore interested to evaluate if patients would use a system of selected patient-facing devices to collect physiologic and subjective state data in and around the patients' period of sleep, and if there were differences in device use and perceptions of usability at the device level This descriptive observational study of home-dwelling patients with heart failure, between 21 and 90 years of age, enrolled in an outpatient heart failure clinic was conducted between December 2014 and June 2015. Patients received five devices, namely, body weight scale, blood pressure device, an iPad-based subjective states assessment, pulse oximeter, and actigraph, to collect their physiologic (body weight, blood pressure, heart rate, blood oxygen saturation, and physical activity) and subjective state data (symptoms and subjective states) at home for the next six consecutive nights. Use was defined as the ratio of observed use over expected use, where 1.0 is observed equals expected. Usability was determined by the overall System Usability Scale score. Participants were 39 clinical heart failure patients, mean age 68.1 (SD, 12.3), 72% male, 62% African American. The ratio of observed over expected use for the body weight scale, blood pressure device, iPad application, pulse oximeter and actigraph was 0.8, 1.0, 1.1, 0.9, and 1.9, respectively. The mean overall System Usability Scale score for each device were 84.5, 89.7, 85.7, 87.6, and 85.2, respectively. Patients were able to use all of the devices and they rated the usability of all the devices higher than expected. Our study provides support for at-home patient-collected physiologic and subjective state data. To our knowledge, this is the first study to assess the use and usability of electronic objective and subjective data collection devices in heart failure patients' homes overnight. Published by Elsevier Ireland Ltd.

Usability Evaluation and Implementation of a Health Information Technology Dashboard of Evidence-Based Quality Indicators.

PubMed

Schall, Mark Christopher; Cullen, Laura; Pennathur, Priyadarshini; Chen, Howard; Burrell, Keith; Matthews, Grace

2017-06-01

Health information technology dashboards that integrate evidence-based quality indicators can efficiently and accurately display patient risk information to promote early intervention and improve overall quality of patient care. We describe the process of developing, evaluating, and implementing a dashboard designed to promote quality care through display of evidence-based quality indicators within an electronic health record. Clinician feedback was sought throughout the process. Usability evaluations were provided by three nurse pairs and one physician from medical-surgical areas. Task completion times, error rates, and ratings of system usability were collected to compare the use of quality indicators displayed on the dashboard to the indicators displayed in a conventional electronic health record across eight experimental scenarios. Participants rated the dashboard as "highly usable" following System Usability Scale (mean, 87.5 [SD, 9.6]) and Poststudy System Usability Questionnaire (mean, 1.7 [SD, 0.5]) criteria. Use of the dashboard led to reduced task completion times and error rates in comparison to the conventional electronic health record for quality indicator-related tasks. Clinician responses to the dashboard display capabilities were positive, and a multifaceted implementation plan has been used. Results suggest application of the dashboard in the care environment may lead to improved patient care.

Virtual reality rehabilitation of balance: assessment of the usability of the Nintendo Wii(®) Fit Plus.

PubMed

Meldrum, Dara; Glennon, Aine; Herdman, Susan; Murray, Deirdre; McConn-Walsh, Rory

2012-05-01

The aim of this study was to investigate the usability of the Nintendo Wii Fit Plus(®) (NWFP) in the treatment of balance impairment in vestibular and other neurological disease. This was a cross-sectional, quasi-experimental study. Participants (n = 26; mean age 43 ± 14, M13:F13) with quantified balance impairment took part in a 30-minute session on the NWFP using exercises and games that challenge balance. Outcomes included the System Usability Scale (SUS), a numerical rating scale of enjoyment and a post treatment questionnaire. The mean SUS score was high (mean 82 ± 18%) with only two participants rating below 50%. There was a negative correlation of age with SUS scores (r = -0.54; p = 0.004). Mean numerical rating scale score (/10) for enjoyment of the NWFP session was 8.4 ± 3. Of the participants, 88.5% said that they would like to use the NWFP in future treatment. Seventy-three percent reported more enjoyment and motivation than usual physiotherapy. No falls occurred during testing. This study has quantified the usability of the NWFP as a treatment for balance impairment showing high levels of usability and enjoyment with no serious adverse effects. The results of this study may assist physiotherapists in devising novel balance rehabilitation programmes. [Box: see text].

Integration Of Launch Vehicle Simulation/Analysis Tools And Lunar Cargo Lander Design. Part 2/2

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

DeJean, George Brian; Shiue, Yeu-Sheng Paul; King, Jeffrey

2005-01-01

Part 2, which will be discussed in this report, will discuss the development of a Lunar Cargo Lander (unmanned launch vehicle) that will transport usable payload from Trans- Lunar Injection to the moon. The Delta IV-Heavy was originally used to transport the Lunar Cargo Lander to TLI, but other launch vehicles have been studied. In order to uncover how much payload is possible to land on the moon, research was needed in order to design the sub-systems of the spacecraft. The report will discuss and compare the use of a hypergolic and cryogenic system for its main propulsion system. The guidance, navigation, control, telecommunications, thermal, propulsion, structure, mechanisms, landing gear, command, data handling, and electrical power sub-systems were designed by scaling off other flown orbiters and moon landers. Once all data was collected, an excel spreadsheet was created to accurately calculate the usable payload that will land on the moon along with detailed mass and volume estimating relations. As designed, The Lunar Cargo Lander can plant 5,400 lbm of usable payload on the moon using a hypergolic system and 7,400 lbm of usable payload on the moon using a cryogenic system.

High usability of a smartphone application for reporting symptoms in adults with cystic fibrosis.

PubMed

Wood, Jamie; Jenkins, Sue; Putrino, David; Mulrennan, Siobhain; Morey, Sue; Cecins, Nola; Hill, Kylie

2017-01-01

Introduction In cystic fibrosis, exacerbations impair lung function and health-related quality of life, increase healthcare costs and reduce survival. Delayed reporting of worsening symptoms can result in more severe exacerbations and worse clinical outcomes; therefore there is a need for a novel approach to facilitate the early identification and treatment of exacerbations in this population. This study investigated the usability of a smartphone application to report symptoms in adults with cystic fibrosis, and the observer agreement in clinical decision-making between senior clinicians interpreting smartphone application responses. Methods Adults with cystic fibrosis used the smartphone application weekly for four weeks. The application comprised 10 yes/no questions regarding respiratory symptoms and two regarding emotional well-being. Usability was measured with the System Usability Scale; Observer agreement was tested by providing a cystic fibrosis physician and a nurse practitioner with 45 clinical scenarios. For each scenario the clinicians, who were blinded to each other's responses, were asked to indicate whether or not they would: (i) initiate telephone contact, and/or (ii) request a clinic visit for the individual. Results Ten participants (five female), aged mean (SD) 33 (11) years, FEV1 49 (27)% predicted completed the study. The mean (SD) System Usability Scale score was 94 (6). There was perfect agreement between clinicians for initiating contact with the participant ( κ = 1.0, p < 0.001), and near-perfect for requesting a clinic visit ( κ = 0.86, p < 0.001). Discussion The use of a smartphone application for reporting symptoms in adults with cystic fibrosis has excellent usability and near-perfect agreement between senior clinicians when interpreting the application responses.

Evaluating the usability of speech recognition to create clinical documentation using a commercial electronic health record.

PubMed

Hodgson, Tobias; Magrabi, Farah; Coiera, Enrico

2018-05-01

To conduct a usability study exploring the value of using speech recognition (SR) for clinical documentation tasks within an electronic health record (EHR) system. Thirty-five emergency department clinicians completed a system usability scale (SUS) questionnaire. The study was undertaken after participants undertook randomly allocated clinical documentation tasks using keyboard and mouse (KBM) or SR. SUS scores were analyzed and the results with KBM were compared to SR results. Significant difference in SUS scores between EHR system use with and without SR were observed (KBM 67, SR 61; P = 0.045; CI, 0.1 to 12.0). Nineteen of 35 participants scored higher for EHR with KBM, 11 higher for EHR with SR and 5 gave the same score for both. Factor analysis showed no significant difference in scores for the sub-element of usability (EHR with KBM 65, EHR with SR 62; P = 0.255; CI, -2.6 to 9.5). Scores for the sub-element of learnability were significantly different (KBM 72, SR 55; P < 0.001; CI, 9.8 to 23.5). A significant correlation was found between the perceived usability of the two system configurations (EHR with KBM or SR) and the efficiency of documentation (time to document) (P = 0.002; CI, 10.5 to -0.1) but not with safety (number of errors) (P = 0.90; CI, -2.3 to 2.6). SR was associated with significantly reduced overall usability scores, even though it is often positioned as ease of use technology. SR was perceived to impose larger costs in terms of learnability via training and support requirements for EHR based documentation when compared to using KBM. Lower usability scores were significantly associated with longer documentation times. The usability of EHR systems with any input modality is an area that requires continued development. The addition of an SR component to an EHR system may cause a significant reduction in terms of perceived usability by clinicians. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Effect of improving the usability of an e-learning resource: a randomized trial.

PubMed

Davids, Mogamat Razeen; Chikte, Usuf M E; Halperin, Mitchell L

2014-06-01

Optimizing the usability of e-learning materials is necessary to reduce extraneous cognitive load and maximize their potential educational impact. However, this is often neglected, especially when time and other resources are limited. We conducted a randomized trial to investigate whether a usability evaluation of our multimedia e-learning resource, followed by fixing of all problems identified, would translate into improvements in usability parameters and learning by medical residents. Two iterations of our e-learning resource [version 1 (V1) and version 2 (V2)] were compared. V1 was the first fully functional version and V2 was the revised version after all identified usability problems were addressed. Residents in internal medicine and anesthesiology were randomly assigned to one of the versions. Usability was evaluated by having participants complete a user satisfaction questionnaire and by recording and analyzing their interactions with the application. The effect on learning was assessed by questions designed to test the retention and transfer of knowledge. Participants reported high levels of satisfaction with both versions, with good ratings on the System Usability Scale and adjective rating scale. In contrast, analysis of video recordings revealed significant differences in the occurrence of serious usability problems between the two versions, in particular in the interactive HandsOn case with its treatment simulation, where there was a median of five serious problem instances (range: 0-50) recorded per participant for V1 and zero instances (range: 0-1) for V2 (P < 0.001). There were no differences in tests of retention or transfer of knowledge between the two versions. In conclusion, usability evaluation followed by a redesign of our e-learning resource resulted in significant improvements in usability. This is likely to translate into improved motivation and willingness to engage with the learning material. In this population of relatively high-knowledge participants, learning scores were similar across the two versions. Copyright © 2014 The American Physiological Society.

Effect of improving the usability of an e-learning resource: a randomized trial

PubMed Central

Chikte, Usuf M. E.; Halperin, Mitchell L.

2014-01-01

Optimizing the usability of e-learning materials is necessary to reduce extraneous cognitive load and maximize their potential educational impact. However, this is often neglected, especially when time and other resources are limited. We conducted a randomized trial to investigate whether a usability evaluation of our multimedia e-learning resource, followed by fixing of all problems identified, would translate into improvements in usability parameters and learning by medical residents. Two iterations of our e-learning resource [version 1 (V1) and version 2 (V2)] were compared. V1 was the first fully functional version and V2 was the revised version after all identified usability problems were addressed. Residents in internal medicine and anesthesiology were randomly assigned to one of the versions. Usability was evaluated by having participants complete a user satisfaction questionnaire and by recording and analyzing their interactions with the application. The effect on learning was assessed by questions designed to test the retention and transfer of knowledge. Participants reported high levels of satisfaction with both versions, with good ratings on the System Usability Scale and adjective rating scale. In contrast, analysis of video recordings revealed significant differences in the occurrence of serious usability problems between the two versions, in particular in the interactive HandsOn case with its treatment simulation, where there was a median of five serious problem instances (range: 0–50) recorded per participant for V1 and zero instances (range: 0–1) for V2 (P < 0.001). There were no differences in tests of retention or transfer of knowledge between the two versions. In conclusion, usability evaluation followed by a redesign of our e-learning resource resulted in significant improvements in usability. This is likely to translate into improved motivation and willingness to engage with the learning material. In this population of relatively high-knowledge participants, learning scores were similar across the two versions. PMID:24913451

Usability problems do not heal by themselves: National survey on physicians' experiences with EHRs in Finland.

PubMed

Kaipio, Johanna; Lääveri, Tinja; Hyppönen, Hannele; Vainiomäki, Suvi; Reponen, Jarmo; Kushniruk, Andre; Borycki, Elizabeth; Vänskä, Jukka

2017-01-01

Survey studies of health information systems use tend to focus on availability of functionalities, adoption and intensity of use. Usability surveys have not been systematically conducted by any healthcare professional groups on a national scale on a repeated basis. This paper presents results from two cross-sectional surveys of physicians' experiences with the usability of currently used EHR systems in Finland. The research questions were: To what extent has the overall situation improved between 2010 and 2014? What differences are there between healthcare sectors? In the spring of 2014, a survey was conducted in Finland using a questionnaire that measures usability and respondents' user experiences with electronic health record (EHR) systems. The survey was targeted to physicians who were actively doing clinical work. Twenty-four usability-related statements, that were identical in 2010 and 2014, were analysed from the survey. The respondents were also asked to give an overall rating of the EHR system they used. The study data comprised responses from 3081 physicians from the year 2014 and from 3223 physicians in the year 2010, who were using the nine most commonly used EHR system brands in Finland. Physicians' assessments of the usability of their EHR system remain as critical as they were in 2010. On a scale from 1 ('fail') to 7 ('excellent') the average of overall ratings of their principally used EHR systems varied from 3.2 to 4.4 in 2014 (and in 2010 from 2.5 to 4.3). The results show some improvements in the following EHR functionalities and characteristics: summary view of patient's health status, prevention of errors associated with medication ordering, patient's medication list as well as support for collaboration and information exchange between the physician and the nurses. Even so, support for cross-organizational collaboration between physicians and for physician-patient collaboration were still considered inadequate. Satisfaction with technical features had not improved in four years. The results show marked differences between the EHR system brands as well as between healthcare sectors (private sector, public hospitals, primary healthcare). Compared to responses from the public sector, physicians working in the private sector were more satisfied with their EHR systems with regards to statements about user interface characteristics and support for routine tasks. Overall, the study findings are similar to our previous study conducted in 2010. Surveys about the usability of EHR systems are needed to monitor their development at regional and national levels. To our knowledge, this study is the first national eHealth observatory questionnaire that focuses on usability and is used to monitor the long-term development of EHRs. The results do not show notable improvements in physician's ratings for their EHRs between the years 2010 and 2014 in Finland. Instead, the results indicate the existence of serious problems and deficiencies which considerably hinder the efficiency of EHR use and physician's routine work. The survey results call for considerable amount of development work in order to achieve the expected benefits of EHR systems and to avoid technology-induced errors which may endanger patient safety. The findings of repeated surveys can be used to inform healthcare providers, decision makers and politicians about the current state of EHR usability and differences between brands as well as for improvements of EHR usability. This survey will be repeated in 2017 and there is a plan to include other healthcare professional groups in future surveys. Copyright © 2016 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Ireland Ltd.. All rights reserved.

Exploring the Usability of Mobile Apps Supporting Radiologists' Training in Diagnostic Decision Making.

PubMed

Kim, Min Soon; Aro, Michael R; Lage, Kraig J; Ingalls, Kevin L; Sindhwani, Vivek; Markey, Mia K

2016-03-01

The objective of this study was to conduct a usability evaluation of mobile apps for supporting education and training in radiologic diagnostic decision-making processes. Of 381 mobile apps available at two major stores (Google Play and iTunes), eight iOS apps were selected for laboratory-based usability tests. Six staff radiologists completed eight app-specific task sets, using a think-aloud strategy. The triangular methods approach included quantitative performance measures, System Usability Scale (SUS), and qualitative thematic analysis using heuristic usability principles of usability issues. Overall, radiologists achieved higher than 70% success, with favorable SUS scores, in completing the tasks for seven of the eight apps. However, task success rate and SUS score had a weak relation (r = 0.23), indicating that the perceived usability may not reflect the holistic usability of the app. Task analysis and self-report revealed 108 usability issues, which were condensed to 55 unique issues and categorized by nine usability themes and mapped to ten usability heuristics. Nonintuitive functionality (eg, nonintuitive or misleading labels) was the most frequent theme observed, leading to inefficient navigation. These usability findings were consistent with the 13 improvements the radiologists suggested. This study demonstrates the feasibility of usability evaluation of radiology mobile apps and suggests potential improvements in the development of radiology mobile apps. This study also suggests that proficiency with mobile devices may not be equivalent to being an expert user, proficient in using the apps. Copyright © 2016 American College of Radiology. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Redesigning printed educational materials for primary care physicians: design improvements increase usability.

PubMed

Grudniewicz, Agnes; Bhattacharyya, Onil; McKibbon, K Ann; Straus, Sharon E

2015-11-04

Printed educational materials (PEMs) are a frequently used tool to disseminate clinical information and attempt to change behavior within primary care. However, their effect on clinician behavior is limited. In this study, we explored how PEMs can be redesigned to better meet the needs of primary care physicians (PCPs) and whether usability and selection can be increased when design principles and user preferences are used. We redesigned a publicly available PEM using physician preferences, design principles, and graphic designer support. We invited PCPs to select their preferred document between the redesigned and original versions in a discrete choice experiment, followed by an assessment of usability with the System Usability Scale and a think aloud process. We conducted this study in both a controlled and opportunistic setting to determine whether usability testing results vary by study location. Think aloud data was thematically analyzed, and results were interpreted using the Technology Acceptance Model. One hundred and eighty four PCPs participated in the discrete choice experiment at the 2014 Family Medicine Forum, a large Canadian conference for family physicians. Of these, 87.7 % preferred the redesigned version. Follow-up interviews were held with a randomly selected group of seven participants. We repeated this in a controlled setting in Toronto, Canada, with a set of 14 participants. Using the System Usability Scale, we found that usability scores were significantly increased with the redesign (p < 0.001). We also found that when PCPs were given the choice between the two versions, they selected the redesigned version as their preferred PEM more often than the original (p < 0.001). Results did not appear to differ between the opportunistic and controlled setting. We used the results of the think aloud process to add to a list of end user preferences developed in a previous study. We found that redesigning a PEM with user preferences and design principles can improve its usability and result in the PEM being selected more often than the original. We feel this finding supports the involvement of the user, application of design principles, and the assistance of a graphic designer in the development of PEMs.

A novel computerized surgeon-machine interface for robot-assisted laser phonomicrosurgery.

PubMed

Mattos, Leonardo S; Deshpande, Nikhil; Barresi, Giacinto; Guastini, Luca; Peretti, Giorgio

2014-08-01

To introduce a novel computerized surgical system for improved usability, intuitiveness, accuracy, and controllability in robot-assisted laser phonomicrosurgery. Pilot technology assessment. The novel system was developed involving a newly designed motorized laser micromanipulator, a touch-screen display, and a graphics stylus. The system allows the control of a CO2 laser through interaction between the stylus and the live video of the surgical area. This empowers the stylus with the ability to have actual effect on the surgical site. Surgical enhancements afforded by this system were established through a pilot technology assessment using randomized trials comparing its performance with a state-of-the-art laser microsurgery system. Resident surgeons and medical students were chosen as subjects in performing sets of trajectory-following exercises. Image processing-based techniques were used for an objective performance assessment. A System Usability Scale-based questionnaire was used for the qualitative assessment. The computerized interface demonstrated superiority in usability, accuracy, and controllability over the state-of-the-art system. Significant ease of use and learning experienced by the subjects were demonstrated by the usability score assigned to the two compared interfaces: computerized interface = 83.96% versus state-of-the-art = 68.02%. The objective analysis showed a significant enhancement in accuracy and controllability: computerized interface = 90.02% versus state-of-the-art = 75.59%. The novel system significantly enhances the accuracy, usability, and controllability in laser phonomicrosurgery. The design provides an opportunity to improve the ergonomics and safety of current surgical setups. © 2014 The American Laryngological, Rhinological and Otological Society, Inc.

Biofeedback in Partial Weight Bearing: Usability of Two Different Devices from a Patient's and Physical Therapist's Perspective.

PubMed

van Lieshout, Remko; Pisters, Martijn F; Vanwanseele, Benedicte; de Bie, Rob A; Wouters, Eveline J; Stukstette, Mirelle J

2016-01-01

Partial weight bearing is frequently instructed by physical therapists in patients after lower-limb trauma or surgery. The use of biofeedback devices seems promising to improve the patient's compliance with weight-bearing instructions. SmartStep and OpenGo-Science are biofeedback devices that provide real-time feedback. For a successful implementation, usability of the devices is a critical aspect and should be tested from a user's perspective. To describe the usability from the physical therapists' and a patients' perspective of Smartstep and OpenGo-Science to provide feedback on partial weight bearing during supervised rehabilitation of patients after lower-limb trauma or surgery. In a convergent mixed-methods design, qualitative and quantitative data were collected. Usability was subdivided into user performance, satisfaction and acceptability. Patients prescribed with partial weight bearing and their physical therapists were asked to use SmartStep and OpenGo-Science during supervised rehabilitation. Usability was qualitatively tested by a think-aloud method and a semi-structured interview and quantitatively tested by the System-Usability-Scale (SUS) and closed questions. For the qualitative data thematic content analyses were used. Nine pairs of physical therapists and their patients participated. The mean SUS scores for patients and physical therapists were for SmartStep 70 and 53, and for OpenGo-Science 79 and 81, respectively. Scores were interpreted with the Curved Grading Scale. The qualitative data showed that there were mixed views and perceptions from patients and physical therapists on satisfaction and acceptability. This study gives insight in the usability of two biofeedback devices from the patient's and physical therapist's perspective. The overall usability from both perspectives seemed to be acceptable for OpenGo-Science. For SmartStep, overall usability seemed only acceptable from the patient's perspective. The study findings could help clinicians to decide which biofeedback device is appropriate for their given situation and provide information for future development of biofeedback devices.

Usability and Utility of a Mobile Application for Marksmanship Training

DTIC Science & Technology

2015-01-01

Right of Canada, as represented by the Minister of National Defence, 2015 © Sa Majesté la Reine (en droit du Canada), telle que représentée par le...Empirical Evaluation of the System Usability Scale. International Journal of Human-Computer Interaction, 24(6), 574-594. BenMoussa, C. (2003). Workers on...Behavioral and Social Sciences. Jumisko-Pyykko, S., & Vainio, T. (2011). Framing the Context of Use for Mobile HCI. International Journal of Mobile

Developing an Android-Based Patient Decision Aid Based on Ottawa Standards for Patients After Kidney Transplant and Its Usability Evaluation.

PubMed

Zare Moayedi, Mahboobeh; Aslani, Azam; Fakhrahmad, Mostafa; Ezzatzadegan J, Shahrokh

2018-01-01

This study was conducted to develop an android based patient decision aid (PDA) as a self-care instrument for patients after kidney transplant and its usability evaluation. In this study, the systematic development process of Android-based self-care application for patients after kidney transplant based on Ottawa standard was included: scoping, assemble steering group, analysis of requirements, designing, develop of a prototype and system evaluation. The PDA is a self-triage system that will help early identification of risk symptoms in patients, and help manage them. System recommendations for risk signs are: Refer to the nearest hospital or healthcare center without delay, refer to the doctor and tell your doctor in the next visit. To identify patient care needs, a semi-structured interview with members of steering group, including patients and clinical experts, was conducted by the researchers. A prototype of the decision aid was made according to identified needs in the previous step. Finally, in order to evaluate its usability rate by using the System Usability Scale (SUS) questionnaire, it was used by exerts and patients. This study identified information needs, risk signs and steps that patients need to make appropriate decisions about them. The main capabilities of the decision aid are features such as reminders for appointment/test, time of taking medication, registration of symptoms, weight, blood pressure, body temperature, advising to patient in case of signs of risk, weight, blood pressure, body temperature and test results which were reported in the diagram. The mean score of system's usability evaluated by medical informatics specialists, clinicians, and patients were 88.33, 95, and 91. PDAs was usable and desirable from the point of view of medical informatics specialists, clinicians and patients.

Evaluation of Home Health Care Devices: Remote Usability Assessment.

PubMed

Kortum, Philip; Peres, S Camille

2015-06-05

An increasing amount of health care is now performed in a home setting, away from the hospital. While there is growing anecdotal evidence about the difficulty patients and caregivers have using increasingly complex health care devices in the home, there has been little systematic scientific study to quantify the global nature of home health care device usability in the field. Research has tended to focus on a handful of devices, making it difficult to gain a broad view of the usability of home-care devices in general. The objective of this paper is to describe a remote usability assessment method using the System Usability Scale (SUS), and to report on the usability of a broad range of health care devices using this metric. A total of 271 participants selected and rated up to 10 home health care devices of their choice using the SUS, which scores usability from 0 (unusable) to 100 (highly usable). Participants rated a total of 455 devices in their own home without an experimenter present. Usability scores ranged from 98 (oxygen masks) to 59 (home hormone test kits). An analysis conducted on devices that had at least 10 ratings showed that the effect of device on SUS scores was significant (P<.001), and that the usability of these devices was on the low end when compared with other commonly used items in the home, such as microwave ovens and telephones. A large database of usability scores for home health care devices collected using this remote methodology would be beneficial for physicians, patients, and their caregivers.

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Adam, J. C.; Stephens, J. C.; Chung, Serena

As managers of agricultural and natural resources are confronted with uncertainties in global change impacts, the complexities associated with the interconnected cycling of nitrogen, carbon, and water present daunting management challenges. Existing models provide detailed information on specific sub-systems (land, air, water, economics, etc). An increasing awareness of the unintended consequences of management decisions resulting from interconnectedness of these sub-systems, however, necessitates coupled regional earth system models (EaSMs). Decision makers’ needs and priorities can be integrated into the model design and development processes to enhance decision-making relevance and "usability" of EaSMs. BioEarth is a current research initiative with a focusmore » on the U.S. Pacific Northwest region that explores the coupling of multiple stand-alone EaSMs to generate usable information for resource decision-making. Direct engagement between model developers and non-academic stakeholders involved in resource and environmental management decisions throughout the model development process is a critical component of this effort. BioEarth utilizes a "bottom-up" approach, upscaling a catchment-scale model to basin and regional scales, as opposed to the "top-down" approach of downscaling global models utilized by most other EaSM efforts. This paper describes the BioEarth initiative and highlights opportunities and challenges associated with coupling multiple stand-alone models to generate usable information for agricultural and natural resource decision-making.« less

Clinical pathways for primary care: current use, interest and perceived usability.

PubMed

Waters, Richard C; Toy, Jennifer M; Drechsler, Adam

2018-02-26

Translating clinical evidence to daily practice remains a challenge and may improve with clinical pathways. We assessed interest in and usability of clinical pathways by primary care professionals. An online survey was created. Interest in pathways for patient care and learning was assessed at start and finish. Participants completed baseline questions then pathway-associated question sets related to management of 2 chronic diseases. Perceived pathway usability was assessed using the system usability scale. Accuracy and confidence of answers was compared for baseline and pathway-assisted questions. Of 115 participants, 17.4% had used clinical pathways, the lowest of decision support tool types surveyed. Accuracy and confidence in answers significantly improved for all pathways. Interest in using pathways daily or weekly was above 75% for the respondents. There is low utilization of, but high interest in, clinical pathways by primary care clinicians. Pathways improve accuracy and confidence in answering written clinical questions.

Acceptance and usability of a home-based monitoring tool of health indicators in children of people with dementia: a Proof of Principle (POP) study.

PubMed

Boessen, April Bcg; Vermeulen, Joan; de Witte, Luc P

2017-01-01

Large-scale cohort studies are needed to confirm the relation between dementia and its possible risk factors. The inclusion of people with dementia in research is a challenge, however, children of people with dementia are at risk and are highly motivated to participate in dementia research. For technologies to support home-based data collection during large-scale studies, participants should be able and willing to use technology for a longer period of time. This study investigated acceptance and usability of iVitality, a research platform for home-based monitoring of dementia health indicators, in 151 children of people with dementia and investigated which frequency of measurements is acceptable for them. Participants were randomized to fortnightly or monthly measurements. At baseline and after 3 months, participants completed an online questionnaire regarding the acceptance (Technology Acceptance Model; 38 items) and usability (Post-Study System Usability Questionnaire; 24 items) of iVitality. Items were rated from 1 (I totally disagree) to 7 (I totally agree). Participants were also invited to take part in an online focus group (OFG) after 3 months of follow-up. Descriptive statistics and both two-sample/independent and paired t -tests were used to analyze the online questionnaires and a directed content analysis was used to analyze the OFGs. Children of people with dementia accept iVitality after long-term use and evaluate iVitality as a user-friendly, useful, and trusted technology, despite some suggestions for improvement. Overall, mean scores on acceptance and usability were higher than 5 (I somewhat agree), although the acceptance subscales "social influence" and "time" were rated somewhat lower. No significant differences in acceptance and usability were found between both protocol groups. Over time, "affect" significantly increased among participants measuring blood pressure fortnightly. iVitality has the potential to be used in large-scale studies for home-based monitoring of health indicators related to the development of dementia.

Testing the Feasibility and Usability of a Novel Smartphone-Based Self-Management Support System for Dialysis Patients: A Pilot Study.

PubMed

Hayashi, Aki; Yamaguchi, Satoko; Waki, Kayo; Fujiu, Katsuhito; Hanafusa, Norio; Nishi, Takahiro; Tomita, Hyoe; Kobayashi, Haruka; Fujita, Hideo; Kadowaki, Takashi; Nangaku, Masaomi; Ohe, Kazuhiko

2017-04-20

Diet and fluid restrictions that need continuous self-management are among the most difficult aspects of dialysis treatment. Smartphone applications may be useful for supporting self-management. Our objective is to investigate the feasibility and usability of a novel smartphone-based self-management support system for dialysis patients. We developed the Self-Management and Recording System for Dialysis (SMART-D), which supports self-monitoring of three mortality-related factors that can be modified by lifestyle: interdialytic weight gain and predialysis serum potassium and phosphorus concentrations. Data is displayed graphically, with all data evaluated automatically to determine whether they achieve the values suggested by the Japanese Society for Dialysis Therapy guidelines. In a pilot study, 9 dialysis patients used SMART-D system for 2 weeks. A total of 7 of them completed questionnaires rating their assessment of SMART-D's usability and their satisfaction with the system. In addition, the Kidney Disease Quality of Life scale was compared before and after the study period. All 9 participants were able to use SMART-D with no major problems. Completion rates for body weight, pre- and postdialysis weight, and serum potassium and phosphorus concentrations were, respectively, 89% (SD 23), 95% (SD 7), and 78% (SD 44). Of the 7 participants who completed the usability survey, all were motivated by the sense of security derived from using the system, and 6 of the 7 (86%) reported that using SMART-D helped improve their lifestyle and self-management. Using SMART-D was feasible, and the system was well regarded by patients. Further study with larger scale cohorts and longer study and follow-up periods is needed to evaluate the effects of SMART-D on clinical outcomes and quality of life. ©Aki Hayashi, Satoko Yamaguchi, Kayo Waki, Katsuhito Fujiu, Norio Hanafusa, Takahiro Nishi, Hyoe Tomita, Haruka Kobayashi, Hideo Fujita, Takashi Kadowaki, Masaomi Nangaku, Kazuhiko Ohe. Originally published in JMIR Research Protocols (http://www.researchprotocols.org), 20.04.2017.

Testing the Feasibility and Usability of a Novel Smartphone-Based Self-Management Support System for Dialysis Patients: A Pilot Study

PubMed Central

Fujiu, Katsuhito; Hanafusa, Norio; Nishi, Takahiro; Tomita, Hyoe; Kobayashi, Haruka; Fujita, Hideo; Kadowaki, Takashi; Nangaku, Masaomi; Ohe, Kazuhiko

2017-01-01

Background Diet and fluid restrictions that need continuous self-management are among the most difficult aspects of dialysis treatment. Smartphone applications may be useful for supporting self-management. Objective Our objective is to investigate the feasibility and usability of a novel smartphone-based self-management support system for dialysis patients. Methods We developed the Self-Management and Recording System for Dialysis (SMART-D), which supports self-monitoring of three mortality-related factors that can be modified by lifestyle: interdialytic weight gain and predialysis serum potassium and phosphorus concentrations. Data is displayed graphically, with all data evaluated automatically to determine whether they achieve the values suggested by the Japanese Society for Dialysis Therapy guidelines. In a pilot study, 9 dialysis patients used SMART-D system for 2 weeks. A total of 7 of them completed questionnaires rating their assessment of SMART-D’s usability and their satisfaction with the system. In addition, the Kidney Disease Quality of Life scale was compared before and after the study period. Results All 9 participants were able to use SMART-D with no major problems. Completion rates for body weight, pre- and postdialysis weight, and serum potassium and phosphorus concentrations were, respectively, 89% (SD 23), 95% (SD 7), and 78% (SD 44). Of the 7 participants who completed the usability survey, all were motivated by the sense of security derived from using the system, and 6 of the 7 (86%) reported that using SMART-D helped improve their lifestyle and self-management. Conclusions Using SMART-D was feasible, and the system was well regarded by patients. Further study with larger scale cohorts and longer study and follow-up periods is needed to evaluate the effects of SMART-D on clinical outcomes and quality of life. PMID:28428168

Usability evaluation of the SMART application for youth with mTBI.

PubMed

Dexheimer, Judith W; Kurowski, Brad G; Anders, Shilo H; McClanahan, Nicole; Wade, Shari L; Babcock, Lynn

2017-01-01

There is a dearth of evidence-based treatments available to address the significant morbidity associated with mild traumatic brain injury (mTBI). To address this gap, we designed a novel user-friendly, web-based application. We describe the preliminary evaluation of feasibility and usability of the application to promote recovery following mTBI in youth, the Self-Monitoring Activity-Restriction and Relaxation Treatment (SMART). SMART incorporates real-time recommendations for individualized symptom management and activity restriction along with training in cognitive-behavioral coping strategies. We conducted a usability evaluation to assess and modify the SMART system prior to further study and deployment. Children ages 11-18 years presenting to the emergency department were recruited after symptoms resolved. Usability was assessed using a 60-min think-aloud protocol of teens and parents describing their interaction with the application. Upon completion of the tasks, each participant also completed the system usability scale (SUS). We performed tests with 4 parent/child dyads. The average age of the children was 13 years (standard deviation=1.8). The parents were an average of 41.5 years old (standard deviation=6.2). Research revealed that the participants were enthusiastic about the interactive portions of the tool particularly the video based sessions. Parents were concerned about the speed at which their child might move through the program and the children thought that the system required large amounts of reading. Based on user feedback, researchers modified SMART to include an audio file in every module and improved the system's aesthetic properties. The mean SUS score was 85, with high SUS scores (>68) indicating satisfactory usability. High initial usability and favorable user feedback provide a foundation for further iterative development and testing of the SMART application as a tool for managing recovery from concussion. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

A hospital-wide transition from paper to digital problem-oriented clinical notes. A descriptive history and cross-sectional survey of use, usability, and satisfaction.

PubMed

Cillessen, Felix H J M; de Vries Robbé, Pieter F; Biermans, Marion C J

2017-05-17

To evaluate the use, usability, and physician satisfaction of a locally developed problem-oriented clinical notes application that replaced paper-based records in a large Dutch university medical center. Using a clinical notes database and an application event log file and a cross-sectional survey of usability, authors retrospectively analyzed system usage for medical specialties, users, and patients over 4 years. A standardized questionnaire measured usability. Authors analyzed the effects of sex, age, professional experience, training hours, and medical specialty on user satisfaction via univariate analysis of variance. Authors also examined the correlation between user satisfaction in relation to users' intensity of use of the application. In total 1,793 physicians used the application to record progress notes for 219,755 patients. The overall satisfaction score was 3.2 on a scale from 1 (highly dissatisfied) to 5 (highly satisfied). A statistically significant difference occurred in satisfaction by medical specialty, but no statistically significant differences in satisfaction took place by sex, age, professional experience, or training hours. Intensity of system use did not correlate with physician satisfaction. By two years after the start of the implementation, all medical specialties utilized the clinical notes application. User satisfaction was neutral (3.2 on a 1-5 scale). Authors believe that the significant factors facilitating this transition mirrored success factors reported by other groups: a generic, consistent, and transparent design of the application; intensive collaboration; continuous monitoring; and an incremental rollout.

Palliative Care Planner: A Pilot Study to Evaluate Acceptability and Usability of an Electronic Health Records System-integrated, Needs-targeted App Platform.

PubMed

Cox, Christopher E; Jones, Derek M; Reagan, Wen; Key, Mary D; Chow, Vinca; McFarlin, Jessica; Casarett, David; Creutzfeldt, Claire J; Docherty, Sharron L

2018-01-01

The quality and patient-centeredness of intensive care unit (ICU)-based palliative care delivery is highly variable. To develop and pilot an app platform for clinicians and ICU patients and their family members that enhances the delivery of needs-targeted palliative care. In the development phase of the study, we developed an electronic health record (EHR) system-integrated mobile web app system prototype, PCplanner (Palliative Care Planner). PCplanner screens the EHR for ICU patients meeting any of five prompts (triggers) for palliative care consultation, allows families to report their unmet palliative care needs, and alerts clinicians to these needs. The evaluation phase included a prospective before/after study conducted at a large academic medical center. Two control populations were enrolled in the before period to serve as context for the intervention. First, 25 ICU patients who received palliative care consults served as patient-level controls. Second, 49 family members of ICU patients who received mechanical ventilation for at least 48 hours served as family-level controls. Afterward, 14 patients, 18 family members, and 10 clinicians participated in the intervention evaluation period. Family member outcomes measured at baseline and 4 days later included acceptability (Client Satisfaction Questionnaire [CSQ]), usability (Systems Usability Scale [SUS]), and palliative care needs, assessed with the adapted needs of social nature, existential concerns, symptoms, and therapeutic interaction (NEST) scale; the Patient-Centeredness of Care Scale (PCCS); and the Perceived Stress Scale (PSS). Patient outcomes included frequency of goal concordant treatment, hospital length of stay, and discharge disposition. Family members reported high PCplanner acceptability (mean CSQ, 14.1 [SD, 1.4]) and usability (mean SUS, 21.1 [SD, 1.7]). PCplanner family member recipients experienced a 12.7-unit reduction in NEST score compared with a 3.4-unit increase among controls (P = 0.002), as well as improved mean scores on the PCCS (6.6 [SD, 5.8]) and the PSS (-0.8 [SD, 1.9]). The frequency of goal-concordant treatment increased over the course of the intervention (n = 14 [SD, 79%] vs. n = 18 [SD, 100%]). Compared with palliative care controls, intervention patients received palliative care consultation sooner (3.9 [SD, 2.7] vs. 6.9 [SD, 7.1] mean days), had a shorter mean hospital length of stay (20.5 [SD, 9.1] vs. 22.3 [SD, 16.0] patient number), and received hospice care more frequently (5 [36%] vs. 5 [20%]), although these differences were not statistically significant. PCplanner represents an acceptable, usable, and clinically promising systems-based approach to delivering EHR-triggered, needs-targeted ICU-based palliative care within a standard clinical workflow. A clinical trial in a larger population is needed to evaluate its efficacy.

Effectiveness, usability, and cost-benefit of a virtual reality-based telerehabilitation program for balance recovery after stroke: a randomized controlled trial.

PubMed

Lloréns, Roberto; Noé, Enrique; Colomer, Carolina; Alcañiz, Mariano

2015-03-01

First, to evaluate the clinical effectiveness of a virtual reality (VR)-based telerehabilitation program in the balance recovery of individuals with hemiparesis after stroke in comparison with an in-clinic program; second, to compare the subjective experiences; and third, to contrast the costs of both programs. Single-blind, randomized, controlled trial. Neurorehabilitation unit. Chronic outpatients with stroke (N=30) with residual hemiparesis. Twenty 45-minute training sessions with the telerehabilitation system, conducted 3 times a week, in the clinic or in the home. First, Berg Balance Scale for balance assessment. The Performance-Oriented Mobility Assessment balance and gait subscales, and the Brunel Balance Assessment were secondary outcome measures. Clinical assessments were conducted at baseline, 8 weeks (posttreatment), and 12 weeks (follow-up). Second, the System Usability Scale and the Intrinsic Motivation Inventory for subjective experiences. Third, cost (in dollars). Significant improvement in both groups (in-clinic group [control] and a home-based telerehabilitation group) from the initial to the final assessment in the Berg Balance Scale (ηp(2)=.68; P=.001), in the balance (ηp(2)=.24; P=.006) and gait (ηp(2)=.57, P=.001) subscales of the Tinetti Performance-Oriented Mobility Assessment, and in the Brunel Balance Assessment (control: χ(2)=15.0; P=.002; experimental: χ(2)=21.9; P=.001). No significant differences were found between the groups in any balance scale or in the feedback questionnaires. With regard to subjective experiences, both groups considered the VR system similarly usable and motivating. The in-clinic intervention resulted in more expenses than did the telerehabilitation intervention ($654.72 per person). First, VR-based telerehabilitation interventions can promote the reacquisition of locomotor skills associated with balance in the same way as do in-clinic interventions, both complemented with a conventional therapy program; second, the usability of and motivation to use the 2 interventions can be similar; and third, telerehabilitation interventions can involve savings that vary depending on each scenario. Copyright © 2015 American Congress of Rehabilitation Medicine. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Biofeedback in Partial Weight Bearing: Usability of Two Different Devices from a Patient’s and Physical Therapist’s Perspective

PubMed Central

van Lieshout, Remko; Pisters, Martijn F.; Vanwanseele, Benedicte; de Bie, Rob A.; Wouters, Eveline J.; Stukstette, Mirelle J.

2016-01-01

Background Partial weight bearing is frequently instructed by physical therapists in patients after lower-limb trauma or surgery. The use of biofeedback devices seems promising to improve the patient’s compliance with weight-bearing instructions. SmartStep and OpenGo-Science are biofeedback devices that provide real-time feedback. For a successful implementation, usability of the devices is a critical aspect and should be tested from a user’s perspective. Aim To describe the usability from the physical therapists’ and a patients’ perspective of Smartstep and OpenGo-Science to provide feedback on partial weight bearing during supervised rehabilitation of patients after lower-limb trauma or surgery. Methods In a convergent mixed-methods design, qualitative and quantitative data were collected. Usability was subdivided into user performance, satisfaction and acceptability. Patients prescribed with partial weight bearing and their physical therapists were asked to use SmartStep and OpenGo-Science during supervised rehabilitation. Usability was qualitatively tested by a think-aloud method and a semi-structured interview and quantitatively tested by the System-Usability-Scale (SUS) and closed questions. For the qualitative data thematic content analyses were used. Results Nine pairs of physical therapists and their patients participated. The mean SUS scores for patients and physical therapists were for SmartStep 70 and 53, and for OpenGo-Science 79 and 81, respectively. Scores were interpreted with the Curved Grading Scale. The qualitative data showed that there were mixed views and perceptions from patients and physical therapists on satisfaction and acceptability. Conclusion This study gives insight in the usability of two biofeedback devices from the patient’s and physical therapist’s perspective. The overall usability from both perspectives seemed to be acceptable for OpenGo-Science. For SmartStep, overall usability seemed only acceptable from the patient’s perspective. Implication The study findings could help clinicians to decide which biofeedback device is appropriate for their given situation and provide information for future development of biofeedback devices. PMID:27798674

Usability Testing of a National Substance Use Screening Tool Embedded in Electronic Health Records.

PubMed

Press, Anne; DeStio, Catherine; McCullagh, Lauren; Kapoor, Sandeep; Morley, Jeanne; Conigliaro, Joseph

2016-07-08

Screening, brief intervention, and referral to treatment (SBIRT) is currently being implemented into health systems nationally via paper and electronic methods. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the integration of an electronic SBIRT tool into an existing paper-based SBIRT clinical workflow in a patient-centered medical home. Usability testing was conducted in an academic ambulatory clinic. Two rounds of usability testing were done with medical office assistants (MOAs) using a paper and electronic version of the SBIRT tool, with two and four participants, respectively. Qualitative and quantitative data was analyzed to determine the impact of both tools on clinical workflow. A second round of usability testing was done with the revised electronic version and compared with the first version. Personal workflow barriers cited in the first round of testing were that the electronic health record (EHR) tool was disruptive to patient's visits. In Round 2 of testing, MOAs reported favoring the electronic version due to improved layout and the inclusion of an alert system embedded in the EHR. For example, using the system usability scale (SUS), MOAs reported a grade "1" for the statement, "I would like to use this system frequently" during the first round of testing but a "5" during the second round of analysis. The importance of testing usability of various mediums of tools used in health care screening is highlighted by the findings of this study. In the first round of testing, the electronic tool was reported as less user friendly, being difficult to navigate, and time consuming. Many issues faced in the first generation of the tool were improved in the second generation after usability was evaluated. This study demonstrates how usability testing of an electronic SBRIT tool can help to identify challenges that can impact clinical workflow. However, a limitation of this study was the small sample size of MOAs that participated. The results may have been biased to Northwell Health workers' perceptions of the SBIRT tool and their specific clinical workflow.

High End Computing Technologies for Earth Science Applications: Trends, Challenges, and Innovations

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Parks, John (Technical Monitor); Biswas, Rupak; Yan, Jerry C.; Brooks, Walter F.; Sterling, Thomas L.

2003-01-01

Earth science applications of the future will stress the capabilities of even the highest performance supercomputers in the areas of raw compute power, mass storage management, and software environments. These NASA mission critical problems demand usable multi-petaflops and exabyte-scale systems to fully realize their science goals. With an exciting vision of the technologies needed, NASA has established a comprehensive program of advanced research in computer architecture, software tools, and device technology to ensure that, in partnership with US industry, it can meet these demanding requirements with reliable, cost effective, and usable ultra-scale systems. NASA will exploit, explore, and influence emerging high end computing architectures and technologies to accelerate the next generation of engineering, operations, and discovery processes for NASA Enterprises. This article captures this vision and describes the concepts, accomplishments, and the potential payoff of the key thrusts that will help meet the computational challenges in Earth science applications.

Remote Health Monitoring for Older Adults and Those with Heart Failure: Adherence and System Usability.

PubMed

Evans, Jarrett; Papadopoulos, Amy; Silvers, Christine Tsien; Charness, Neil; Boot, Walter R; Schlachta-Fairchild, Loretta; Crump, Cindy; Martinez, Michele; Ent, Carrie Beth

2016-06-01

Remote health monitoring technology has been suggested as part of an early intervention and prevention care model. Older adults with a chronic health condition have been shown to benefit from remote monitoring but often have challenges with complex technology. The current study reports on the usability of and adherence with an integrated, real-time monitoring system over an extended period of time by older adults with and without a chronic health condition. Older adults 55 years of age and over with and without heart failure participated in a study in which a telehealth system was used for 6 months each. The system consisted of a wireless wristwatch-based monitoring device that continuously collected temperature and motion data. Other health information was collected daily using a weight scale, blood pressure cuff, and tablet that participants used for health surveys. Data were automatically analyzed and summarized by the system and presented to study nurses. Forty-one older adults participated. Seventy-one percent of surveys, 75% of blood pressure readings, and 81% of daily weight measurements were taken. Participants wore the watch monitor 77% of the overall 24/7 time requested. The weight scale had the highest usability rating in both groups. The groups did not otherwise differ on device usage. The findings indicate that a health monitoring system designed for older adults can and will be used for an extended period of time and may help older adults with chronic conditions reside longer in their own homes in partnership with the healthcare system.

Increasing EHR system usability through standards: Conformance criteria in the HL7 EHR-system functional model.

PubMed

Meehan, Rebecca A; Mon, Donald T; Kelly, Kandace M; Rocca, Mitra; Dickinson, Gary; Ritter, John; Johnson, Constance M

2016-10-01

Though substantial work has been done on the usability of health information technology, improvements in electronic health record system (EHR) usability have been slow, creating frustration, distrust of EHRs and the use of potentially unsafe work-arounds. Usability standards could be part of the solution for improving EHR usability. EHR system functional requirements and standards have been used successfully in the past to specify system behavior, the criteria of which have been gradually implemented in EHR systems through certification programs and other national health IT strategies. Similarly, functional requirements and standards for usability can help address the multitude of sequelae associated with poor usability. This paper describes the evidence-based functional requirements for usability contained in the Health Level Seven (HL7) EHR System Functional Model, and the benefits of open and voluntary EHR system usability standards. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Towards a Usability and Error "Safety Net": A Multi-Phased Multi-Method Approach to Ensuring System Usability and Safety.

PubMed

Kushniruk, Andre; Senathirajah, Yalini; Borycki, Elizabeth

2017-01-01

The usability and safety of health information systems have become major issues in the design and implementation of useful healthcare IT. In this paper we describe a multi-phased multi-method approach to integrating usability engineering methods into system testing to ensure both usability and safety of healthcare IT upon widespread deployment. The approach involves usability testing followed by clinical simulation (conducted in-situ) and "near-live" recording of user interactions with systems. At key stages in this process, usability problems are identified and rectified forming a usability and technology-induced error "safety net" that catches different types of usability and safety problems prior to releasing systems widely in healthcare settings.

Development and testing of painometer: a smartphone app to assess pain intensity.

PubMed

de la Vega, Rocío; Roset, Roman; Castarlenas, Elena; Sánchez-Rodríguez, Elisabet; Solé, Ester; Miró, Jordi

2014-10-01

Electronic and information technologies are increasingly being used to assess pain. This study aims to 1) introduce Painometer, a smartphone app that helps users to assess pain intensity, and 2) report on its usability (ie, user performance and satisfaction) and acceptability (ie, the willingness to use it) when it is made available to health care professionals and nonprofessionals. Painometer includes 4 well-known pain intensity scales: the Faces Pain Scale-Revised, the numerical rating scale-11, the Coloured Analogue Scale, and the visual analog scale. Scores reported with these scales, when used in their traditional format, have shown to be valid and reliable. The app was tested in a sample of 24 health care professionals and 30 nonprofessionals. Two iterative usability cycles were conducted with a qualitative usability testing approach and a semistructured interview. The participants had an average of 10 years' experience in using computers. The domains measured were ease of use, errors in usage, most popular characteristics, suggested changes, and acceptability. Adding instructions and changing format and layout details solved the usability problems reported in cycle 1. No further problems were reported in cycle 2. Painometer has been found to be a useful, user-friendly app that may help to improve the accuracy of pain intensity assessment. Painometer, a smartphone app to assess pain intensity, shows good usability and acceptability properties when used by health care professionals and nonprofessionals. Copyright © 2014 American Pain Society. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Seamless recording of glucometer measurements among older experienced diabetic patients - A study of perception and usability.

PubMed

Rasche, Peter; Mertens, Alexander; Miron-Shatz, Talya; Berzon, Corinne; Schlick, Christopher M; Jahn, Michael; Becker, Stefan

2018-01-01

Self-measurement and documentation of blood-glucose are critical elements of diabetes management, particularly in regimes including insulin. In this study, we analyze the usability of iBG-STAR, the first blood glucose meter connectable to a smartphone. This technology records glucometer measurements, removing the burden of documentation from diabetic patients. This study assesses the potential for implementation of iBG-STAR in routine care. Twelve long-term diabetic patients (4 males; median age of 66.5 years) were enrolled in the study. N = 4/12 reported diabetic polyneuropathy. Reported subjective mental workload for all tasks related to iBG-STAR was on average lower than 12 points, corresponding to the verbal code 'nearly no effort needed'. A "Post Study System Usability Questionnaire", evaluated the glucometer at an average value of 2.06 (SD = 1.02) on a 7-Likert-scale (1 = 'I fully agree' to 7 = 'I completely disagree') for usability. These results represent a positive user-experience. Patients with polyneuropathy may experience physical difficulties in completing the tasks, thereby affecting usability. Technologically savvy patients (n = 6) with a positive outlook on diabetes assessed the product as a suitable tool for themselves and would recommend to other diabetic patients. The main barrier to regular use was treating physicians' inability to retrieve digitally recorded data. This barrier was due to a shortcoming in interoperability of mobile devices and medical information systems.

PHIT for Duty, a Mobile Application for Stress Reduction, Sleep Improvement, and Alcohol Moderation.

PubMed

Kizakevich, Paul N; Eckhoff, Randall; Brown, Janice; Tueller, Stephen J; Weimer, Belinda; Bell, Stacey; Weeks, Adam; Hourani, Laurel L; Spira, James L; King, Laurel A

2018-03-01

Post-traumatic stress and other problems often occur after combat, deployment, and other military operations. Because techniques such as mindfulness meditation show efficacy in improving mental health, our team developed a mobile application (app) for individuals in the armed forces with subclinical psychological problems as secondary prevention of more significant disease. Based on the Personal Health Intervention Toolkit (PHIT), a mobile app framework for personalized health intervention studies, PHIT for Duty integrates mindfulness-based relaxation, behavioral education in sleep quality and alcohol use, and psychometric and psychophysiological data capture. We evaluated PHIT for Duty in usability and health assessment studies to establish app quality for use in health research. Participants (N = 31) rated usability on a 1 (very hard) to 5 (very easy) scale and also completed the System Usability Scale (SUS) questionnaire (N = 9). Results were (mean ± SD) overall (4.5 ± 0.6), self-report instruments (4.5 ± 0.7), pulse sensor (3.7 ± 1.2), sleep monitor (4.4 ± 0.7), sleep monitor comfort (3.7 ± 1.1), and wrist actigraphy comfort (2.7 ± 0.9). The average SUS score was 85 ± 12, indicating a rank of 95%. A comparison of PHIT-based assessments to traditional paper forms demonstrated a high overall correlation (r = 0.87). These evaluations of usability, health assessment accuracy, physiological sensing, system acceptability, and overall functionality have shown positive results and affirmation for using the PHIT framework and PHIT for Duty application in mobile health research.

Usability Methods for Ensuring Health Information Technology Safety: Evidence-Based Approaches. Contribution of the IMIA Working Group Health Informatics for Patient Safety.

PubMed

Borycki, E; Kushniruk, A; Nohr, C; Takeda, H; Kuwata, S; Carvalho, C; Bainbridge, M; Kannry, J

2013-01-01

Issues related to lack of system usability and potential safety hazards continue to be reported in the health information technology (HIT) literature. Usability engineering methods are increasingly used to ensure improved system usability and they are also beginning to be applied more widely for ensuring the safety of HIT applications. These methods are being used in the design and implementation of many HIT systems. In this paper we describe evidence-based approaches to applying usability engineering methods. A multi-phased approach to ensuring system usability and safety in healthcare is described. Usability inspection methods are first described including the development of evidence-based safety heuristics for HIT. Laboratory-based usability testing is then conducted under artificial conditions to test if a system has any base level usability problems that need to be corrected. Usability problems that are detected are corrected and then a new phase is initiated where the system is tested under more realistic conditions using clinical simulations. This phase may involve testing the system with simulated patients. Finally, an additional phase may be conducted, involving a naturalistic study of system use under real-world clinical conditions. The methods described have been employed in the analysis of the usability and safety of a wide range of HIT applications, including electronic health record systems, decision support systems and consumer health applications. It has been found that at least usability inspection and usability testing should be applied prior to the widespread release of HIT. However, wherever possible, additional layers of testing involving clinical simulations and a naturalistic evaluation will likely detect usability and safety issues that may not otherwise be detected prior to widespread system release. The framework presented in the paper can be applied in order to develop more usable and safer HIT, based on multiple layers of evidence.

A Robot-Based Tool for Physical and Cognitive Rehabilitation of Elderly People Using Biofeedback

PubMed Central

Lopez-Samaniego, Leire; Garcia-Zapirain, Begonya

2016-01-01

This publication presents a complete description of a technological solution system for the physical and cognitive rehabilitation of elderly people through a biofeedback system, which is combined with a Lego robot. The technology used was the iOS’s (iPhone Operating System) Objective-C programming language and its XCode programming environment; and SQLite in order to create the database. The biofeedback system is implemented by the use of two biosensors which are, in fact, a Microsoft band 2 in order to register the user’s heart rate and a MYO sensor to detect the user’s arm movement. Finally, the system was tested with seven elderly people from La Santa y Real Casa de la Misericordia nursing home in Bilbao. The statistical assessment has shown that the users are satisfied with the usability of the system, with a mean score of 79.29 on the System Usability Scale (SUS) questionnaire. PMID:27886146

Evaluation of expert system application based on usability aspects

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Munaiseche, C. P. C.; Liando, O. E. S.

2016-04-01

Usability usually defined as a point of human acceptance to a product or a system based on understands and right reaction to an interface. The performance of web application has been influence by the quality of the interface of that web to supporting information transfer process. Preferably, before the applications of expert systems were installed in the operational environment, these applications must be evaluated first by usability testing. This research aimed to measure the usability of the expert system application using tasks as interaction media. This study uses an expert system application to diagnose skin disease in human using questionnaire method which utilize the tasks as interaction media in measuring the usability. Certain tasks were executed by the participants in observing usability value of the application. The usability aspects observed were learnability, efficiency, memorability, errors, and satisfaction. Each questionnaire question represent aspects of usability. The results present the usability value for each aspect and the total average merit for all the five-usability aspect was 4.28, this indicated that the tested expert system application is in the range excellent for the usability level, so the application can be implemented as the operated system by user. The main contribution of the study is the research became the first step in using task model in the usability evaluation for the expert system application software.

Usability Flaws in Medication Alerting Systems: Impact on Usage and Work System.

PubMed

Marcilly, R; Ammenwerth, E; Roehrer, E; Pelayo, S; Vasseur, F; Beuscart-Zéphir, M-C

2015-08-13

Previous research has shown that medication alerting systems face usability issues. There has been no previous attempt to systematically explore the consequences of usability flaws in such systems on users (i.e. usage problems) and work systems (i.e. negative outcomes). This paper aims at exploring and synthesizing the consequences of usability flaws in terms of usage problems and negative outcomes on the work system. A secondary analysis of 26 papers included in a prior systematic review of the usability flaws in medication alerting was performed. Usage problems and negative outcomes were extracted and sorted. Links between usability flaws, usage problems, and negative outcomes were also analyzed. Poor usability generates a large variety of consequences. It impacts the user from a cognitive, behavioral, emotional, and attitudinal perspective. Ultimately, usability flaws have negative consequences on the workflow, the effectiveness of the technology, the medication management process, and, more importantly, patient safety. Only few complete pathways leading from usability flaws to negative outcomes were identified. Usability flaws in medication alerting systems impede users, and ultimately their work system, and negatively impact patient safety. Therefore, the usability dimension may act as a hidden explanatory variable that could explain, at least partly, the (absence of) intended outcomes of new technology.

Usability Flaws in Medication Alerting Systems: Impact on Usage and Work System

PubMed Central

Ammenwerth, E.; Roehrer, E.; Pelayo, S.; Vasseur, F.; Beuscart-Zéphir, M.-C.

2015-01-01

Summary Objectives Previous research has shown that medication alerting systems face usability issues. There has been no previous attempt to systematically explore the consequences of usability flaws in such systems on users (i.e. usage problems) and work systems (i.e. negative outcomes). This paper aims at exploring and synthesizing the consequences of usability flaws in terms of usage problems and negative outcomes on the work system. Methods A secondary analysis of 26 papers included in a prior systematic review of the usability flaws in medication alerting was performed. Usage problems and negative outcomes were extracted and sorted. Links between usability flaws, usage problems, and negative outcomes were also analyzed. Results Poor usability generates a large variety of consequences. It impacts the user from a cognitive, behavioral, emotional, and attitudinal perspective. Ultimately, usability flaws have negative consequences on the workflow, the effectiveness of the technology, the medication management process, and, more importantly, patient safety. Only few complete pathways leading from usability flaws to negative outcomes were identified. Conclusion Usability flaws in medication alerting systems impede users, and ultimately their work system, and negatively impact patient safety. Therefore, the usability dimension may act as a hidden explanatory variable that could explain, at least partly, the (absence of) intended outcomes of new technology. PMID:26123906

A Mobile App (BEDSide Mobility) to Support Nurses’ Tasks at the Patient's Bedside: Usability Study

PubMed Central

Weinhold, Thomas; Joe, Jonathan; Lovis, Christian; Blondon, Katherine

2018-01-01

Background The introduction of clinical information systems has increased the amount of clinical documentation. Although this documentation generally improves patient safety, it has become a time-consuming task for nurses, which limits their time with the patient. On the basis of a user-centered methodology, we have developed a mobile app named BEDSide Mobility to support nurses in their daily workflow and to facilitate documentation at the bedside. Objective The aim of the study was to assess the usability of the BEDSide Mobility app in terms of the navigation and interaction design through usability testing. Methods Nurses were asked to complete a scenario reflecting their daily work with patients. Their interactions with the app were captured with eye-tracking glasses and by using the think aloud protocol. After completing the tasks, participants filled out the system usability scale questionnaire. Descriptive statistics were used to summarize task completion rates and the users’ performance. Results A total of 10 nurses (aged 21-50) participated in the study. Overall, they were satisfied with the navigation, layout, and interaction design of the app, with the exception of one user who was unfamiliar with smartphones. The problems identified were related to the ambiguity of some icons, the navigation logic, and design inconsistency. Conclusions Besides the usability issues identified in the app, the participants’ results do indicate good usability, high acceptance, and high satisfaction with the developed app. However, the results must be taken with caution because of the poor ecological validity of the experimental setting. PMID:29563074

Applying usability methods to identify health literacy issues: an example using a Personal Health Record.

PubMed

Monkman, Helen; Kushniruk, Andre

2013-01-01

The prevalence of consumer health information systems is increasing. However, usability and health literacy impact both the value and adoption of these systems. Health literacy and usability are closely related in that systems may not be used accurately if users cannot understand the information therein. Thus, it is imperative to focus on mitigating the demands on health literacy in consumer health information systems. This study modified two usability evaluation methods (heuristic evaluation and usability testing) to incorporate the identification of potential health literacy issues in a Personal Health Record (PHR). Heuristic evaluation is an analysis of a system performed by a usability specialist who evaluates how well the system abides by usability principles. In contrast, a usability test involves a post hoc analysis of a representative user interacting with the system. These two methods revealed several health literacy issues and suggestions to ameliorate them were made. Thus, it was demonstrated that usability methods could be successfully augmented for the purpose of investigating health literacy issues. To improve users' health knowledge, the adoption of consumer health information systems, and the accuracy of the information contained therein, it is encouraged that usability methods be applied with an added focus on health literacy.

Acceptance and usability of a home-based monitoring tool of health indicators in children of people with dementia: a Proof of Principle (POP) study

PubMed Central

Boessen, April BCG; Vermeulen, Joan; de Witte, Luc P

2017-01-01

Background Large-scale cohort studies are needed to confirm the relation between dementia and its possible risk factors. The inclusion of people with dementia in research is a challenge, however, children of people with dementia are at risk and are highly motivated to participate in dementia research. For technologies to support home-based data collection during large-scale studies, participants should be able and willing to use technology for a longer period of time. Objective This study investigated acceptance and usability of iVitality, a research platform for home-based monitoring of dementia health indicators, in 151 children of people with dementia and investigated which frequency of measurements is acceptable for them. Methods Participants were randomized to fortnightly or monthly measurements. At baseline and after 3 months, participants completed an online questionnaire regarding the acceptance (Technology Acceptance Model; 38 items) and usability (Post-Study System Usability Questionnaire; 24 items) of iVitality. Items were rated from 1 (I totally disagree) to 7 (I totally agree). Participants were also invited to take part in an online focus group (OFG) after 3 months of follow-up. Descriptive statistics and both two-sample/independent and paired t-tests were used to analyze the online questionnaires and a directed content analysis was used to analyze the OFGs. Results Children of people with dementia accept iVitality after long-term use and evaluate iVitality as a user-friendly, useful, and trusted technology, despite some suggestions for improvement. Overall, mean scores on acceptance and usability were higher than 5 (I somewhat agree), although the acceptance subscales “social influence” and “time” were rated somewhat lower. No significant differences in acceptance and usability were found between both protocol groups. Over time, “affect” significantly increased among participants measuring blood pressure fortnightly. Conclusion iVitality has the potential to be used in large-scale studies for home-based monitoring of health indicators related to the development of dementia. PMID:28814839

Report on Research

DTIC Science & Technology

1989-06-01

Force systems require a resolved information on the optical thorough understanding of the propaga- extinction coefficient. Measurements of tion path , the...Depolarization as Function of Snow Density. Measurement System ). (It correlated well with the ( Multi -scatter scale length information is usable to extinction ...data on the effect of optically thin cirrus clouds on long - path infrared transmit- tance. Future system designers will have access to this new

Comprehensive verticality analysis and web-based rehabilitation system for people with multiple sclerosis with supervised medical monitoring.

PubMed

Eguiluz-Perez, Gonzalo; Garcia-Zapirain, Begonya

2014-01-01

People with Multiple Sclerosis (MS) need regular physical activities along with medical treatment despite their ability or disability level. However, poorly performed exercises could aggravate muscle imbalances and worsen their health. The goal of our work is to create a comprehensive system, encompassing a face-to-face sessions performed by MS patients one day a week at the medical center with exercises at home the rest of the week through a web platform in combination with a tracking tool to analyze the position of patients during exercise and correct them in real-time. The whole system is currently testing during six months with ten participants, five persons with MS and 5 professionals related with MS. Two tests, the Functional Independence Measure and the Berg Balance Scale will be act as a barometer for measuring the degree of independence obtained by the people with MS and also the validity of the whole system as a rehabilitation tool. Preliminary results about the usability of the system using SUS scale, 72 and 76 points over 100 (patients and professionals respectively), demonstrate that our system is usable for both patients and professionals.

Usability study of a computer-based self-management system for older adults with chronic diseases.

PubMed

Or, Calvin; Tao, Da

2012-11-08

Usability can influence patients' acceptance and adoption of a health information technology. However, little research has been conducted to study the usability of a self-management health care system, especially one geared toward elderly patients. This usability study evaluated a new computer-based self-management system interface for older adults with chronic diseases, using a paper prototype approach. Fifty older adults with different chronic diseases participated. Two usability evaluation methods were involved: (1) a heuristics evaluation and (2) end-user testing with a think-aloud testing method, audio recording, videotaping, and interviewing. A set of usability metrics was employed to determine the overall system usability, including task incompletion rate, task completion time, frequency of error, frequency of help, satisfaction, perceived usefulness, and perceived ease of use. Interviews were used to elicit participants' comments on the system design. The quantitative data were analyzed using descriptive statistics and the qualitative data were analyzed for content. The participants were able to perform the predesigned self-management tasks with the current system design and they expressed mostly positive responses about the perceived usability measures regarding the system interface. However, the heuristics evaluation, performance measures, and interviews revealed a number of usability problems related to system navigation, information search and interpretation, information presentation, and readability. Design recommendations for further system interface modifications were discussed. This study verified the usability of the self-management system developed for older adults with chronic diseases. Also, we demonstrated that our usability evaluation approach could be used to quickly and effectively identify usability problems in a health care information system at an early stage of the system development process using a paper prototype. Conducting a usability evaluation is an essential step in system development to ensure that the system features match the users' true needs, expectations, and characteristics, and also to minimize the likelihood of the users committing user errors and having difficulties using the system.

Usability Study of a Computer-Based Self-Management System for Older Adults with Chronic Diseases

PubMed Central

Tao, Da

2012-01-01

Background Usability can influence patients’ acceptance and adoption of a health information technology. However, little research has been conducted to study the usability of a self-management health care system, especially one geared toward elderly patients. Objective This usability study evaluated a new computer-based self-management system interface for older adults with chronic diseases, using a paper prototype approach. Methods Fifty older adults with different chronic diseases participated. Two usability evaluation methods were involved: (1) a heuristics evaluation and (2) end-user testing with a think-aloud testing method, audio recording, videotaping, and interviewing. A set of usability metrics was employed to determine the overall system usability, including task incompletion rate, task completion time, frequency of error, frequency of help, satisfaction, perceived usefulness, and perceived ease of use. Interviews were used to elicit participants’ comments on the system design. The quantitative data were analyzed using descriptive statistics and the qualitative data were analyzed for content. Results The participants were able to perform the predesigned self-management tasks with the current system design and they expressed mostly positive responses about the perceived usability measures regarding the system interface. However, the heuristics evaluation, performance measures, and interviews revealed a number of usability problems related to system navigation, information search and interpretation, information presentation, and readability. Design recommendations for further system interface modifications were discussed. Conclusions This study verified the usability of the self-management system developed for older adults with chronic diseases. Also, we demonstrated that our usability evaluation approach could be used to quickly and effectively identify usability problems in a health care information system at an early stage of the system development process using a paper prototype. Conducting a usability evaluation is an essential step in system development to ensure that the system features match the users’ true needs, expectations, and characteristics, and also to minimize the likelihood of the users committing user errors and having difficulties using the system. PMID:23612015

Qualitative and quantitative evaluation of EHR-integrated mobile patient questionnaires regarding usability and cost-efficiency.

PubMed

Fritz, Fleur; Balhorn, Sebastian; Riek, Markus; Breil, Bernhard; Dugas, Martin

2012-05-01

The objective of this evaluation study is to assess a web-based application, currently available on iPad, to document questionnaires regarding patient reported outcomes such as quality of life. Based on the single source approach, the results of these questionnaires are available in the electronic health record to be used for treatment and research purposes. The assessment focuses on the usability and efficiency of the system. The system usability scale questionnaire with seven additional items was used to rate the usability by the patients. It was formally validated by a Cronbach Alpha test. In addition, semi-structured interviews were conducted with patients and medical staff. Time and cost measures, based on official tables of costs, were taken through workflow observations. This study was conducted in the department of dermatology at the University Hospital of Münster, Germany from April to June 2011. Using the web-based application questionnaire, results about patient reported outcomes like quality of life are immediately available in the electronic health record and can be used for treatment or research purposes. 118 patients and four staff members participated in the study. The usability score reached 80 from 100 points and patients as well as medical staff stated in the interviews that the usability of the web-based system was high, and they preferred it to the previously used paper-based questionnaires. In the setting of our pilot department the mobile devices amortized their costs after 6.7 months. In general, depending on the professional group who are going to post process the paper-based forms, the earliest break-even point to use mobile questionnaires is at 1737 paper sheets per year. The mobile patient questionnaires, integrated into the electronic health record, were well accepted in our pilot setting with high usability scores from patients and medical staff alike. The system has also proved to be cost-efficient compared to the paper-based workflow, given that a certain number of questionnaires is used per year. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

Examining construct and predictive validity of the Health-IT Usability Evaluation Scale: confirmatory factor analysis and structural equation modeling results

PubMed Central

Yen, Po-Yin; Sousa, Karen H; Bakken, Suzanne

2014-01-01

Background In a previous study, we developed the Health Information Technology Usability Evaluation Scale (Health-ITUES), which is designed to support customization at the item level. Such customization matches the specific tasks/expectations of a health IT system while retaining comparability at the construct level, and provides evidence of its factorial validity and internal consistency reliability through exploratory factor analysis. Objective In this study, we advanced the development of Health-ITUES to examine its construct validity and predictive validity. Methods The health IT system studied was a web-based communication system that supported nurse staffing and scheduling. Using Health-ITUES, we conducted a cross-sectional study to evaluate users’ perception toward the web-based communication system after system implementation. We examined Health-ITUES's construct validity through first and second order confirmatory factor analysis (CFA), and its predictive validity via structural equation modeling (SEM). Results The sample comprised 541 staff nurses in two healthcare organizations. The CFA (n=165) showed that a general usability factor accounted for 78.1%, 93.4%, 51.0%, and 39.9% of the explained variance in ‘Quality of Work Life’, ‘Perceived Usefulness’, ‘Perceived Ease of Use’, and ‘User Control’, respectively. The SEM (n=541) supported the predictive validity of Health-ITUES, explaining 64% of the variance in intention for system use. Conclusions The results of CFA and SEM provide additional evidence for the construct and predictive validity of Health-ITUES. The customizability of Health-ITUES has the potential to support comparisons at the construct level, while allowing variation at the item level. We also illustrate application of Health-ITUES across stages of system development. PMID:24567081

Design and Evaluation of Virtual Reality-Based Therapy Games with Dual Focus on Therapeutic Relevance and User Experience for Children with Cerebral Palsy.

PubMed

Ni, Lian Ting; Fehlings, Darcy; Biddiss, Elaine

2014-06-01

Virtual reality (VR)-based therapy for motor rehabilitation of children with cerebral palsy (CP) is growing in prevalence. Although mainstream active videogames typically offer children an appealing user experience, they are not designed for therapeutic relevance. Conversely, rehabilitation-specific games often struggle to provide an immersive experience that sustains interest. This study aims to design and evaluate two VR-based therapy games for upper and lower limb rehabilitation and to evaluate their efficacy with dual focus on therapeutic relevance and user experience. Three occupational therapists, three physiotherapists, and eight children (8-12 years old), with CP Level I-III on the Gross Motor Function Classification System, evaluated two games for the Microsoft(®) (Redmond, WA) Kinect™ for Windows and completed the System Usability Scale (SUS), Physical Activity Enjoyment Scale (PACES), and custom feedback questionnaires. Children and therapists unanimously agreed on the enjoyment and therapeutic value of the games. Median scores on the PACES were high (6.24±0.95 on the 7-point scale). Therapists considered the system to be of average usability (50th percentile on the SUS). The most prevalent usability issue was detection errors distinguishing the child's movements from the supporting therapist's. The ability to adjust difficulty settings and to focus on targeted goals (e.g., elbow/shoulder extension, weight shifting) was highly valued by therapists. Engaging both therapists and children in a user-centered design approach enabled the development of two VR-based therapy games for upper and lower limb rehabilitation that are dually (a) engaging to the child and (b) therapeutically relevant.

A Wearable Sensor-Based Exercise Biofeedback System: Mixed Methods Evaluation of Formulift

PubMed Central

Slevin, Patrick; Ward, Tomas; Caulfield, Brian

2018-01-01

Background Formulift is a newly developed mobile health (mHealth) app that connects to a single inertial measurement unit (IMU) worn on the left thigh. The IMU captures users’ movements as they exercise, and the app analyzes the data to count repetitions in real time and classify users’ exercise technique. The app also offers feedback and guidance to users on exercising safely and effectively. Objective The aim of this study was to assess the Formulift system with three different and realistic types of potential users (beginner gym-goers, experienced gym-goers, and qualified strength and conditioning [S&C] coaches) under a number of categories: (1) usability, (2) functionality, (3) the perceived impact of the system, and (4) the subjective quality of the system. It was also desired to discover suggestions for future improvements to the system. Methods A total of 15 healthy volunteers participated (12 males; 3 females; age: 23.8 years [SD 1.80]; height: 1.79 m [SD 0.07], body mass: 78.4 kg [SD 9.6]). Five participants were beginner gym-goers, 5 were experienced gym-goers, and 5 were qualified and practicing S&C coaches. IMU data were first collected from each participant to create individualized exercise classifiers for them. They then completed a number of nonexercise-related tasks with the app. Following this, a workout was completed using the system, involving squats, deadlifts, lunges, and single-leg squats. Participants were then interviewed about their user experience and completed the System Usability Scale (SUS) and the user version of the Mobile Application Rating Scale (uMARS). Thematic analysis was completed on all interview transcripts, and survey results were analyzed. Results Qualitative and quantitative analysis found the system has “good” to “excellent” usability. The system achieved a mean (SD) SUS usability score of 79.2 (8.8). Functionality was also deemed to be good, with many users reporting positively on the systems repetition counting, technique classification, and feedback. A number of bugs were found, and other suggested changes to the system were also made. The overall subjective quality of the app was good, with a median star rating of 4 out of 5 (interquartile range, IQR: 3-5). Participants also reported that the system would aid their technique, provide motivation, reassure them, and help them avoid injury. Conclusions This study demonstrated an overall positive evaluation of Formulift in the categories of usability, functionality, perceived impact, and subjective quality. Users also suggested a number of changes for future iterations of the system. These findings are the first of their kind and show great promise for wearable sensor-based exercise biofeedback systems. PMID:29386171

Sentiment of Search: KM and IT for User Expectations

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Berndt, Sarah Ann; Meza, David

2014-01-01

User perceived value is the number one indicator of a successful implementation of KM and IT collaborations. The system known as "Search" requires more strategy and workflow that a mere data dump or ungoverned infrastructure can provide. Monitoring of user sentiment can be a driver for providing objective measures of success and justifying changes to the user interface. The dynamic nature of information technology makes traditional usability metrics difficult to identify, yet easy to argue against. There is little disagreement, however, on the criticality of adapting to user needs and expectations. The Systems Usability Scale (SUS), developed by John Brook in 1986 has become an industry standard for usability engineering. The first phase of a modified SUS, polls the sentiment of representative users of the JSC Search system. This information can be used to correlate user determined value with types of information sought and how the system is (or is not) meeting expectations. Sentiment analysis by way of the SUS assists an organization in identification and prioritization of the KM and IT variables impacting user perceived value. A secondary, user group focused analysis is the topic of additional work that demonstrates the impact of specific changes dictated by user sentiment.

Usability of a home-based test for the measurement of fecal calprotectin in asymptomatic IBD patients.

PubMed

Bello, Caroline; Roseth, Arne; Guardiola, Jordi; Reenaers, Catherine; Ruiz-Cerulla, Alexandra; Van Kemseke, Catherine; Arajol, Claudia; Reinhard, Christian; Seidel, Laurence; Louis, Edouard

2017-09-01

The aim of our work was to test the usability of fecal calprotectin (FC) home-based test in inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) patients. IBD patients were prospectively recruited. They had to measure FC with a dedicated tool and smartphone application, 5 times at two weeks intervals over an 8 weeks period. They had to fill in a usability questionnaire at the first and the last FC measurement. A System Usability Scale (SUS: 0-100) and the Global Score of Usability (GSU: 0-85) were calculated. FC was also centrally measured by ELISA. Fifty-eight patients were recruited. Forty-two performed at least one FC measurement and 27 performed all the FC requested measurements. The median (IQR) SUS (0-100) at the first and last use were 85 (78-90) and 81 (70-88), respectively; the median (IQR) GSU (0-85) at the first and last use were 74 (69-80) and 77 (68-83), respectively. Adherence to the planned measurements and usability of the tool were higher in females and in less severe disease. The intra-class correlation coefficient between home-based and centrally measured FC was 0.88. The adherence to home-based measurement of FC was fair. Usability scores for the home-based test were high. There was a good correlation with the centrally measured FC by ELISA. Copyright © 2017 Editrice Gastroenterologica Italiana S.r.l. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Connection between competence, usability, environment and risk of falls in elderly adults.

PubMed

Leiva-Caro, José Alex; Salazar-González, Bertha Cecilia; Gallegos-Cabriales, Esther Carlota; Gómez-Meza, Marco Vinicio; Hunter, Kathleen F

2015-01-01

To determine connections between competence, usability, environment and risk of falls in elderly adults. Correlational descriptive study, 123 elderly adults, both male and female, aged 70 years and older were included. Data was collected via the Tinetti Scale, CESD-7 Scale, Montreal Cognitive Assessment, Usability Questionnaire on Housing and Housing Enabler; and sociodemographic and health background certificate data. For data analysis, descriptive and inferential statistics were used, multivariate linear and logistic regression models were adjusted. 42.0% of the elderly adults had presented with falls, with a higher prevalence in women, and in the group of 70-75 years. The physical environment of the house, gait, and usability were set as risk factors for falls. A negative relationship between usability and depressive symptoms, cognitive health, balance, gait, the social and physical environment was found, p <0.05; and a strong positive correlation between walking and balance, p <0.05. This study helps to better understand the phenomenon of falling, to find a connection between usability with the risk of falls, and other variables.

Connection between competence, usability, environment and risk of falls in elderly adults

PubMed Central

Leiva-Caro, José Alex; Salazar-González, Bertha Cecilia; Gallegos-Cabriales, Esther Carlota; Gómez-Meza, Marco Vinicio; Hunter, Kathleen F.

2015-01-01

Objective: to determine connections between competence, usability, environment and risk of falls in elderly adults. Method: correlational descriptive study, 123 elderly adults, both male and female, aged 70 years and older were included. Data was collected via the Tinetti Scale, CESD-7 Scale, Montreal Cognitive Assessment, Usability Questionnaire on Housing and Housing Enabler; and sociodemographic and health background certificate data. For data analysis, descriptive and inferential statistics were used, multivariate linear and logistic regression models were adjusted. Results: 42.0% of the elderly adults had presented with falls, with a higher prevalence in women, and in the group of 70-75 years. The physical environment of the house, gait, and usability were set as risk factors for falls. A negative relationship between usability and depressive symptoms, cognitive health, balance, gait, the social and physical environment was found, p <0.05; and a strong positive correlation between walking and balance, p <0.05. Conclusion: this study helps to better understand the phenomenon of falling, to find a connection between usability with the risk of falls, and other variables. PMID:26626006

Usability of a barcode scanning system as a means of data entry on a PDA for self-report health outcome questionnaires: a pilot study in individuals over 60 years of age

PubMed Central

Boissy, Patrick; Jacobs, Karen; Roy, Serge H

2006-01-01

Background Throughout the medical and paramedical professions, self-report health status questionnaires are used to gather patient-reported outcome measures. The objective of this pilot study was to evaluate in individuals over 60 years of age the usability of a PDA-based barcode scanning system with a text-to-speech synthesizer to collect data electronically from self-report health outcome questionnaires. Methods Usability of the system was tested on a sample of 24 community-living older adults (7 men, 17 women) ranging in age from 63 to 93 years. After receiving a brief demonstration on the use of the barcode scanner, participants were randomly assigned to complete two sets of 16 questions using the bar code wand scanner for one set and a pen for the other. Usability was assessed using directed interviews with a usability questionnaire and performance-based metrics (task times, errors, sources of errors). Results Overall, participants found barcode scanning easy to learn, easy to use, and pleasant. Participants were marginally faster in completing the 16 survey questions when using pen entry (20/24 participants). The mean response time with the barcode scanner was 31 seconds longer than traditional pen entry for a subset of 16 questions (p = 0.001). The responsiveness of the scanning system, expressed as first scan success rate, was less than perfect, with approximately one-third of first scans requiring a rescan to successfully capture the data entry. The responsiveness of the system can be explained by a combination of factors such as the location of the scanning errors, the type of barcode used as an answer field in the paper version, and the optical characteristics of the barcode scanner. Conclusion The results presented in this study offer insights regarding the feasibility, usability and effectiveness of using a barcode scanner with older adults as an electronic data entry method on a PDA. While participants in this study found their experience with the barcode scanning system enjoyable and learned to become proficient in its use, the responsiveness of the system constitutes a barrier to wide-scale use of such a system. Optimizing the graphical presentation of the information on paper should significantly increase the system's responsiveness. PMID:17184533

Early-Stage Software Design for Usability

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Golden, Elspeth

2010-01-01

In spite of the goodwill and best efforts of software engineers and usability professionals, systems continue to be built and released with glaring usability flaws that are costly and difficult to fix after the system has been built. Although user interface (UI) designers, be they usability or design experts, communicate usability requirements to…

A Mobile App (BEDSide Mobility) to Support Nurses' Tasks at the Patient's Bedside: Usability Study.

PubMed

Ehrler, Frederic; Weinhold, Thomas; Joe, Jonathan; Lovis, Christian; Blondon, Katherine

2018-03-21

The introduction of clinical information systems has increased the amount of clinical documentation. Although this documentation generally improves patient safety, it has become a time-consuming task for nurses, which limits their time with the patient. On the basis of a user-centered methodology, we have developed a mobile app named BEDSide Mobility to support nurses in their daily workflow and to facilitate documentation at the bedside. The aim of the study was to assess the usability of the BEDSide Mobility app in terms of the navigation and interaction design through usability testing. Nurses were asked to complete a scenario reflecting their daily work with patients. Their interactions with the app were captured with eye-tracking glasses and by using the think aloud protocol. After completing the tasks, participants filled out the system usability scale questionnaire. Descriptive statistics were used to summarize task completion rates and the users' performance. A total of 10 nurses (aged 21-50) participated in the study. Overall, they were satisfied with the navigation, layout, and interaction design of the app, with the exception of one user who was unfamiliar with smartphones. The problems identified were related to the ambiguity of some icons, the navigation logic, and design inconsistency. Besides the usability issues identified in the app, the participants' results do indicate good usability, high acceptance, and high satisfaction with the developed app. However, the results must be taken with caution because of the poor ecological validity of the experimental setting. ©Frederic Ehrler, Thomas Weinhold, Jonathan Joe, Christian Lovis, Katherine Blondon. Originally published in JMIR Mhealth and Uhealth (http://mhealth.jmir.org), 21.03.2018.

Investigation of the Usability of Computerized Critical Care Information Systems in Germany.

PubMed

von Dincklage, Falk; Suchodolski, Klaudiusz; Lichtner, Gregor; Friesdorf, Wolfgang; Podtschaske, Beatrice; Ragaller, Maximilian

2017-01-01

The term "usability" describes how effectively, efficiently, and with what level of user satisfaction an information system can be used to accomplish specific goals. Computerized critical care information systems (CCISs) with high usability increase quality of care and staff satisfaction, while reducing medication errors. Conversely, systems lacking usability can interrupt clinical workflow, facilitate errors, and increase charting time. The aim of this study was to investigate and compare usability across CCIS currently used in Germany. In this study, German intensive care unit (ICU) nurses and physicians completed a specialized, previously validated, web-based questionnaire. The questionnaire assessed CCIS usability based on three rating models: an overall rating of the systems, a model rating technical usability, and a model rating task-specific usability. We analyzed results from 535 survey participants and compared eight different CCIS commonly used in Germany. Our results showed that usability strongly differs across the compared systems. The system ICUData had the best overall rating and technical usability, followed by the platforms ICM and MetaVision. The same three systems performed best in the rating of task-specific usability without significant differences between each other. Across all systems, overall ratings were more dependent on ease-of-use aspects than on aspects of utility/functionality, and the general scope of the functions offered was rated better than how well the functions are realized. Our results suggest that manufacturers should shift some of their effort away from the development of new features and focus more on improving the ease-of-use and quality of existing features.

Assessment of feedback modalities for wearable visual aids in blind mobility

PubMed Central

Sorrentino, Paige; Bohlool, Shadi; Zhang, Carey; Arditti, Mort; Goodrich, Gregory; Weiland, James D.

2017-01-01

Sensory substitution devices engage sensory modalities other than vision to communicate information typically obtained through the sense of sight. In this paper, we examine the ability of subjects who are blind to follow simple verbal and vibrotactile commands that allow them to navigate a complex path. A total of eleven visually impaired subjects were enrolled in the study. Prototype systems were developed to deliver verbal and vibrotactile commands to allow an investigator to guide a subject through a course. Using this mode, subjects could follow commands easily and navigate significantly faster than with their cane alone (p <0.05). The feedback modes were similar with respect to the increased speed for course completion. Subjects rated usability of the feedback systems as “above average” with scores of 76.3 and 90.9 on the system usability scale. PMID:28182731

The Skills, Competences, and Attitude toward Information and Communications Technology Recommender System: an online support program for teachers with personalized recommendations

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Revilla Muñoz, Olga; Alpiste Penalba, Francisco; Fernández Sánchez, Joaquín

2016-01-01

Teachers deal with Information and Communications Technology (ICT) every day and they often have to solve problems by themselves. To help them in coping with this issue, an online support program has been created, where teachers can pose their problems on ICT and they can receive solutions from other teachers. A Recommender System has been defined and implemented into the support program to suggest to each teacher the most suitable solution based on her Skills, Competences, and Attitude toward ICT (SCAT-ICT). The support program has initially been populated with 70 problems from 86 teachers. 30 teachers grouped these problems into six categories with the card-sorting technique. Real solutions to these problems have been proposed by 25 trained teachers. Finally, 17 teachers evaluated the usability of the support program and the Recommender System, where results showed a high score on the standardized System Usability Scale.

Combining usability evaluations to highlight the chain that leads from usability flaws to usage problems and then negative outcomes.

PubMed

Watbled, Ludivine; Marcilly, Romaric; Guerlinger, Sandra; Bastien, J-M Christian; Beuscart-Zéphir, Marie-Catherine; Beuscart, Régis

2018-02-01

Poor usability of health technology is thought to diminish work system performance, increase error rates and, potentially, harm patients. The present study (i) used a combination of usability evaluation methods to highlight the chain that leads from usability flaws to usage problems experienced by users and, ultimately, to negative patient outcomes, and (ii) validated this approach by studying two different discharge summary production systems. To comply with quality guidelines, the process of drafting and sending discharge summaries is increasingly being automated. However, the usability of these systems may modify their impact (or the absence thereof) in terms of production times and quality, and must therefore be evaluated. Here, we applied three successive techniques for usability evaluation (heuristic evaluation, user testing and field observation) to two discharge summary production systems (underpinned by different technologies). The systems' main usability flaws led respectively to an increase in the time need to produce a discharge summary and the risk of patient misidentification. Our results are discussed with regard to the possibility of linking the usability flaws, usage problems and the negative outcomes by successively applying three methods for evaluating usability (heuristic evaluation, user testing and in situ observations) throughout the system development life cycle. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

A usability evaluation of four commercial dental computer-based patient record systems

PubMed Central

Thyvalikakath, Thankam P.; Monaco, Valerie; Thambuganipalle, Hima Bindu; Schleyer, Titus

2008-01-01

Background The usability of dental computer-based patient record (CPR) systems has not been studied, despite early evidence that poor usability is a problem for dental CPR system users at multiple levels. Methods The authors conducted formal usability tests of four dental CPR systems by using a purposive sample of four groups of five novice users. The authors measured task outcomes (correctly completed, incorrectly completed and incomplete) in each CPR system while the participants performed nine clinical documentation tasks, as well as the number of usability problems identified in each CPR system and their potential relationship to task outcomes. The authors reviewed the software application design aspects responsible for these usability problems. Results The range for correctly completed tasks was 16 to 64 percent, for incorrectly completed tasks 18 to 38 percent and for incomplete tasks 9 to 47 percent. The authors identified 286 usability problems. The main types were three unsuccessful attempts, negative affect and task incorrectly completed. They also identified six problematic interface and interaction designs that led to usability problems. Conclusion The four dental CPR systems studied have significant usability problems for novice users, resulting in a steep learning curve and potentially reduced system adoption. Clinical Implications The significant number of data entry errors raises concerns about the quality of documentation in clinical practice. PMID:19047669

Evaluating User Perceptions of Mobile Medication Management Applications With Older Adults: A Usability Study

PubMed Central

Gates, Allison

2014-01-01

Background Medication nonadherence has a significant impact on the health and wellbeing of individuals with chronic disease. Several mobile medication management applications are available to help users track, remember, and read about their medication therapy. Objective The objective of this study was to explore the usability and usefulness of existing medication management applications for older adults. Methods We recruited 35 participants aged 50 and over to participate in a 2-hour usability session. The average age ranged from 52-78 years (mean 67 years) and 71% (25/35) of participants were female. Each participant was provided with an iPad loaded with four medication management applications: MyMedRec, DrugHub, Pillboxie, and PocketPharmacist. These applications were evaluated using the 10 item System Usability Scale (SUS) and visual analog scale. An investigator-moderated 30-minute discussion followed, and was recorded. We used a grounded theory (GT) approach to analyze qualitative data. Results When assessing mobile medication management applications, participants struggled to think of a need for the applications in their own lives. Many were satisfied with their current management system and proposed future use only if cognition and health declined. Most participants felt capable of using the applications after a period of time and training, but were frustrated by their initial experiences with the applications. The early experiences of participants highlighted the benefits of linear navigation and clear wording (eg, “undo” vs “cancel”) when designing for older users. While there was no order effect, participants attributed their poor performance to the order in which they tried the applications. They also described being a part of a technology generation that did not encounter the computer until adulthood. Of the four applications, PocketPharmacist was found to be the least usable with a score of 42/100 (P<.0001) though it offered a drug interaction feature that was among the favorite features of participants. The usability scores for MyMedRec (56/100), DrugHub (57/100), and Pillboxie (52/100) were not significantly different and participants preferred MyMedRec and DrugHub for their simple, linear interfaces. Conclusions With training, adults aged 50 and over can be capable and interested in using mHealth applications for their medication management. However, in order to adopt such technology, they must find a need that their current medication management system cannot fill. Interface diversity and multimodal reminder methods should be considered to increase usability for older adults. Lastly, regulation or the involvement of older adults in development may help to alleviate generation bias and mistrust for applications. PMID:25099993

Development of a Prototype Continuity of Care Record with Context-Specific Links to Meet the Information Needs of Case Managers for Persons Living with HIV

PubMed Central

Cimino, James J.; Bakken, Suzanne

2012-01-01

Objectives (1) To develop a prototype Continuity of Care Record (CCR) with context-specific links to electronic HIV information resources; and (2) to assess case managers’ perceptions regarding the usability of the prototype. Methods We integrated context-specific links to HIV case management information resources into a prototype CCR using the Infobutton Manager and Librarian Infobutton Tailoring Environment (LITE). Case managers (N=9) completed a think-aloud protocol and the Computer System Usability Questionnaire (CSUQ) to evaluate the usability of the prototype. Verbalizations from the think-aloud protocol were summarized using thematic analysis. CSUQ data were analyzed with descriptive statistics. Results Although participants expressed positive comments regarding the usability of the prototype, the think-aloud protocol also identified the need for improvement in resource labels and for additional resources. On a scale ranging from 1 (strongly agree) to 7 (strongly disagree), the average CSUQ overall satisfaction was 2.25 indicating that users (n=9) were generally satisfied with the system. Mean CSUQ factor scores were: System Usefulness (M=2.13), Information Quality (M=2.46), and Interface Quality (M=2.26). Conclusion Our novel application of the Infobutton Manager and LITE in the context of case management for persons living with HIV in community-based settings resulted in a prototype CCR with infobuttons that met the majority of case managers’ information needs and received relatively positive usability ratings. Findings from this study inform future integration of context-specific links into CCRs and electronic health records and support their use for meeting end-users information needs. PMID:22632821

Usability evaluation of Laboratory and Radiology Information Systems integrated into a hospital information system.

PubMed

Nabovati, Ehsan; Vakili-Arki, Hasan; Eslami, Saeid; Khajouei, Reza

2014-04-01

This study was conducted to evaluate the usability of widely used laboratory and radiology information systems. Three usability experts independently evaluated the user interfaces of Laboratory and Radiology Information Systems using heuristic evaluation method. They applied Nielsen's heuristics to identify and classify usability problems and Nielsen's severity rating to judge their severity. Overall, 116 unique heuristic violations were identified as usability problems. In terms of severity, 67 % of problems were rated as major and catastrophic. Among 10 heuristics, "consistency and standards" was violated most frequently. Moreover, mean severity of problems concerning "error prevention" and "help and documentation" heuristics was higher than of the others. Despite widespread use of specific healthcare information systems, they suffer from usability problems. Improving the usability of systems by following existing design standards and principles from the early phased of system development life cycle is recommended. Especially, it is recommended that the designers design systems that inhibit the initiation of erroneous actions and provide sufficient guidance to users.

Usability Assessment of Secure Messaging for Clinical Document Sharing between Health Care Providers and Patients.

PubMed

Jahn, Michelle A; Porter, Brian W; Patel, Himalaya; Zillich, Alan J; Simon, Steven R; Russ, Alissa L

2018-04-01

 Web-based patient portals feature secure messaging systems that enable health care providers and patients to communicate information. However, little is known about the usability of these systems for clinical document sharing.  This article evaluates the usability of a secure messaging system for providers and patients in terms of its ability to support sharing of electronic clinical documents.  We conducted usability testing with providers and patients in a human-computer interaction laboratory at a Midwestern U.S. hospital. Providers sent a medication list document to a fictitious patient via secure messaging. Separately, patients retrieved the clinical document from a secure message and returned it to a fictitious provider. We collected use errors, task completion, task time, and satisfaction.  Twenty-nine individuals participated: 19 providers (6 physicians, 6 registered nurses, and 7 pharmacists) and 10 patients. Among providers, 11 (58%) attached and sent the clinical document via secure messaging without requiring assistance, in a median (range) of 4.5 (1.8-12.7) minutes. No patients completed tasks without moderator assistance. Patients accessed the secure messaging system within 3.6 (1.2-15.0) minutes; retrieved the clinical document within 0.8 (0.5-5.7) minutes; and sent the attached clinical document in 6.3 (1.5-18.1) minutes. Although median satisfaction ratings were high, with 5.8 for providers and 6.0 for patients (scale, 0-7), we identified 36 different use errors. Physicians and pharmacists requested additional features to support care coordination via health information technology, while nurses requested features to support efficiency for their tasks.  This study examined the usability of clinical document sharing, a key feature of many secure messaging systems. Our results highlight similarities and differences between provider and patient end-user groups, which can inform secure messaging design to improve learnability and efficiency. The observations suggest recommendations for improving the technical aspects of secure messaging for clinical document sharing. Schattauer GmbH Stuttgart.

Validation of the French version of the Acceptability E-scale (AES) for mental E-health systems.

PubMed

Micoulaud-Franchi, Jean-Arthur; Sauteraud, Alain; Olive, Jérôme; Sagaspe, Patricia; Bioulac, Stéphanie; Philip, Pierre

2016-03-30

Despite the increasing use of E-health systems for mental-health organizations, there is a lack of psychometric tools to evaluate their acceptability by patients with mental disorders. Thus, this study aimed to translate and validate a French version of the Acceptability E-scale (AES), a 6-item self-reported questionnaire that evaluates the extent to which patients find E-health systems acceptable. A forward-backward translation of the AES was performed. The psychometric properties of the French AES version, with construct validity, internal structural validity and external validity (Pearson's coefficient between AES scores and depression symptoms on the Beck Depression Inventory II) were analyzed. In a sample of 178 patients (mean age=46.51 years, SD=12.91 years), the validation process revealed satisfactory psychometric properties: factor analysis revealed two factors: "Satisfaction" (3 items) and "Usability" (3 items) and Cronbach's alpha was 0.7. No significant relation was found between AES scores and depression symptoms. The French version of the AES revealed a two-factor scale that differs from the original version. In line with the importance of acceptability in mental health and with a view to E-health systems for patients with mental disorders, the use of the AES in psychiatry may provide important information on acceptability (i.e., satisfaction and usability). Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

Usability Assessment of the Missouri Cancer Registry's Published Interactive Mapping Reports: Round One.

PubMed

Ben Ramadan, Awatef Ahmed; Jackson-Thompson, Jeannette; Schmaltz, Chester Lee

2017-08-04

 Many users of spatial data have difficulty interpreting information in health-related spatial reports. The Missouri Cancer Registry and Research Center (MCR-ARC) has produced interactive reports for several years. These reports have never been tested for usability.  The aims of this study were to: (1) conduct a multi-approach usability testing study to understand ease of use (user friendliness) and user satisfaction; and (2) evaluate the usability of MCR-ARC's published InstantAtlas reports.   An institutional review board (IRB) approved mixed methodology usability testing study using a convenience sample of health professionals. A recruiting email was sent to faculty in the Master of Public Health program and to faculty and staff in the Department of Health Management and Informatics at the University of Missouri-Columbia. The study included 7 participants. The test included a pretest questionnaire, a multi-task usability test, and the System Usability Scale (SUS). Also, the researchers collected participants' comments about the tested maps immediately after every trial. Software was used to record the computer screen during the trial and the participants' spoken comments. Several performance and usability metrics were measured to evaluate the usability of MCR-ARC's published mapping reports. Of the 10 assigned tasks, 6 reached a 100% completion success rate, and this outcome was relative to the complexity of the tasks. The simple tasks were handled more efficiently than the complicated tasks. The SUS score ranged between 20-100 points, with an average of 62.7 points and a median of 50.5 points. The tested maps' effectiveness outcomes were better than the efficiency and satisfaction outcomes. There was a statistically significant relationship between the subjects' performance on the study test and the users' previous experience with geographic information system (GIS) tools (P=.03). There were no statistically significant relationships between users' performance and satisfaction and their education level, work type, or previous experience in health care (P>.05). There were strong positive correlations between the three measured usability elements. The tested maps should undergo an extensive refining and updating to overcome all the discovered usability issues and meet the perspectives and needs of the tested maps' potential users. The study results might convey the perspectives of academic health professionals toward GIS health data. We need to conduct a second-round usability study with public health practitioners and cancer professionals who use GIS tools on a routine basis. Usability testing should be conducted before and after releasing MCR-ARC's maps in the future. ©Awatef Ahmed Ben Ramadan, Jeannette Jackson-Thompson, Chester Lee Schmaltz. Originally published in JMIR Human Factors (http://humanfactors.jmir.org), 04.08.2017.

Usability Assessment of the Missouri Cancer Registry’s Published Interactive Mapping Reports: Round One

PubMed Central

Jackson-Thompson, Jeannette; Schmaltz, Chester Lee

2017-01-01

Background  Many users of spatial data have difficulty interpreting information in health-related spatial reports. The Missouri Cancer Registry and Research Center (MCR-ARC) has produced interactive reports for several years. These reports have never been tested for usability. Objective  The aims of this study were to: (1) conduct a multi-approach usability testing study to understand ease of use (user friendliness) and user satisfaction; and (2) evaluate the usability of MCR-ARC’s published InstantAtlas reports. Methods   An institutional review board (IRB) approved mixed methodology usability testing study using a convenience sample of health professionals. A recruiting email was sent to faculty in the Master of Public Health program and to faculty and staff in the Department of Health Management and Informatics at the University of Missouri-Columbia. The study included 7 participants. The test included a pretest questionnaire, a multi-task usability test, and the System Usability Scale (SUS). Also, the researchers collected participants’ comments about the tested maps immediately after every trial. Software was used to record the computer screen during the trial and the participants’ spoken comments. Several performance and usability metrics were measured to evaluate the usability of MCR-ARC’s published mapping reports. Results Of the 10 assigned tasks, 6 reached a 100% completion success rate, and this outcome was relative to the complexity of the tasks. The simple tasks were handled more efficiently than the complicated tasks. The SUS score ranged between 20-100 points, with an average of 62.7 points and a median of 50.5 points. The tested maps’ effectiveness outcomes were better than the efficiency and satisfaction outcomes. There was a statistically significant relationship between the subjects’ performance on the study test and the users’ previous experience with geographic information system (GIS) tools (P=.03). There were no statistically significant relationships between users’ performance and satisfaction and their education level, work type, or previous experience in health care (P>.05). There were strong positive correlations between the three measured usability elements. Conclusions The tested maps should undergo an extensive refining and updating to overcome all the discovered usability issues and meet the perspectives and needs of the tested maps’ potential users. The study results might convey the perspectives of academic health professionals toward GIS health data. We need to conduct a second-round usability study with public health practitioners and cancer professionals who use GIS tools on a routine basis. Usability testing should be conducted before and after releasing MCR-ARC’s maps in the future. PMID:28778842

Qualitative review of usability problems in health information systems for radiology.

PubMed

Dias, Camila Rodrigues; Pereira, Marluce Rodrigues; Freire, André Pimenta

2017-12-01

Radiology processes are commonly supported by Radiology Information System (RIS), Picture Archiving and Communication System (PACS) and other software for radiology. However, these information technologies can present usability problems that affect the performance of radiologists and physicians, especially considering the complexity of the tasks involved. The purpose of this study was to extract, classify and analyze qualitatively the usability problems in PACS, RIS and other software for radiology. A systematic review was performed to extract usability problems reported in empirical usability studies in the literature. The usability problems were categorized as violations of Nielsen and Molich's usability heuristics. The qualitative analysis indicated the causes and the effects of the identified usability problems. From the 431 papers initially identified, 10 met the study criteria. The analysis of the papers identified 90 instances of usability problems, classified into categories corresponding to established usability heuristics. The five heuristics with the highest number of instances of usability problems were "Flexibility and efficiency of use", "Consistency and standards", "Match between system and the real world", "Recognition rather than recall" and "Help and documentation", respectively. These problems can make the interaction time consuming, causing delays in tasks, dissatisfaction, frustration, preventing users from enjoying all the benefits and functionalities of the system, as well as leading to more errors and difficulties in carrying out clinical analyses. Furthermore, the present paper showed a lack of studies performed on systems for radiology, especially usability evaluations using formal methods of evaluation involving the final users. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Evaluating North American Electric Grid Reliability Using the Barabasi-Albert Network Model

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Chassin, David P.; Posse, Christian

2005-09-15

The reliability of electric transmission systems is examined using a scale-free model of network topology and failure propagation. The topologies of the North American eastern and western electric grids are analyzed to estimate their reliability based on the Barabási-Albert network model. A commonly used power system reliability index is computed using a simple failure propagation model. The results are compared to the values of power system reliability indices previously obtained using other methods and they suggest that scale-free network models are usable to estimate aggregate electric grid reliability.

Evaluating North American Electric Grid Reliability Using the Barabasi-Albert Network Model

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Chassin, David P.; Posse, Christian

2005-09-15

The reliability of electric transmission systems is examined using a scale-free model of network topology and failure propagation. The topologies of the North American eastern and western electric grids are analyzed to estimate their reliability based on the Barabasi-Albert network model. A commonly used power system reliability index is computed using a simple failure propagation model. The results are compared to the values of power system reliability indices previously obtained using standard power engineering methods, and they suggest that scale-free network models are usable to estimate aggregate electric grid reliability.

Usability Evaluation of a Web-Based Learning System

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Nguyen, Thao

2012-01-01

The paper proposes a contingent, learner-centred usability evaluation method and a prototype tool of such systems. This is a new usability evaluation method for web-based learning systems using a set of empirically-supported usability factors and can be done effectively with limited resources. During the evaluation process, the method allows for…

End-Users' Voice in EHR Selection: Development of a Usability Questionnaire for Demonstrations in Procurement (DPUQ).

PubMed

Tyllinen, Mari; Kaipio, Johanna; Lääveri, Tinja; Nieminen, Marko

2017-01-01

This paper describes the development of a questionnaire for evaluating usability during EHR system procurement (DPUQ). Established usability questionnaires can be used to gather user feedback after using the systems. However, during procurement, experimenting with real system use is practical only with a limited number of system candidates. There is a need for less resource-demanding usability evaluation in the early stages of procurement in cases with several vendors. DPUQ has been designed for usability evaluation by end-users during special scenario-based vendor demonstrations. The questionnaire includes three sets of questions to be used during and after the vendor demonstration. DPUQ delivers specific usability scores and can be used to compare system candidates in procurement complementing other evaluation methods.

Designing for Wide-Area Situation Awareness in Future Power Grid Operations

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Tran, Fiona F.

Power grid operation uncertainty and complexity continue to increase with the rise of electricity market deregulation, renewable generation, and interconnectedness between multiple jurisdictions. Human operators need appropriate wide-area visualizations to help them monitor system status to ensure reliable operation of the interconnected power grid. We observed transmission operations at a control centre, conducted critical incident interviews, and led focus group sessions with operators. The results informed a Work Domain Analysis of power grid operations, which in turn informed an Ecological Interface Design concept for wide-area monitoring. I validated design concepts through tabletop discussions and a usability evaluation with operators, earning a mean System Usability Scale score of 77 out of 90. The design concepts aim to support an operator's complete and accurate understanding of the power grid state, which operators increasingly require due to the critical nature of power grid infrastructure and growing sources of system uncertainty.

Development of a Video Coding Scheme for Analyzing the Usability and Usefulness of Health Information Systems.

PubMed

Kushniruk, Andre W; Borycki, Elizabeth M

2015-01-01

Usability has been identified as a key issue in health informatics. Worldwide numerous projects have been carried out in an attempt to increase and optimize health system usability. Usability testing, involving observing end users interacting with systems, has been widely applied and numerous publications have appeared describing such studies. However, to date, fewer works have been published describing methodological approaches to analyzing the rich data stream that results from usability testing. This includes analysis of video, audio and screen recordings. In this paper we describe our work in the development and application of a coding scheme for analyzing the usability of health information systems. The phases involved in such analyses are described.

Development and preliminary user testing of the DCIDA (Dynamic computer interactive decision application) for 'nudging' patients towards high quality decisions.

PubMed

Bansback, Nick; Li, Linda C; Lynd, Larry; Bryan, Stirling

2014-08-01

Patient decision aids (PtDA) are developed to facilitate informed, value-based decisions about health. Research suggests that even when informed with necessary evidence and information, cognitive errors can prevent patients from choosing the option that is most congruent with their own values. We sought to utilize principles of behavioural economics to develop a computer application that presents information from conventional decision aids in a way that reduces these errors, subsequently promoting higher quality decisions. The Dynamic Computer Interactive Decision Application (DCIDA) was developed to target four common errors that can impede quality decision making with PtDAs: unstable values, order effects, overweighting of rare events, and information overload. Healthy volunteers were recruited to an interview to use three PtDAs converted to the DCIDA on a computer equipped with an eye tracker. Participants were first used a conventional PtDA, and then subsequently used the DCIDA version. User testing was assessed based on whether respondents found the software both usable: evaluated using a) eye-tracking, b) the system usability scale, and c) user verbal responses from a 'think aloud' protocol; and useful: evaluated using a) eye-tracking, b) whether preferences for options were changed, and c) and the decisional conflict scale. Of the 20 participants recruited to the study, 11 were male (55%), the mean age was 35, 18 had at least a high school education (90%), and 8 (40%) had a college or university degree. Eye-tracking results, alongside a mean system usability scale score of 73 (range 68-85), indicated a reasonable degree of usability for the DCIDA. The think aloud study suggested areas for further improvement. The DCIDA also appeared to be useful to participants wherein subjects focused more on the features of the decision that were most important to them (21% increase in time spent focusing on the most important feature). Seven subjects (25%) changed their preferred option when using DCIDA. Preliminary results suggest that DCIDA has potential to improve the quality of patient decision-making. Next steps include larger studies to test individual components of DCIDA and feasibility testing with patients making real decisions.

Examining construct and predictive validity of the Health-IT Usability Evaluation Scale: confirmatory factor analysis and structural equation modeling results.

PubMed

Yen, Po-Yin; Sousa, Karen H; Bakken, Suzanne

2014-10-01

In a previous study, we developed the Health Information Technology Usability Evaluation Scale (Health-ITUES), which is designed to support customization at the item level. Such customization matches the specific tasks/expectations of a health IT system while retaining comparability at the construct level, and provides evidence of its factorial validity and internal consistency reliability through exploratory factor analysis. In this study, we advanced the development of Health-ITUES to examine its construct validity and predictive validity. The health IT system studied was a web-based communication system that supported nurse staffing and scheduling. Using Health-ITUES, we conducted a cross-sectional study to evaluate users' perception toward the web-based communication system after system implementation. We examined Health-ITUES's construct validity through first and second order confirmatory factor analysis (CFA), and its predictive validity via structural equation modeling (SEM). The sample comprised 541 staff nurses in two healthcare organizations. The CFA (n=165) showed that a general usability factor accounted for 78.1%, 93.4%, 51.0%, and 39.9% of the explained variance in 'Quality of Work Life', 'Perceived Usefulness', 'Perceived Ease of Use', and 'User Control', respectively. The SEM (n=541) supported the predictive validity of Health-ITUES, explaining 64% of the variance in intention for system use. The results of CFA and SEM provide additional evidence for the construct and predictive validity of Health-ITUES. The customizability of Health-ITUES has the potential to support comparisons at the construct level, while allowing variation at the item level. We also illustrate application of Health-ITUES across stages of system development. Published by the BMJ Publishing Group Limited. For permission to use (where not already granted under a licence) please go to http://group.bmj.com/group/rights-licensing/permissions.

76 FR 8715 - Proposed Collection; Comment Request

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2011-02-15

.... Title; Associated Form; and OMB Number: Electronic Health Record (EHR) Usability Survey; OMB Control... longitudinal measure of how end-users perceive the usability of the Department of Defense (DoD) suite of... usability of a system. This usability attribute describes the ease with which people can use the system to...

Beyond Effectiveness: A Pragmatic Evaluation Framework for Learning and Continuous Quality Improvement of e-Learning Interventions in Healthcare.

PubMed

Dafalla, Tarig Dafalla Mohamed; Kushniruk, Andre W; Borycki, Elizabeth M

2015-01-01

A pragmatic evaluation framework for evaluating the usability and usefulness of an e-learning intervention for a patient clinical information scheduling system is presented in this paper. The framework was conceptualized based on two different but related concepts (usability and usefulness) and selection of appropriate and valid methods of data collection and analysis that included: (1) Low-Cost Rapid Usability Engineering (LCRUE), (2) Cognitive Task Analysis (CTA), (3) Heuristic Evaluation (HE) criteria for web-based learning, and (4) Software Usability Measurement Inventory (SUMI). The results of the analysis showed some areas where usability that were related to General Interface Usability (GIU), instructional design and content was problematic; some of which might account for the poorly rated aspects of usability when subjectively measured. This paper shows that using a pragmatic framework can be a useful way, not only for measuring the usability and usefulness, but also for providing a practical objective evidences for learning and continuous quality improvement of e-learning systems. The findings should be of interest to educators, developers, designers, researchers, and usability practitioners involved in the development of e-learning systems in healthcare. This framework could be an appropriate method for assessing the usability, usefulness and safety of health information systems both in the laboratory and in the clinical context.

User ratings of prosthetic usability and satisfaction in VA study to optimize DEKA arm.

PubMed

Resnik, Linda; Borgia, Matthew

2014-01-01

The Department of Veterans Affairs study to optimize the DEKA Arm provided feedback to inform optimization of the gen 2 (second-generation) prototype and evaluate the gen 3 (third-generation) prototype. This article summarizes recommendations to improve gen 2 and reports satisfaction and usability ratings of gen 2 and gen 3. Data were collected from 39 subjects; 37 subjects were included in this analysis. Of the subjects, 24 were fit with gen 2 (8 radial configuration [RC], 6 humeral configuration [HC], and 10 shoulder configuration [SC]), 13 were fit with gen 3 (4 RC, 5 HC, and 4 SC), and 5 were fit with both. Usability and satisfaction were evaluated using the Trinity Amputation and Prosthesis Experience Scale (TAPES) and study-specific usability and satisfaction scales. Descriptive statistics were examined and prototypes compared using Wilcoxon rank-sum. Results were stratified by configuration level and outcomes compared by prototype. Satisfaction and usability were greater for gen 3 than gen 2. Overall TAPES scores were similar; however, scores of the TAPES aesthetic satisfaction subscale were higher for gen 3. Compared with gen 2 users, gen 3 users were more satisfied with appearance, grips, and doffing and rated overall usability higher. Features of gen 3, including weight, external cables and wires, hand covering, and fingernails, would benefit from further optimization.

Interactivity Centered Usability Evaluation (ICUE) for Course Management Systems

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Yoon, Sangil

2010-01-01

ICUE (Interactivity Centered Usability Evaluation) is an enhanced usability testing protocol created by the researcher. ICUE augments the facilitator's role for usability testing, and offers strategies in developing and presenting usability tasks during a testing session. ICUE was designed to address weaknesses found in the usability evaluation of…

Comparison of two heuristic evaluation methods for evaluating the usability of health information systems.

PubMed

Khajouei, Reza; Hajesmaeel Gohari, Sadrieh; Mirzaee, Moghaddameh

2018-04-01

In addition to following the usual Heuristic Evaluation (HE) method, the usability of health information systems can also be evaluated using a checklist. The objective of this study is to compare the performance of these two methods in identifying usability problems of health information systems. Eight evaluators independently evaluated different parts of a Medical Records Information System using two methods of HE (usual and with a checklist). The two methods were compared in terms of the number of problems identified, problem type, and the severity of identified problems. In all, 192 usability problems were identified by two methods in the Medical Records Information System. This was significantly higher than the number of usability problems identified by the checklist and usual method (148 and 92, respectively) (p < 0.0001). After removing the duplicates, the difference between the number of unique usability problems identified by the checklist method (n = 100) and usual method (n = 44) was significant (p < 0.0001). Differences between the mean severity of the real usability problems (1.83) and those identified by only one of the methods (usual = 2.05, checklist = 1.74) were significant (p = 0.001). This study revealed the potential of the two HE methods for identifying usability problems of health information systems. The results demonstrated that the checklist method had significantly better performance in terms of the number of identified usability problems; however, the performance of the usual method for identifying problems of higher severity was significantly better. Although the checklist method can be more efficient for less experienced evaluators, wherever usability is critical, the checklist should be used with caution in usability evaluations. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Usability analysis of indoor map application in a shopping centre

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Dewi, R. S.; Hadi, R. K.

2018-04-01

Although indoor navigation is still new in Indonesia, its future development is very promising. Similar to the outdoor one, the indoor navigation technology provides several important functions to support route and landmark findings. Furthermore, there is also a need that indoor navigation can support the public safety especially during disaster evacuation process in a building. It is a common that the indoor navigation technologies are built as applications where users can access this technology using their smartphones, tablets, or personal computers. Therefore, a usability analysis is important to ensure the indoor navigation applications can be operated by users with highest functionality. Among several indoor map applications which were available in the market, this study chose to analyse indoor Google Maps due to its availability and popularity in Indonesia. The experiments to test indoor Google Maps was conducted in one of the biggest shopping centre building in Surabaya, Indonesia. The usability was measured by employing System Usability Scale (SUS) questionnaire. The result showed that the SUS score of indoor Google Maps was below the average score of other cellular applications to indicate the users still had high difficulty in operating and learning the features of indoor Google Maps.

Usability evaluation of the interactive Personal Patient Profile-Prostate decision support system with African American men.

PubMed

Jaja, Cheedy; Pares-Avila, Jose; Wolpin, Seth; Berry, Donna

2010-04-01

The Personal Patient Profile-Prostate (P4) program is an interactive Web-based decision support system that provides men with localized prostate cancer customized education and coaching with which to make the best personal treatment decision. This study assessed functionality and usability of the P4 program and identified problems in user-computer interaction in a sample of African American men. Usability testing was conducted with 12 community-dwelling African American adult men. The health status of participants was not known or collected by the research team. Each participant worked with the P4 program and provided simultaneous feedback using the "think aloud" technique. Handwritten field notes were collated and assigned to 3 standard coded categories. Aspects of P4 program usability was made based on common issues in the assigned categories. Summary statistics were derived for types and frequency of usability issues noted in the coded data. Twelve participants reported a total of 122 usability comments, with a mean of 9 usability comments. The most common usability issue by participant was completeness of information content, which comprised 53 (43%) of the total issues. Comprehensibility of text and graphics was second, comprising 51 (42%) of the total issues. This study provided initial inventory of usability issues for community African American men that may potentially interfere with application of the P4 system in the community setting and overall system usability, confirming the need for usability testing of a culturally appropriate Internet-based decision support system before community application.

How Do Clinical Information Systems Affect the Cognitive Demands of General Practitioners?: Usability Study with a Focus on Cognitive Workload.

PubMed

Ariza, Ferran; Kalra, Dipak; Potts, Henry Ww

2015-11-20

Clinical information systems in the National Health Service do not need to conform to any explicit usability requirements. Poor usability can increase the mental workload experienced by clinicians and cause fatigue, increase error rates and impact the overall patient safety. Mental workload can be used as a measure of usability. To assess the subjective cognitive workload experienced by general practitioners (GPs) with their systems. To raise awareness of the importance of usability in system design among users, designers, developers and policymakers. We used a modified version of the NASA Task Load Index, adapted for web. We developed a set of common clinical scenarios and computer tasks on an online survey. We emailed the study link to 199 clinical commissioning groups and 1,646 GP practices in England. Sixty-seven responders completed the survey. The respondents had spent an average of 17 years in general practice, had experience of using a mean of 1.5 GP computer systems and had used their current system for a mean time of 6.7 years. The mental workload score was not different among systems. There were significant differences among the task scores, but these differences were not specific to particular systems. The overall score and task scores were related to the length of experience with their present system. Four tasks imposed a higher mental workload on GPs: 'repeat prescribing', 'find episode', 'drug management' and 'overview records'. Further usability studies on GP systems should focus on these tasks. Users, policymakers, designers and developers should remain aware of the importance of usability in system design.What does this study add?• Current GP systems in England do not need to conform to explicit usability requirements. Poor usability can increase the mental workload of clinicians and lead to errors.• Some clinical computer tasks incur more cognitive workload than others and should be considered carefully during the design of a system.• GPs did not report overall very high levels of subjective cognitive workload when undertaking common clinical tasks with their systems.• Further usability studies on GP systems should focus on the tasks incurring higher cognitive workload.• Users, policymakers, and designers and developers should remain aware of the importance of usability in system design.

Debunking Health IT Usability Myths

PubMed Central

Staggers, N.; Xiao, Y.; Chapman, L.

2013-01-01

Poor usability is a threat to patient safety and linked to productivity loss, workflow disruption, user frustration, sub-optimal product use and system de-installations. Although usability is receiving more attention nationally and internationally, myths about usability persist. This editorial debunks five common myths about usability (1) usability only concerns the look and feel of a product and is, therefore, only a minor concern, (2) usability is not measurable, (3) usability stifles innovation, (4) vendors are solely responsible for product usability, and (5) usability methods are not practical for use in healthcare. PMID:23874361

Pre-post evaluation of physicians' satisfaction with a redesigned electronic medical record system.

PubMed

Jaspers, Monique W M; Peute, Linda W P; Lauteslager, Arnaud; Bakker, Piet J M

2008-01-01

Physicians' acceptance of Electronic Medical Record Systems (EMRs) is closely related to their usability. Knowledge about end-users' opinions on usability of an EMR system may contribute to planning for the next phase of the usability cycle of the system. A demand for integration of new functionalities, such as computerized order entry and an electronic patient status led to redesign of our EMR system, which had been in use for over 8 years at the Academic Medical Center of Amsterdam. The aim of this study was to understand whether the redesigned EMR system was an improvement of the earlier EMR and which system aspects accounted for user satisfaction and which did not. We conducted a formative pre- and post usability evaluation of our former and redesigned EMR system. For the assessment of both system versions' usability, we distributed two standardized usability questionnaires among 150 clinicians who routinely had used the older EMR system and had been working with its newer version for 6 weeks. Though overall user satisfaction was relatively high for both EMR systems, screen layout and interaction structure proved less easy to work with in the newer EMR system. The new EMR system however was more appreciated because of its enhanced functionality, capabilities and likeable user-interface. The results point to a number of actions that might be useful in future usability improvement efforts of our EMR system and other EMRs.

Design and validation of a questionnaire to evaluate the usability of computerized critical care information systems.

PubMed

von Dincklage, Falk; Lichtner, Gregor; Suchodolski, Klaudiusz; Ragaller, Maximilian; Friesdorf, Wolfgang; Podtschaske, Beatrice

2017-08-01

The implementation of computerized critical care information systems (CCIS) can improve the quality of clinical care and staff satisfaction, but also holds risks of disrupting the workflow with consecutive negative impacts. The usability of CCIS is one of the key factors determining their benefits and weaknesses. However, no tailored instrument exists to measure the usability of such systems. Therefore, the aim of this study was to design and validate a questionnaire that measures the usability of CCIS. Following a mixed-method design approach, we developed a questionnaire comprising two evaluation models to assess the usability of CCIS: (1) the task-specific model rates the usability individually for several tasks which CCIS could support and which we derived by analyzing work processes in the ICU; (2) the characteristic-specific model rates the different aspects of the usability, as defined by the international standard "ergonomics of human-system interaction". We tested validity and reliability of the digital version of the questionnaire in a sample population. In the sample population of 535 participants both usability evaluation models showed a strong correlation with the overall rating of the system (multiple correlation coefficients ≥0.80) as well as a very high internal consistency (Cronbach's alpha ≥0.93). The novel questionnaire is a valid and reliable instrument to measure the usability of CCIS and can be used to study the influence of the usability on their implementation benefits and weaknesses.

Design and pilot evaluation of a system to develop computer-based site-specific practice guidelines from decision models.

PubMed

Sanders, G D; Nease, R F; Owens, D K

2000-01-01

Local tailoring of clinical practice guidelines (CPGs) requires experts in medicine and evidence synthesis unavailable in many practice settings. The authors' computer-based system enables developers and users to create, disseminate, and tailor CPGs, using normative decision models (DMs). ALCHEMIST, a web-based system, analyzes a DM, creates a CPG in the form of an annotated algorithm, and displays for the guideline user the optimal strategy. ALCHEMIST'S interface enables remote users to tailor the guideline by changing underlying input variables and observing the new annotated algorithm that is developed automatically. In a pilot evaluation of the system, a DM was used to evaluate strategies for staging non-small-cell lung cancer. Subjects (n = 15) compared the automatically created CPG with published guidelines for this staging and critiqued both using a previously developed instrument to rate the CPGs' usability, accountability, and accuracy on a scale of 0 (worst) to 2 (best), with higher scores reflecting higher quality. The mean overall score for the ALCHEMIST CPG was 1.502, compared with the published-CPG score of 0.987 (p = 0.002). The ALCHEMIST CPG scores for usability, accountability, and accuracy were 1.683, 1.393, and 1.430, respectively; the published CPG scores were 1.192, 0.941, and 0.830 (each comparison p < 0.05). On a scale of 1 (worst) to 5 (best), users' mean ratings of ALCHEMIST'S ease of use, usefulness of content, and presentation format were 4.76, 3.98, and 4.64, respectively. The results demonstrate the feasibility of a web-based system that automatically analyzes a DM and creates a CPG as an annotated algorithm, enabling remote users to develop site-specific CPGs. In the pilot evaluation, the ALCHEMIST guidelines met established criteria for quality and compared favorably with national CPGs. The high usability and usefulness ratings suggest that such systems can be a good tool for guideline development.

Usability engineering: domain analysis activities for augmented-reality systems

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gabbard, Joseph; Swan, J. E., II; Hix, Deborah; Lanzagorta, Marco O.; Livingston, Mark; Brown, Dennis B.; Julier, Simon J.

2002-05-01

This paper discusses our usability engineering process for the Battlefield Augmented Reality System (BARS). Usability engineering is a structured, iterative, stepwise development process. Like the related disciplines of software and systems engineering, usability engineering is a combination of management principals and techniques, formal and semi- formal evaluation techniques, and computerized tools. BARS is an outdoor augmented reality system that displays heads- up battlefield intelligence information to a dismounted warrior. The paper discusses our general usability engineering process. We originally developed the process in the context of virtual reality applications, but in this work we are adapting the procedures to an augmented reality system. The focus of this paper is our work on domain analysis, the first activity of the usability engineering process. We describe our plans for and our progress to date on our domain analysis for BARS. We give results in terms of a specific urban battlefield use case we have designed.

Oak Ridge Leadership Computing Facility Position Paper

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Oral, H Sarp; Hill, Jason J; Thach, Kevin G

This paper discusses the business, administration, reliability, and usability aspects of storage systems at the Oak Ridge Leadership Computing Facility (OLCF). The OLCF has developed key competencies in architecting and administration of large-scale Lustre deployments as well as HPSS archival systems. Additionally as these systems are architected, deployed, and expanded over time reliability and availability factors are a primary driver. This paper focuses on the implementation of the Spider parallel Lustre file system as well as the implementation of the HPSS archive at the OLCF.

From expert-derived user needs to user-perceived ease of use and usefulness: a two-phase mixed-methods evaluation framework.

PubMed

Boland, Mary Regina; Rusanov, Alexander; So, Yat; Lopez-Jimenez, Carlos; Busacca, Linda; Steinman, Richard C; Bakken, Suzanne; Bigger, J Thomas; Weng, Chunhua

2014-12-01

Underspecified user needs and frequent lack of a gold standard reference are typical barriers to technology evaluation. To address this problem, this paper presents a two-phase evaluation framework involving usability experts (phase 1) and end-users (phase 2). In phase 1, a cross-system functionality alignment between expert-derived user needs and system functions was performed to inform the choice of "the best available" comparison system to enable a cognitive walkthrough in phase 1 and a comparative effectiveness evaluation in phase 2. During phase 2, five quantitative and qualitative evaluation methods are mixed to assess usability: time-motion analysis, software log, questionnaires - System Usability Scale and the Unified Theory of Acceptance of Use of Technology, think-aloud protocols, and unstructured interviews. Each method contributes data for a unique measure (e.g., time motion analysis contributes task-completion-time; software log contributes action transition frequency). The measures are triangulated to yield complementary insights regarding user-perceived ease-of-use, functionality integration, anxiety during use, and workflow impact. To illustrate its use, we applied this framework in a formative evaluation of a software called Integrated Model for Patient Care and Clinical Trials (IMPACT). We conclude that this mixed-methods evaluation framework enables an integrated assessment of user needs satisfaction and user-perceived usefulness and usability of a novel design. This evaluation framework effectively bridges the gap between co-evolving user needs and technology designs during iterative prototyping and is particularly useful when it is difficult for users to articulate their needs for technology support due to the lack of a baseline. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Mobile three-dimensional visualisation technologies for clinician-led fall prevention assessments.

PubMed

Hamm, Julian; Money, Arthur G; Atwal, Anita; Ghinea, Gheorghita

2017-08-01

The assistive equipment provision process is routinely carried out with patients to mitigate fall risk factors via the fitment of assistive equipment within the home. However, currently, over 50% of assistive equipment is abandoned by the patients due to poor fit between the patient and the assistive equipment. This paper explores clinician perceptions of an early stage three-dimensional measurement aid prototype, which provides enhanced assistive equipment provision process guidance to clinicians. Ten occupational therapists trialled the three-dimensional measurement aid prototype application; think-aloud and semi-structured interview data was collected. Usability was measured with the System Usability Scale. Participants scored three-dimensional measurement aid prototype as 'excellent' and agreed strongly with items relating to the usability and learnability of the application. The qualitative analysis identified opportunities for improving existing practice, including, improved interpretation/recording measurements; enhanced collaborative practice within the assistive equipment provision process. Future research is needed to determine the clinical utility of this application compared with two-dimensional counterpart paper-based guidance leaflets.

VA FitHeart, a Mobile App for Cardiac Rehabilitation: Usability Study

PubMed Central

Magnusson, Sara L; Fortney, John C; Sayre, George G; Whooley, Mary A

2018-01-01

Background Cardiac rehabilitation (CR) improves outcomes for patients with ischemic heart disease or heart failure but is underused. New strategies to improve access to and engagement in CR are needed. There is considerable interest in technology-facilitated home CR. However, little is known about patient acceptance and use of mobile technology for CR. Objective The aim of this study was to develop a mobile app for technology-facilitated home CR and seek to determine its usability. Methods We recruited patients eligible for CR who had access to a mobile phone, tablet, or computer with Internet access. The mobile app includes physical activity goal setting, logs for tracking physical activity and health metrics (eg, weight, blood pressure, and mood), health education, reminders, and feedback. Study staff demonstrated the mobile app to participants in person and then observed participants completing prespecified tasks with the mobile app. Participants completed the System Usability Scale (SUS, 0-100), rated likelihood to use the mobile app (0-100), questionnaires on mobile app use, and participated in a semistructured interview. The Unified Theory of Acceptance and Use of Technology and the Theory of Planned Behavior informed the analysis. On the basis of participant feedback, we made iterative revisions to the mobile app between users. Results We conducted usability testing in 13 participants. The first version of the mobile app was used by the first 5 participants, and revised versions were used by the final 8 participants. From the first version to revised versions, task completion success rate improved from 44% (11/25 tasks) to 78% (31/40 tasks; P=.05), SUS improved from 54 to 76 (P=.04; scale 0-100, with 100 being the best usability), and self-reported likelihood of use remained high at 76 and 87 (P=.30; scale 0-100, with 100 being the highest likelihood). In interviews, patients expressed interest in tracking health measures (“I think it’ll be good to track my exercise and to see what I’m doing”), a desire for introductory training (“Initially, training with a technical person, instead of me relying on myself”), and an expectation for sharing data with providers (“It would also be helpful to share with my doctor, it just being a matter of clicking a button and sharing it with my doctor”). Conclusions With participant feedback and iterative revisions, we significantly improved the usability of a mobile app for CR. Patient expectations for using a mobile app for CR include tracking health metrics, introductory training, and sharing data with providers. Iterative mixed-method evaluation may be useful for improving the usability of health technology. PMID:29335235

VA FitHeart, a Mobile App for Cardiac Rehabilitation: Usability Study.

PubMed

Beatty, Alexis L; Magnusson, Sara L; Fortney, John C; Sayre, George G; Whooley, Mary A

2018-01-15

Cardiac rehabilitation (CR) improves outcomes for patients with ischemic heart disease or heart failure but is underused. New strategies to improve access to and engagement in CR are needed. There is considerable interest in technology-facilitated home CR. However, little is known about patient acceptance and use of mobile technology for CR. The aim of this study was to develop a mobile app for technology-facilitated home CR and seek to determine its usability. We recruited patients eligible for CR who had access to a mobile phone, tablet, or computer with Internet access. The mobile app includes physical activity goal setting, logs for tracking physical activity and health metrics (eg, weight, blood pressure, and mood), health education, reminders, and feedback. Study staff demonstrated the mobile app to participants in person and then observed participants completing prespecified tasks with the mobile app. Participants completed the System Usability Scale (SUS, 0-100), rated likelihood to use the mobile app (0-100), questionnaires on mobile app use, and participated in a semistructured interview. The Unified Theory of Acceptance and Use of Technology and the Theory of Planned Behavior informed the analysis. On the basis of participant feedback, we made iterative revisions to the mobile app between users. We conducted usability testing in 13 participants. The first version of the mobile app was used by the first 5 participants, and revised versions were used by the final 8 participants. From the first version to revised versions, task completion success rate improved from 44% (11/25 tasks) to 78% (31/40 tasks; P=.05), SUS improved from 54 to 76 (P=.04; scale 0-100, with 100 being the best usability), and self-reported likelihood of use remained high at 76 and 87 (P=.30; scale 0-100, with 100 being the highest likelihood). In interviews, patients expressed interest in tracking health measures ("I think it'll be good to track my exercise and to see what I'm doing"), a desire for introductory training ("Initially, training with a technical person, instead of me relying on myself"), and an expectation for sharing data with providers ("It would also be helpful to share with my doctor, it just being a matter of clicking a button and sharing it with my doctor"). With participant feedback and iterative revisions, we significantly improved the usability of a mobile app for CR. Patient expectations for using a mobile app for CR include tracking health metrics, introductory training, and sharing data with providers. Iterative mixed-method evaluation may be useful for improving the usability of health technology. ©Alexis L Beatty, Sara L Magnusson, John C Fortney, George G Sayre, Mary A Whooley. Originally published in JMIR Human Factors (http://humanfactors.jmir.org), 15.01.2018.

A Tale of Two Discoveries: Comparing the Usability of Summon and EBSCO Discovery Service

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Foster, Anita K.; MacDonald, Jean B.

2013-01-01

Web-scale discovery systems are gaining momentum among academic libraries as libraries seek a means to provide their users with a one-stop searching experience. Illinois State University's Milner Library found itself in the unique position of having access to two distinct discovery products, EBSCO Discovery Service and Serials Solutions' Summon.…

TRAK App Suite: A Web-Based Intervention for Delivering Standard Care for the Rehabilitation of Knee Conditions.

PubMed

Spasić, Irena; Button, Kate; Divoli, Anna; Gupta, Satyam; Pataky, Tamas; Pizzocaro, Diego; Preece, Alun; van Deursen, Robert; Wilson, Chris

2015-10-16

Standard care for the rehabilitation of knee conditions involves exercise programs and information provision. Current methods of rehabilitation delivery struggle to keep up with large volumes of patients and the length of treatment required to maximize the recovery. Therefore, the development of novel interventions to support self-management is strongly recommended. Such interventions need to include information provision, goal setting, monitoring, feedback, and support groups, but the most effective methods of their delivery are poorly understood. The Internet provides a medium for intervention delivery with considerable potential for meeting these needs. The objective of this study was to demonstrate the feasibility of a Web-based app and to conduct a preliminary review of its practicability as part of a complex medical intervention in the rehabilitation of knee disorders. This paper describes the development, implementation, and usability of such an app. An interdisciplinary team of health care professionals and researchers, computer scientists, and app developers developed the TRAK app suite. The key functionality of the app includes information provision, a three-step exercise program based on a standard care for the rehabilitation of knee conditions, self-monitoring with visual feedback, and a virtual support group. There were two types of stakeholders (patients and physiotherapists) that were recruited for the usability study. The usability questionnaire was used to collect both qualitative and quantitative information on computer and Internet usage, task completion, and subjective user preferences. A total of 16 patients and 15 physiotherapists participated in the usability study. Based on the System Usability Scale, the TRAK app has higher perceived usability than 70% of systems. Both patients and physiotherapists agreed that the given Web-based approach would facilitate communication, provide information, help recall information, improve understanding, enable exercise progression, and support self-management in general. The Web app was found to be easy to use and user satisfaction was very high. The TRAK app suite can be accessed at http://apps.facebook.com/kneetrak/. The usability study suggests that a Web-based intervention is feasible and acceptable in supporting self-management of knee conditions.

TRAK App Suite: A Web-Based Intervention for Delivering Standard Care for the Rehabilitation of Knee Conditions

PubMed Central

Divoli, Anna; Gupta, Satyam; Pataky, Tamas; Pizzocaro, Diego; Preece, Alun; van Deursen, Robert; Wilson, Chris

2015-01-01

Background Standard care for the rehabilitation of knee conditions involves exercise programs and information provision. Current methods of rehabilitation delivery struggle to keep up with large volumes of patients and the length of treatment required to maximize the recovery. Therefore, the development of novel interventions to support self-management is strongly recommended. Such interventions need to include information provision, goal setting, monitoring, feedback, and support groups, but the most effective methods of their delivery are poorly understood. The Internet provides a medium for intervention delivery with considerable potential for meeting these needs. Objective The objective of this study was to demonstrate the feasibility of a Web-based app and to conduct a preliminary review of its practicability as part of a complex medical intervention in the rehabilitation of knee disorders. This paper describes the development, implementation, and usability of such an app. Methods An interdisciplinary team of health care professionals and researchers, computer scientists, and app developers developed the TRAK app suite. The key functionality of the app includes information provision, a three-step exercise program based on a standard care for the rehabilitation of knee conditions, self-monitoring with visual feedback, and a virtual support group. There were two types of stakeholders (patients and physiotherapists) that were recruited for the usability study. The usability questionnaire was used to collect both qualitative and quantitative information on computer and Internet usage, task completion, and subjective user preferences. Results A total of 16 patients and 15 physiotherapists participated in the usability study. Based on the System Usability Scale, the TRAK app has higher perceived usability than 70% of systems. Both patients and physiotherapists agreed that the given Web-based approach would facilitate communication, provide information, help recall information, improve understanding, enable exercise progression, and support self-management in general. The Web app was found to be easy to use and user satisfaction was very high. The TRAK app suite can be accessed at http://apps.facebook.com/kneetrak/. Conclusions The usability study suggests that a Web-based intervention is feasible and acceptable in supporting self-management of knee conditions. PMID:26474643

OPTIMIZING USABILITY OF AN ECONOMIC DECISION SUPPORT TOOL: PROTOTYPE OF THE EQUIPT TOOL.

PubMed

Cheung, Kei Long; Hiligsmann, Mickaël; Präger, Maximilian; Jones, Teresa; Józwiak-Hagymásy, Judit; Muñoz, Celia; Lester-George, Adam; Pokhrel, Subhash; López-Nicolás, Ángel; Trapero-Bertran, Marta; Evers, Silvia M A A; de Vries, Hein

2018-01-01

Economic decision-support tools can provide valuable information for tobacco control stakeholders, but their usability may impact the adoption of such tools. This study aims to illustrate a mixed-method usability evaluation of an economic decision-support tool for tobacco control, using the EQUIPT ROI tool prototype as a case study. A cross-sectional mixed methods design was used, including a heuristic evaluation, a thinking aloud approach, and a questionnaire testing and exploring the usability of the Return of Investment tool. A total of sixty-six users evaluated the tool (thinking aloud) and completed the questionnaire. For the heuristic evaluation, four experts evaluated the interface. In total twenty-one percent of the respondents perceived good usability. A total of 118 usability problems were identified, from which twenty-six problems were categorized as most severe, indicating high priority to fix them before implementation. Combining user-based and expert-based evaluation methods is recommended as these were shown to identify unique usability problems. The evaluation provides input to optimize usability of a decision-support tool, and may serve as a vantage point for other developers to conduct usability evaluations to refine similar tools before wide-scale implementation. Such studies could reduce implementation gaps by optimizing usability, enhancing in turn the research impact of such interventions.

How you spend your pennies ... factors affecting the efficiency of human waste disposal systems (re-usable and disposable) and their cost.

PubMed

Rollnick, M

1991-05-01

Both re-usable and disposable systems have their merits and problems. The disposable system, being fully integrated, appears to be steadily gaining market share compared with the re-usable system. Since its introduction, the success of the re-usable system has been limited by the use of pans not designed for automatic processing. Where the 'perfection' pan has been superseded by 'open' shaped receptacles and those used in commode chairs, cleaning effectiveness can be improved by a factor of 10. For this and other reasons, nursing involvement in the re-usable system can be high while the 'perfection' pan is in use. A work study exercise to compare nursing involvement in re-usable and disposable systems is under way. When selecting a human waste disposal system for any site, it is vital that all disciplines discuss and decide objectives. The equipment usage, space, site conditions, availability and quality of supplies (eg water, electricity), the costs of maintenance, nursing time and other expenditure must be considered. The disposable system is capable of high process rates (more than double that of the fastest re-usable system). Its capital cost is currently about 1,000 pounds less than an average re-usable system, but in the busiest wards, revenue costs may be higher. In such wards the space for disposable receptacle storage can be as much as five to ten times machine volume. The design of macerators is generally simpler (having less components) than washer-disinfectors. Monitoring and maintenance involvement are likewise expected to be lower, particularly in hospitals with modern drainage systems.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Usability of Low-Cost Android Data Collection System for Community-Based Participatory Research.

PubMed

Salihu, Hamisu M; Salinas-Miranda, Abraham; Turner, DeAnne; King, Lindsey; Paothong, Arnut; Austin, Deborah; Berry, Estrellita Lo

2016-01-01

Android tablet computers can be valuable tools for data collection, but their usability has not been evaluated in community-based participatory research (CBPR). This article examines the usability of a low-cost bilingual touchscreen computerized survey system using Android tablets, piloted with a sample of 201 community residents in Tampa, Florida, from November 2013 to March 2014. Needs assessment questions were designed with the droidSURVEY software, and deployed using Android tablet computers. In addition, participants were asked questions about system usability. The mean system usability was 77.57 ± 17.66 (range, 0-100). The mean completion time for taking the 63 survey questions in the needs assessment was 23.11 ± 9.62 minutes. The survey completion rate was optimal (100%), with only 6.34% missingness per variable. We found no sociodemographic differences in usability scores. Our findings indicate that Android tablets could serve as useful tools in CBPR studies.

The Cultural Evolution of Human Communication Systems in Different Sized Populations: Usability Trumps Learnability

PubMed Central

Fay, Nicolas; Ellison, T. Mark

2013-01-01

This study examines the intergenerational transfer of human communication systems. It tests if human communication systems evolve to be easy to learn or easy to use (or both), and how population size affects learnability and usability. Using an experimental-semiotic task, we find that human communication systems evolve to be easier to use (production efficiency and reproduction fidelity), but harder to learn (identification accuracy) for a second generation of naïve participants. Thus, usability trumps learnability. In addition, the communication systems that evolve in larger populations exhibit distinct advantages over those that evolve in smaller populations: the learnability loss (from the Initial signs) is more muted and the usability benefits are more pronounced. The usability benefits for human communication systems that evolve in a small and large population is explained through guided variation reducing sign complexity. The enhanced performance of the communication systems that evolve in larger populations is explained by the operation of a content bias acting on the larger pool of competing signs. The content bias selects for information-efficient iconic signs that aid learnability and enhance usability. PMID:23967243

The cultural evolution of human communication systems in different sized populations: usability trumps learnability.

PubMed

Fay, Nicolas; Ellison, T Mark

2013-01-01

This study examines the intergenerational transfer of human communication systems. It tests if human communication systems evolve to be easy to learn or easy to use (or both), and how population size affects learnability and usability. Using an experimental-semiotic task, we find that human communication systems evolve to be easier to use (production efficiency and reproduction fidelity), but harder to learn (identification accuracy) for a second generation of naïve participants. Thus, usability trumps learnability. In addition, the communication systems that evolve in larger populations exhibit distinct advantages over those that evolve in smaller populations: the learnability loss (from the Initial signs) is more muted and the usability benefits are more pronounced. The usability benefits for human communication systems that evolve in a small and large population is explained through guided variation reducing sign complexity. The enhanced performance of the communication systems that evolve in larger populations is explained by the operation of a content bias acting on the larger pool of competing signs. The content bias selects for information-efficient iconic signs that aid learnability and enhance usability.

Engaging Community Stakeholders to Evaluate the Design, Usability, and Acceptability of a Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease Social Media Resource Center

PubMed Central

Chaney, Beth; Chaney, Don; Paige, Samantha; Payne-Purvis, Caroline; Tennant, Bethany; Walsh-Childers, Kim; Sriram, PS; Alber, Julia

2015-01-01

Background Patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) often report inadequate access to comprehensive patient education resources. Objective The purpose of this study was to incorporate community-engagement principles within a mixed-method research design to evaluate the usability and acceptability of a self-tailored social media resource center for medically underserved patients with COPD. Methods A multiphase sequential design (qual → QUANT → quant + QUAL) was incorporated into the current study, whereby a small-scale qualitative (qual) study informed the design of a social media website prototype that was tested with patients during a computer-based usability study (QUANT). To identify usability violations and determine whether or not patients found the website prototype acceptable for use, each patient was asked to complete an 18-item website usability and acceptability questionnaire, as well as a retrospective, in-depth, semistructured interview (quant + QUAL). Results The majority of medically underserved patients with COPD (n=8, mean 56 years, SD 7) found the social media website prototype to be easy to navigate and relevant to their self-management information needs. Mean responses on the 18-item website usability and acceptability questionnaire were very high on a scale of 1 (strongly disagree) to 5 (strongly agree) (mean 4.72, SD 0.33). However, the majority of patients identified several usability violations related to the prototype’s information design, interactive capabilities, and navigational structure. Specifically, 6 out of 8 (75%) patients struggled to create a log-in account to access the prototype, and 7 out of 8 patients (88%) experienced difficulty posting and replying to comments on an interactive discussion forum. Conclusions Patient perceptions of most social media website prototype features (eg, clickable picture-based screenshots of videos, comment tools) were largely positive. Mixed-method stakeholder feedback was used to make design recommendations, categorize usability violations, and prioritize potential solutions for improving the usability of a social media resource center for COPD patient education. PMID:25630449

Development and evaluation of a multimedia e-learning resource for electrolyte and acid-base disorders.

PubMed

Davids, Mogamat Razeen; Chikte, Usuf M E; Halperin, Mitchell L

2011-09-01

This article reports on the development and evaluation of a Web-based application that provides instruction and hands-on practice in managing electrolyte and acid-base disorders. Our teaching approach, which focuses on concepts rather than details, encourages quantitative analysis and a logical problem-solving approach. Identifying any dangers to the patient is a vital first step. Concepts such as an "appropriate response" to a given perturbation and the need for electroneutrality in body fluids are used repeatedly. Our Electrolyte Workshop was developed using Flash and followed an iterative design process. Two case-based tutorials were built in this first phase, with one tutorial including an interactive treatment simulation. Users select from a menu of therapies and see the impact of their choices on the patient. Appropriate text messages are displayed, and changes in body compartment sizes, brain size, and plasma sodium concentrations are illustrated via Flash animation. Challenges encountered included a shortage of skilled Flash developers, budgetary constraints, and challenges in communication between the authors and the developers. The application was evaluated via user testing by residents and specialists in internal medicine. Satisfaction was measured with a questionnaire based on the System Usability Scale. The mean System Usability Scale score was 78.4 ± 13.8, indicating a good level of usability. Participants rated the content as being scientifically sound; they liked the teaching approach and felt that concepts were conveyed clearly. They indicated that the application held their interest, that it increased their understanding of hyponatremia, and that they would recommend this learning resource to others.

Usability in the real world: assessing medical information technologies in patients' homes.

PubMed

Kaufman, David R; Patel, Vimla L; Hilliman, Charlyn; Morin, Philip C; Pevzner, Jenia; Weinstock, Ruth S; Goland, Robin; Shea, Steven; Starren, Justin

2003-01-01

This paper presents an approach to usability evaluation of computer-based health care systems designed for patient use in their homes. Although such devices are becoming more prevalent, there is very little known about their usability. The theoretical foundations for the methods are discussed. The approach incorporates a cognitive walkthrough usability evaluation and new methods for usability testing that can be conducted in patient's homes. The method was applied to the IDEATel intervention, a multi-institution randomized controlled trial of the feasibility, acceptability, and clinical utility of a home-based telemedicine system for diabetic Medicare population. The usability study was designed to assess barriers to optimal use of the system. The focus was both on dimensions of the interface and on dimensions of patient skills and competency. The usability field research involved testing 25 patients in their homes using the system. The analysis included a range of video-analytic methods of varying levels of granularity. The usability evaluation revealed aspects of the interface that were sub-optimal and impeded the performance of certain tasks. It also found a range of patient-related factors such as numeracy and psychomotor skills that constituted barriers to productive use. A multifaceted usability approach provided important insight regarding use of technology by an elderly chronic-care patient population and more generally, for understanding how home health initiatives can more effectively use such technology.

Evaluation and implementation of QR Code Identity Tag system for Healthcare in Turkey.

PubMed

Uzun, Vassilya; Bilgin, Sami

2016-01-01

For this study, we designed a QR Code Identity Tag system to integrate into the Turkish healthcare system. This system provides QR code-based medical identification alerts and an in-hospital patient identification system. Every member of the medical system is assigned a unique QR Code Tag; to facilitate medical identification alerts, the QR Code Identity Tag can be worn as a bracelet or necklace or carried as an ID card. Patients must always possess the QR Code Identity bracelets within hospital grounds. These QR code bracelets link to the QR Code Identity website, where detailed information is stored; a smartphone or standalone QR code scanner can be used to scan the code. The design of this system allows authorized personnel (e.g., paramedics, firefighters, or police) to access more detailed patient information than the average smartphone user: emergency service professionals are authorized to access patient medical histories to improve the accuracy of medical treatment. In Istanbul, we tested the self-designed system with 174 participants. To analyze the QR Code Identity Tag system's usability, the participants completed the System Usability Scale questionnaire after using the system.

The Relationship between National Culture and the Usability of an E-Learning System

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Downey, Steve; Wentling, Rose Mary; Wentling, Tim; Wadsworth, Andrew

2004-01-01

This study sought to measure the relationship between national culture and the usability of an e-Learning system by using Hofstede's cultural dimensions and Nielson's usability attributes. The study revealed that high uncertainty avoidance cultures found the system more frustrating to use. The study also revealed that individuals from cultures…

A literature review about usability evaluation methods for e-learning platforms.

PubMed

Freire, Luciana Lopes; Arezes, Pedro Miguel; Campos, José Creissac

2012-01-01

The usability analysis of information systems has been the target of several research studies over the past thirty years. These studies have highlighted a great diversity of points of view, including researchers from different scientific areas such as Ergonomics, Computer Science, Design and Education. Within the domain of information ergonomics, the study of tools and methods used for usability evaluation dedicated to E-learning presents evidence that there is a continuous and dynamic evolution of E-learning systems, in many different contexts -academics and corporative. These systems, also known as LMS (Learning Management Systems), can be classified according to their educational goals and their technological features. However, in these systems the usability issues are related with the relationship/interactions between user and system in the user's context. This review is a synthesis of research project about Information Ergonomics and embraces three dimensions, namely the methods, models and frameworks that have been applied to evaluate LMS. The study also includes the main usability criteria and heuristics used. The obtained results show a notorious change in the paradigms of usability, with which it will be possible to discuss about the studies carried out by different researchers that were focused on usability ergonomic principles aimed at E-learning.

Evaluation of Smartphone Applications for Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation Training in South Korea

PubMed Central

Cho, Yongtak; Song, Yeongtak; Lim, Tae Ho; Kang, Hyunggoo

2016-01-01

Objective. There are many smartphone-based applications (apps) for cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) training. We investigated the conformity and the learnability/usability of these apps for CPR training and real-life supports. Methods. We conducted a mixed-method, sequential explanatory study to assess CPR training apps downloaded on two apps stores in South Korea. Apps were collected with inclusion criteria as follows, Korean-language instruction, training features, and emergency supports for real-life incidents, and analyzed with two tests; 15 medical experts evaluated the apps' contents according to current Basic Life Support guidelines in conformity test, and 15 nonmedical individuals examined the apps using System Usability Scale (SUS) in the learnability/usability test. Results. Out of 79 selected apps, five apps were included and analyzed. For conformity (ICC, 0.95, p < 0.001), means of all apps were greater than 12 of 20 points, indicating that they were well designed according to current guidelines. Three of the five apps yielded acceptable level (greater than 68 of 100 points) for learnability/usability. Conclusion. All the included apps followed current BLS guidelines and a majority offered acceptable learnability/usability for layperson. Current and developmental smartphone-based CPR training apps should include accurate CPR information and be easy to use for laypersons that are potential rescuers in real-life incidents. For Clinical Trials. This is a clinical trial, registered at the Clinical Research Information Service (CRIS, cris.nih.go.kr), number KCT0001840. PMID:27668257

Improving a Counselor Education Web Site through Usability Testing: The Bibliotherapy Education Project

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

McMillen, Paula S.; Pehrsson, Dale-Elizabeth

2009-01-01

Technology proficiency expectations have proliferated in counselor education; however, limited information in the counseling literature details how to effectively evaluate or refine online resources from a design/utility standpoint. This description of a small-scale usability study demonstrates a cost-effective strategy for improving counselor…

Usability and feasibility of mobile phone diaries in an experimental physical exercise study.

PubMed

Heinonen, Reetta; Luoto, Riitta; Lindfors, Pirjo; Nygård, Clas-Håkan

2012-03-01

Wireless and mobile phone technology as a method of data collection will increase alongside conventional methods. The aim of the present study was to evaluate the use of a mobile phone application for recording symptoms and physical activity exertion during an experimental physical exercise study. An experimental study on the effects of physical exercise on the well-being of menopausal women included 158 subjects between 44 and 63 years of age. The women were randomized into intervention and control groups. All participants in both groups reported daily symptoms by responding to morning and evening questionnaires via mobile phones. The usability of the mobile phone as a data collector tool was evaluated with the System Usability Scale (SUS) questionnaire 2 months after the intervention. The feasibility evaluation was based on the frequency of responses and open questions. The response rates were about 70% to both morning and evening questionnaires. The average frequency of responses (n =158) to morning questionnaires was 125 (±40)/170 (±14) and to evening questionnaires was 118 (±40)/171 (±14). The response rate did not differ between the intervention and the control groups. The SUS score was on average 75.4 (range, 0-100; n =107). A mobile phone diary is a feasible and usable tool for data collection in clinical trials.

Pervasive assistive technology for people with dementia: a UCD case

PubMed Central

Rønn-Andersen, Kristoffer V.H.; Bień, Paulina; Özkil, Ali Gürcan; Forchhammer, Birgitte Hysse; Maier, Anja M.

2016-01-01

Smart mobile and wearable technology offers exciting opportunities to support people with dementia (PwD). Its ubiquity and popularity could even benefit user adoption – a great challenge for assistive technology (AT) for PwD that calls for user-centred design (UCD) methods. This study describes a user-centred approach to developing and testing AT based on off-the-shelf pervasive technologies. A prototype is created by combining a smartphone, smartwatch and various applications to offer six support features. This is tested among five end-users (PwD) and their caregivers. Controlled usability testing was followed by field testing in a real-world context. Data is gathered from video recordings, interaction logs, system usability scale questionnaires, logbooks, application usage logs and interviews structured on the unified theory of acceptance and use of technology model. The data is analysed to evaluate usability, usefulness and user acceptance. Results show some promise for user adoption, but highlight challenges to be overcome, emphasising personalisation and familiarity as key considerations. The complete findings regarding usability issues, usefulness of support features and four identified adoption profiles are used to provide a set of recommendations for practitioners and further research. These contribute toward UCD practices for improved smart, pervasive AT for dementia. PMID:28008366

Challenges in Managing Trustworthy Large-scale Digital Science

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Evans, B. J. K.

2017-12-01

The increased use of large-scale international digital science has opened a number of challenges for managing, handling, using and preserving scientific information. The large volumes of information are driven by three main categories - model outputs including coupled models and ensembles, data products that have been processing to a level of usability, and increasingly heuristically driven data analysis. These data products are increasingly the ones that are usable by the broad communities, and far in excess of the raw instruments data outputs. The data, software and workflows are then shared and replicated to allow broad use at an international scale, which places further demands of infrastructure to support how the information is managed reliably across distributed resources. Users necessarily rely on these underlying "black boxes" so that they are productive to produce new scientific outcomes. The software for these systems depend on computational infrastructure, software interconnected systems, and information capture systems. This ranges from the fundamentals of the reliability of the compute hardware, system software stacks and libraries, and the model software. Due to these complexities and capacity of the infrastructure, there is an increased emphasis of transparency of the approach and robustness of the methods over the full reproducibility. Furthermore, with large volume data management, it is increasingly difficult to store the historical versions of all model and derived data. Instead, the emphasis is on the ability to access the updated products and the reliability by which both previous outcomes are still relevant and can be updated for the new information. We will discuss these challenges and some of the approaches underway that are being used to address these issues.

Applying heuristic evaluation to improve the usability of a telemedicine system.

PubMed

Tang, Zhihua; Johnson, Todd R; Tindall, R Douglas; Zhang, Jiajie

2006-02-01

The development of a telemedicine system should not only take advantage of technological advances but also pay close attention to users and the human issues involved. In this paper we examine the utility of heuristic evaluation in improving the usability of a digital emergency medical services (EMS) system equipped on an ambulance. The digital EMS system used advanced communication technologies to help remotely located trauma specialists gain access to patient data in real-time and direct life-saving measures in a timely fashion. To improve its usability, three experts inspected prototypes of the system according to 14 software usability heuristics. The analyses revealed information on the prevalence, severity, and nature of heuristic violations in the user interface design. The results were subsequently utilized to guide the iterative software design process. A comparison between two consecutive prototypes showed that the second design had only half as many usability violations as the first prototype and had considerable improvement in a number of usability heuristic categories. The validity of heuristic evaluation was examined in an ethnographic study of paramedics using a prototype of the system in their work environment. Users' task performances partially verified heuristic evaluation results. However, they also revealed problems that were not identified in heuristic evaluation but only became prominent during field observation. In conclusion, we argue that usability should be given high priority in the development of a telemedicine system, and that heuristic evaluation can be an effective and efficient way to identify usability problems in the early stage of software development.

Usability testing of ANSWER: a web-based methotrexate decision aid for patients with rheumatoid arthritis

PubMed Central

2013-01-01

Background Decision aids are evidence-based tools designed to inform people of the potential benefit and harm of treatment options, clarify their preferences and provide a shared decision-making structure for discussion at a clinic visit. For patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) who are considering methotrexate, we have developed a web-based patient decision aid called the ANSWER (Animated, Self-serve, Web-based Research Tool). This study aimed to: 1) assess the usability of the ANSWER prototype; 2) identify strengths and limitations of the ANSWER from the patient’s perspective. Methods The ANSWER prototype consisted of: 1) six animated patient stories and narrated information on the evidence of methotrexate for RA; 2) interactive questionnaires to clarify patients’ treatment preferences. Eligible participants for the usability test were patients with RA who had been prescribed methotrexate. They were asked to verbalize their thoughts (i.e., think aloud) while using the ANSWER, and to complete the System Usability Scale (SUS) to assess overall usability (range = 0-100; higher = more user friendly). Participants were audiotaped and observed, and field notes were taken. The testing continued until no new modifiable issues were found. We used descriptive statistics to summarize participant characteristics and the SUS scores. Content analysis was used to identified usability issues and navigation problems. Results 15 patients participated in the usability testing. The majority were aged 50 or over and were university/college graduates (n = 8, 53.4%). On average they took 56 minutes (SD = 34.8) to complete the tool. The mean SUS score was 81.2 (SD = 13.5). Content analysis of audiotapes and field notes revealed four categories of modifiable usability issues: 1) information delivery (i.e., clarity of the information and presentation style); 2) navigation control (i.e., difficulties in recognizing and using the navigation control buttons); 3) layout (i.e., position of the videos, text, diagrams and navigation buttons); 4) aesthetic (i.e., the colour, look and feel of the online tool). Conclusions Although the SUS score indicated high usability before and after major modification, findings from the think-aloud sessions illustrated areas that required further refinement. Our results highlight the importance of formative evaluation in usability testing. PMID:24289731

Usability testing of ANSWER: a web-based methotrexate decision aid for patients with rheumatoid arthritis.

PubMed

Li, Linda C; Adam, Paul M; Townsend, Anne F; Lacaille, Diane; Yousefi, Charlene; Stacey, Dawn; Gromala, Diane; Shaw, Chris D; Tugwell, Peter; Backman, Catherine L

2013-12-01

Decision aids are evidence-based tools designed to inform people of the potential benefit and harm of treatment options, clarify their preferences and provide a shared decision-making structure for discussion at a clinic visit. For patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) who are considering methotrexate, we have developed a web-based patient decision aid called the ANSWER (Animated, Self-serve, Web-based Research Tool). This study aimed to: 1) assess the usability of the ANSWER prototype; 2) identify strengths and limitations of the ANSWER from the patient's perspective. The ANSWER prototype consisted of: 1) six animated patient stories and narrated information on the evidence of methotrexate for RA; 2) interactive questionnaires to clarify patients' treatment preferences. Eligible participants for the usability test were patients with RA who had been prescribed methotrexate. They were asked to verbalize their thoughts (i.e., think aloud) while using the ANSWER, and to complete the System Usability Scale (SUS) to assess overall usability (range = 0-100; higher = more user friendly). Participants were audiotaped and observed, and field notes were taken. The testing continued until no new modifiable issues were found. We used descriptive statistics to summarize participant characteristics and the SUS scores. Content analysis was used to identified usability issues and navigation problems. 15 patients participated in the usability testing. The majority were aged 50 or over and were university/college graduates (n = 8, 53.4%). On average they took 56 minutes (SD = 34.8) to complete the tool. The mean SUS score was 81.2 (SD = 13.5). Content analysis of audiotapes and field notes revealed four categories of modifiable usability issues: 1) information delivery (i.e., clarity of the information and presentation style); 2) navigation control (i.e., difficulties in recognizing and using the navigation control buttons); 3) layout (i.e., position of the videos, text, diagrams and navigation buttons); 4) aesthetic (i.e., the colour, look and feel of the online tool). Although the SUS score indicated high usability before and after major modification, findings from the think-aloud sessions illustrated areas that required further refinement. Our results highlight the importance of formative evaluation in usability testing.

Scaling Task Management in Space and Time: Reducing User Overhead in Ubiquitous-Computing Environments

DTIC Science & Technology

2005-03-28

consequently users are torn between taking advantage of increasingly pervasive computing systems, and the price (in attention and skill) that they have to... advantage of the surrounding computing environments; and (c) that it is usable by non-experts. Second, from a software architect’s perspective, we...take full advantage of the computing systems accessible to them, much as they take advantage of the furniture in each physical space. In the example

Development and preliminary user testing of the DCIDA (Dynamic computer interactive decision application) for ‘nudging’ patients towards high quality decisions

PubMed Central

2014-01-01

Background Patient decision aids (PtDA) are developed to facilitate informed, value-based decisions about health. Research suggests that even when informed with necessary evidence and information, cognitive errors can prevent patients from choosing the option that is most congruent with their own values. We sought to utilize principles of behavioural economics to develop a computer application that presents information from conventional decision aids in a way that reduces these errors, subsequently promoting higher quality decisions. Method The Dynamic Computer Interactive Decision Application (DCIDA) was developed to target four common errors that can impede quality decision making with PtDAs: unstable values, order effects, overweighting of rare events, and information overload. Healthy volunteers were recruited to an interview to use three PtDAs converted to the DCIDA on a computer equipped with an eye tracker. Participants were first used a conventional PtDA, and then subsequently used the DCIDA version. User testing was assessed based on whether respondents found the software both usable: evaluated using a) eye-tracking, b) the system usability scale, and c) user verbal responses from a ‘think aloud’ protocol; and useful: evaluated using a) eye-tracking, b) whether preferences for options were changed, and c) and the decisional conflict scale. Results Of the 20 participants recruited to the study, 11 were male (55%), the mean age was 35, 18 had at least a high school education (90%), and 8 (40%) had a college or university degree. Eye-tracking results, alongside a mean system usability scale score of 73 (range 68–85), indicated a reasonable degree of usability for the DCIDA. The think aloud study suggested areas for further improvement. The DCIDA also appeared to be useful to participants wherein subjects focused more on the features of the decision that were most important to them (21% increase in time spent focusing on the most important feature). Seven subjects (25%) changed their preferred option when using DCIDA. Conclusion Preliminary results suggest that DCIDA has potential to improve the quality of patient decision-making. Next steps include larger studies to test individual components of DCIDA and feasibility testing with patients making real decisions. PMID:25084808

Situated Usability Testing for Security Systems

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Greitzer, Frank L.

2011-03-02

While usability testing is well established, assessing the usability of security software, tools, or methods deserves more careful consideration. It has been argued that dealing with security has become too difficult for individuals or organizations to manage effectively or to use conveniently. As difficult as it is for system administrators and developers to deal with, security is even more challenging for casual users. Indeed, it is much too easy for casual/home users to configure the security of their systems in non-optimal ways that leave their systems inadvertently insecure. This is exacerbated by the fact that casual users are focused onmore » matters other than security, and likely would prefer not even to think about security. This brief report argues that when security and/or privacy are part of the equation, traditional methods for usability testing should be re-considered. The purpose of this brief report is to argue for and outline a method associated with a new approach to usability testing for examining usable security issues.« less

Designing Telemedicine Systems for Geriatric Patients: A Review of the Usability Studies.

PubMed

Narasimha, Shraddhaa; Madathil, Kapil Chalil; Agnisarman, Sruthy; Rogers, Hunter; Welch, Brandon; Ashok, Aparna; Nair, Aswathi; McElligott, James

2017-06-01

One area where telemedicine may prove to be highly effective is in providing medical care to the geriatric population, an age group predicted to account for 20% of the population in the near future. However, even though telemedicine has certain advantages, the usability of these systems with this population merits investigation. This article reviews the literature published from 2000 to 2016 with the goal of analyzing the characteristics of usability-related studies conducted using geriatric participants and the subsequent usability challenges identified. Articles were found using Web of Knowledge and PubMed citation indexing portals using the keywords (1) Telemedicine* AND Geriatrics* (2) Telemedicine* AND Usability* (3) Telemedicine* AND Usability* AND Older Adults*. A total of 297 articles were obtained from the initial search. After further detailed screening, 16 articles were selected for review based on the inclusion criteria. Of these, 60% of the studies focused on the overall usability of telemedicine systems; 6.25% focused on the usability of a telepresence robot; 12.5% compared a face-to-face medical consultation with the use of telemedicine systems, and 25% focused on the study of other aspects of telemedicine in addition to its usability. Findings reported in the studies included high patient satisfaction with telemedicine in 31.25%, whereas another 31.25% indicated a high acceptance of this method of medical consultation. Care coordination in 6.25% of the studies; confidence in telemedicine in 6.25%; trust, privacy, and reliability in 6.25%; and increased convenience when compared to personal visits in 18.75% were also reported. This review suggests limited research providing scientifically valid and reproducible usability evaluation at various stages of telemedicine system development. Telemedicine system designers need to consider the age-related issues in cognition, perception, and behavior of geriatric patients while designing telemedicine applications. Future directions for research were developed based on the limitations as well as other results found in this systematic review.

Usability evaluation of pharmacogenomics clinical decision support aids and clinical knowledge resources in a computerized provider order entry system: a mixed methods approach.

PubMed

Devine, Emily Beth; Lee, Chia-Ju; Overby, Casey L; Abernethy, Neil; McCune, Jeannine; Smith, Joe W; Tarczy-Hornoch, Peter

2014-07-01

Pharmacogenomics (PGx) is positioned to have a widespread impact on the practice of medicine, yet physician acceptance is low. The presentation of context-specific PGx information, in the form of clinical decision support (CDS) alerts embedded in a computerized provider order entry (CPOE) system, can aid uptake. Usability evaluations can inform optimal design, which, in turn, can spur adoption. The study objectives were to: (1) evaluate an early prototype, commercial CPOE system with PGx-CDS alerts in a simulated environment, (2) identify potential improvements to the system user interface, and (3) understand the contexts under which PGx knowledge embedded in an electronic health record is useful to prescribers. Using a mixed methods approach, we presented seven cardiologists and three oncologists with five hypothetical clinical case scenarios. Each scenario featured a drug for which a gene encoding drug metabolizing enzyme required consideration of dosage adjustment. We used Morae(®) to capture comments and on-screen movements as participants prescribed each drug. In addition to PGx-CDS alerts, 'Infobutton(®)' and 'Evidence' icons provided participants with clinical knowledge resources to aid decision-making. Nine themes emerged. Five suggested minor improvements to the CPOE user interface; two suggested presenting PGx information through PGx-CDS alerts using an 'Infobutton' or 'Evidence' icon. The remaining themes were strong recommendations to provide succinct, relevant guidelines and dosing recommendations of phenotypic information from credible and trustworthy sources; any more information was overwhelming. Participants' median rating of PGx-CDS system usability was 2 on a Likert scale ranging from 1 (strongly agree) to 7 (strongly disagree). Usability evaluation results suggest that participants considered PGx information important for improving prescribing decisions; and that they would incorporate PGx-CDS when information is presented in relevant and useful ways. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

Usability and feasibility of health IT interventions to enhance Self-Care for Lymphedema Symptom Management in breast cancer survivors.

PubMed

Fu, Mei R; Axelrod, Deborah; Guth, Amber A; Wang, Yao; Scagliola, Joan; Hiotis, Karen; Rampertaap, Kavita; El-Shammaa, Nardin

2016-09-01

The-Optimal-Lymph-Flow health IT system (TOLF) is a patient-centered, web-and-mobile-based educational and behavioral health IT system focusing on safe, innovative, and pragmatic self-care strategies for lymphedema symptom management. The purpose of this study was to evaluate usability, feasibility, and acceptability of TOLF among the end-user of breast cancer survivors. Two types of usability testing were completed with 30 breast cancer survivors: heuristic evaluation and end-user testing. Each participant was asked to think aloud while completing a set of specified tasks designed to explicate and freely explore the system features. A heuristic evaluation checklist, the Perceived Ease of Use and Usefulness Questionnaire, and The Post Study System Usability Questionnaire were used to evaluate usability of the system. Open-ended questions were used to gather qualitative data. Quantitative data were analyzed using descriptive statistics and qualitative data were summarized thematically. Breast cancer survivors were very satisfied with the system: 90% (n = 27) rated the system having no usability problems; 10% (n = 3) noted minor cosmetic problems: spelling errors or text font size. The majority of participants 96.6% (n = 29) strongly agreed that the system was easy to use and effective in helping to learn about lymphedema, symptoms and self-care strategies. Themes from the qualitative data included empowerment, high quality information, loving avatar simulation videos, easy accessibility, and user-friendliness. This usability study provided evidence on breast cancer survivor's acceptance and highly positive evaluation of TOLF's usability as well as feasibility of using technologically-driven delivery model to enhance self-care strategies for lymphedema symptom management.

A Framework for Usability Evaluation in EHR Procurement.

PubMed

Tyllinen, Mari; Kaipio, Johanna; Lääveri, Tinja

2018-01-01

Usability should be considered already by the procuring organizations when selecting future systems. In this paper, we present a framework for usability evaluation during electronic health record (EHR) system procurement. We describe the objectives of the evaluation, the procedure, selected usability attributes and the evaluation methods to measure them. We also present the emphasis usability had in the selection process. We do not elaborate on the details of the results, the application of methods or gathering of data. Instead we focus on the components of the framework to inform and give an example to other similar procurement projects.

Usability evaluation of an emergency department information system prototype designed using cognitive systems engineering techniques.

PubMed

Clark, Lindsey N; Benda, Natalie C; Hegde, Sudeep; McGeorge, Nicolette M; Guarrera-Schick, Theresa K; Hettinger, A Zachary; LaVergne, David T; Perry, Shawna J; Wears, Robert L; Fairbanks, Rollin J; Bisantz, Ann M

2017-04-01

This article presents an evaluation of novel display concepts for an emergency department information system (EDIS) designed using cognitive systems engineering methods. EDISs assist emergency medicine staff with tracking patient care and ED resource allocation. Participants performed patient planning and orientation tasks using the EDIS displays and rated the display's ability to support various cognitive performance objectives along with the usability, usefulness, and predicted frequency of use for 18 system components. Mean ratings were positive for cognitive performance support objectives, usability, usefulness, and frequency of use, demonstrating the successful application of design methods to create useful and usable EDIS concepts that provide cognitive support for emergency medicine staff. Nurse and provider roles had significantly different perceptions of the usability and usefulness of certain EDIS components, suggesting that they have different information needs while working. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Usability evaluation of an emergency department information system prototype designed using cognitive systems engineering techniques

PubMed Central

Clark, Lindsey N.; Benda, Natalie C.; Hegde, Sudeep; McGeorge, Nicolette M.; Guarrera-Schick, Theresa K.; Hettinger, A. Zachary; LaVergne, David T.; Perry, Shawna J.; Wears, Robert L.; Fairbanks, Rollin J.; Bisantz, Ann M.

2017-01-01

This article presents an evaluation of novel display concepts for an emergency department information system (EDIS) designed using cognitive systems engineering methods. EDISs assist emergency medicine staff with tracking patient care and ED resource allocation. Participants performed patient planning and orientation tasks using the EDIS displays and rated the display’s ability to support various cognitive performance objectives along with the usability, usefulness, and predicted frequency of use for 18 system components. Mean ratings were positive for cognitive performance support objectives, usability, usefulness, and frequency of use, demonstrating the successful application of design methods to create useful and usable EDIS concepts that provide cognitive support for emergency medicine staff. Nurse and provider roles had significantly different perceptions of the usability and usefulness of certain EDIS components, suggesting that they have different information needs while working. PMID:28166896

Integrating Low-Cost Rapid Usability Testing into Agile System Development of Healthcare IT: A Methodological Perspective.

PubMed

Kushniruk, Andre W; Borycki, Elizabeth M

2015-01-01

The development of more usable and effective healthcare information systems has become a critical issue. In the software industry methodologies such as agile and iterative development processes have emerged to lead to more effective and usable systems. These approaches highlight focusing on user needs and promoting iterative and flexible development practices. Evaluation and testing of iterative agile development cycles is considered an important part of the agile methodology and iterative processes for system design and re-design. However, the issue of how to effectively integrate usability testing methods into rapid and flexible agile design cycles has remained to be fully explored. In this paper we describe our application of an approach known as low-cost rapid usability testing as it has been applied within agile system development in healthcare. The advantages of the integrative approach are described, along with current methodological considerations.

Do Perceptions of Insulin Pump Usability Impact Attitudes Toward Insulin Pump Therapy? A Pilot Study of Individuals With Type 1 and Insulin-Treated Type 2 Diabetes

PubMed Central

Gilgen, Emily

2014-01-01

Background: We assessed the impact of perceived insulin pump usability on attitudes toward insulin pump therapy in diabetic individuals currently treated with multiple daily insulin injections (MDI). Method: This comparative, single-arm study recruited 28 adults with type 1 (n = 16) and insulin-treated type 2 diabetes (n = 12) to evaluate 2 current insulin pumps: Medtronic Revel 723 (Pump 1), Asante Snap Insulin Pump (Pump 2). Participants were randomized 1:1 to 1 of 2 assessment sequences: Pump 1 followed by Pump 2; and Pump 2 followed by Pump 1. Structured observational protocols were utilized to assess participants’ ability and time required to learn/perform common tasks associated with pump setup/use. Participants used a modified version of the System Usability Scale (SUS) and investigator-developed questionnaires to rate pump usability and task difficulty; pre-post questionnaires assessed changes in attitudes toward insulin pump therapy. Results: All participants completed the study. SUS scores showed Pump 2 to be more usable than Pump 1 on all usability attributes. Participants rated Pump 2 more positively than Pump 1, overall mean SUS scores of 5.7 versus 4.1 respectively, F(1, 52) = 32.7, P < .001, and SUS scores were higher if participants used the Pump 2 last, 5.3 versus 4.4 for Pump 1 last, F(1, 52) = 10.8, P < .01. Pump 2 was preferred for all tasks: manual bolus (86%), bolus calculation (71%), managing basal rates (93%), interpreting alarms (96%), transferring settings (100%), changing insulin and infusion sets (93%), all P < .05. Conclusions: Perceptions of pump usability can directly impact acceptance and use of features that may benefit those who wear them. Simpler pump devices that decrease perceptions of complexity may encourage broader use of this technology. PMID:25269659

Usability in product design--the importance and need for systematic assessment models in product development--Usa-Design Model (U-D) ©.

PubMed

Merino, Giselle Schmidt Alves Díaz; Teixeira, Clarissa Stefani; Schoenardie, Rodrigo Petry; Merino, Eugenio Andrés Diáz; Gontijo, Leila Amaral

2012-01-01

In product design, human factors are considered as an element of differentiation given that today's consumer demands are increasing. Safety, wellbeing, satisfaction, health, effectiveness, efficiency, and other aspects must be effectively incorporated into the product development process. This work proposes a usability assessment model that can be incorporated as an assessment tool. The methodological approach is settled in two stages. First a literature review focus specifically on usability and developing user-centred products. After this, a model of usability named Usa-Design (U-D©) is presented. Consisted of four phases: understanding the use context, pre-preliminary usability assessment (efficiency/effectiveness/satisfaction); assessment of usability principles and results, U-D© features are modular and flexible, allowing principles used in Phase 3 to be changed according to the needs and scenario of each situation. With qualitative/quantitative measurement scales of easy understanding and application, the model results are viable and applicable throughout all the product development process.

Measuring the Usability of Augmented Reality e-Learning Systems: A User-Centered Evaluation Approach

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Pribeanu, Costin; Balog, Alexandru; Iordache, Dragoş Daniel

The development of Augmented Reality (AR) systems is creating new challenges and opportunities for the designers of e-learning systems. The mix of real and virtual requires appropriate interaction techniques that have to be evaluated with users in order to avoid usability problems. Formative usability aims at finding usability problems as early as possible in the development life cycle and is suitable to support the development of such novel interactive systems. This work presents an approach to the user-centered usability evaluation of an e-learning scenario for Biology developed on an Augmented Reality educational platform. The evaluation has been carried on during and after a summer school held within the ARiSE research project. The basic idea was to perform usability evaluation twice. In this respect, we conducted user testing with a small number of students during the summer school in order to get a fast feedback from users having good knowledge in Biology. Then, we repeated the user testing in different conditions and with a relatively larger number of representative users. In this paper we describe both experiments and compare the usability evaluation results.

Usability Level of Distance Education Website (Sakarya University Sample)

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Isman, Aytekin; Isbulan, Onur

2010-01-01

The main goal of this research is to determine the usability of Sakarya University Adapazari Vocational Two-Year Community College's Web Site. A scale was developed to the evaluation and applied to 1512 students. From the applied questionnaire only appropriate ones were selected to be evaluated and 1229 questionnaires were analysed. Finally,…

User Interface Problems of a Nationwide Inpatient Information System: A Heuristic Evaluation.

PubMed

Atashi, Alireza; Khajouei, Reza; Azizi, Amirabbas; Dadashi, Ali

2016-01-01

While studies have shown that usability evaluation could uncover many design problems of health information systems, the usability of health information systems in developing countries using their native language is poorly studied. The objective of this study was to evaluate the usability of a nationwide inpatient information system used in many academic hospitals in Iran. Three trained usability evaluators independently evaluated the system using Nielsen's 10 usability heuristics. The evaluators combined identified problems in a single list and independently rated the severity of the problems. We statistically compared the number and severity of problems identified by HIS experienced and non-experienced evaluators. A total of 158 usability problems were identified. After removing duplications 99 unique problems were left. The highest mismatch with usability principles was related to "Consistency and standards" heuristic (25%) and the lowest related to "Flexibility and efficiency of use" (4%). The average severity of problems ranged from 2.4 (Major problem) to 3.3 (Catastrophe problem). The experienced evaluator with HIS identified significantly more problems and gave higher severities to problems (p<0.02). Heuristic Evaluation identified a high number of usability problems in a widely used inpatient information system in many academic hospitals. These problems, if remain unsolved, may waste users' and patients' time, increase errors and finally threaten patient's safety. Many of them can be fixed with simple redesign solutions such as using clear labels and better layouts. This study suggests conducting further studies to confirm the findings concerning effect of evaluator experience on the results of Heuristic Evaluation.

User Interface Problems of a Nationwide Inpatient Information System: A Heuristic Evaluation

PubMed Central

Atashi, Alireza; Azizi, Amirabbas; Dadashi, Ali

2016-01-01

Summary Introduction While studies have shown that usability evaluation could uncover many design problems of health information systems, the usability of health information systems in developing countries using their native language is poorly studied. The objective of this study was to evaluate the usability of a nationwide inpatient information system used in many academic hospitals in Iran. Material and Methods Three trained usability evaluators independently evaluated the system using Nielsen’s 10 usability heuristics. The evaluators combined identified problems in a single list and independently rated the severity of the problems. We statistically compared the number and severity of problems identified by HIS experienced and non-experienced evaluators. Results A total of 158 usability problems were identified. After removing duplications 99 unique problems were left. The highest mismatch with usability principles was related to “Consistency and standards” heuristic (25%) and the lowest related to “Flexibility and efficiency of use” (4%). The average severity of problems ranged from 2.4 (Major problem) to 3.3 (Catastrophe problem). The experienced evaluator with HIS identified significantly more problems and gave higher severities to problems (p<0.02). Discussion Heuristic Evaluation identified a high number of usability problems in a widely used inpatient information system in many academic hospitals. These problems, if remain unsolved, may waste users’ and patients’ time, increase errors and finally threaten patient’s safety. Many of them can be fixed with simple redesign solutions such as using clear labels and better layouts. This study suggests conducting further studies to confirm the findings concerning effect of evaluator experience on the results of Heuristic Evaluation. PMID:27081409

Interface design recommendations for computerised clinical audit and feedback: Hybrid usability evidence from a research-led system.

PubMed

Brown, Benjamin; Balatsoukas, Panos; Williams, Richard; Sperrin, Matthew; Buchan, Iain

2016-10-01

Audit and Feedback (A&F) is a widely used quality improvement technique that measures clinicians' clinical performance and reports it back to them. Computerised A&F (e-A&F) system interfaces may consist of four key components: (1) Summaries of clinical performance; (2) Patient lists; (3) Patient-level data; (4) Recommended actions. There is a lack of evidence regarding how to best design e-A&F interfaces; establishing such evidence is key to maximising usability, and in turn improving patient safety. To evaluate the usability of a novel theoretically-informed and research-led e-A&F system for primary care (the Performance Improvement plaN GeneratoR: PINGR). (1) Describe PINGR's design, rationale and theoretical basis; (2) Identify usability issues with PINGR; (3) Understand how these issues may interfere with the cognitive goals of end-users; (4) Translate the issues into recommendations for the user-centred design of e-A&F systems. Eight experienced health system evaluators performed a usability inspection using an innovative hybrid approach consisting of five stages: (1) Development of representative user tasks, Goals, and Actions; (2) Combining Heuristic Evaluation and Cognitive Walkthrough methods into a single protocol to identify usability issues; (3) Consolidation of issues; (4) Severity rating of consolidated issues; (5) Analysis of issues according to usability heuristics, interface components, and Goal-Action structure. A final list of 47 issues were categorised into 8 heuristic themes. The most error-prone heuristics were 'Consistency and standards' (13 usability issues; 28% of the total) and 'Match between system and real world' (n=10, 21%). The recommended actions component of the PINGR interface had the most usability issues (n=21, 45%), followed by patient-level data (n=5, 11%), patient lists (n=4, 9%), and summaries of clinical performance (n=4, 9%). The most error-prone Actions across all user Goals were: (1) Patient selection from a list; (2) Data identification from a figure (both population-level and patient-level); (3) Disagreement with a system recommendation. By contextualising our findings within the wider literature on health information system usability, we provide recommendations for the design of e-A&F system interfaces relating to their four key components, in addition to how they may be integrated within a system. Copyright © 2016. Published by Elsevier Ireland Ltd.

Evaluating Usability in a Distance Digital Systems Laboratory Class

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kostaras, N.; Xenos, M.; Skodras, A. N.

2011-01-01

This paper presents the usability evaluation of a digital systems laboratory class offered to distance-learning students. It details the way in which students can participate remotely in such a laboratory, the methodology employed in the usability assessment of the laboratory infrastructure (hardware and software), and also outlines the main…

Defining Usability: How Library Practice Differs from Published Research

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Chen, Yu-Hui; Germain, Carol Anne; Rorissa, Abebe

2011-01-01

Library/information science professionals need a clearly articulated definition of usability/Web usability to implement intuitive websites. In this study, the authors analyzed usability definitions provided by the ARL library professionals and those found in the library/information science and computer science-information systems literature.…

An evaluation of patients' experienced usability of a diabetes mHealth system using a multi-method approach.

PubMed

Georgsson, Mattias; Staggers, Nancy

2016-02-01

mHealth systems are becoming more common to aid patients in their diabetes self-management, but recent studies indicate a need for thorough evaluation of patients' experienced usability. Current evaluations lack a multi-method design for data collection and structured methods for data analyses. The purpose of this study was to provide a feasibility test of a multi-method approach for both data collection and data analyses for patients' experienced usability of a mHealth system for diabetes type 2 self-management. A random sample of 10 users was selected from a larger clinical trial. Data collection methods included user testing with eight representative tasks and Think Aloud protocol, a semi-structured interview and a questionnaire on patients' experiences using the system. The Framework Analysis (FA) method and Usability Problem Taxonomy (UPT) were used to structure, code and analyze the results. A usability severity rating was assigned after classification. The combined methods resulted in a total of 117 problems condensed into 19 usability issues with an average severity rating of 2.47 or serious. The usability test detected 50% of the initial usability problems, followed by the post-interview at 29%. The usability test found 18 of 19 consolidated usability problems while the questionnaire uncovered one unique issue. Patients experienced most usability problems (8) in the Glucose Readings View when performing complex tasks such as adding, deleting, and exporting glucose measurements. The severity ratings were the highest for the Glucose Diary View, Glucose Readings View, and Blood Pressure View with an average severity rating of 3 (serious). Most of the issues were classified under the artifact component of the UPT and primary categories of Visualness (7) and Manipulation (6). In the UPT task component, most issues were in the primary category Task-mapping (12). Multiple data collection methods yielded a more comprehensive set of usability issues. Usability testing uncovered the largest volume of usability issues, followed by interviewing and then the questionnaire. The interview did not surface any unique consolidated usability issues while the questionnaire surfaced one. The FA and UPT were valuable in structuring and classifying problems. The resulting descriptions serve as a communication tool in problem solving and programming. We recommend the usage of multiple methods in data collection and employing the FA and UPT in data analyses for future usability testing. Copyright © 2015 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Low cost solar array project: Experimental process system development unit for producing semiconductor-grade silicon using silane-to-silicon process

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1980-01-01

The design, fabrication, and installation of an experimental process system development unit (EPSDU) were analyzed. Supporting research and development were performed to provide an information data base usable for the EPSDU and for technological design and economical analysis for potential scale-up of the process. Iterative economic analyses were conducted for the estimated product cost for the production of semiconductor grade silicon in a facility capable of producing 1000-MT/Yr.

Real-time incidence of travel-related symptoms through a smartphone-based app remote monitoring system: a pilot study.

PubMed

Rodriguez-Valero, N; Carbayo, M J Ledesma; Sanchez, D Cuadrado; Vladimirov, A; Espriu, M; Vera, I; Roldan, M; de Alba, T; Sanz, S; Moreno, J L Gonzalez; Oroz, M Luengo; Muñoz, J

2018-01-01

Trip Doctor®, a Smartphone-based app monitoring system, was developed to detect infections among travelers in real-time. For testing, 106 participants were recruited (62.2% male, mean age 36 years (SD = 11)). Majority of trips were for tourism and main destinations were in South East Asia. Mean travel duration was 14 days (SD = 10). Diarrhea was the most frequently reported symptom (15.5%). The system demonstrated adequate usability and is ready to be used on a larger scale.

77 FR 25707 - Submission for OMB Review; Comment request

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2012-05-01

... and OMB Number: Electronic Health Record (EHR) Usability Survey; OMB Control Number 0720-TBD. Type of... information collection is to develop a longitudinal measure of how end-users perceive the usability of the... the focus has shifted towards understanding the usability of a system. This usability attribute...

An Evaluation of the Design and Usability of a Novel Robotic Bilateral Arm Rehabilitation Device for Patients with Stroke.

PubMed

Pei, Yu-Cheng; Chen, Jean-Lon; Wong, Alice M K; Tseng, Kevin C

2017-01-01

Case series. IV (case series). Robot-assisted therapy for upper limb rehabilitation is an emerging research topic and its design process must integrate engineering, neurological pathophysiology, and clinical needs. This study developed/evaluated the usefulness of a novel rehabilitation device, the MirrorPath , designed for the upper limb rehabilitation of patients with hemiplegic stroke. The process follows Tseng's methodology for innovative product design and development, namely two stages, device development and usability assessment. During the development process, the design was guided by patients' rehabilitation needs as defined by patients and their therapists. The design applied synchronic movement of the bilateral upper limbs, an approach that is compatible with the bilateral movement therapy and proprioceptive neuromuscular facilitation theories. MirrorPath consists of a robotic device that guides upper limb movement linked to a control module containing software controlling the robotic movement. Five healthy subjects were recruited in the pretest, and 4 patients, 4 caregivers, and 4 therapists were recruited in the formal test for usability. All recruited subjects were allocated to the test group, completed the evaluation, and their data were all analyzed. The total system usability scale score obtained from the patients, caregivers, and therapists was 71.8 ± 11.9, indicating a high level of usability and product acceptance. Following a standard development process, we could yield a design that meets clinical needs. This low-cost device provides a feasible platform for carrying out robot-assisted bilateral movement therapy of patients with hemiplegic stroke. identifier NCT02698605.

Evaluating a Web-Based Interface for Internet Telemedicine

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Lathan, Corinna E.; Newman, Dava J.; Sebrechts, Marc M.; Doarn, Charles R.

1997-01-01

The objective is to introduce the usability engineering methodology, heuristic evaluation, to the design and development of a web-based telemedicine system. Using a set of usability criteria, or heuristics, one evaluator examined the Spacebridge to Russia web-site for usability problems. Thirty-four usability problems were found in this preliminary study and all were assigned a severity rating. The value of heuristic analysis in the iterative design of a system is shown because the problems can be fixed before deployment of a system and the problems are of a different nature than those found by actual users of the system. It was therefore determined that there is potential value of heuristic evaluation paired with user testing as a strategy for optimal system performance design.

A systematic review of hybrid brain-computer interfaces: Taxonomy and usability perspectives

PubMed Central

Lee, Yushin; Yun, Myung Hwan

2017-01-01

A new Brain-Computer Interface (BCI) technique, which is called a hybrid BCI, has recently been proposed to address the limitations of conventional single BCI system. Although some hybrid BCI studies have shown promising results, the field of hybrid BCI is still in its infancy and there is much to be done. Especially, since the hybrid BCI systems are so complicated and complex, it is difficult to understand the constituent and role of a hybrid BCI system at a glance. Also, the complicated and complex systems make it difficult to evaluate the usability of the systems. We systematically reviewed and analyzed the current state-of-the-art hybrid BCI studies, and proposed a systematic taxonomy for classifying the types of hybrid BCIs with multiple taxonomic criteria. After reviewing 74 journal articles, hybrid BCIs could be categorized with respect to 1) the source of brain signals, 2) the characteristics of the brain signal, and 3) the characteristics of operation in each system. In addition, we exhaustively reviewed recent literature on usability of BCIs. To identify the key evaluation dimensions of usability, we focused on task and measurement characteristics of BCI usability. We classified and summarized 31 BCI usability journal articles according to task characteristics (type and description of task) and measurement characteristics (subjective and objective measures). Afterwards, we proposed usability dimensions for BCI and hybrid BCI systems according to three core-constructs: Satisfaction, effectiveness, and efficiency with recommendations for further research. This paper can help BCI researchers, even those who are new to the field, can easily understand the complex structure of the hybrid systems at a glance. Recommendations for future research can also be helpful in establishing research directions and gaining insight in how to solve ergonomics and HCI design issues surrounding BCI and hybrid BCI systems by usability evaluation. PMID:28453547

A systematic review of hybrid brain-computer interfaces: Taxonomy and usability perspectives.

PubMed

Choi, Inchul; Rhiu, Ilsun; Lee, Yushin; Yun, Myung Hwan; Nam, Chang S

2017-01-01

A new Brain-Computer Interface (BCI) technique, which is called a hybrid BCI, has recently been proposed to address the limitations of conventional single BCI system. Although some hybrid BCI studies have shown promising results, the field of hybrid BCI is still in its infancy and there is much to be done. Especially, since the hybrid BCI systems are so complicated and complex, it is difficult to understand the constituent and role of a hybrid BCI system at a glance. Also, the complicated and complex systems make it difficult to evaluate the usability of the systems. We systematically reviewed and analyzed the current state-of-the-art hybrid BCI studies, and proposed a systematic taxonomy for classifying the types of hybrid BCIs with multiple taxonomic criteria. After reviewing 74 journal articles, hybrid BCIs could be categorized with respect to 1) the source of brain signals, 2) the characteristics of the brain signal, and 3) the characteristics of operation in each system. In addition, we exhaustively reviewed recent literature on usability of BCIs. To identify the key evaluation dimensions of usability, we focused on task and measurement characteristics of BCI usability. We classified and summarized 31 BCI usability journal articles according to task characteristics (type and description of task) and measurement characteristics (subjective and objective measures). Afterwards, we proposed usability dimensions for BCI and hybrid BCI systems according to three core-constructs: Satisfaction, effectiveness, and efficiency with recommendations for further research. This paper can help BCI researchers, even those who are new to the field, can easily understand the complex structure of the hybrid systems at a glance. Recommendations for future research can also be helpful in establishing research directions and gaining insight in how to solve ergonomics and HCI design issues surrounding BCI and hybrid BCI systems by usability evaluation.

To twist or poke? A method for identifying usability issues with the rotary controller and touch screen for control of in-vehicle information systems.

PubMed

Harvey, Catherine; Stanton, Neville A; Pickering, Carl A; McDonald, Mike; Zheng, Pengjun

2011-07-01

In-vehicle information systems (IVIS) can be controlled by the user via direct or indirect input devices. In order to develop the next generation of usable IVIS, designers need to be able to evaluate and understand the usability issues associated with these two input types. The aim of this study was to investigate the effectiveness of a set of empirical usability evaluation methods for identifying important usability issues and distinguishing between the IVIS input devices. A number of usability issues were identified and their causal factors have been explored. These were related to the input type, the structure of the menu/tasks and hardware issues. In particular, the translation between inputs and on-screen actions and a lack of visual feedback for menu navigation resulted in lower levels of usability for the indirect device. This information will be useful in informing the design of new IVIS, with improved usability. STATEMENT OF RELEVANCE: This paper examines the use of empirical methods for distinguishing between direct and indirect IVIS input devices and identifying usability issues. Results have shown that the characteristics of indirect input devices produce more serious usability issues, compared with direct devices and can have a negative effect on the driver-vehicle interaction.

A usability evaluation toolkit for In-Vehicle Information Systems (IVISs).

PubMed

Harvey, Catherine; Stanton, Neville A; Pickering, Carl A; McDonald, Mike; Zheng, Pengjun

2011-05-01

Usability must be defined specifically for the context of use of the particular system under investigation. This specific context of use should also be used to guide the definition of specific usability criteria and the selection of appropriate evaluation methods. There are four principles which can guide the selection of evaluation methods, relating to the information required in the evaluation, the stage at which to apply methods, the resources required and the people involved in the evaluation. This paper presents a framework for the evaluation of usability in the context of In-Vehicle Information Systems (IVISs). This framework guides designers through defining usability criteria for an evaluation, selecting appropriate evaluation methods and applying those methods. These stages form an iterative process of design-evaluation-redesign with the overall aim of improving the usability of IVISs and enhancing the driving experience, without compromising the safety of the driver. Copyright © 2010 Elsevier Ltd and The Ergonomics Society. All rights reserved.

Usability of a real-time tracked augmented reality display system in musculoskeletal injections

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Baum, Zachary; Ungi, Tamas; Lasso, Andras; Fichtinger, Gabor

2017-03-01

PURPOSE: Image-guided needle interventions are seldom performed with augmented reality guidance in clinical practice due to many workspace and usability restrictions. We propose a real-time optically tracked image overlay system to make image-guided musculoskeletal injections more efficient and assess its usability in a bed-side clinical environment. METHODS: An image overlay system consisting of an optically tracked viewbox, tablet computer, and semitransparent mirror allows users to navigate scanned patient volumetric images in real-time using software built on the open-source 3D Slicer application platform. A series of experiments were conducted to evaluate the latency and screen refresh rate of the system using different image resolutions. To assess the usability of the system and software, five medical professionals were asked to navigate patient images while using the overlay and completed a questionnaire to assess the system. RESULTS: In assessing the latency of the system with scanned images of varying size, screen refresh rates were approximately 5 FPS. The study showed that participants found using the image overlay system easy, and found the table-mounted system was significantly more usable and effective than the handheld system. CONCLUSION: It was determined that the system performs comparably with scanned images of varying size when assessing the latency of the system. During our usability study, participants preferred the table-mounted system over the handheld. The participants also felt that the system itself was simple to use and understand. With these results, the image overlay system shows promise for use in a clinical environment.

Understanding Usability: Investigating an Integrated Design Environment and Management System

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Lee, Jason Chong; Wahid, Shahtab; McCrickard, D. Scott; Chewar, C. M.; Congleton, Ben

2007-01-01

Purpose: Decades of innovation in designing usable (and unusable) interfaces have resulted in a plethora of guidelines, usability methods, and other design tools. The purpose of this research is to develop ways for novice developers to effectively leverage and contribute to the large and growing body of usability knowledge and methods.…

Physician satisfaction with a critical care clinical information system using a multimethod evaluation of usability.

PubMed

Hudson, Darren; Kushniruk, Andre; Borycki, Elizabeth; Zuege, Danny J

2018-04-01

Physician satisfaction with electronic medical records has often been poor. Usability has frequently been identified as a source for decreased satisfaction. While surveys can identify many issues, and are logistically easier to administer, they may miss issues identified using other methods This study sought to understand the level of physician satisfaction and usability issues associated with a critical care clinical information system (eCritical Alberta) implemented throughout the province of Alberta, Canada. All critical care attending physicians using the system were invited to participate in an online survey. Questions included components of the User Acceptance of Information Technology and Usability Questionnaire as well as free text feedback on system components. Physicians were also invited to participate in a think aloud test using simulated scenarios. The transcribed think aloud text and questionnaire were subjected to textual analysis. 82% of all eligible physicians completed the on-line survey (n = 61). Eight physicians were invited and seven completed the think aloud test. Overall satisfaction with the system was moderate. Usability was identified as a significant factor contributing to satisfaction. The major usability factors identified were system response time and layout. The think aloud component identified additional factors beyond those identified in the on-line survey. This study found a modestly high level of physician satisfaction with a province-wide clinical critical care information system. Usability continues to be a significant factor in physician satisfaction. Using multiple methods of evaluation can capture the benefits of a large sample size and deeper understanding of the issues. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

The Relationship between National Culture and the Usability of an E-Learning System

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Adeoye, Blessing; Wentling, Rose Mary

2007-01-01

The purpose of this study was to investigate possible relationships between national culture and the usability of an e-learning system. The theoretical frameworks that were used to guide this study were Hofstede's (1980) cultural dimensions, and Nielson's (1993) usability attributes. The sample for this study was composed of 24 international…

Using Heuristic Evaluation to Improve Sepsis Alert Usability.

PubMed

Pertiwi, Ariani Arista Putri; Fraczkowski, Dan; Stogis, Sheryl L; Lopez, Karen Dunn

2018-06-01

Sepsis, life-threatening organ dysfunction in response to infection, is an alarmingly common and aggressive illness in US hospitals, especially for intensive care patients. Preventing sepsis deaths rests on the clinicians' ability to promptly recognize and treat sepsis. To aid early recognition, many organizations have employed clinician-facing electronic sepsis alert systems. However, the effectiveness of the alert relies on heavily on the visual interface, textual information, and overall usability. This article reports a usability inspection of a sepsis alert system. The authors found violations in 12 of the 14 usability principles and promote use of this method in practice to systematically identify usability problems. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Effective Usability Engineering in Healthcare: A Vision of Usable and Safer Healthcare IT.

PubMed

Kushniruk, Andre; Senathirajah, Yalini; Borycki, Elizabeth

2017-01-01

Persistent problems with healthcare IT that is unusable and unsafe have been reported worldwide. In this paper we present our vision for deploying usability engineering in healthcare in a more substantive way in order to improve the current situation. The argument will be made that stronger and more substantial efforts need to be made to bring multiple usability engineering methods to bear on points in both system design and deployment (and not just as a one-time effort restricted to software product development). In addition, improved processes for ensuring the usability of commercial vendor-based systems being implemented in healthcare organizations need to be addressed. A discussion will also be provided on challenges and barriers that will need to be overcome to ensure that the heatlhcare IT that is released is both usable and safe.

Usability Evaluation of a Clinical Decision Support System for Geriatric ED Pain Treatment.

PubMed

Genes, Nicholas; Kim, Min Soon; Thum, Frederick L; Rivera, Laura; Beato, Rosemary; Song, Carolyn; Soriano, Jared; Kannry, Joseph; Baumlin, Kevin; Hwang, Ula

2016-01-01

Older adults are at risk for inadequate emergency department (ED) pain care. Unrelieved acute pain is associated with poor outcomes. Clinical decision support systems (CDSS) hold promise to improve patient care, but CDSS quality varies widely, particularly when usability evaluation is not employed. To conduct an iterative usability and redesign process of a novel geriatric abdominal pain care CDSS. We hypothesized this process would result in the creation of more usable and favorable pain care interventions. Thirteen emergency physicians familiar with the Electronic Health Record (EHR) in use at the study site were recruited. Over a 10-week period, 17 1-hour usability test sessions were conducted across 3 rounds of testing. Participants were given 3 patient scenarios and provided simulated clinical care using the EHR, while interacting with the CDSS interventions. Quantitative System Usability Scores (SUS), favorability scores and qualitative narrative feedback were collected for each session. Using a multi-step review process by an interdisciplinary team, positive and negative usability issues in effectiveness, efficiency, and satisfaction were considered, prioritized and incorporated in the iterative redesign process of the CDSS. Video analysis was used to determine the appropriateness of the CDS appearances during simulated clinical care. Over the 3 rounds of usability evaluations and subsequent redesign processes, mean SUS progressively improved from 74.8 to 81.2 to 88.9; mean favorability scores improved from 3.23 to 4.29 (1 worst, 5 best). Video analysis revealed that, in the course of the iterative redesign processes, rates of physicians' acknowledgment of CDS interventions increased, however most rates of desired actions by physicians (such as more frequent pain score updates) decreased. The iterative usability redesign process was instrumental in improving the usability of the CDSS; if implemented in practice, it could improve geriatric pain care. The usability evaluation process led to improved acknowledgement and favorability. Incorporating usability testing when designing CDSS interventions for studies may be effective to enhance clinician use.

Randomised controlled trial to evaluate the efficacy and usability of a computerised phone-based lifestyle coaching system for primary and secondary prevention of stroke.

PubMed

Spassova, Lübomira; Vittore, Debora; Droste, Dirk W; Rösch, Norbert

2016-02-09

One of the most effective current approaches to preventing stroke events is the reduction of lifestyle risk factors, such as unhealthy diet, physical inactivity and smoking. In this study, we assessed the efficacy and usability of the phone-based Computer-aided Prevention System (CAPSYS) in supporting the reduction of lifestyle-related risk factors. A single-centre two-arm clinical trial was performed between January 2013 and February 2014, based on individual follow-up periods of six months with 94 patients at high risk of stroke, randomly assigned to an intervention group (IC: 48; advised to use the CAPSYS system) or a standard care group (SC: 46). Study parameters, such as blood pressure, blood values (HDL, LDL, HbA1c, glycaemia and triglycerides), weight, height, physical activity as well as nutrition and smoking habits were captured through questionnaires and medical records at baseline and post-intervention and analysed to detect significant changes. The usability of the intervention was assessed based on the standardised System Usability Scale (SUS) complemented by a more system-specific user satisfaction and feedback questionnaire. The statistical evaluation of primary measures revealed significant decreases of systolic blood pressure (mean of the differences = -9 mmHg; p = 0.03; 95% CI = [-17.29, -0.71]), LDL (pseudo-median of the differences = -7.9 mg/dl; p = 0.04; 95% CI = [-18.5, -0.5]) and triglyceride values (pseudo-median of the differences = -12.5 mg/dl; p = 0.04; 95% CI = [-26, -0.5]) in the intervention group, while no such changes could be observed in the control group. Furthermore, we detected a statistically significant increase in self-reported fruit and vegetable consumption (pseudo-median of the differences = 5.4 servings/week; p = 0.04; 95% CI = [0.5, 10.5]) and a decrease in sweets consumption (pseudo-median of the differences = -2 servings/week; p = 0.04; 95% CI = [-4, -0.00001]) in the intervention group. The usability assessment showed that the CAPSYS system was, in general, highly accepted by the users (average SUS score: 80.1). The study provided encouraging results indicating that a computerised phone-based lifestyle coaching system, such as CAPSYS, can support the usual treatment in reducing cerebro-cardiovascular risk factors and that such an approach is well applicable in practice. ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier: NCT02444715.

Toward a More Usable Home-Based Video Telemedicine System: A Heuristic Evaluation of the Clinician User Interfaces of Home-Based Video Telemedicine Systems

PubMed Central

Welch, Brandon; Brinda, FNU

2017-01-01

Background Telemedicine is the use of technology to provide and support health care when distance separates the clinical service and the patient. Home-based telemedicine systems involve the use of such technology for medical support and care connecting the patient from the comfort of their homes with the clinician. In order for such a system to be used extensively, it is necessary to understand not only the issues faced by the patients in using them but also the clinician. Objectives The aim of this study was to conduct a heuristic evaluation of 4 telemedicine software platforms—Doxy.me, Polycom, Vidyo, and VSee—to assess possible problems and limitations that could affect the usability of the system from the clinician’s perspective. Methods It was found that 5 experts individually evaluated all four systems using Nielsen’s list of heuristics, classifying the issues based on a severity rating scale. Results A total of 46 unique problems were identified by the experts. The heuristics most frequently violated were visibility of system status and Error prevention amounting to 24% (11/46 issues) each. Esthetic and minimalist design was second contributing to 13% (6/46 issues) of the total errors. Conclusions Heuristic evaluation coupled with a severity rating scale was found to be an effective method for identifying problems with the systems. Prioritization of these problems based on the rating provides a good starting point for resolving the issues affecting these platforms. There is a need for better transparency and a more streamlined approach for how physicians use telemedicine systems. Visibility of the system status and speaking the users’ language are keys for achieving this. PMID:28438724

From Usability Engineering to Evidence-based Usability in Health IT.

PubMed

Marcilly, Romaric; Peute, Linda; Beuscart-Zephir, Marie-Catherine

2016-01-01

Usability is a critical factor in the acceptance, safe use, and success of health IT. The User-Centred Design process is widely promoted to improve usability. However, this traditional case by case approach that is rooted in the sound understanding of users' needs is not sufficient to improve technologies' usability and prevent usability-induced use-errors that may harm patients. It should be enriched with empirical evidence. This evidence is on design elements (what are the most valuable design principles, and the worst usability mistakes), and on the usability evaluation methods (which combination of methods is most suitable in which context). To achieve this evidence, several steps must be fulfilled and challenges must be overcome. Some attempts to search evidence for designing elements of health IT and for usability evaluation methods exist and are summarized. A concrete instance of evidence-based usability design principles for medication-related alerting systems is briefly described.

Hello World! - Experiencing Usability Methods without Usability Expertise

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Eriksson, Elina; Cajander, Åsa; Gulliksen, Jan

How do you do usability work when no usability expertise is available? What happens in an organization when system developers, with no previous HCI knowledge, after a 3-day course, start applying usability methods, and particularly field studies? In order to answer these questions qualitative data were gathered through participatory observations, a feed back survey, field study documentation and interviews from 47 system developers from a public authority. Our results suggest that field studies enhance the developer’s understanding of the user perspective, and provide a more holistic overview of the use situation, but that some developers were unable to interpret their observations and see solutions to the users’ problems. The field study method was very much appreciated and has now become standard operating procedure within the organization. However, although field studies may be useful, it does not replace the need for usability pro fes sion als, as their knowledge is essential for more complex observations, analysis and for keeping the focus on usability.

Development of Structural Geology and Tectonics Data System with Field and Lab Interface

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Newman, J.; Tikoff, B.; Walker, J. D.; Good, J.; Michels, Z. D.; Ash, J.; Andrew, J.; Williams, R. T.; Richard, S. M.

2015-12-01

We have developed a prototype Data System for Structural Geology and Tectonics (SG&T). The goal of this effort is to enable recording and sharing data within the geoscience community, to encourage interdisciplinary research, and to facilitate the investigation of scientific questions that cannot currently be addressed. The development of the Data System emphasizes community input in order to build a system that encompasses the needs of researchers, in terms of data and usability. SG&T data is complex for a variety of reasons, including the wide range of temporal and spatial scales (many orders of magnitude each), the complex three-dimensional geometry of some geological structures, inherent spatial nature of the data, and the difficulty of making temporal inferences from spatial observations. To successful implement the step of developing a SG&T data system, we must simultaneously solve three problems: 1) How to digitize SG&T data; 2) How to design a software system that is applicable; and 3) How to construct a very flexible user interface. To address the first problem, we introduce the "Spot" concept, which allows tracking of hierarchical and spatial relations between structures at all scales, and will link map scale, mesoscale, and laboratory scale data. A Spot, in this sense, is analogous to the beam size of analytical equipment used for in situ analysis of rocks; it is the size over which a measurement or quantity is applicable. A Spot can be a single measurement, an aggregation of individual measurements, or even establish relationships between numerous other Spots. We address the second problem through the use of a Graph database to better preserve the myriad of potentially complex relationships. In order to construct a flexible user interface that follows a natural workflow, and that serves the needs of the community, we have begun the process of engaging the SG&T community in order to utilize the expertise of a large group of scientists to ensure the quality and usability of this data system. These activities have included Town Halls, subdiscipline-specific workshops to develop community standards, and pilot projects to test the data system in the field during the study of a variety of geologic structures.

Usability in telemedicine systems-A literature survey.

PubMed

Klaassen, B; van Beijnum, B J F; Hermens, H J

2016-09-01

The rapid development of sensors and communication technologies enable the growth of new innovative services in healthcare, such as Telemedicine. An essential ingredient in the development of a telemedicine system and its final acceptance by end users are usability studies. The principles of usability engineering, evaluations and telemedicine are well established, and it may contribute to the adoption and eventually deployment of such systems and services. An in-depth usability analysis, including performance and attitude measures, requires knowledge about available usability techniques, and is depending on the amount of resources. Therefore it is worth investigating how usability methods are applied in developing telemedicine systems. Our hypothesis is: with increasing research and development of telemedicine systems, we expect that various usability methods are more equally employed for different end-user groups and applications. A literature survey was conducted to find telemedicine systems that have been evaluated for usability or ease of use. The elements of the PICO framework were used as a basis for the selection criteria in the literature search. The search was not limited by year. Two independent reviewers screened all search results first by title, and then by abstract for inclusion. Articles were included up to May 2015. In total, 127 publications were included in this survey. The number of publications on telemedicine systems significantly increased after 2008. Older adults and end-users with cardiovascular conditions were among largest target end-user groups. Remote monitoring systems were found the most, in 90 publications. Questionnaires are the most common means for evaluating telemedicine systems, and were found in 88 publications. Questionnaires are used frequently in studies focusing on cardiovascular diseases, Parkinson's disease and older adult conditions. Interviews are found the most in publications related to stroke. In total 71% of the publications were trial-orientated and the remaining process orientated. An increase in telemedicine research, development and applications is found worldwide, with the majority of publications conducted in America. Monitoring patients in their homes can lead to better healthcare at lower costs which implies an increased demand of new healthcare strategies like telemedicine. We expected that with the increase in telemedicine research and development, a greater range of usability methods would also be employed in the included publications. This is not the case. Researchers employed questionnaires as a preferred usability method for each type of telemedicine system and most end-users. However, in process-orientated studies a greater range of usability evaluations were applied, with fewer differences found in the amount of publications for each evaluation method. Questionnaires enable researchers to evaluate a system quickly on end users, as it requires less expertise on the evaluation method compared to the other methods. They are easily distributed and are customizable. The use of questionnaires is therefore an evaluation method of choice for a variety of telemedicine systems and end-users. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

Interdisciplinary Development of an Improved Emergency Department Procedural Work Surface Through Iterative Design and Use Testing in Simulated and Clinical Environments.

PubMed

Zhang, Xiao C; Bermudez, Ana M; Reddy, Pranav M; Sarpatwari, Ravi R; Chheng, Darin B; Mezoian, Taylor J; Schwartz, Victoria R; Simmons, Quinneil J; Jay, Gregory D; Kobayashi, Leo

2017-03-01

A stable and readily accessible work surface for bedside medical procedures represents a valuable tool for acute care providers. In emergency department (ED) settings, the design and implementation of traditional Mayo stands and related surface devices often limit their availability, portability, and usability, which can lead to suboptimal clinical practice conditions that may affect the safe and effective performance of medical procedures and delivery of patient care. We designed and built a novel, open-source, portable, bedside procedural surface through an iterative development process with use testing in simulated and live clinical environments. The procedural surface development project was conducted between October 2014 and June 2016 at an academic referral hospital and its affiliated simulation facility. An interdisciplinary team of emergency physicians, mechanical engineers, medical students, and design students sought to construct a prototype bedside procedural surface out of off-the-shelf hardware during a collaborative university course on health care design. After determination of end-user needs and core design requirements, multiple prototypes were fabricated and iteratively modified, with early variants featuring undermattress stabilizing supports or ratcheting clamp mechanisms. Versions 1 through 4 underwent 2 hands-on usability-testing simulation sessions; version 5 was presented at a design critique held jointly by a panel of clinical and industrial design faculty for expert feedback. Responding to select feedback elements over several surface versions, investigators arrived at a near-final prototype design for fabrication and use testing in a live clinical setting. This experimental procedural surface (version 8) was constructed and then deployed for controlled usability testing against the standard Mayo stands in use at the study site ED. Clinical providers working in the ED who opted to participate in the study were provided with the prototype surface and just-in-time training on its use when performing bedside procedures. Subjects completed the validated 10-point System Usability Scale postshift for the surface that they had used. The study protocol was approved by the institutional review board. Multiple prototypes and recursive design revisions resulted in a fully functional, portable, and durable bedside procedural surface that featured a stainless steel tray and intuitive hook-and-lock mechanisms for attachment to ED stretcher bed rails. Forty-two control and 40 experimental group subjects participated and completed questionnaires. The median System Usability Scale score (out of 100; higher scores associated with better usability) was 72.5 (interquartile range [IQR] 51.3 to 86.3) for the Mayo stand; the experimental surface was scored at 93.8 (IQR 84.4 to 97.5 for a difference in medians of 17.5 (95% confidence interval 10 to 27.5). Subjects reported several usability challenges with the Mayo stand; the experimental surface was reviewed as easy to use, simple, and functional. In accordance with experimental live environment deployment, questionnaire responses, and end-user suggestions, the project team finalized the design specification for the experimental procedural surface for open dissemination. An iterative, interdisciplinary approach was used to generate, evaluate, revise, and finalize the design specification for a new procedural surface that met all core end-user requirements. The final surface design was evaluated favorably on a validated usability tool against Mayo stands when use tested in simulated and live clinical settings. Copyright © 2016 American College of Emergency Physicians. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

LATCH usability in vehicles.

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

2012-04-01

This project investigated the usability of Lower Anchors and Tethers for CHildren (LATCH) hardware by measuring LATCH implementations in 98 2011 or 2010 model-year vehicles. ISO and SAE LATCH usability rating systems were used to assess all vehicles ...

Preparing a neuropediatric upper limb exergame rehabilitation system for home-use: a feasibility study.

PubMed

Gerber, Corinna N; Kunz, Bettina; van Hedel, Hubertus J A

2016-03-23

Home-based, computer-enhanced therapy of hand and arm function can complement conventional interventions and increase the amount and intensity of training, without interfering too much with family routines. The objective of the present study was to investigate the feasibility and usability of the new portable version of the YouGrabber® system (YouRehab AG, Zurich, Switzerland) in the home setting. Fifteen families of children (7 girls, mean age: 11.3y) with neuromotor disorders and affected upper limbs participated. They received instructions and took the system home to train for 2 weeks. After returning it, they answered questions about usability, motivation, and their general opinion of the system (Visual Analogue Scale; 0 indicating worst score, 100 indicating best score; ≤30 not satisfied, 31-69 average, ≥70 satisfied). Furthermore, total pure playtime and number of training sessions were quantified. To prove the usability of the system, number and sort of support requests were logged. The usability of the system was considered average to satisfying (mean 60.1-93.1). The lowest score was given for the occurrence of technical errors. Parents had to motivate their children to start (mean 66.5) and continue (mean 68.5) with the training. But in general, parents estimated the therapeutic benefit as high (mean 73.1) and the whole system as very good (mean 87.4). Children played on average 7 times during the 2 weeks; total pure playtime was 185 ± 45 min. Especially at the beginning of the trial, systems were very error-prone. Fortunately, we, or the company, solved most problems before the patients took the systems home. Nevertheless, 10 of 15 families contacted us at least once because of technical problems. Despite that the YouGrabber® is a promising and highly accepted training tool for home-use, currently, it is still error-prone, and the requested support exceeds the support that can be provided by clinical therapists. A technically more robust system, combined with additional attractive games, likely results in higher patient motivation and better compliance. This would reduce the need for parents to motivate their children extrinsically and allow for clinical trials to investigate the effectiveness of the system. ClinicalTrials.gov NCT02368223.

Research-IQ: Development and Evaluation of an Ontology-anchored Integrative Query Tool

PubMed Central

Borlawsky, Tara B.; Lele, Omkar; Payne, Philip R. O.

2011-01-01

Investigators in the translational research and systems medicine domains require highly usable, efficient and integrative tools and methods that allow for the navigation of and reasoning over emerging large-scale data sets. Such resources must cover a spectrum of granularity from bio-molecules to population phenotypes. Given such information needs, we report upon the initial design and evaluation of an ontology-anchored integrative query tool, Research-IQ, which employs a combination of conceptual knowledge engineering and information retrieval techniques to enable the intuitive and rapid construction of queries, in terms of semi-structured textual propositions, that can subsequently be applied to integrative data sets. Our initial results, based upon both quantitative and qualitative evaluations of the efficacy and usability of Research-IQ, demonstrate its potential to increase clinical and translational research throughput. PMID:21821150

Comparison of heuristic and cognitive walkthrough usability evaluation methods for evaluating health information systems.

PubMed

Khajouei, Reza; Zahiri Esfahani, Misagh; Jahani, Yunes

2017-04-01

There are several user-based and expert-based usability evaluation methods that may perform differently according to the context in which they are used. The objective of this study was to compare 2 expert-based methods, heuristic evaluation (HE) and cognitive walkthrough (CW), for evaluating usability of health care information systems. Five evaluators independently evaluated a medical office management system using HE and CW. We compared the 2 methods in terms of the number of identified usability problems, their severity, and the coverage of each method. In total, 156 problems were identified using the 2 methods. HE identified a significantly higher number of problems related to the "satisfaction" attribute ( P  = .002). The number of problems identified using CW concerning the "learnability" attribute was significantly higher than those identified using HE ( P  = .005). There was no significant difference between the number of problems identified by HE, based on different usability attributes ( P  = .232). Results of CW showed a significant difference between the number of problems related to usability attributes ( P  < .0001). The average severity of problems identified using CW was significantly higher than that of HE ( P  < .0001). This study showed that HE and CW do not differ significantly in terms of the number of usability problems identified, but they differ based on the severity of problems and the coverage of some usability attributes. The results suggest that CW would be the preferred method for evaluating systems intended for novice users and HE for users who have experience with similar systems. However, more studies are needed to support this finding. © The Author 2016. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the American Medical Informatics Association. All rights reserved. For Permissions, please email: journals.permissions@oup.com

Lessons learned from the usability assessment of home-based telemedicine systems.

PubMed

Agnisarman, Sruthy Orozhiyathumana; Chalil Madathil, Kapil; Smith, Kevin; Ashok, Aparna; Welch, Brandon; McElligott, James T

2017-01-01

At-home telemedicine visits are quickly becoming an acceptable alternative for in-person patient visits. However, little work has been done to understand the usability of these home-based telemedicine solutions. It is critical for user acceptance and real-world applicability to evaluate available telemedicine solutions within the context-specific needs of the users of this technology. To address this need, this study evaluated the usability of four home-based telemedicine software platforms: Doxy.me, Vidyo, VSee, and Polycom. Using a within-subjects experimental design, twenty participants were asked to complete a telemedicine session involving several tasks using the four platforms. Upon completion of these tasks for each platform, participants completed the IBM computer system usability questionnaire (CSUQ) and the NASA Task Load Index test. Upon completing the tasks on all four platforms, the participants completed a final post-test subjective questionnaire ranking the platforms based on their preference. Of the twenty participants, 19 completed the study. Statistically significant differences among the telemedicine software platforms were found for task completion time, total workload, mental demand, effort, frustration, preference ranking and computer system usability scores. Usability problems with installation and account creation led to high mental demand and task completion time, suggesting the participants preferred a system without such requirements. Majority of the usability issues were identified at the telemedicine initiation phase. The findings from this study can be used by software developers to develop user-friendly telemedicine systems. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Enabling Large-Scale Biomedical Analysis in the Cloud

PubMed Central

Lin, Ying-Chih; Yu, Chin-Sheng; Lin, Yen-Jen

2013-01-01

Recent progress in high-throughput instrumentations has led to an astonishing growth in both volume and complexity of biomedical data collected from various sources. The planet-size data brings serious challenges to the storage and computing technologies. Cloud computing is an alternative to crack the nut because it gives concurrent consideration to enable storage and high-performance computing on large-scale data. This work briefly introduces the data intensive computing system and summarizes existing cloud-based resources in bioinformatics. These developments and applications would facilitate biomedical research to make the vast amount of diversification data meaningful and usable. PMID:24288665

Developing a Self-Report-Based Sequential Analysis Method for Educational Technology Systems: A Process-Based Usability Evaluation

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Lin, Yi-Chun; Hsieh, Ya-Hui; Hou, Huei-Tse

2015-01-01

The development of a usability evaluation method for educational systems or applications, called the self-report-based sequential analysis, is described herein. The method aims to extend the current practice by proposing self-report-based sequential analysis as a new usability method, which integrates the advantages of self-report in survey…

A usability study of CPOE's medication administration functions: impact on physician-nurse cooperation.

PubMed

Beuscart-Zéphir, Marie Catherine; Pelayo, Sylvia; Degoulet, Patrice; Anceaux, Françoise; Guerlinger, Sandra; Meaux, Jean-Jacques

2004-01-01

Implementation of CPOE systems in Healthcare Institutions has proven efficient in reducing medication errors but it also induces hidden side-effects on Doctor-Nurse cooperation. We propose a usability engineering approach to this problem. An extensive activity analysis of the medication ordering and administration process was performed in several departments of 3 different hospitals. Two of these hospitals are still using paper-based orders, while the 3rd one is in the roll-out phase of medication functions of its CPOE system. We performed a usability assessment of this CPOE system. The usability assessment uncovered usability problems for the entry of medication administration time scheduling by the physician and revealed that the information can be ambiguous for the nurse. The comparison of cooperation models in both situation shows that users tend to adopt a distributed decision making paradigm in the paper-based situation, while the CPOE system supports a centralized decision making process. This analysis can support recommendation for the re-engineering of the Human-Computer Interface.

Integration of MSFC Usability Lab with Usability Testing

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Cheng, Yiwei; Richardson, Sally

2010-01-01

As part of the Stage Analysis Branch, human factors engineering plays an important role in relating humans to the systems of hardware and structure designs of the new launch vehicle. While many branches are involved in the technical aspects of creating a launch vehicle, human factors connects humans to the scientific systems with the goal of improving operational performance and safety while reducing operational error and damage to the hardware. Human factors engineers use physical and computerized models to visualize possible areas for improvements to ensure human accessibility to components requiring maintenance and that the necessary maintenance activities can be accomplished with minimal risks to human and hardware. Many methods of testing are used to fulfill this goal, such as physical mockups, computerized visualization, and usability testing. In this analysis, a usability test is conducted to test how usable a website is to users who are and are not familiar with it. The testing is performed using participants and Morae software to record and analyze the results. This analysis will be a preliminary test of the usability lab in preparation for use in new spacecraft programs, NASA Enterprise, or other NASA websites. The usability lab project is divided into two parts: integration of the usability lab and a preliminary test of the usability lab.

Usability Laboratory Test of a Novel Mobile Homecare Application with Experienced Home Help Service Staff

PubMed Central

Scandurra, I; Hägglund, M; Koch, S; Lind, M

2008-01-01

Using participatory design, we developed and deployed a mobile Virtual Health Record (VHR) on a personal digital assistant (PDA) together with experienced homecare staff. To assess transferability to a second setting and usability when used by novice users with limited system education the application was tested in a usability lab. Eight participants from another homecare district performed tasks related to daily homecare work using the VHR. Test protocols were analyzed with regard to effectiveness, potential usability problems and user satisfaction. Usability problems having impact on system performance and contextual factors affecting system transferability were uncovered. Questionnaires revealed that the participants frequently used computers, but never PDAs. Surprisingly there were only minor differences in input efficiency between novice and experienced users. The participants were overall satisfied with the application. However, transfer to another district can not be performed, unless by means of careful field observations of contextual differences. PMID:19415140

Optimizing the user interface of a data entry module for an electronic patient record for cardiac rehabilitation: A mixed method usability approach.

PubMed

van Engen-Verheul, Mariëtte M; Peute, Linda W P; de Keizer, Nicolette F; Peek, Niels; Jaspers, Monique W M

2016-03-01

Cumbersome electronic patient record (EPR) interfaces may complicate data-entry in clinical practice. Completeness of data entered in the EPR determines, among other things, the value of computerized clinical decision support (CCDS). Quantitative usability evaluations can provide insight into mismatches between the system design model of data entry and users' data entry behavior, but not into the underlying causes for these mismatches. Mixed method usability evaluation studies may provide these insights, and thus support generating redesign recommendations for improving an EPR system's data entry interface. To improve the usability of the data entry interface of an EPR system with CCDS in the field of cardiac rehabilitation (CR), and additionally, to assess the value of a mixed method usability approach in this context. Seven CR professionals performed a think-aloud usability evaluation both before (beta-version) and after the redesign of the system. Observed usability problems from both evaluations were analyzed and categorized using Zhang et al.'s heuristic principles of good interface design. We combined the think-aloud usability evaluation of the system's beta-version with the measurement of a new usability construct: users' deviations in action sequence from the system's predefined data entry order sequence. Recommendations for redesign were implemented. We assessed whether the redesign improved CR professionals' (1) task efficacy (with respect to the completeness of data they collected), and (2) task efficiency (with respect to the average number of mouse clicks they needed to complete data entry subtasks). With the system's beta version, 40% of health care professionals' navigation actions through the system deviated from the predefined next system action. The causes for these deviations as revealed by the think-aloud method mostly concerned mismatches between the system design model for data entry action sequences and users expectations of these action sequences, based on their paper-based daily routines. This caused non completion of data entry tasks (31% of main tasks completed), and more navigation actions than minimally required (146% of the minimum required). In the redesigned system the data entry navigational structure was organized in a flexible way around an overview screen to better mimic users' paper-based daily routines of collecting patient data. This redesign resulted in an increased number of completed main tasks (70%) and a decrease in navigation actions (133% of the minimum required). The think-aloud usability evaluation of the redesigned system showed that remaining problems concerned flexibility (e.g., lack of customization options) and consistency (mainly with layout and position of items on the screen). The mixed method usability evaluation was supportive in revealing the magnitude and causes of mismatches between the system design model of data-entry with users' data entry behavior. However, as both task efficacy and efficiency were still not optimal with the redesigned EPR, we advise to perform a cognitive analysis on end users' mental processes and behavior patterns in daily work processes specifically during the requirements analysis phase of development of interactive healthcare information systems. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

Feasibility study into self-administered training at home using an arm and hand device with motivational gaming environment in chronic stroke.

PubMed

Nijenhuis, Sharon M; Prange, Gerdienke B; Amirabdollahian, Farshid; Sale, Patrizio; Infarinato, Francesco; Nasr, Nasrin; Mountain, Gail; Hermens, Hermie J; Stienen, Arno H A; Buurke, Jaap H; Rietman, Johan S

2015-10-09

Assistive and robotic training devices are increasingly used for rehabilitation of the hemiparetic arm after stroke, although applications for the wrist and hand are trailing behind. Furthermore, applying a training device in domestic settings may enable an increased training dose of functional arm and hand training. The objective of this study was to assess the feasibility and potential clinical changes associated with a technology-supported arm and hand training system at home for patients with chronic stroke. A dynamic wrist and hand orthosis was combined with a remotely monitored user interface with motivational gaming environment for self-administered training at home. Twenty-four chronic stroke patients with impaired arm/hand function were recruited to use the training system at home for six weeks. Evaluation of feasibility involved training duration, usability and motivation. Clinical outcomes on arm/hand function, activity and participation were assessed before and after six weeks of training and at two-month follow-up. Mean System Usability Scale score was 69 % (SD 17 %), mean Intrinsic Motivation Inventory score was 5.2 (SD 0.9) points, and mean training duration per week was 105 (SD 66) minutes. Median Fugl-Meyer score improved from 37 (IQR 30) pre-training to 41 (IQR 32) post-training and was sustained at two-month follow-up (40 (IQR 32)). The Stroke Impact Scale improved from 56.3 (SD 13.2) pre-training to 60.0 (SD 13.9) post-training, with a trend at follow-up (59.8 (SD 15.2)). No significant improvements were found on the Action Research Arm Test and Motor Activity Log. Remotely monitored post-stroke training at home applying gaming exercises while physically supporting the wrist and hand showed to be feasible: participants were able and motivated to use the training system independently at home. Usability shows potential, although several usability issues need further attention. Upper extremity function and quality of life improved after training, although dexterity did not. These findings indicate that home-based arm and hand training with physical support from a dynamic orthosis is a feasible tool to enable self-administered practice at home. Such an approach enables practice without dependence on therapist availability, allowing an increase in training dose with respect to treatment in supervised settings. This study has been registered at the Netherlands Trial Registry (NTR): NTR3669 .

Applying usability heuristics to radiotherapy systems.

PubMed

Chan, Alvita J; Islam, Mohammad K; Rosewall, Tara; Jaffray, David A; Easty, Anthony C; Cafazzo, Joseph A

2012-01-01

Heuristic evaluations have been used to evaluate safety of medical devices by identifying and assessing usability issues. Since radiotherapy treatment delivery systems often consist of multiple complex user-interfaces, a heuristic evaluation was conducted to assess the potential safety issues of such a system. A heuristic evaluation was conducted to evaluate the treatment delivery system at Princess Margaret Hospital (Toronto, Canada). Two independent evaluators identified usability issues with the user-interfaces and rated the severity of each issue. The evaluators identified 75 usability issues in total. Eighteen of them were rated as high severity, indicating the potential to have a major impact on patient safety. A majority of issues were found on the record and verify system, and many were associated with the patient setup process. While the hospital has processes in place to ensure patient safety, recommendations were developed to further mitigate the risks of potential consequences. Heuristic evaluation is an efficient and inexpensive method that can be successfully applied to radiotherapy delivery systems to identify usability issues and improve patient safety. Although this study was conducted only at one site, the findings may have broad implications for the design of these systems. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

Evaluation of Nursing Information Systems: Application of Usability Aspects in the Development of Systems.

PubMed

Moghaddasi, Hamid; Rabiei, Reza; Asadi, Farkhondeh; Ostvan, Negin

2017-04-01

As the largest group providing healthcare services, nurses require well-designed information systems in their practice. This study aims to evaluate the usability of nursing information systems (NIS). This cross-sectional survey was conducted in 2015. The settings of the study consisted of four hospitals affiliated with three medical universities in Tehran (Iran). The subjects of the study included nurses who had access to and used a NIS developed by four major software companies. The data were collected using a modified version of a usability questionnaire known as IsoMetrics, based on the International Standard ISO 9241, Part 11. The questionnaire is composed of 35 questions divided into seven general criteria. The validity of the questionnaire was determined by experts in the field, and the reliability was checked using Cronbach's alpha (α = 0.91). The questionnaire was then distributed to 184 nurses. The response rate was 64.6%. Among the seven ISO usability criteria, suitability for the task (3.10 ± 1.24) and suitability for learning (3.10 ± 1.27) had the highest mean value. The lowest mean value (2.37 ± 1.29) was related to the suitability for individualization. Addressing issues related to individualization and self-descriptiveness could improve the usability of nursing systems. Considering usability requirements in the design of a NIS will lead to the efficient and effective use of these systems.

Measurement properties and usability of non-contact scanners for measuring transtibial residual limb volume.

PubMed

Kofman, Rianne; Beekman, Anna M; Emmelot, Cornelis H; Geertzen, Jan H B; Dijkstra, Pieter U

2018-06-01

Non-contact scanners may have potential for measurement of residual limb volume. Different non-contact scanners have been introduced during the last decades. Reliability and usability (practicality and user friendliness) should be assessed before introducing these systems in clinical practice. The aim of this study was to analyze the measurement properties and usability of four non-contact scanners (TT Design, Omega Scanner, BioSculptor Bioscanner, and Rodin4D Scanner). Quasi experimental. Nine (geometric and residual limb) models were measured on two occasions, each consisting of two sessions, thus in total 4 sessions. In each session, four observers used the four systems for volume measurement. Mean for each model, repeatability coefficients for each system, variance components, and their two-way interactions of measurement conditions were calculated. User satisfaction was evaluated with the Post-Study System Usability Questionnaire. Systematic differences between the systems were found in volume measurements. Most of the variances were explained by the model (97%), while error variance was 3%. Measurement system and the interaction between system and model explained 44% of the error variance. Repeatability coefficient of the systems ranged from 0.101 (Omega Scanner) to 0.131 L (Rodin4D). Differences in Post-Study System Usability Questionnaire scores between the systems were small and not significant. The systems were reliable in determining residual limb volume. Measurement systems and the interaction between system and residual limb model explained most of the error variances. The differences in repeatability coefficient and usability between the four CAD/CAM systems were small. Clinical relevance If accurate measurements of residual limb volume are required (in case of research), modern non-contact scanners should be taken in consideration nowadays.

An app for patient education and self-audit within an enhanced recovery program for bowel surgery: a pilot study assessing validity and usability.

PubMed

Pecorelli, Nicolò; Fiore, Julio F; Kaneva, Pepa; Somasundram, Abarna; Charlebois, Patrick; Liberman, A Sender; Stein, Barry L; Carli, Franco; Feldman, Liane S

2018-05-01

While patient engagement and clinical audit are key components of successful enhanced recovery programs (ERPs), they require substantial resource allocation. The objective of this study was to assess the validity and usability of a novel mobile device application for education and self-reporting of adherence for patients undergoing bowel surgery within an established ERP. Prospectively recruited patients undergoing bowel surgery within an ERP used a novel app specifically designed to provide daily recovery milestones and record adherence to 15 different ERP processes and six patient-reported outcomes (PROs). Validity was measured by the agreement index (Cohen's kappa coefficient for categorical, and interclass correlation coefficient (ICC) for continuous variables) between patient-reported data through the app and data recorded by a clinical auditor. Acceptability and usability of the app were measured by the System Usability Scale (SUS). Forty-five patients participated in the study (mean age 61, 64% male). Overall, patients completed 159 of 179 (89%) of the available questionnaires through the app. Median time to complete a questionnaire was 2 min 49 s (i.q.r. 2'32″-4'36″). Substantial (kappa > 0.6) or almost perfect agreement (kappa > 0.8) and strong correlation (ICC > 0.7) between data collected through the app and by the clinical auditor was found for 14 ERP processes and four PROs. Patient-reported usability was high; mean SUS score was 87 (95% CI 83-91). Only 6 (13%) patients needed technical support to use the app. Forty (89%) patients found the app was helpful to achieve their daily goals, and 34 (76%) thought it increased their motivation to recover after surgery. This novel application provides a tool to record patient adherence to care processes and PROs, with high agreement with traditional clinical audit, high usability, and patient satisfaction. Future studies should investigate the use of mobile device apps as strategies to increase adherence to perioperative interventions.

Lessons Learned While Exploring Cloud-Native Architectures for NASA EOSDIS Applications and Systems

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Pilone, Dan; Mclaughlin, Brett; Plofchan, Peter

2017-01-01

NASA's Earth Observing System (EOS) is a coordinated series of satellites for long term global observations. NASA's Earth Observing System Data and Information System (EOSDIS) is a multi-petabyte-scale archive of environmental data that supports global climate change research by providing end-to-end services from EOS instrument data collection to science data processing to full access to EOS and other earth science data. On a daily basis, the EOSDIS ingests, processes, archives and distributes over 3 terabytes of data from NASA's Earth Science missions representing over 6000 data products ranging from various types of science disciplines. EOSDIS has continually evolved to improve the discoverability, accessibility, and usability of high-impact NASA data spanning the multi-petabyte-scale archive of Earth science data products. Reviewed and approved by Chris Lynnes.

Safety and usability evaluation of a web-based insulin self-titration system for patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus.

PubMed

Simon, Airin C R; Holleman, Frits; Gude, Wouter T; Hoekstra, Joost B L; Peute, Linda W; Jaspers, Monique W M; Peek, Niels

2013-09-01

The rising incidence of type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) induces severe challenges for the health care system. Our research group developed a web-based system named PANDIT that provides T2DM patients with insulin dosing advice using state of the art clinical decision support technology. The PANDIT interface resembles a glucose diary and provides advice through pop-up messages. Diabetes nurses (DNs) also have access to the system, allowing them to intervene when needed. The objective of this study was to establish whether T2DM patients can safely use PANDIT at home. To this end, we assessed whether patients experience usability problems with a high risk of compromising patient safety when interacting with the system, and whether PANDIT's insulin dosing advice are clinically safe. The study population consisted of patients with T2DM (aged 18-80) who used a once daily basal insulin as well as DNs from a university hospital. The usability evaluation consisted of think-aloud sessions with four patients and three DNs. Video data, audio data and verbal utterances were analyzed for usability problems encountered during PANDIT interactions. Usability problems were rated by a physician and a usability expert according to their potential impact on patient safety. The usability evaluation was followed by an implementation with a duration of four weeks. This implementation took place at the patients' homes with ten patients to evaluate clinical safety of PANDIT advice. PANDIT advice were systematically compared with DN advice. Deviating advice were evaluated with respect to patient safety by a panel of experienced physicians, which specialized in diabetes care. We detected seventeen unique usability problems, none of which was judged to have a high risk of compromising patient safety. Most usability problems concerned the lay-out of the diary, which did not clearly indicate which data entry fields had to be entered in order to obtain an advice. 27 out of 74 (36.5%) PANDIT advice differed from those provided by DNs. However, only one of these (1.4%) was considered unsafe by the panel. T2DM patients with no prior experience with the web-based self-management system were capable of consulting the system without encountering significant usability problems. Furthermore, the large majority of PANDIT advice were considered clinically safe according to the expert panel. One advice was considered unsafe. This could however easily be corrected by implementing a small modification to the system's knowledge base. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Evaluating authentication options for mobile health applications in younger and older adults

PubMed Central

Khan, Hassan; Hengartner, Urs; Ong, Stephanie; Logan, Alexander G.; Vogel, Daniel; Gebotys, Robert; Yang, Jilan

2018-01-01

Objective Apps promoting patient self-management may improve health outcomes. However, methods to secure stored information on mobile devices may adversely affect usability. We tested the reliability and usability of common user authentication techniques in younger and older adults. Methodology Usability testing was conducted in two age groups, 18 to 30 years and 50 years and older. After completing a demographic questionnaire, each participant tested four authentication options in random order: four-digit personal identification number (PIN), graphical password (GRAPHICAL), Android pattern-lock (PATTERN), and a swipe-style Android fingerprint scanner (FINGERPRINT). Participants rated each option using the Systems Usability Scale (SUS). Results A total of 59 older and 43 younger participants completed the study. Overall, PATTERN was the fastest option (3.44s), and PIN had the fewest errors per attempt (0.02). Participants were able to login using PIN, PATTERN, and GRAPHICAL at least 98% of the time. FINGERPRINT was the slowest (26.97s), had an average of 1.46 errors per attempt, and had a successful login rate of 85%. Overall, PIN and PATTERN had higher SUS scores than FINGERPRINT and GRAPHICAL. Compared to younger participants, older participants were also less likely to find PATTERN to be tiring, annoying or time consuming and less likely to consider PIN to be time consuming. Younger participants were more likely to rate GRAPHICAL as annoying, time consuming and tiring than older participants. Conclusions On mobile devices, PIN and pattern-lock outperformed graphical passwords and swipe-style fingerprints. All participants took longer to authenticate using the swipe-style fingerprint compared to other options. Older participants also took two to three seconds longer to authenticate using the PIN, pattern and graphical passwords though this did not appear to affect perceived usability. PMID:29300736

Evaluating authentication options for mobile health applications in younger and older adults.

PubMed

Grindrod, Kelly; Khan, Hassan; Hengartner, Urs; Ong, Stephanie; Logan, Alexander G; Vogel, Daniel; Gebotys, Robert; Yang, Jilan

2018-01-01

Apps promoting patient self-management may improve health outcomes. However, methods to secure stored information on mobile devices may adversely affect usability. We tested the reliability and usability of common user authentication techniques in younger and older adults. Usability testing was conducted in two age groups, 18 to 30 years and 50 years and older. After completing a demographic questionnaire, each participant tested four authentication options in random order: four-digit personal identification number (PIN), graphical password (GRAPHICAL), Android pattern-lock (PATTERN), and a swipe-style Android fingerprint scanner (FINGERPRINT). Participants rated each option using the Systems Usability Scale (SUS). A total of 59 older and 43 younger participants completed the study. Overall, PATTERN was the fastest option (3.44s), and PIN had the fewest errors per attempt (0.02). Participants were able to login using PIN, PATTERN, and GRAPHICAL at least 98% of the time. FINGERPRINT was the slowest (26.97s), had an average of 1.46 errors per attempt, and had a successful login rate of 85%. Overall, PIN and PATTERN had higher SUS scores than FINGERPRINT and GRAPHICAL. Compared to younger participants, older participants were also less likely to find PATTERN to be tiring, annoying or time consuming and less likely to consider PIN to be time consuming. Younger participants were more likely to rate GRAPHICAL as annoying, time consuming and tiring than older participants. On mobile devices, PIN and pattern-lock outperformed graphical passwords and swipe-style fingerprints. All participants took longer to authenticate using the swipe-style fingerprint compared to other options. Older participants also took two to three seconds longer to authenticate using the PIN, pattern and graphical passwords though this did not appear to affect perceived usability.

Tuberculosis-Diagnostic Expert System: an architecture for translating patients information from the web for use in tuberculosis diagnosis.

PubMed

Osamor, Victor C; Azeta, Ambrose A; Ajulo, Oluseyi O

2014-12-01

Over 1.5-2 million tuberculosis deaths occur annually. Medical professionals are faced with a lot of challenges in delivering good health-care with unassisted automation in hospitals where there are several patients who need the doctor's attention. To automate the pre-laboratory screening process against tuberculosis infection to aid diagnosis and make it fast and accessible to the public via the Internet. The expert system we have built is designed to also take care of people who do not have access to medical experts, but would want to check their medical status. A rule-based approach has been used, and unified modeling language and the client-server architecture technique were applied to model the system and to develop it as a web-based expert system for tuberculosis diagnosis. Algorithmic rules in the Tuberculosis-Diagnosis Expert System necessitate decision coverage where tuberculosis is either suspected or not suspected. The architecture consists of a rule base, knowledge base, and patient database. These units interact with the inference engine, which receives patient' data through the Internet via a user interface. We present the architecture of the Tuberculosis-Diagnosis Expert System and its implementation. We evaluated it for usability to determine the level of effectiveness, efficiency and user satisfaction. The result of the usability evaluation reveals that the system has a usability of 4.08 out of a scale of 5. This is an indication of a more-than-average system performance. Several existing expert systems have been developed for the purpose of supporting different medical diagnoses, but none is designed to translate tuberculosis patients' symptomatic data for online pre-laboratory screening. Our Tuberculosis-Diagnosis Expert System is an effective solution for the implementation of the needed web-based expert system diagnosis. © The Author(s) 2013.

Usability Prediction & Ranking of SDLC Models Using Fuzzy Hierarchical Usability Model

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gupta, Deepak; Ahlawat, Anil K.; Sagar, Kalpna

2017-06-01

Evaluation of software quality is an important aspect for controlling and managing the software. By such evaluation, improvements in software process can be made. The software quality is significantly dependent on software usability. Many researchers have proposed numbers of usability models. Each model considers a set of usability factors but do not cover all the usability aspects. Practical implementation of these models is still missing, as there is a lack of precise definition of usability. Also, it is very difficult to integrate these models into current software engineering practices. In order to overcome these challenges, this paper aims to define the term `usability' using the proposed hierarchical usability model with its detailed taxonomy. The taxonomy considers generic evaluation criteria for identifying the quality components, which brings together factors, attributes and characteristics defined in various HCI and software models. For the first time, the usability model is also implemented to predict more accurate usability values. The proposed system is named as fuzzy hierarchical usability model that can be easily integrated into the current software engineering practices. In order to validate the work, a dataset of six software development life cycle models is created and employed. These models are ranked according to their predicted usability values. This research also focuses on the detailed comparison of proposed model with the existing usability models.

A technology-enabled adherence enhancement system for people with bipolar disorder: results from a feasibility and patient acceptance analysis

PubMed Central

Sajatovic, Martha; Davis, Michael S; Cassidy, Kristin A; Nestor, Joseph; Sams, Johnny; Fuentes-Casiano, Edna

2015-01-01

Objective As poor medication adherence is common in bipolar disorder (BD), technology-assisted approaches may help to monitor and enhance adherence. This study evaluated preliminary feasibility, patient satisfaction and effects on adherence, BD knowledge, and BD symptoms associated with the use of a multicomponent technology-assisted adherence enhancement system. Methods This prospective study tested the system in five BD patients over a 15-day period. System components included: 1) an automated pill cap with remote monitoring sensor; 2) a multimedia adherence enhancement program; and 3) a treatment incentive program. This study evaluated system usability, patient satisfaction and effects on adherence (Morisky scale), knowledge (treatment knowledge test [TKT]), and symptoms (internal state scale [ISS]). Results Mean age of the sample was 62 years, 4/5 (80%) Caucasian, and 4/5 (80%) single/divorced or widowed. Most participants (4/5, 80%) were on a single BD medication. Participants had BD for an average of 21 years. Challenges included attaching the pill sensor to standard pharmacy bottles for individuals using very large pill containers or those with multiday pill boxes. Three of five (60%) individuals completed the full 15-day period. Usability scores were high overall. Mean Morisky scores improved. Means on all four subscales of the ISS were all in the direction of improvement. On the TKT, there was a 40% increase in mean scores. Conclusion A multicomponent technology-assisted BD adherence enhancement system is feasible. Challenges include accommodating multiple types of pill containers and monitoring multiple drugs simultaneously. The system can also generate adherence information that is potentially useful for treatment planning. PMID:26089652

CUNY+ Web: Usability Study of the Web-Based GUI Version of the Bibliographic Database of the City University of New York (CUNY).

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Oulanov, Alexei; Pajarillo, Edmund J. Y.

2002-01-01

Describes the usability evaluation of the CUNY (City University of New York) information system in Web and Graphical User Interface (GUI) versions. Compares results to an earlier usability study of the basic information database available on CUNY's wide-area network and describes the applicability of the previous usability instrument to this…

Proposing Electronic Health Record Usability Requirements Based on Enriched ISO 9241 Metric Usability Model

PubMed Central

Farzandipour, Mehrdad; Riazi, Hossein; Jabali, Monireh Sadeqi

2018-01-01

Introduction: System usability assessment is among the important aspects in assessing the quality of clinical information technology, especially when the end users of the system are concerned. This study aims at providing a comprehensive list of system usability. Methods: This research is a descriptive cross-sectional one conducted using Delphi technique in three phases in 2013. After experts’ ideas were concluded, the final version of the questionnaire including 163 items in three phases was presented to 40 users of information systems in hospitals. The grading ranged from 0-4. Data analysis was conducted using SPSS software. Those requirements with a mean point of three or higher were finally confirmed. Results: The list of system usability requirements for electronic health record was designed and confirmed in nine areas including suitability for the task (24 items), self-descriptiveness (22 items), controllability (19 questions), conformity with user expectations (25 items), error tolerance (21 items), suitability for individualization (7 items), suitability for learning (19 items), visual clarity (18 items) and auditory presentation (8 items). Conclusion: A relatively comprehensive model including useful requirements for using EHR was presented which can increase functionality, effectiveness and users’ satisfaction. Thus, it is suggested that the present model be adopted by system designers and healthcare system institutions to assess those systems. PMID:29719310

Randomised controlled trial to assess the effect of a Just-in-Time training on procedural performance: a proof-of-concept study to address procedural skill decay.

PubMed

Branzetti, Jeremy B; Adedipe, Adeyinka A; Gittinger, Matthew J; Rosenman, Elizabeth D; Brolliar, Sarah; Chipman, Anne K; Grand, James A; Fernandez, Rosemarie

2017-11-01

A subset of high-risk procedures present significant safety threats due to their (1) infrequent occurrence, (2) execution under time constraints and (3) immediate necessity for patient survival. A Just-in-Time (JIT) intervention could provide real-time bedside guidance to improve high-risk procedural performance and address procedural deficits associated with skill decay. To evaluate the impact of a novel JIT intervention on transvenous pacemaker (TVP) placement during a simulated patient event. This was a prospective, randomised controlled study to determine the effect of a JIT intervention on performance of TVP placement. Subjects included board-certified emergency medicine physicians from two hospitals. The JIT intervention consisted of a portable, bedside computer-based procedural adjunct. The primary outcome was performance during a simulated patient encounter requiring TVP placement, as assessed by trained raters using a technical skills checklist. Secondary outcomes included global performance ratings, time to TVP placement, number of critical omissions and System Usability Scale scores (intervention only). Groups were similar at baseline across all outcomes. Compared with the control group, the intervention group demonstrated statistically significant improvement in the technical checklist score (11.45 vs 23.44, p<0.001, Cohen's d effect size 4.64), the global rating scale (2.27 vs 4.54, p<0.001, Cohen's d effect size 3.76), and a statistically significant reduction in critical omissions (2.23 vs 0.68, p<0.001, Cohen's d effect size -1.86). The difference in time to procedural completion was not statistically significant between conditions (11.15 min vs 12.80 min, p=0.12, Cohen's d effect size 0.65). System Usability Scale scores demonstrated excellent usability. A JIT intervention improved procedure perfromance, suggesting a role for JIT interventions in rarely performed procedures. © Article author(s) (or their employer(s) unless otherwise stated in the text of the article) 2017. All rights reserved. No commercial use is permitted unless otherwise expressly granted.

Assessing the vulnerability of economic sectors to climate variability to improve the usability of seasonal to decadal climate forecasts in Europe - a preliminary concept

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Funk, Daniel

2015-04-01

Climate variability poses major challenges for decision-makers in climate-sensitive sectors. Seasonal to decadal (S2D) forecasts provide potential value for management decisions especially in the context of climate change where information from present or past climatology loses significance. However, usable and decision-relevant tailored climate forecasts are still sparse for Europe and successful examples of application require elaborate and individual producer-user interaction. The assessment of sector-specific vulnerabilities to critical climate conditions at specific temporal scale will be a great step forward to increase the usability and efficiency of climate forecasts. A concept for a sector-specific vulnerability assessment (VA) to climate variability is presented. The focus of this VA is on the provision of usable vulnerability information which can be directly incorporated in decision-making processes. This is done by developing sector-specific climate-impact-decision-pathways and the identification of their specific time frames using data from both bottom-up and top-down approaches. The structure of common VA's for climate change related issues is adopted which envisages the determination of exposure, sensitivity and coping capacity. However, the application of the common vulnerability components within the context of climate service application poses some fundamental considerations: Exposure - the effect of climate events on the system of concern may be modified and delayed due to interconnected systems (e.g. catchment). The critical time-frame of a climate event or event sequence is dependent on system-internal thresholds and initial conditions. But also on decision-making processes which require specific lead times of climate information to initiate respective coping measures. Sensitivity - in organizational systems climate may pose only one of many factors relevant for decision making. The scope of "sensitivity" in this concept comprises both the potential physical response of the system of concern as well as the criticality of climate-related decision-making processes. Coping capacity - in an operational context coping capacity can only reduce vulnerability if it can be applied purposeful. With respect to climate vulnerabilities this refers to the availability of suitable, usable and skillful climate information. The focus for this concept is on existing S2D climate service products and their match with user needs. The outputs of the VA are climate-impact-decision-pathways which characterize critical climate conditions, estimate the role of climate in decision-making processes and evaluate the availability and potential usability of S2D climate forecast products. A classification scheme is developed for each component of the impact-pathway to assess its specific significance. The systemic character of these schemes enables a broad application of this VA across sectors where quantitative data is limited. This concept is developed and will be tested within the context of the EU-FP7 project "European Provision Of Regional Impacts Assessments on Seasonal and Decadal Timescales" EUPORIAS.

Low-Cost Rapid Usability Testing: Its Application in Both Product Development and System Implementation.

PubMed

Kushniruk, Andre; Borycki, Elizabeth

2017-01-01

In recent years there has been considerable discussion around the need for certification and regulation of healthcare information technology (IT). In particular, the usability of the products being developed needs to be evaluated. This has included the application of standards designed to ensure the process of system development is user-centered and takes usability into consideration while a product is being developed. In addition to this, in healthcare, organizations in the United States and Europe have also addressed the need and requirement for product certification. However, despite these efforts there are continued reports of unusable and unsafe implementations. In this paper we discuss the need to not only include (and require) usability testing in the one-time development process of health IT products (such as EHRs), but we also argue for the need to additionally develop specific usability standards and requirements for usability testing during the implementation of vendor products (i.e. post product development) in healthcare settings. It is further argued that health IT products that may have been certified regarding their development process will still require application of usability testing in the process of implementing them in real hospital settings in order to ensure usability and safety. This is needed in order to ensure that the final result of both product development and implementation processes take into account and apply the latest usability principles and methods.

A Pedagogical Approach toward Teaching an Information Systems Student How to Conduct a Web Usability Study for an Honors Project: A Case Study

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Jesse, Gayle

2013-01-01

The purpose of this paper is to provide educators with a course model and pedagogy to teach a computer information systems usability course. This paper offers a case study based on an honors student project titled "Web Usability: Phases of Developing an Interactive Event Database." Each individual phase--creating a prototype along with…

A Human-Centered Design Methodology to Enhance the Usability, Human Factors, and User Experience of Connected Health Systems: A Three-Phase Methodology

PubMed Central

Harte, Richard; Glynn, Liam; Rodríguez-Molinero, Alejandro; Baker, Paul MA; Scharf, Thomas; ÓLaighin, Gearóid

2017-01-01

Background Design processes such as human-centered design, which involve the end user throughout the product development and testing process, can be crucial in ensuring that the product meets the needs and capabilities of the user, particularly in terms of safety and user experience. The structured and iterative nature of human-centered design can often present a challenge when design teams are faced with the necessary, rapid, product development life cycles associated with the competitive connected health industry. Objective We wanted to derive a structured methodology that followed the principles of human-centered design that would allow designers and developers to ensure that the needs of the user are taken into account throughout the design process, while maintaining a rapid pace of development. In this paper, we present the methodology and its rationale before outlining how it was applied to assess and enhance the usability, human factors, and user experience of a connected health system known as the Wireless Insole for Independent and Safe Elderly Living (WIISEL) system, a system designed to continuously assess fall risk by measuring gait and balance parameters associated with fall risk. Methods We derived a three-phase methodology. In Phase 1 we emphasized the construction of a use case document. This document can be used to detail the context of use of the system by utilizing storyboarding, paper prototypes, and mock-ups in conjunction with user interviews to gather insightful user feedback on different proposed concepts. In Phase 2 we emphasized the use of expert usability inspections such as heuristic evaluations and cognitive walkthroughs with small multidisciplinary groups to review the prototypes born out of the Phase 1 feedback. Finally, in Phase 3 we emphasized classical user testing with target end users, using various metrics to measure the user experience and improve the final prototypes. Results We report a successful implementation of the methodology for the design and development of a system for detecting and predicting falls in older adults. We describe in detail what testing and evaluation activities we carried out to effectively test the system and overcome usability and human factors problems. Conclusions We feel this methodology can be applied to a wide variety of connected health devices and systems. We consider this a methodology that can be scaled to different-sized projects accordingly. PMID:28302594

A review of privacy and usability issues in mobile health systems: Role of external factors.

PubMed

Katusiime, Jane; Pinkwart, Niels

2017-10-01

The increased penetration of mobile devices has created opportunities in the health sector and led to emerging of mobile health systems. As much as the mobile health systems have registered tremendous progress, they have been faced with privacy and usability issues. Due to the sensitivity of health information, there is an ethical need to equip mobile health systems with adequate privacy measures. However, these systems should also be useable by the intended users. Even though many researchers are working on solutions, the issues still persist. External factors such as cultural differences have also contributed to the issues, yet they have been under researched. In this article, we conduct a systematic literature review of 22 articles, categorize and present privacy and usability issues and possible solutions. We then discuss the relevance and implications of external factors to the findings on privacy and usability. We end with recommendations to address these external factors.

Usability and Acceptability of a Web-Based Program for Chemotherapy-Induced Peripheral Neuropathy.

PubMed

Tofthagen, Cindy; Kip, Kevin E; Passmore, Denise; Loy, Ian; Berry, Donna L

2016-07-01

Chemotherapy-induced neuropathy is a painful and debilitating adverse effect of certain chemotherapy drugs. There have not been any patient-centered, easily accessible Web-based interventions to assist with self-management of chemotherapy-induced neuropathy. The aims of this study were to evaluate usability and acceptability and to estimate an effect size of a Web-based intervention for assessing and managing chemotherapy-induced neuropathy. Participants (N = 14) were instructed to complete the Creativity, Optimism, Planning, and Expert Information for Chemotherapy-Induced Peripheral Neuropathy program and provide verbal responses to the program. Participants completed the Chemotherapy Induced Peripheral Neuropathy Assessment Tool and Post-Study System Usability Questionnaire. Iterative changes were made to the COPE-CIPN. Participants were asked to provide feedback on the revised COPE-CIPN, repeat the Chemotherapy Induced Peripheral Neuropathy Assessment Tool, and evaluate acceptability using the Acceptability e-Scale. The COPE-CIPN demonstrated high usability (mean, 1.98 [SD, 1.12]) and acceptability (mean, 4.40 [SD, 0.52]). Comments indicated that the interface was easy to use, and the information was helpful. While neuropathy symptoms continued to increase in this group of patients receiving neurotoxic chemotherapy, there was a decrease in mean level of interference with activities from 53.71 to 39.29 over 3 to 4 months, which indicated a moderate effect (d = 0.39) size. The COPE-CIPN may be a useful intervention to support self-management of chemotherapy-induced neuropathy.

Use of Online Machine Translation for Nursing Literature: A Questionnaire-Based Survey

PubMed Central

Anazawa, Ryoko; Ishikawa, Hirono; Takahiro, Kiuchi

2013-01-01

Background: The language barrier is a significant obstacle for nurses who are not native English speakers to obtain information from international journals. Freely accessible online machine translation (MT) offers a possible solution to this problem. Aim: To explore how Japanese nursing professionals use online MT and perceive its usability in reading English articles and to discuss what should be considered for better utilisation of online MT lessening the language barrier. Method: In total, 250 randomly selected assistants and research associates at nursing colleges across Japan answered a questionnaire examining the current use of online MT and perceived usability among Japanese nurses, along with the number of articles read in English and the perceived language barrier. The items were rated on Likert scales, and t-test, ANOVA, chi-square test, and Spearman’s correlation were used for analyses. Results: Of the participants, 73.8% had used online MT. More than half of them felt it was usable. The language barrier was strongly felt, and academic degrees and English proficiency level were associated factors. The perceived language barrier was related to the frequency of online MT use. No associated factor was found for the perceived usability of online MT. Conclusion: Language proficiency is an important factor for optimum utilisation of MT. A need for education in the English language, reading scientific papers, and online MT training was indicated. Cooperation with developers and providers of MT for the improvement of their systems is required. PMID:23459140

Multimedia telehomecare system using standard TV set.

PubMed

Guillén, S; Arredondo, M T; Traver, V; García, J M; Fernández, C

2002-12-01

Nowadays, there are a very large number of patients that need specific health support at home. The deployment of broadband communication networks is making feasible the provision of home care services with a proper quality of service. This paper presents a telehomecare multimedia platform that runs over integrated services digital network and internet protocol using videoconferencing standards H.320 and H.323, and standard TV set for patient interaction. This platform allows online remote monitoring: ECG, heart sound, blood pressure. Usability, affordability, and interoperability were considered for the design and development of its hardware and software components. A first evaluation of technical and usability aspects were carried forward with 52 patients of a private clinic and 10 students in the University. Results show a high rate (mean = 4.33, standard deviation--SD = 1.63 in a five-points Likert scale) in the global perception of users on the quality of images, voice, and feeling of virtual presence.

A Usability Case Study Using TREC and ZPRISE.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Downey, Laura L.; Tice, Dawn M.

1999-01-01

Examines the challenges involved in conducting an informal usability case study based on the introduction of a new information-retrieval system to experienced users. Identifies problems users were having with TREC (Text Retrieval Conference) and examines the usability of the new ZPRISE interface. (Author/LRW)

A Method for Automated Detection of Usability Problems from Client User Interface Events

PubMed Central

Saadawi, Gilan M.; Legowski, Elizabeth; Medvedeva, Olga; Chavan, Girish; Crowley, Rebecca S.

2005-01-01

Think-aloud usability analysis provides extremely useful data but is very time-consuming and expensive to perform because of the extensive manual video analysis that is required. We describe a simple method for automated detection of usability problems from client user interface events for a developing medical intelligent tutoring system. The method incorporates (1) an agent-based method for communication that funnels all interface events and system responses to a centralized database, (2) a simple schema for representing interface events and higher order subgoals, and (3) an algorithm that reproduces the criteria used for manual coding of usability problems. A correction factor was empirically determining to account for the slower task performance of users when thinking aloud. We tested the validity of the method by simultaneously identifying usability problems using TAU and manually computing them from stored interface event data using the proposed algorithm. All usability problems that did not rely on verbal utterances were detectable with the proposed method. PMID:16779121

VoIP Accessibility: A Usability Study of Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) Systems and A Survey of VoIP Users with Vision Loss

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Packer, Jaclyn; Reuschel, William

2018-01-01

Introduction: Accessibility of Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) systems was tested with a hands-on usability study and an online survey of VoIP users who are visually impaired. The survey examined the importance of common VoIP features, and both methods assessed difficulty in using those features. Methods: The usability test included four paid…

Initial Usability and Feasibility Evaluation of a Personal Health Record-Based Self-Management System for Older Adults.

PubMed

Sheehan, Barbara; Lucero, Robert J

2015-01-01

Electronic personal health record-based (ePHR-based) self-management systems can improve patient engagement and have an impact on health outcomes. In order to realize the benefits of these systems, there is a need to develop and evaluate heath information technology from the same theoretical underpinnings. Using an innovative usability approach based in human-centered distributed information design (HCDID), we tested an ePHR-based falls-prevention self-management system-Self-Assessment via a Personal Health Record (i.e., SAPHeR)-designed using HCDID principles in a laboratory. And we later evaluated SAPHeR's use by community-dwelling older adults at home. The innovative approach used in this study supported the analysis of four components: tasks, users, representations, and functions. Tasks were easily learned and features such as text-associated images facilitated task completion. Task performance times were slow, however user satisfaction was high. Nearly seven out of every ten features desired by design participants were evaluated in our usability testing of the SAPHeR system. The in vivo evaluation suggests that older adults could improve their confidence in performing indoor and outdoor activities after using the SAPHeR system. We have applied an innovative consumer-usability evaluation. Our approach addresses the limitations of other usability testing methods that do not utilize consistent theoretically based methods for designing and testing technology. We have successfully demonstrated the utility of testing consumer technology use across multiple components (i.e., task, user, representational, functional) to evaluate the usefulness, usability, and satisfaction of an ePHR-based self-management system.

Evaluating Usability of Radiology Information Systems in Hospitals of Tabriz University of Medical Sciences.

PubMed

Rezaei-Hachesu, Peyman; Pesianian, Esmaeil; Mohammadian, Mohsen

2016-02-01

Radiology information system (RIS) in order to reduce workload and improve the quality of services must be well-designed. Heuristic evaluation is one of the methods that understand usability problems with the least time, cost and resources. The aim of present study is to evaluate the usability of RISs in hospitals. This is a cross-sectional descriptive study (2015) that uses heuristic evaluation method to evaluate the usability of RIS used in 3 hospitals of Tabriz city. The data are collected using a standard checklist based on 13 principles of Nielsen Heuristic evaluation method. Usability of RISs was investigated based on the number of components observed from Nielsen principles and problems of usability based on the number of non-observed components as well as non-existent or unrecognizable components. by evaluation of RISs in each of the hospitals 1, 2 and 3, total numbers of observed components were obtained as 173, 202 and 196, respectively. It was concluded that the usability of RISs in the studied population, on average and with observing 190 components of the 291 components related to the 13 principles of Nielsen is 65.41 %. Furthermore, problems of usability were obtained as 26.35%. The established and visible nature of some components such as response time of application, visual feedbacks, colors, view and design and arrangement of software objects cause more attention to these components as principal components in designing UI software. Also, incorrect analysis before system design leads to a lack of attention to secondary needs like Help software and security issues.

Usability Study of a Wireless Monitoring System among Alzheimer's Disease Elderly Population

PubMed Central

Avvenuti, Marco

2014-01-01

Healthcare technologies are slowly entering into our daily lives, replacing old devices and techniques with newer intelligent ones. Although they are meant to help people, the reaction and willingness to use such new devices by the people can be unexpected, especially among the elderly. We conducted a usability study of a fall monitoring system in a long-term nursing home. The subjects were the elderly with advanced Alzheimer's disease. The study presented here highlights some of the challenges faced in the use of wearable devices and the lessons learned. The results gave us useful insights, leading to ergonomics and aesthetics modifications to our wearable systems that significantly improved their usability and acceptance. New evaluating metrics were designed for the performance evaluation of usability and acceptability. PMID:24963289

Evaluating Tablet Computers as a Survey Tool in Rural Communities

PubMed Central

Newell, Steve M.; Logan, Henrietta L.; Guo, Yi; Marks, John G.; Shepperd, James A.

2015-01-01

Purpose Although tablet computers offer advantages in data collection over traditional paper-and-pencil methods, little research has examined whether the 2 formats yield similar responses, especially with underserved populations. We compared the 2 survey formats and tested whether participants’ responses to common health questionnaires or perceptions of usability differed by survey format. We also tested whether we could replicate established paper-and-pencil findings via tablet computer. Methods We recruited a sample of low-income community members living in the rural southern United States. Participants were 170 residents (black = 49%; white = 36%; other races and missing data = 15%) drawn from 2 counties meeting Florida’s state statutory definition of rural with 100 persons or fewer per square mile. We randomly assigned participants to complete scales (Center for Epidemiologic Studies Depression Inventory and Regulatory Focus Questionnaire) along with survey format usability ratings via paper-and-pencil or tablet computer. All participants rated a series of previously validated posters using a tablet computer. Finally, participants completed comparisons of the survey formats and reported survey format preferences. Findings Participants preferred using the tablet computer and showed no significant differences between formats in mean responses, scale reliabilities, or in participants’ usability ratings. Conclusions Overall, participants reported similar scales responses and usability ratings between formats. However, participants reported both preferring and enjoying responding via tablet computer more. Collectively, these findings are among the first data to show that tablet computers represent a suitable substitute among an underrepresented rural sample for paper-and-pencil methodology in survey research. PMID:25243953

Evaluating tablet computers as a survey tool in rural communities.

PubMed

Newell, Steve M; Logan, Henrietta L; Guo, Yi; Marks, John G; Shepperd, James A

2015-01-01

Although tablet computers offer advantages in data collection over traditional paper-and-pencil methods, little research has examined whether the 2 formats yield similar responses, especially with underserved populations. We compared the 2 survey formats and tested whether participants' responses to common health questionnaires or perceptions of usability differed by survey format. We also tested whether we could replicate established paper-and-pencil findings via tablet computer. We recruited a sample of low-income community members living in the rural southern United States. Participants were 170 residents (black = 49%; white = 36%; other races and missing data = 15%) drawn from 2 counties meeting Florida's state statutory definition of rural with 100 persons or fewer per square mile. We randomly assigned participants to complete scales (Center for Epidemiologic Studies Depression Inventory and Regulatory Focus Questionnaire) along with survey format usability ratings via paper-and-pencil or tablet computer. All participants rated a series of previously validated posters using a tablet computer. Finally, participants completed comparisons of the survey formats and reported survey format preferences. Participants preferred using the tablet computer and showed no significant differences between formats in mean responses, scale reliabilities, or in participants' usability ratings. Overall, participants reported similar scales responses and usability ratings between formats. However, participants reported both preferring and enjoying responding via tablet computer more. Collectively, these findings are among the first data to show that tablet computers represent a suitable substitute among an underrepresented rural sample for paper-and-pencil methodology in survey research. Published 2014. This article is a U.S. Government work and is in the public domain in the USA.

Live long and prosper: potentials of low-cost consumer devices for the prevention of cardiovascular diseases.

PubMed

Meyer, Jochen; Hein, Andreas

2013-01-01

Cardiovascular diseases (CVD) are one of the major causes of death worldwide. Personal behavior such as physical activity considerably influences the risk of incurring a CVD. In the last years numerous products such as pedometers have become available on the mass market that allow monitoring relevant behaviors and vital parameters. These devices are sufficiently precise, affordable, and easy to use. While today they are mostly lifestyle oriented they also have considerable potential for health and prevention. Our goal is to investigate how recent low-cost devices can be used in real-life settings for the prevention of CVD, and whether using these devices has an advantage over subjective self-assessment. We also examine whether it is feasible to use multiple of such devices in parallel. We observe whether and how persons are willing and able to use multiple devices in their daily lives. We compare the devices' measurements with subjective self-assessment. We make use of existing low-cost consumer devices to monitor a user's behavior. By mapping the devices' features with pre-defined prevention goals we ensure that the system collects meaningful data that can be used to monitor the individual's behavior. We conducted a user study with 10 healthy adults to measure usability and to identify problems with sensor use in real life. The participants used the devices' original portals to monitor their behavior. The subjects (age range 35-75) used an off-the-shelf pedometer and a sports watch for 4 weeks. The participants responded in principle positively to the use of the devices. Analyzing the sensor data, we found that the users had some difficulties in operating the devices. We also found that the participants' self-assessment of their health behavior was too optimistic compared to the monitored data. They rated the usability of the overall system with 71 of up to 100 points in the "System Usability Scale". Our study indicates that today's devices are suitable for a long term monitoring of health for the prevention of CVD. Using the devices provides more precise data than a subjective self-assessment. However usability and acceptance of the systems are still major topics.

A Modified User-Oriented Heuristic Evaluation of a Mobile Health System for Diabetes Self-management Support

PubMed Central

Georgsson, Mattias; Staggers, Nancy; Weir, Charlene

2016-01-01

Mobile health platforms offer significant opportunities for improving diabetic self-care, but only if adequate usability exists. Expert evaluations such as heuristic evaluation can provide distinct usability information about systems. The purpose of this study was to complete a usability evaluation of a mobile health system for diabetes patients using a modified heuristic evaluation technique of (1) dual-domain experts (healthcare professionals, usability experts), (2) validated scenarios and user tasks related to patients’ self-care, and (3) in-depth severity factor ratings. Experts identified 129 usability problems with 274 heuristic violations for the system. The categories Consistency and Standards dominated at 24.1% (n = 66), followed by Match Between System and Real World at 22.3% (n = 61). Average severity ratings across system views were 2.8 (of 4), with 9.3% (n = 12) rated as catastrophic and 53.5% (n = 69) as major. The large volume of violations with severe ratings indicated clear priorities for redesign. The modified heuristic approach allowed evaluators to identify unique and important issues, including ones related to self-management and patient safety. This article provides a template for one type of expert evaluation adding to the informaticists’ toolbox when needing to conduct a fast, resource-efficient and user-oriented heuristic evaluation. PMID:26657618

A Modified User-Oriented Heuristic Evaluation of a Mobile Health System for Diabetes Self-management Support.

PubMed

Georgsson, Mattias; Staggers, Nancy; Weir, Charlene

2016-02-01

Mobile health platforms offer significant opportunities for improving diabetic self-care, but only if adequate usability exists. Expert evaluations such as heuristic evaluation can provide distinct usability information about systems. The purpose of this study was to complete a usability evaluation of a mobile health system for diabetes patients using a modified heuristic evaluation technique of (1) dual-domain experts (healthcare professionals, usability experts), (2) validated scenarios and user tasks related to patients' self-care, and (3) in-depth severity factor ratings. Experts identified 129 usability problems with 274 heuristic violations for the system. The categories Consistency and Standards dominated at 24.1% (n = 66), followed by Match Between System and Real World at 22.3% (n = 61). Average severity ratings across system views were 2.8 (of 4), with 9.3% (n = 12) rated as catastrophic and 53.5% (n = 69) as major. The large volume of violations with severe ratings indicated clear priorities for redesign. The modified heuristic approach allowed evaluators to identify unique and important issues, including ones related to self-management and patient safety. This article provides a template for one type of expert evaluation adding to the informaticists' toolbox when needing to conduct a fast, resource-efficient and user-oriented heuristic evaluation.

A Mixed-methods Study to Assess Interrater Reliability and Nurse Perception of the Braden Scale in a Tertiary Acute Care Setting.

PubMed

Ho, Chester H; Cheung, Amanda; Southern, Danielle; Ocampo, Wrechelle; Kaufman, Jaime; Hogan, David B; Baylis, Barry; Conly, John M; Stelfox, Henry T; Ghali, William A

2016-12-01

Research regarding the reliability of the Braden Scale and nurses' perspectives on the instrument for predicting pressure ulcer (PU) risk in acute care settings is limited. A mixed-methods study was conducted in a tertiary acute care facility to examine interrater reliability (IRR) of the Braden Scale and its subscales, and a qualitative survey using semi-structured interviews was conducted among nurses caring for patients in acute care units to gain nurse perspective regarding scale usability. Data were extracted from a previous retrospective, randomized, controlled trial involving adult patients with compromised mobility receiving care in a tertiary acute care hospital in Canada. One-way, intraclass correlation coefficients (ICCs) were calculated on item and total scores, and kappa statistics were used to determine reliability of categorizing patients on their risk. Interview results were categorized by common themes. Reliability was assessed on 64 patients, where nurses and research staff independently assessed enrolled participants at baseline and after 72 hours using the Braden Scale as it appeared on an electronic medical record. IRR for the total score was high (ICC = 0.807). The friction and shear item had the lowest reliability (ICC = 0.266). Reliability of categorizing patients' level of risk had moderate agreement (κ = 0.408). Three (3) major and 12 subthemes emerged from the 14 nurse interviews; nurses were aware of the scale's purpose but were uncertain of its effectiveness, some items were difficult to rate, and questions were raised as to whether using the scale enhanced patient care. Aspects identified by nurses to enhance usability included: 1) changes to the electronic version (incorporating the scale into daily assessment documents with readily available item descriptions), 2) additional training, and 3) easily available resource material to improve reliability and usability of scale. These findings need to be considered when using the Braden Scale in clinical practice. Further study of the value of the total Braden Scale and its subscales is warranted.

The design and evaluation of an activity monitoring user interface for people with stroke.

PubMed

Hart, Phil; Bierwirth, Rebekah; Fulk, George; Sazonov, Edward

2014-01-01

Usability is an important topic in the field of telerehabilitation research. Older users with disabilities in particular, present age-related and disability-related challenges that should be accommodated for in the design of a user interface for a telerehabilitation system. This paper describes the design, implementation, and assessment of a telerehabilitation system user interface that tries to maximize usability for an elderly user who has experienced a stroke. An Internet-connected Nintendo(®) Wii™ gaming system is selected as a hardware platform, and a server and website are implemented to process and display the feedback information. The usability of the interface is assessed with a trial consisting of 18 subjects: 10 healthy Doctor of Physical Therapy students and 8 people with a stroke. Results show similar levels of usability and high satisfaction with the gaming system interface from both groups of subjects.

Improving access to clinical practice guidelines with an interactive graphical interface using an iconic language

PubMed Central

2014-01-01

Background Clinical practice guidelines are useful for physicians, and guidelines are available on the Internet from various websites such as Vidal Recos. However, these guidelines are long and difficult to read, especially during consultation. Similar difficulties have been encountered with drug summaries of product characteristics. In a previous work, we have proposed an iconic language (called VCM, for Visualization of Concepts in Medicine) for representing patient conditions, treatments and laboratory tests, and we have used these icons to design a user interface that graphically indexes summaries of product characteristics. In the current study, our objective was to design and evaluate an iconic user interface for the consultation of clinical practice guidelines by physicians. Methods Focus groups of physicians were set up to identify the difficulties encountered when reading guidelines. Icons were integrated into Vidal Recos, taking human factors into account. The resulting interface includes a graphical summary and an iconic indexation of the guideline. The new interface was evaluated. We compared the response times and the number of errors recorded when physicians answered questions about two clinical scenarios using the interactive iconic interface or a textual interface. Users’ perceived usability was evaluated with the System Usability Scale. Results The main difficulties encountered by physicians when reading guidelines were obtaining an overview and finding recommendations for patients corresponding to “particular cases”. We designed a graphical interface for guideline consultation, using icons to identify particular cases and providing a graphical summary of the icons organized by anatomy and etiology. The evaluation showed that physicians gave clinical responses more rapidly with the iconic interface than the textual interface (25.2 seconds versus 45.6, p < 0.05). The physicians appreciated the new interface, and the System Usability Scale score value was 75 (between good and excellent). Conclusion An interactive iconic interface can provide physicians with an overview of clinical practice guidelines, and can decrease the time required to access the content of such guidelines. PMID:25158762

Improving access to clinical practice guidelines with an interactive graphical interface using an iconic language.

PubMed

Pereira, Suzanne; Hassler, Sylvain; Hamek, Saliha; Boog, César; Leroy, Nicolas; Beuscart-Zéphir, Marie-Catherine; Favre, Madeleine; Venot, Alain; Duclos, Catherine; Lamy, Jean-Baptiste

2014-08-26

Clinical practice guidelines are useful for physicians, and guidelines are available on the Internet from various websites such as Vidal Recos. However, these guidelines are long and difficult to read, especially during consultation. Similar difficulties have been encountered with drug summaries of product characteristics. In a previous work, we have proposed an iconic language (called VCM, for Visualization of Concepts in Medicine) for representing patient conditions, treatments and laboratory tests, and we have used these icons to design a user interface that graphically indexes summaries of product characteristics. In the current study, our objective was to design and evaluate an iconic user interface for the consultation of clinical practice guidelines by physicians. Focus groups of physicians were set up to identify the difficulties encountered when reading guidelines. Icons were integrated into Vidal Recos, taking human factors into account. The resulting interface includes a graphical summary and an iconic indexation of the guideline. The new interface was evaluated. We compared the response times and the number of errors recorded when physicians answered questions about two clinical scenarios using the interactive iconic interface or a textual interface. Users' perceived usability was evaluated with the System Usability Scale. The main difficulties encountered by physicians when reading guidelines were obtaining an overview and finding recommendations for patients corresponding to "particular cases". We designed a graphical interface for guideline consultation, using icons to identify particular cases and providing a graphical summary of the icons organized by anatomy and etiology. The evaluation showed that physicians gave clinical responses more rapidly with the iconic interface than the textual interface (25.2 seconds versus 45.6, p < 0.05). The physicians appreciated the new interface, and the System Usability Scale score value was 75 (between good and excellent). An interactive iconic interface can provide physicians with an overview of clinical practice guidelines, and can decrease the time required to access the content of such guidelines.

Utility-Scale Solar Power Converter: Agile Direct Grid Connect Medium Voltage 4.7-13.8 kV Power Converter for PV Applications Utilizing Wide Band Gap Devices

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

None

Solar ADEPT Project: Satcon is developing a compact, lightweight power conversion device that is capable of taking utility-scale solar power and outputting it directly into the electric utility grid at distribution voltage levels—eliminating the need for large transformers. Transformers “step up” the voltage of the power that is generated by a solar power system so it can be efficiently transported through transmission lines and eventually “stepped down” to usable voltages before it enters homes and businesses. Power companies step up the voltage because less electricity is lost along transmission lines when the voltage is high and current is low. Satcon’smore » new power conversion devices will eliminate these heavy transformers and connect a utility-scale solar power system directly to the grid. Satcon’s modular devices are designed to ensure reliability—if one device fails it can be bypassed and the system can continue to run.« less

Initial Evaluation of the Intelligent Multi-UxV Planner with Adaptive Collaborative/Control Technologies (IMPACT)

DTIC Science & Technology

2017-02-17

Psychology. Brooke, J. (1996). SUS: a ‘quick and dirty ’ usability scale. In P. Jordan, B. Thomas, I. McClelland, & B. Weerdmeester (Eds.), Usability...level modeling, International Journal of Human Computer Studies, Vol. 45(3). Menzies, T. (1996b). On the Practicality of Abductive Validation, ECAI...1). Shima, T., & Rasmussen, S. (2009). UAV Cooperative Decision and Control: Challenges and Practical Approaches, SIAM Publications, ISBN

An eHealth Application of Self-Reported Sports-Related Injuries and Illnesses in Paralympic Sport: Pilot Feasibility and Usability Study

PubMed Central

2017-01-01

Background Sport participation is associated with a risk of sports-related injuries and illnesses, and Paralympic athletes’ additional medical issues can be a challenge to health care providers and medical staff. However, few prospective studies have assessed sports-related injuries and illnesses in Paralympic sport (SRIIPS) over time. Advances in mobile phone technology and networking systems offer novel opportunities to develop innovative eHealth applications for collection of athletes’ self-reports. Using eHealth applications for collection of self-reported SRIIPS is an unexplored area, and before initiation of full-scale research of SRIIPS, the feasibility and usability of such an approach needs to be ascertained. Objective The aim of this study was to perform a 4-week pilot study and (1) evaluate the monitoring feasibility and system usability of a novel eHealth application for self-reported SRIIPS and (2) report preliminary data on SRIIPS. Methods An eHealth application for routine collection of data from athletes was developed and adapted to Paralympic athletes. A 4-week pilot study was performed where Paralympic athletes (n=28) were asked to weekly self-report sport exposure, training load, general well-being, pain, sleep, anxiety, and possible SRIIPS. The data collection was followed by a poststudy use assessment survey. Quantitative data related to the system use (eg, completed self-reports, missing responses, and errors) were analyzed using descriptive statistics. The qualitative feasibility and usability data provided by the athletes were condensed and categorized using thematic analysis methods. Results The weekly response rate was 95%. The athletes were of the opinion that the eHealth application was usable and feasible but stated that it was not fully adapted to Paralympic athletes and their impairments. For example, it was difficult to understand how a new injury or illness should be identified when the impairment was involved. More survey items related to the impairments were requested, as the athletes perceived that injuries and illnesses often occurred because of the impairment. Options for description of multifactorial incidents including an injury, an illness, and the impairment were also insufficient. Few technical issues were encountered, but athletes with visual impairment reported usability difficulties with the speech synthesizer. An incidence rate of 1.8 injuries and 1.7 illnesses per 100 hours of athlete exposure were recorded. The weekly pain prevalence was 56% and the impairment contributed to 20% of the reported incidents. Conclusions The novel eHealth-based application for self-reported SRIIPS developed and tested in this pilot study was generally feasible and usable. With some adaptation to accommodate Paralympic athletes’ prerequisites and improved technical support for athletes with visual impairment, this application can be recommended for use in prospective studies of SRIIPS. Trial Registration ClinicalTrials.gov NCT02788500; https://clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT02788500 (Archived by WebCite at http://www.webcitation.org/6v56OqTeP) PMID:29187343

Evidence-based Heuristics for Evaluating Demands on eHealth Literacy and Usability in a Mobile Consumer Health Application.

PubMed

Monkman, Helen; Griffith, Janessa; Kushniruk, Andre W

2015-01-01

Heuristic evaluations have proven to be valuable for identifying usability issues in systems. Commonly used sets of heuritics exist; however, they may not always be the most suitable, given the specific goal of the analysis. One such example is seeking to evaluate the demands on eHealth literacy and usability of consumer health information systems. In this study, eight essential heuristics and three optional heuristics subsumed from the evidence on eHealth/health literacy and usability were tested for their utility in assessing a mobile blood pressure tracking application (app). This evaluation revealed a variety of ways the design of the app could both benefit and impede users with limited eHealth literacy. This study demonstrated the utility of a low-cost, single evaluation approach for identifying both eHealth literacy and usability issues based on existing evidence in the literature.

VRUSE--a computerised diagnostic tool: for usability evaluation of virtual/synthetic environment systems.

PubMed

Kalawsky, R S

1999-02-01

A special questionnaire (VRUSE) has been designed to measure the usability of a VR system according to the attitude and perception of its users. Important aspects of VR systems were carefully derived to produce key usability factors for the questionnaire. Unlike questionnaires designed for generic interfaces VRUSE is specifically designed to cater for evaluating virtual environments, being a diagnostic tool providing a wealth of information about a user's viewpoint of the interface. VRUSE can be used to great effect with other evaluation techniques to pinpoint problematical areas of a VR interface. Other applications include bench-marking of competitor VR systems.

'Televaluation' of clinical information systems: an integrative approach to assessing Web-based systems.

PubMed

Kushniruk, A W; Patel, C; Patel, V L; Cimino, J J

2001-04-01

The World Wide Web provides an unprecedented opportunity for widespread access to health-care applications by both patients and providers. The development of new methods for assessing the effectiveness and usability of these systems is becoming a critical issue. This paper describes the distance evaluation (i.e. 'televaluation') of emerging Web-based information technologies. In health informatics evaluation, there is a need for application of new ideas and methods from the fields of cognitive science and usability engineering. A framework is presented for conducting evaluations of health-care information technologies that integrates a number of methods, ranging from deployment of on-line questionnaires (and Web-based forms) to remote video-based usability testing of user interactions with clinical information systems. Examples illustrating application of these techniques are presented for the assessment of a patient clinical information system (PatCIS), as well as an evaluation of use of Web-based clinical guidelines. Issues in designing, prototyping and iteratively refining evaluation components are discussed, along with description of a 'virtual' usability laboratory.

Usability testing of an mHealth device for swallowing therapy in head and neck cancer survivors.

PubMed

Constantinescu, Gabriela; Kuffel, Kristina; King, Ben; Hodgetts, William; Rieger, Jana

2018-04-01

The objective of this study was to conduct the first patient usability testing of a mobile health (mHealth) system for in-home swallowing therapy. Five participants with a history of head and neck cancer evaluated the mHealth system. After completing an in-application (app) tutorial with the clinician, participants were asked to independently complete five tasks: pair the device to the smartphone, place the device correctly, exercise, interpret progress displays, and close the system. Quantitative and qualitative methods were used to evaluate the effectiveness, efficiency, and satisfaction with the system. Critical changes to the app were found in three of the tasks, resulting in recommendations for the next iteration. These issues were related to ease of Bluetooth pairing, placement of device, and interpretation of statistics. Usability testing with patients identified issues that were essential to address prior to implementing the mHealth system in subsequent clinical trials. Of the usability methods used, video observation (synced screen capture with videoed gestures) revealed the most information.

Data System for Structural Geology and Tectonics

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Newman, Julie; Walker, J. Douglas; Tikoff, Basil; Good, Jessica; Michels, Zachary; Ash, Jason; Andrew, Joseph; Williams, Randolph

2016-04-01

We are prototyping a Data System for Structural Geology and Tectonics (SG&T) data that is platform independent (from mobile device to desktop) to enable collection and sharing of data from field to laboratory settings. The goals of this effort, funded by US National Science Foundation, are to enable recording and sharing data within the geoscience community, to encourage interdisciplinary research, and to facilitate the investigation of scientific questions that cannot currently be addressed. The development of the Data System emphasizes community input in order to build a system that encompasses the needs of researchers, in terms of data and usability. SG&T data is complex for a variety of reasons, including the wide range of temporal and spatial scales (many orders of magnitude each), the complex three-dimensional geometry of some geological structures, inherent spatial nature of the data, and the difficulty of making temporal inferences from spatial observations. To successfully implement the development of a SG&T data system, we must simultaneously solve three problems: 1) How to digitize SG&T data; 2) How to design a software system that is applicable; and 3) How to construct a very flexible user interface. To address the first problem, we introduce the "Spot" concept, which allows tracking of hierarchical and spatial relations between structures at all scales, and will link map scale, mesoscale, and laboratory scale data. A Spot is an observation or relationship with an area of significance. A Spot can be a single measurement, an aggregate of individual measurements, or even relationships between numerous other Spots. We address the second problem of software design through the use of a graph database to better preserve the myriad of potentially complex relationships. In order to construct a flexible user interface that follows a natural workflow and that serves the needs of the community, we are engaging the SG&T community in order to utilize the expertise of a large group of scientists to ensure the quality and usability of this data system. These activities have included Town Halls at GSA and AGU, subdiscipline-specific workshops to develop community standards, and pilot projects to test the data system in the field during the study of a variety of geologic structures.

The Mini-Earth facility and present status of habitation experiment program.

PubMed

Nitta, Keiji

2005-01-01

The history of construction of the CEEF (the Mini-Earth), the configuration and scale of the CEEF are initially described. The effective usable areas in plant cultivation and animal holding and habitation modules and the accommodation equipment installed in each module are also explained. Mechanisms of the material circulation systems belonging to each module and subsystems in each material circulation system are introduced. Finally the results of pre-habitation experiments conducted until the year 2004 for clarifying the requirements in order to promote final closed habitation experiments are shown. c2005 Published by Elsevier Ltd on behalf of COSPAR.

Integrating cancer survivors' experiences into UK cancer registries: design and development of the ePOCS system (electronic Patient-reported Outcomes from Cancer Survivors)

PubMed Central

Ashley, L; Jones, H; Thomas, J; Forman, D; Newsham, A; Morris, E; Johnson, O; Velikova, G; Wright, P

2011-01-01

Background: Understanding the psychosocial challenges of cancer survivorship, and identifying which patients experience ongoing difficulties, is a key priority. The ePOCS (electronic patient-reported outcomes from cancer survivors) project aims to develop and evaluate a cost-efficient, UK-scalable electronic system for collecting patient-reported outcome measures (PROMs), at regular post-diagnostic timepoints, and linking these with clinical data in cancer registries. Methods: A multidisciplinary team developed the system using agile methods. Design entailed process mapping the system's constituent parts, data flows and involved human activities, and undertaking usability testing. Informatics specialists built new technical components, including a web-based questionnaire tool and tracking database, and established component-connecting data flows. Development challenges were overcome, including patient usability and data linkage and security. Results: We have developed a system in which PROMs are completed online, using a secure questionnaire administration tool, accessed via a public-facing website, and the responses are linked and stored with clinical registry data. Patient monitoring and communications are semiautomated via a tracker database, and patient correspondence is primarily Email-based. The system is currently honed for clinician-led hospital-based patient recruitment. Conclusions: A feasibility test study is underway. Although there are possible challenges to sustaining and scaling up ePOCS, the system has potential to support UK epidemiological PROMs collection and clinical data linkage. PMID:22048035

Evaluation of Usability Utilizing Markov Models

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Penedo, Janaina Rodrigues; Diniz, Morganna; Ferreira, Simone Bacellar Leal; Silveira, Denis S.; Capra, Eliane

2012-01-01

Purpose: The purpose of this paper is to analyze the usability of a remote learning system in its initial development phase, using a quantitative usability evaluation method through Markov models. Design/methodology/approach: The paper opted for an exploratory study. The data of interest of the research correspond to the possible accesses of users…

Grappling with Distributed Usability: A Cultural-Historical Examination of Documentation Genres Over Four Decades.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Spinuzzi, Clay

2001-01-01

Describes and illustrates a distributed approach to usability (envisioning usability across the genres, practices, uses, and goals of a given activity) using a four-decade examination of a traffic accident location and analysis system. Uses the theoretical framework of "genre ecologies" to show how communities of users interact with…

Videoconferencing for site initiations in clinical studies: Mixed methods evaluation of usability, acceptability, and impact on recruitment.

PubMed

Randell, Rebecca; Backhouse, Michael R; Nelson, E Andrea

2016-12-01

A critical issue for multicentre clinical studies is conducting site initiations, ensuring sites are trained in study procedures and comply with relevant governance requirements before they begin recruiting patients. How technology can support site initiations has not previously been explored. This study sought to evaluate use of off-the-shelf web-based videoconferencing to deliver site initiations for a large national multicentre study. Participants in the initiations, including podiatrists, diabetologists, trial coordinators, and research nurses, completed an online questionnaire based on the System Usability Scale (SUS) (N = 15). This was followed by semi-structured interviews, with a consultant diabetologist, a trial coordinator, and three research nurses, exploring perceived benefits and limitations of videoconferencing. The mean SUS score for the videoconferencing platform was 87.2 (SD = 13.7), suggesting a good level of usability. Interview participants perceived initiations delivered by videoconferencing as being more interactive and easier to follow than those delivered by teleconference. In comparison to face-to-face initiations, videoconferencing takes less time, easily fitting in with the work of staff at the local sites. Perceptions of impact on communication varied according to the hardware used. Off-the-shelf videoconferencing is a viable alternative to face-to-face site initiations and confers advantages over teleconferencing.

The effect of user's perceived presence and promotion focus on usability for interacting in virtual environments.

PubMed

Sun, Huey-Min; Li, Shang-Phone; Zhu, Yu-Qian; Hsiao, Bo

2015-09-01

Technological advance in human-computer interaction has attracted increasing research attention, especially in the field of virtual reality (VR). Prior research has focused on examining the effects of VR on various outcomes, for example, learning and health. However, which factors affect the final outcomes? That is, what kind of VR system design will achieve higher usability? This question remains largely. Furthermore, when we look at VR system deployment from a human-computer interaction (HCI) lens, does user's attitude play a role in achieving the final outcome? This study aims to understand the effect of immersion and involvement, as well as users' regulatory focus on usability for a somatosensory VR learning system. This study hypothesized that regulatory focus and presence can effectively enhance user's perceived usability. Survey data from 78 students in Taiwan indicated that promotion focus is positively related to user's perceived efficiency, whereas involvement and promotion focus are positively related to user's perceived effectiveness. Promotion focus also predicts user satisfaction and overall usability perception. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd and The Ergonomics Society. All rights reserved.

An Assessment-for-Learning System in Mathematics for Individuals with Visual Impairments

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hansen, Eric G.; Shute, Valerie J.; Landau, Steven

2010-01-01

This study examined the usability of an assessment-for-learning (AfL) system that provides audio-tactile graphics for algebra content (geometric sequences) for individuals with visual impairments--two who are blind and two with low vision. It found that the system is generally usable as a mathematics AfL system. (Contains 4 tables.)

Usability: Human Research Program - Space Human Factors and Habitability

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Sandor, Aniko; Holden, Kritina L.

2009-01-01

The Usability project addresses the need for research in the area of metrics and methodologies used in hardware and software usability testing in order to define quantifiable and verifiable usability requirements. A usability test is a human-in-the-loop evaluation where a participant works through a realistic set of representative tasks using the hardware/software under investigation. The purpose of this research is to define metrics and methodologies for measuring and verifying usability in the aerospace domain in accordance with FY09 focus on errors, consistency, and mobility/maneuverability. Usability metrics must be predictive of success with the interfaces, must be easy to obtain and/or calculate, and must meet the intent of current Human Systems Integration Requirements (HSIR). Methodologies must work within the constraints of the aerospace domain, be cost and time efficient, and be able to be applied without extensive specialized training.

Review of health information technology usability study methodologies

PubMed Central

Bakken, Suzanne

2011-01-01

Usability factors are a major obstacle to health information technology (IT) adoption. The purpose of this paper is to review and categorize health IT usability study methods and to provide practical guidance on health IT usability evaluation. 2025 references were initially retrieved from the Medline database from 2003 to 2009 that evaluated health IT used by clinicians. Titles and abstracts were first reviewed for inclusion. Full-text articles were then examined to identify final eligibility studies. 629 studies were categorized into the five stages of an integrated usability specification and evaluation framework that was based on a usability model and the system development life cycle (SDLC)-associated stages of evaluation. Theoretical and methodological aspects of 319 studies were extracted in greater detail and studies that focused on system validation (SDLC stage 2) were not assessed further. The number of studies by stage was: stage 1, task-based or user–task interaction, n=42; stage 2, system–task interaction, n=310; stage 3, user–task–system interaction, n=69; stage 4, user–task–system–environment interaction, n=54; and stage 5, user–task–system–environment interaction in routine use, n=199. The studies applied a variety of quantitative and qualitative approaches. Methodological issues included lack of theoretical framework/model, lack of details regarding qualitative study approaches, single evaluation focus, environmental factors not evaluated in the early stages, and guideline adherence as the primary outcome for decision support system evaluations. Based on the findings, a three-level stratified view of health IT usability evaluation is proposed and methodological guidance is offered based upon the type of interaction that is of primary interest in the evaluation. PMID:21828224

Toward a More Usable Home-Based Video Telemedicine System: A Heuristic Evaluation of the Clinician User Interfaces of Home-Based Video Telemedicine Systems.

PubMed

Agnisarman, Sruthy; Narasimha, Shraddhaa; Chalil Madathil, Kapil; Welch, Brandon; Brinda, Fnu; Ashok, Aparna; McElligott, James

2017-04-24

Telemedicine is the use of technology to provide and support health care when distance separates the clinical service and the patient. Home-based telemedicine systems involve the use of such technology for medical support and care connecting the patient from the comfort of their homes with the clinician. In order for such a system to be used extensively, it is necessary to understand not only the issues faced by the patients in using them but also the clinician. The aim of this study was to conduct a heuristic evaluation of 4 telemedicine software platforms-Doxy.me, Polycom, Vidyo, and VSee-to assess possible problems and limitations that could affect the usability of the system from the clinician's perspective. It was found that 5 experts individually evaluated all four systems using Nielsen's list of heuristics, classifying the issues based on a severity rating scale. A total of 46 unique problems were identified by the experts. The heuristics most frequently violated were visibility of system status and Error prevention amounting to 24% (11/46 issues) each. Esthetic and minimalist design was second contributing to 13% (6/46 issues) of the total errors. Heuristic evaluation coupled with a severity rating scale was found to be an effective method for identifying problems with the systems. Prioritization of these problems based on the rating provides a good starting point for resolving the issues affecting these platforms. There is a need for better transparency and a more streamlined approach for how physicians use telemedicine systems. Visibility of the system status and speaking the users' language are keys for achieving this. ©Sruthy Agnisarman, Shraddhaa Narasimha, Kapil Chalil Madathil, Brandon Welch, FNU Brinda, Aparna Ashok, James McElligott. Originally published in JMIR Human Factors (http://humanfactors.jmir.org), 24.04.2017.

Bridging the Science/Policy Gap through Boundary Chain Partnerships and Communities of Practice

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kalafatis, S.

2014-12-01

Generating the capacity to facilitate the informed usage of climate change science by decision makers on a large scale is fast becoming an area of great concern. While research demonstrates that sustained interactions between producers of such information and potential users can overcome barriers to information usage, it also demonstrates the high resource demand of these efforts. Our social science work at Great Lakes Integrated Sciences and Assessments (GLISA) sheds light on scaling up the usability of climate science through two research areas. The first focuses on partnerships with other boundary organizations that GLISA has leveraged - the "boundary chains" approach. These partnerships reduce the transaction costs involved with outreach and have enhanced the scope of GLISA's climate service efforts to encompass new users such as First Nations groups in Wisconsin and Michigan and underserved neighborhoods in St. Paul, Minnesota. The second research area looks at the development of information usability across the regional scale of the eight Great Lakes states. It has identified the critical role that communities of practice are playing in making information usable to large groups of users who work in similar contexts and have similar information needs. Both these research areas demonstrate the emerging potential of flexible knowledge networks to enhance society's ability to prepare for the impacts of climate change.

Task-specific usability requirements of electronic medical records systems: Lessons learned from a national survey of end-users.

PubMed

Farzandipour, Mehrdad; Meidani, Zahra; Riazi, Hossein; Sadeqi Jabali, Monireh

2018-09-01

There are various approaches to evaluating the usability of electronic medical record (EMR) systems. User perspectives are an integral part of evaluation. Usability evaluations efficiently and effectively contribute to user-centered design and supports tasks and increase user satisfaction. This study determined the main usability requirements for EMRs by means of an end-user survey. A mixed-method strategy was conducted in three phases. A qualitative approach was employed to collect and formulate EMR usability requirements using the focus group method and the modified Delphi technique. Classic Delphi technique was used to evaluate the proposed requirements among 380 end-users in Iran. The final list of EMR usability requirements was verified and included 163 requirements divided into nine groups. The highest rates of end-user agreement relate to EMR visual clarity (3.65 ± 0.61), fault tolerance (3.58 ± 0.56), and suitability for learning (3.55 ± 0.54). The lowest end-user agreement was for auditory presentation (3.18 ± 0.69). The highest and lowest agreement among end-users was for visual clarity and auditory presentation by EMRs, respectively. This suggests that user priorities in determination of EMR usability and their understanding of the importance of the types of individual tasks and context characteristics differ.

Integrating Visual Mnemonics and Input Feedback With Passphrases to Improve the Usability and Security of Digital Authentication.

PubMed

Juang, Kevin; Greenstein, Joel

2018-04-01

We developed a new authentication system based on passphrases instead of passwords. Our new system incorporates a user-generated mnemonic picture displayed during login, definition tooltips, error correction to reduce typographical errors, a decoy-based input masking technique, and random passphrase generation using either a specialized wordlist or a sentence template. Passphrases exhibit a greater level of security than traditional passwords, but their wider adoption has been hindered by human factors issues. Our assertion is that the added features of our system work particularly well with passphrases and help address these shortcomings. We conducted a study to evaluate our new system with a customized 1,450-word list and our new system with a 6-word sentence structure against the control conditions of a user-created passphrase of at least 24 characters and a system-generated passphrase using a 10,326-word list. Fifty participants completed two sessions so that we could measure the usability and security of the authentication schemes. With the new system conditions, memorability was improved, and security was equivalent to or better than the control conditions. Usability and overall ratings also favored the new system conditions over the control conditions. Our research presents a new authentication system using innovative techniques that improve on the usability and security of existing password and passphrase authentication systems. In computer security, drastic changes should never happen overnight, but we recommend that our contributions be incorporated into current authentication systems to help facilitate a transition from passwords to usable passphrases.

Assessment of Crew Workload for the RAH-66 Comanche Force Development Experiment 1

DTIC Science & Technology

2001-10-01

Scale and a cockpit controls and displays usability questionnaire . Results of the assessment indicate that (a) workload was tolerable for the pilots...Workload Levels Between Front Seat and Back Seat 13 3.4 Pilot Responses to Controls and Displays Usability Questionnaire 13 3.5 HMD Symbology 13 4... questionnaire . The data were analyzed to determine if the pilot flying the aircraft (pilot on controls) and the pilot operating the mission equipment

14 CFR 135.159 - Equipment requirements: Carrying passengers under VFR at night or under VFR over-the-top conditions.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-01-01

... a third attitude instrument system usable through flight attitudes of 360 degrees of pitch-and-roll... chapter. (2) Helicopters with a third attitude instrument system usable through flight attitudes of ±80...

Assessing the Potential Use of Eye-Tracking Triangulation for Evaluating the Usability of an Online Diabetes Exercise System.

PubMed

Schaarup, Clara; Hartvigsen, Gunnar; Larsen, Lars Bo; Tan, Zheng-Hua; Årsand, Eirik; Hejlesen, Ole Kristian

2015-01-01

The Online Diabetes Exercise System was developed to motivate people with Type 2 diabetes to do a 25 minutes low-volume high-intensity interval training program. In a previous multi-method evaluation of the system, several usability issues were identified and corrected. Despite the thorough testing, it was unclear whether all usability problems had been identified using the multi-method evaluation. Our hypothesis was that adding the eye-tracking triangulation to the multi-method evaluation would increase the accuracy and completeness when testing the usability of the system. The study design was an Eye-tracking Triangulation; conventional eye-tracking with predefined tasks followed by The Post-Experience Eye-Tracked Protocol (PEEP). Six Areas of Interests were the basis for the PEEP-session. The eye-tracking triangulation gave objective and subjective results, which are believed to be highly relevant for designing, implementing, evaluating and optimizing systems in the field of health informatics. Future work should include testing the method on a larger and more representative group of users and apply the method on different system types.

Digital casts in orthodontics: a comparison of 4 software systems.

PubMed

Westerlund, Anna; Tancredi, Weronika; Ransjö, Maria; Bresin, Andrea; Psonis, Spyros; Torgersson, Olof

2015-04-01

The introduction of digital cast models is inevitable in the otherwise digitized everyday life of orthodontics. The introduction of this new technology, however, is not straightforward, and selecting an appropriate system can be difficult. The aim of the study was to compare 4 orthodontic digital software systems regarding service, features, and usability. Information regarding service offered by the companies was obtained from questionnaires and Web sites. The features of each software system were collected by exploring the user manuals and the software programs. Replicas of pretreatment casts were sent to Cadent (OrthoCAD; Cadent, Carlstadt, NJ), OthoLab (O3DM; OrthoLab, Poznan, Poland), OrthoProof (DigiModel; OrthoProof, Nieuwegein, The Netherlands), and 3Shape (OrthoAnalyzer; 3Shape, Copenhagen, Denmark). The usability of the programs was assessed by experts in interaction design and usability using the "enhanced cognitive walkthrough" method: 4 tasks were defined and performed by a group of domain experts while they were observed by usability experts. The services provided by the companies were similar. Regarding the features, all 4 systems were able to perform basic measurements; however, not all provided the peer assessment rating index or the American Board of Orthodontics analysis, simulation of the treatment with braces, or digital articulation of the casts. All systems demonstrated weaknesses in usability. However, OrthoCAD and 03DM were considered to be easier to learn for first-time users. In general, the usability of these programs was poor and needs to be further developed. Hands-on training supervised by the program experts is recommended for beginners. Copyright © 2015 American Association of Orthodontists. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Usability Evaluation of the Student Centered e-Learning Environment

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Junus, Inas Sofiyah; Santoso, Harry Budi; Isal, R. Yugo K.; Utomo, Andika Yudha

2015-01-01

Student Centered e-Learning Environment (SCeLE) has substantial roles to support learning activities at Faculty of Computer Science, Universitas Indonesia (Fasilkom UI). Although it has been utilized for about 10 years, the usability aspect of SCeLE as an e-Learning system has not been evaluated. Therefore, the usability aspects of SCeLE Fasilkom…

Usability Assessment of Educational Software by Students: Case of "?Pón-Ìm?`" in Osun State, Nigeria

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Tijani, O. K.

2016-01-01

This study investigated usability of educational software: case of "?pón-Ìm?`" in Osun state, Nigeria. Specifically, the study investigated influences of gender and school locations on students' assessment of "?pón-Ìm?`" Technology Enhanced Learning System (OTELS) based on selected usability parameters. 701 students were…

A Usability Study of Users' Perceptions toward a Multimedia Computer-Assisted Learning Tool for Neuroanatomy

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Gould, Douglas J.; Terrell, Mark A.; Fleming, Jo

2008-01-01

This usability study evaluated users' perceptions of a multimedia prototype for a new e-learning tool: Anatomy of the Central Nervous System: A Multimedia Course. Usability testing is a collection of formative evaluation methods that inform the developmental design of e-learning tools to maximize user acceptance, satisfaction, and adoption.…

A health literacy and usability heuristic evaluation of a mobile consumer health application.

PubMed

Monkman, Helen; Kushniruk, Andre

2013-01-01

Usability and health literacy are two critical factors in the design and evaluation of consumer health information systems. However, methods for evaluating these two factors in conjunction remain limited. This study adapted a set of existing guidelines for the design of consumer health Web sites into evidence-based evaluation heuristics tailored specifically for mobile consumer health applications. In order to test the approach, a mobile consumer health application (app) was then evaluated using these heuristics. In addition to revealing ways to improve the usability of the system, this analysis identified opportunities to augment the content to make it more understandable by users with limited health literacy. This study successfully demonstrated the utility of converting existing design guidelines into heuristics for the evaluation of usability and health literacy. The heuristics generated could be applied for assessing and revising other existing consumer health information systems.

A Usability Survey of a Contents-Based Video Retrieval System by Combining Digital Video and an Electronic Bulletin Board

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Haga, Hirohide; Kaneda, Shigeo

2005-01-01

This article describes the survey of the usability of a novel content-based video retrieval system. This system combines video streaming and an electronic bulletin board system (BBS). Comments submitted to the BBS are used to index video data. Following the development of the prototype system an experimental survey with ten subjects was performed.…

A knowledge translation intervention to enhance clinical application of a virtual reality system in stroke rehabilitation.

PubMed

Levac, Danielle; Glegg, Stephanie M N; Sveistrup, Heidi; Colquhoun, Heather; Miller, Patricia A; Finestone, Hillel; DePaul, Vincent; Harris, Jocelyn E; Velikonja, Diana

2016-10-06

Despite increasing evidence for the effectiveness of virtual reality (VR)-based therapy in stroke rehabilitation, few knowledge translation (KT) resources exist to support clinical integration. KT interventions addressing known barriers and facilitators to VR use are required. When environmental barriers to VR integration are less amenable to change, KT interventions can target modifiable barriers related to therapist knowledge and skills. A multi-faceted KT intervention was designed and implemented to support physical and occupational therapists in two stroke rehabilitation units in acquiring proficiency with use of the Interactive Exercise Rehabilitation System (IREX; GestureTek). The KT intervention consisted of interactive e-learning modules, hands-on workshops and experiential practice. Evaluation included the Assessing Determinants of Prospective Take Up of Virtual Reality (ADOPT-VR) Instrument and self-report confidence ratings of knowledge and skills pre- and post-study. Usability of the IREX was measured with the System Usability Scale (SUS). A focus group gathered therapist experiences. Frequency of IREX use was recorded for 6 months post-study. Eleven therapists delivered a total of 107 sessions of VR-based therapy to 34 clients with stroke. On the ADOPT-VR, significant pre-post improvements in therapist perceived behavioral control (p = 0.003), self-efficacy (p = 0.005) and facilitating conditions (p =0.019) related to VR use were observed. Therapist intention to use VR did not change. Knowledge and skills improved significantly following e-learning completion (p = 0.001) and was sustained 6 months post-study. Below average perceived usability of the IREX (19 th percentile) was reported. Lack of time was the most frequently reported barrier to VR use. A decrease in frequency of perceived barriers to VR use was not significant (p = 0.159). Two therapists used the IREX sparingly in the 6 months following the study. Therapists reported that client motivation to engage with VR facilitated IREX use in practice but that environmental and IREX-specific barriers limited use. Despite increased knowledge and skills in VR use, the KT intervention did not alter the number of perceived barriers to VR use, intention to use or actual use of VR. Poor perceived system usability had an impact on integration of this particular VR system into clinical practice.

Ten Demands of Improved Usability in eHealth and Some Progress - Co-Creation by Health and Social Care Professionals.

PubMed

Scandurra, Isabella; Liljequist, David

2016-01-01

Current healthcare organizations often do not accomplish the intended effects of their eHealth systems due to inadequate usability. Commissioned by the Swedish Ministry of Health and Social Affairs, the usability of current eHealth systems in Swedish health and social care has been analysed from the perspective of their professionals. The objective of the study was to report on current problems, potential solutions as well as to relate these to research in relevant areas. Using a participatory approach, nine workshops were held where health informatics researchers guided staff from different care organizations, representatives of the national associations of health and social care professionals and the national eHealth system vendor organization. This paper presents ten demands that Swedish health and social care professionals find imperative to prioritize. The study emphasizes that development of eHealth systems must be integrated into the care practice improvement process and iteratively evaluated regarding usability.

Enhancing patient safety and quality of care by improving the usability of electronic health record systems: recommendations from AMIA.

PubMed

Middleton, Blackford; Bloomrosen, Meryl; Dente, Mark A; Hashmat, Bill; Koppel, Ross; Overhage, J Marc; Payne, Thomas H; Rosenbloom, S Trent; Weaver, Charlotte; Zhang, Jiajie

2013-06-01

In response to mounting evidence that use of electronic medical record systems may cause unintended consequences, and even patient harm, the AMIA Board of Directors convened a Task Force on Usability to examine evidence from the literature and make recommendations. This task force was composed of representatives from both academic settings and vendors of electronic health record (EHR) systems. After a careful review of the literature and of vendor experiences with EHR design and implementation, the task force developed 10 recommendations in four areas: (1) human factors health information technology (IT) research, (2) health IT policy, (3) industry recommendations, and (4) recommendations for the clinician end-user of EHR software. These AMIA recommendations are intended to stimulate informed debate, provide a plan to increase understanding of the impact of usability on the effective use of health IT, and lead to safer and higher quality care with the adoption of useful and usable EHR systems.

Enhancing patient safety and quality of care by improving the usability of electronic health record systems: recommendations from AMIA

PubMed Central

Middleton, Blackford; Bloomrosen, Meryl; Dente, Mark A; Hashmat, Bill; Koppel, Ross; Overhage, J Marc; Payne, Thomas H; Rosenbloom, S Trent; Weaver, Charlotte; Zhang, Jiajie

2013-01-01

In response to mounting evidence that use of electronic medical record systems may cause unintended consequences, and even patient harm, the AMIA Board of Directors convened a Task Force on Usability to examine evidence from the literature and make recommendations. This task force was composed of representatives from both academic settings and vendors of electronic health record (EHR) systems. After a careful review of the literature and of vendor experiences with EHR design and implementation, the task force developed 10 recommendations in four areas: (1) human factors health information technology (IT) research, (2) health IT policy, (3) industry recommendations, and (4) recommendations for the clinician end-user of EHR software. These AMIA recommendations are intended to stimulate informed debate, provide a plan to increase understanding of the impact of usability on the effective use of health IT, and lead to safer and higher quality care with the adoption of useful and usable EHR systems. PMID:23355463

A Human-Centered Design Methodology to Enhance the Usability, Human Factors, and User Experience of Connected Health Systems: A Three-Phase Methodology.

PubMed

Harte, Richard; Glynn, Liam; Rodríguez-Molinero, Alejandro; Baker, Paul Ma; Scharf, Thomas; Quinlan, Leo R; ÓLaighin, Gearóid

2017-03-16

Design processes such as human-centered design, which involve the end user throughout the product development and testing process, can be crucial in ensuring that the product meets the needs and capabilities of the user, particularly in terms of safety and user experience. The structured and iterative nature of human-centered design can often present a challenge when design teams are faced with the necessary, rapid, product development life cycles associated with the competitive connected health industry. We wanted to derive a structured methodology that followed the principles of human-centered design that would allow designers and developers to ensure that the needs of the user are taken into account throughout the design process, while maintaining a rapid pace of development. In this paper, we present the methodology and its rationale before outlining how it was applied to assess and enhance the usability, human factors, and user experience of a connected health system known as the Wireless Insole for Independent and Safe Elderly Living (WIISEL) system, a system designed to continuously assess fall risk by measuring gait and balance parameters associated with fall risk. We derived a three-phase methodology. In Phase 1 we emphasized the construction of a use case document. This document can be used to detail the context of use of the system by utilizing storyboarding, paper prototypes, and mock-ups in conjunction with user interviews to gather insightful user feedback on different proposed concepts. In Phase 2 we emphasized the use of expert usability inspections such as heuristic evaluations and cognitive walkthroughs with small multidisciplinary groups to review the prototypes born out of the Phase 1 feedback. Finally, in Phase 3 we emphasized classical user testing with target end users, using various metrics to measure the user experience and improve the final prototypes. We report a successful implementation of the methodology for the design and development of a system for detecting and predicting falls in older adults. We describe in detail what testing and evaluation activities we carried out to effectively test the system and overcome usability and human factors problems. We feel this methodology can be applied to a wide variety of connected health devices and systems. We consider this a methodology that can be scaled to different-sized projects accordingly. ©Richard Harte, Liam Glynn, Alejandro Rodríguez-Molinero, Paul MA Baker, Thomas Scharf, Leo R Quinlan, Gearóid ÓLaighin. Originally published in JMIR Human Factors (http://humanfactors.jmir.org), 16.03.2017.

Smartphone Apps for Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation Training and Real Incident Support: A Mixed-Methods Evaluation Study

PubMed Central

Felzen, Marc; Rossaint, Rolf; Tabuenca, Bernardo; Specht, Marcus; Skorning, Max

2014-01-01

Background No systematic evaluation of smartphone/mobile apps for resuscitation training and real incident support is available to date. To provide medical, usability, and additional quality criteria for the development of apps, we conducted a mixed-methods sequential evaluation combining the perspective of medical experts and end-users. Objective The study aims to assess the quality of current mobile apps for cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) training and real incident support from expert as well as end-user perspective. Methods Two independent medical experts evaluated the medical content of CPR apps from the Google Play store and the Apple App store. The evaluation was based on pre-defined minimum medical content requirements according to current Basic Life Support (BLS) guidelines. In a second phase, non-medical end-users tested usability and appeal of the apps that had at least met the minimum requirements. Usability was assessed with the System Usability Scale (SUS); appeal was measured with the self-developed ReactionDeck toolkit. Results Out of 61 apps, 46 were included in the experts’ evaluation. A consolidated list of 13 apps resulted for the following layperson evaluation. The interrater reliability was substantial (kappa=.61). Layperson end-users (n=14) had a high interrater reliability (intraclass correlation 1 [ICC1]=.83, P<.001, 95% CI 0.75-0.882 and ICC2=.79, P<.001, 95% CI 0.695-0.869). Their evaluation resulted in a list of 5 recommendable apps. Conclusions Although several apps for resuscitation training and real incident support are available, very few are designed according to current BLS guidelines and offer an acceptable level of usability and hedonic quality for laypersons. The results of this study are intended to optimize the development of CPR mobile apps. The app ranking supports the informed selection of mobile apps for training situations and CPR campaigns as well as for real incident support. PMID:24647361

Smartphone apps for cardiopulmonary resuscitation training and real incident support: a mixed-methods evaluation study.

PubMed

Kalz, Marco; Lenssen, Niklas; Felzen, Marc; Rossaint, Rolf; Tabuenca, Bernardo; Specht, Marcus; Skorning, Max

2014-03-19

No systematic evaluation of smartphone/mobile apps for resuscitation training and real incident support is available to date. To provide medical, usability, and additional quality criteria for the development of apps, we conducted a mixed-methods sequential evaluation combining the perspective of medical experts and end-users. The study aims to assess the quality of current mobile apps for cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) training and real incident support from expert as well as end-user perspective. Two independent medical experts evaluated the medical content of CPR apps from the Google Play store and the Apple App store. The evaluation was based on pre-defined minimum medical content requirements according to current Basic Life Support (BLS) guidelines. In a second phase, non-medical end-users tested usability and appeal of the apps that had at least met the minimum requirements. Usability was assessed with the System Usability Scale (SUS); appeal was measured with the self-developed ReactionDeck toolkit. Out of 61 apps, 46 were included in the experts' evaluation. A consolidated list of 13 apps resulted for the following layperson evaluation. The interrater reliability was substantial (kappa=.61). Layperson end-users (n=14) had a high interrater reliability (intraclass correlation 1 [ICC1]=.83, P<.001, 95% CI 0.75-0.882 and ICC2=.79, P<.001, 95% CI 0.695-0.869). Their evaluation resulted in a list of 5 recommendable apps. Although several apps for resuscitation training and real incident support are available, very few are designed according to current BLS guidelines and offer an acceptable level of usability and hedonic quality for laypersons. The results of this study are intended to optimize the development of CPR mobile apps. The app ranking supports the informed selection of mobile apps for training situations and CPR campaigns as well as for real incident support.

Usability study of clinical exome analysis software: top lessons learned and recommendations.

PubMed

Shyr, Casper; Kushniruk, Andre; Wasserman, Wyeth W

2014-10-01

New DNA sequencing technologies have revolutionized the search for genetic disruptions. Targeted sequencing of all protein coding regions of the genome, called exome analysis, is actively used in research-oriented genetics clinics, with the transition to exomes as a standard procedure underway. This transition is challenging; identification of potentially causal mutation(s) amongst ∼10(6) variants requires specialized computation in combination with expert assessment. This study analyzes the usability of user interfaces for clinical exome analysis software. There are two study objectives: (1) To ascertain the key features of successful user interfaces for clinical exome analysis software based on the perspective of expert clinical geneticists, (2) To assess user-system interactions in order to reveal strengths and weaknesses of existing software, inform future design, and accelerate the clinical uptake of exome analysis. Surveys, interviews, and cognitive task analysis were performed for the assessment of two next-generation exome sequence analysis software packages. The subjects included ten clinical geneticists who interacted with the software packages using the "think aloud" method. Subjects' interactions with the software were recorded in their clinical office within an urban research and teaching hospital. All major user interface events (from the user interactions with the packages) were time-stamped and annotated with coding categories to identify usability issues in order to characterize desired features and deficiencies in the user experience. We detected 193 usability issues, the majority of which concern interface layout and navigation, and the resolution of reports. Our study highlights gaps in specific software features typical within exome analysis. The clinicians perform best when the flow of the system is structured into well-defined yet customizable layers for incorporation within the clinical workflow. The results highlight opportunities to dramatically accelerate clinician analysis and interpretation of patient genomic data. We present the first application of usability methods to evaluate software interfaces in the context of exome analysis. Our results highlight how the study of user responses can lead to identification of usability issues and challenges and reveal software reengineering opportunities for improving clinical next-generation sequencing analysis. While the evaluation focused on two distinctive software tools, the results are general and should inform active and future software development for genome analysis software. As large-scale genome analysis becomes increasingly common in healthcare, it is critical that efficient and effective software interfaces are provided to accelerate clinical adoption of the technology. Implications for improved design of such applications are discussed. Copyright © 2014 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Ten factors to consider when developing usability scenarios and tasks for health information technology.

PubMed

Russ, Alissa L; Saleem, Jason J

2018-02-01

The quality of usability testing is highly dependent upon the associated usability scenarios. To promote usability testing as part of electronic health record (EHR) certification, the Office of the National Coordinator (ONC) for Health Information Technology requires that vendors test specific capabilities of EHRs with clinical end-users and report their usability testing process - including the test scenarios used - along with the results. The ONC outlines basic expectations for usability testing, but there is little guidance in usability texts or scientific literature on how to develop usability scenarios for healthcare applications. The objective of this article is to outline key factors to consider when developing usability scenarios and tasks to evaluate computer-interface based health information technologies. To achieve this goal, we draw upon a decade of our experience conducting usability tests with a variety of healthcare applications and a wide range of end-users, to include healthcare professionals as well as patients. We discuss 10 key factors that influence scenario development: objectives of usability testing; roles of end-user(s); target performance goals; evaluation time constraints; clinical focus; fidelity; scenario-related bias and confounders; embedded probes; minimize risks to end-users; and healthcare related outcome measures. For each factor, we present an illustrative example. This article is intended to aid usability researchers and practitioners in their efforts to advance health information technologies. The article provides broad guidance on usability scenario development and can be applied to a wide range of clinical information systems and applications. Published by Elsevier Inc.

Usability flaws of medication-related alerting functions: A systematic qualitative review.

PubMed

Marcilly, Romaric; Ammenwerth, Elske; Vasseur, Francis; Roehrer, Erin; Beuscart-Zéphir, Marie-Catherine

2015-06-01

Medication-related alerting functions may include usability flaws that limit their optimal use. A first step on the way to preventing usability flaws is to understand the characteristics of these usability flaws. This systematic qualitative review aims to analyze the type of usability flaws found in medication-related alerting functions. Papers were searched via PubMed, Scopus and Ergonomics Abstracts databases, along with references lists. Paper selection, data extraction and data analysis was performed by two to three Human Factors experts. Meaningful semantic units representing instances of usability flaws were the main data extracted. They were analyzed through qualitative methods: categorization following general usability heuristics and through an inductive process for the flaws specific to medication-related alerting functions. From the 6380 papers initially identified, 26 met all eligibility criteria. The analysis of the papers identified a total of 168 instances of usability flaws that could be classified into 13 categories of usability flaws representing either violations of general usability principles (i.e. they could be found in any system, e.g. guidance and workload issues) or infractions specific to medication-related alerting functions. The latter refer to issues of low signal-to-noise ratio, incomplete content of alerts, transparency, presentation mode and timing, missing alert features, tasks and control distribution. The list of 168 instances of usability flaws of medication-related alerting functions provides a source of knowledge for checking the usability of medication-related alerting functions during their design and evaluation process and ultimately constructs evidence-based usability design principles for these functions. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Design and Development of a Linked Open Data-Based Health Information Representation and Visualization System: Potentials and Preliminary Evaluation

PubMed Central

Kauppinen, Tomi; Keßler, Carsten; Fritz, Fleur

2014-01-01

Background Healthcare organizations around the world are challenged by pressures to reduce cost, improve coordination and outcome, and provide more with less. This requires effective planning and evidence-based practice by generating important information from available data. Thus, flexible and user-friendly ways to represent, query, and visualize health data becomes increasingly important. International organizations such as the World Health Organization (WHO) regularly publish vital data on priority health topics that can be utilized for public health policy and health service development. However, the data in most portals is displayed in either Excel or PDF formats, which makes information discovery and reuse difficult. Linked Open Data (LOD)—a new Semantic Web set of best practice of standards to publish and link heterogeneous data—can be applied to the representation and management of public level health data to alleviate such challenges. However, the technologies behind building LOD systems and their effectiveness for health data are yet to be assessed. Objective The objective of this study is to evaluate whether Linked Data technologies are potential options for health information representation, visualization, and retrieval systems development and to identify the available tools and methodologies to build Linked Data-based health information systems. Methods We used the Resource Description Framework (RDF) for data representation, Fuseki triple store for data storage, and Sgvizler for information visualization. Additionally, we integrated SPARQL query interface for interacting with the data. We primarily use the WHO health observatory dataset to test the system. All the data were represented using RDF and interlinked with other related datasets on the Web of Data using Silk—a link discovery framework for Web of Data. A preliminary usability assessment was conducted following the System Usability Scale (SUS) method. Results We developed an LOD-based health information representation, querying, and visualization system by using Linked Data tools. We imported more than 20,000 HIV-related data elements on mortality, prevalence, incidence, and related variables, which are freely available from the WHO global health observatory database. Additionally, we automatically linked 5312 data elements from DBpedia, Bio2RDF, and LinkedCT using the Silk framework. The system users can retrieve and visualize health information according to their interests. For users who are not familiar with SPARQL queries, we integrated a Linked Data search engine interface to search and browse the data. We used the system to represent and store the data, facilitating flexible queries and different kinds of visualizations. The preliminary user evaluation score by public health data managers and users was 82 on the SUS usability measurement scale. The need to write queries in the interface was the main reported difficulty of LOD-based systems to the end user. Conclusions The system introduced in this article shows that current LOD technologies are a promising alternative to represent heterogeneous health data in a flexible and reusable manner so that they can serve intelligent queries, and ultimately support decision-making. However, the development of advanced text-based search engines is necessary to increase its usability especially for nontechnical users. Further research with large datasets is recommended in the future to unfold the potential of Linked Data and Semantic Web for future health information systems development. PMID:25601195

Design and development of a linked open data-based health information representation and visualization system: potentials and preliminary evaluation.

PubMed

Tilahun, Binyam; Kauppinen, Tomi; Keßler, Carsten; Fritz, Fleur

2014-10-25

Healthcare organizations around the world are challenged by pressures to reduce cost, improve coordination and outcome, and provide more with less. This requires effective planning and evidence-based practice by generating important information from available data. Thus, flexible and user-friendly ways to represent, query, and visualize health data becomes increasingly important. International organizations such as the World Health Organization (WHO) regularly publish vital data on priority health topics that can be utilized for public health policy and health service development. However, the data in most portals is displayed in either Excel or PDF formats, which makes information discovery and reuse difficult. Linked Open Data (LOD)-a new Semantic Web set of best practice of standards to publish and link heterogeneous data-can be applied to the representation and management of public level health data to alleviate such challenges. However, the technologies behind building LOD systems and their effectiveness for health data are yet to be assessed. The objective of this study is to evaluate whether Linked Data technologies are potential options for health information representation, visualization, and retrieval systems development and to identify the available tools and methodologies to build Linked Data-based health information systems. We used the Resource Description Framework (RDF) for data representation, Fuseki triple store for data storage, and Sgvizler for information visualization. Additionally, we integrated SPARQL query interface for interacting with the data. We primarily use the WHO health observatory dataset to test the system. All the data were represented using RDF and interlinked with other related datasets on the Web of Data using Silk-a link discovery framework for Web of Data. A preliminary usability assessment was conducted following the System Usability Scale (SUS) method. We developed an LOD-based health information representation, querying, and visualization system by using Linked Data tools. We imported more than 20,000 HIV-related data elements on mortality, prevalence, incidence, and related variables, which are freely available from the WHO global health observatory database. Additionally, we automatically linked 5312 data elements from DBpedia, Bio2RDF, and LinkedCT using the Silk framework. The system users can retrieve and visualize health information according to their interests. For users who are not familiar with SPARQL queries, we integrated a Linked Data search engine interface to search and browse the data. We used the system to represent and store the data, facilitating flexible queries and different kinds of visualizations. The preliminary user evaluation score by public health data managers and users was 82 on the SUS usability measurement scale. The need to write queries in the interface was the main reported difficulty of LOD-based systems to the end user. The system introduced in this article shows that current LOD technologies are a promising alternative to represent heterogeneous health data in a flexible and reusable manner so that they can serve intelligent queries, and ultimately support decision-making. However, the development of advanced text-based search engines is necessary to increase its usability especially for nontechnical users. Further research with large datasets is recommended in the future to unfold the potential of Linked Data and Semantic Web for future health information systems development.

Enhancing the Usability of an Optical Reader System to Support Point-of-Care Rapid Diagnostic Testing: An Iterative Design Approach.

PubMed

Hohenstein, Jess; O'Dell, Dakota; Murnane, Elizabeth L; Lu, Zhengda; Erickson, David; Gay, Geri

2017-11-21

In today's health care environment, increasing costs and inadequate medical resources have created a worldwide need for more affordable diagnostic tools that are also portable, fast, and easy to use. To address this issue, numerous research and commercial efforts have focused on developing rapid diagnostic technologies; however, the efficacy of existing systems has been hindered by usability problems or high production costs, making them infeasible for deployment in at-home, point-of-care (POC), or resource-limited settings. The aim of this study was to create a low-cost optical reader system that integrates with any smart device and accepts any type of rapid diagnostic test strip to provide fast and accurate data collection, sample analysis, and diagnostic result reporting. An iterative design methodology was employed by a multidisciplinary research team to engineer three versions of a portable diagnostic testing device that were evaluated for usability and overall user receptivity. Repeated design critiques and usability studies identified a number of system requirements and considerations (eg, software compatibility, biomatter contamination, and physical footprint) that we worked to incrementally incorporate into successive system variants. Our final design phase culminated in the development of Tidbit, a reader that is compatible with any Wi-Fi-enabled device and test strip format. The Tidbit includes various features that support intuitive operation, including a straightforward test strip insertion point, external indicator lights, concealed electronic components, and an asymmetric shape, which inherently signals correct device orientation. Usability testing of the Tidbit indicates high usability for potential user communities. This study presents the design process, specification, and user reception of the Tidbit, an inexpensive, easy-to-use, portable optical reader for fast, accurate quantification of rapid diagnostic test results. Usability testing suggests that the reader is usable among and can benefit a wide group of potential users, including in POC contexts. Generally, the methodology of this study demonstrates the importance of testing these types of systems with potential users and exemplifies how iterative design processes can be employed by multidisciplinary research teams to produce compelling technological solutions. ©Jess Hohenstein, Dakota O'Dell, Elizabeth L Murnane, Zhengda Lu, David Erickson, Geri Gay. Originally published in JMIR Human Factors (http://humanfactors.jmir.org), 21.11.2017.

Example of a Human Factors Engineering approach to a medication administration work system: potential impact on patient safety.

PubMed

Beuscart-Zéphir, Marie-Catherine; Pelayo, Sylvia; Bernonville, Stéphanie

2010-04-01

The objectives of this paper are: In this approach, the implementation of such a complex IT solution is considered a major redesign of the work system. The paper describes the Human Factor (HF) tasks embedded in the project lifecycle: (1) analysis and modelling of the current work system and usability assessment of the medication CPOE solution; (2) HF recommendations for work re-design and usability recommendations for IT system re-engineering both aiming at a safer and more efficient work situation. Standard ethnographic methods were used to support the analysis of the current work system and work situations, coupled with cognitive task analysis methods and documents review. Usability inspection (heuristic evaluation) and both in-lab (simulated tasks) and on-site (real tasks) usability tests were performed for the evaluation of the CPOE candidate. Adapted software engineering models were used in combination with usual textual descriptions, tasks models and mock-ups to support the recommendations for work and product re-design. The analysis of the work situations identified different work organisations and procedures across the hospital's departments. The most important differences concerned the doctor-nurse communications and cooperation modes and the procedures for preparing and administering the medications. The assessment of the medication CPOE functions uncovered a number of usability problems including severe ones leading to impossible to detect or to catch errors. Models of the actual and possible distribution of tasks and roles were used to support decision making in the work design process. The results of the usability assessment were translated into requirements to support the necessary re-engineering of the IT application. The HFE approach to medication CPOE efficiently identifies and distinguishes currently unsafe or uncomfortable work situations that could obviously benefit from an IT solution from other work situations incorporating efficient work procedures that might be impaired by the implementation of the CPOE. In this context, a careful redesign of the work situation and of the entire work system is necessary to actually benefit from the installation of the product in terms of patient safety and human performances. In parallel, a usability assessment of the product to be implemented is mandatory to identify potentially dangerous usability flaws and to fix them before the installation. (c) 2009 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

APRN Usability Testing of a Tailored Computer-Mediated Health Communication Program

PubMed Central

Lin, Carolyn A.; Neafsey, Patricia J.; Anderson, Elizabeth

2010-01-01

This study tested the usability of a touch-screen enabled “Personal Education Program” (PEP) with Advanced Practice Registered Nurses (APRN). The PEP is designed to enhance medication adherence and reduce adverse self-medication behaviors in older adults with hypertension. An iterative research process was employed, which involved the use of: (1) pre-trial focus groups to guide the design of system information architecture, (2) two different cycles of think-aloud trials to test the software interface, and (3) post-trial focus groups to gather feedback on the think-aloud studies. Results from this iterative usability testing process were utilized to systematically modify and improve the three PEP prototype versions—the pilot, Prototype-1 and Prototype-2. Findings contrasting the two separate think-aloud trials showed that APRN users rated the PEP system usability, system information and system-use satisfaction at a moderately high level between trials. In addition, errors using the interface were reduced by 76 percent and the interface time was reduced by 18.5 percent between the two trials. The usability testing processes employed in this study ensured an interface design adapted to APRNs' needs and preferences to allow them to effectively utilize the computer-mediated health-communication technology in a clinical setting. PMID:19940619

77 FR 8217 - Evaluating the Usability of Electronic Health Record (EHR) Systems

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2012-02-14

... interface design guidelines for EHRs. Manufacturers interested in participating in this research will be... the usability of health information technology (HIT) systems. NIST research is designed to: (1... develop performance-oriented user interface design guidelines for EHRs, and a framework for assessing the...

Usability of light-emitting diodes in precision approach path indicator systems by individuals with marginal color vision.

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

2014-05-01

To save energy, the FAA is planning to convert from incandescent lights to light-emitting diodes (LEDs) in : precision approach path indicator (PAPI) systems. Preliminary work on the usability of LEDs by color vision-waivered pilots (Bullough, Skinne...

Promise Fulfilled? An EBSCO Discovery Service Usability Study

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Williams, Sarah C.; Foster, Anita K.

2011-01-01

Discovery tools are the next phase of library search systems. Illinois State University's Milner Library implemented EBSCO Discovery Service in August 2010. The authors conducted usability studies on the system in the fall of 2010. The aims of the study were twofold: first, to determine how Milner users set about using the system in order to…

Usability Testing of Two Ambulatory EHR Navigators.

PubMed

Hultman, Gretchen; Marquard, Jenna; Arsoniadis, Elliot; Mink, Pamela; Rizvi, Rubina; Ramer, Tim; Khairat, Saif; Fickau, Keri; Melton, Genevieve B

2016-01-01

Despite widespread electronic health record (EHR) adoption, poor EHR system usability continues to be a significant barrier to effective system use for end users. One key to addressing usability problems is to employ user testing and user-centered design. To understand if redesigning an EHR-based navigation tool with clinician input improved user performance and satisfaction. A usability evaluation was conducted to compare two versions of a redesigned ambulatory navigator. Participants completed tasks for five patient cases using the navigators, while employing a think-aloud protocol. The tasks were based on Meaningful Use (MU) requirements. The version of navigator did not affect perceived workload, and time to complete tasks was longer in the redesigned navigator. A relatively small portion of navigator content was used to complete the MU-related tasks, though navigation patterns were highly variable across participants for both navigators. Preferences for EHR navigation structures appeared to be individualized. This study demonstrates the importance of EHR usability assessments to evaluate group and individual performance of different interfaces and preferences for each design.

Usability and accessibility in consumer health informatics current trends and future challenges.

PubMed

Goldberg, Larry; Lide, Bettijoyce; Lowry, Svetlana; Massett, Holly A; O'Connell, Trisha; Preece, Jennifer; Quesenbery, Whitney; Shneiderman, Ben

2011-05-01

It is a truism that, for innovative eHealth systems to have true value and impact, they must first and foremost be usable and accessible by clinicians, consumers, and other stakeholders. In this paper, current trends and future challenges in the usability and accessibility of consumer health informatics will be described. Consumer expectations of their healthcare providers and healthcare records in this new era of consumer-directed care will be explored, and innovative visualizations, assistive technologies, and other ways that healthcare information is currently being provided and/or shared will be described. Challenges for ensuring the usability of current and future systems will also be discussed. An innovative model for conducting systematic, timely, user-centered research on consumer-facing websites at the National Cancer Institute (NCI) and the ongoing efforts at the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) to promote health information technology (HIT) usability standards and evaluation criteria will also be presented. Copyright © 2011 American Journal of Preventive Medicine. All rights reserved.

Evaluation of a BCMA’s Electronic Medication Administration Record

PubMed Central

Staggers, Nancy; Iribarren, Sarah; Guo, Jia-Wen; Weir, Charlene

2015-01-01

Barcode medication administration (BCMA) systems can reduce medication errors, but sociotechnical issues are quite common. Although crucial to nurses’ work, few usability evaluations are available for electronic medication administration record screens (eMARs). The purpose of this research was to identify current usability problems in the VA’s eMAR/BCMA system and explore how these might impact nurses’ situation awareness. Three expert evaluators used 10 tasks/elements, heuristic evaluation techniques and explored potential impacts using a situation awareness perspective. The results yielded 99 usability problems categorized into 440 heuristic violations with the largest volume in the category of Match with the Real World. Fifteen usability issues were rated as catastrophic with the Administer/Chart medications task having the most. Situational awareness was impacted at all levels, especially at Level 2, Comprehension. Usability problems point to important areas for improvement because these issues have the potential to impact nurses’ situation awareness, “at a glance” information, nurse productivity and patient safety. PMID:25601936

Developing and Validation a Usability Evaluation Tools for Distance Education Websites: Persian Version

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hafezi, Soheila; Farahi, Ahmad; Mehri, Soheil Najafi; Mahmoodi, Hosein

2010-01-01

The web is playing a central role in distance education. The word "usability" is usually synonymous with functionality of the system for the user. Also, usability of a website is defined as something that can be used by a specific group of people to carry out specific objectives in an effective way, with efficiency and satisfaction.…

Facilitating Energy Savings through Enhanced Usability of Thermostats

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Meier, Alan; Aragon, Cecilia; Peffer, Therese

2011-05-23

Residential thermostats play a key role in controlling heating and cooling systems. Occupants often find the controls of programmable thermostats confusing, sometimes leading to higher heating consumption than when the buildings are controlled manually. A high degree of usability is vital to a programmable thermostat's effectiveness because, unlike a more efficient heating system, occupants must engage in specific actions after installation to obtain energy savings. We developed a procedure for measuring the usability of thermostats and tested this methodology with 31 subjects on five thermostats. The procedure requires first identifying representative tasks associated with the device and then testing themore » subjects ability to accomplish those tasks. The procedure was able to demonstrate the subjects wide ability to accomplish tasks and the influence of a device's usability on success rates. A metric based on the time to accomplish the tasks and the fraction of subjects actually completing the tasks captured the key aspects of each thermostat's usability. The procedure was recently adopted by the Energy Star Program for its thermostat specification. The approach appears suitable for quantifying usability of controls in other products, such as heat pump water heaters and commercial lighting.« less

An appraisal of published usability evaluations of electronic health records via systematic review.

PubMed

Ellsworth, Marc A; Dziadzko, Mikhail; O'Horo, John C; Farrell, Ann M; Zhang, Jiajie; Herasevich, Vitaly

2017-01-01

In this systematic review, we aimed to evaluate methodological and reporting trends present in the current literature by investigating published usability studies of electronic health records (EHRs). A literature search was conducted for articles published through January 2015 using MEDLINE (Ovid), EMBASE, Scopus, and Web of Science, supplemented by citation and reference list reviews. Studies were included if they tested the usability of hospital and clinic EHR systems in the inpatient, outpatient, emergency department, or operating room setting. A total of 4848 references were identified for title and abstract screening. Full text screening was performed for 197 articles, with 120 meeting the criteria for study inclusion. A review of the literature demonstrates a paucity of quality published studies describing scientifically valid and reproducible usability evaluations at various stages of EHR system development. A lack of formal and standardized reporting of EHR usability evaluation results is a major contributor to this knowledge gap, and efforts to improve this deficiency will be one step of moving the field of usability engineering forward. © The Author 2016. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the American Medical Informatics Association. All rights reserved. For Permissions, please email: journals.permissions@oup.com.

Effect of a mixed reality-based intervention on arm, hand, and finger function on chronic stroke.

PubMed

Colomer, Carolina; Llorens, Roberto; Noé, Enrique; Alcañiz, Mariano

2016-05-11

Virtual and mixed reality systems have been suggested to promote motor recovery after stroke. Basing on the existing evidence on motor learning, we have developed a portable and low-cost mixed reality tabletop system that transforms a conventional table in a virtual environment for upper limb rehabilitation. The system allows intensive and customized training of a wide range of arm, hand, and finger movements and enables interaction with tangible objects, while providing audiovisual feedback of the participants' performance in gamified tasks. This study evaluates the clinical effectiveness and the acceptance of an experimental intervention with the system in chronic stroke survivors. Thirty individuals with stroke were included in a reversal (A-B-A) study. Phase A consisted of 30 sessions of conventional physical therapy. Phase B consisted of 30 training sessions with the experimental system. Both interventions involved flexion and extension of the elbow, wrist, and fingers, and grasping of different objects. Sessions were 45-min long and were administered three to five days a week. The body structures (Modified Ashworth Scale), functions (Motricity Index, Fugl-Meyer Assessment Scale), activities (Manual Function Test, Wolf Motor Function Test, Box and Blocks Test, Nine Hole Peg Test), and participation (Motor Activity Log) were assessed before and after each phase. Acceptance of the system was also assessed after phase B (System Usability Scale, Intrinsic Motivation Inventory). Significant improvement was detected after the intervention with the system in the activity, both in arm function measured by the Wolf Motor Function Test (p < 0.01) and finger dexterity measured by the Box and Blocks Test (p < 0.01) and the Nine Hole Peg Test (p < 0.01); and participation (p < 0.01), which was maintained to the end of the study. The experimental system was reported as highly usable, enjoyable, and motivating. Our results support the clinical effectiveness of mixed reality interventions that satisfy the motor learning principles for upper limb rehabilitation in chronic stroke survivors. This characteristic, together with the low cost of the system, its portability, and its acceptance could promote the integration of these systems in the clinical practice as an alternative to more expensive systems, such as robotic instruments.

Development of the Telehealth Usability Questionnaire (TUQ).

PubMed

Parmanto, Bambang; Lewis, Allen Nelson; Graham, Kristin M; Bertolet, Marnie H

2016-01-01

Current telehealth usability questionnaires are designed primarily for older technologies, where telehealth interaction is conducted over dedicated videoconferencing applications. However, telehealth services are increasingly conducted over computer-based systems that rely on commercial software and a user supplied computer interface. Therefore, a usability questionnaire that addresses the changes in telehealth service delivery and technology is needed. The Telehealth Usability Questionnaire (TUQ) was developed to evaluate the usability of telehealth implementation and services. This paper addresses: (1) the need for a new measure of telehealth usability, (2) the development of the TUQ, (3) intended uses for the TUQ, and (4) the reliability of the TUQ. Analyses indicate that the TUQ is a solid, robust, and versatile measure that can be used to measure the quality of the computer-based user interface and the quality of the telehealth interaction and services.

Web-Based Cognitive Behavioral Relapse Prevention Program With Tailored Feedback for People With Methamphetamine and Other Drug Use Problems: Development and Usability Study.

PubMed

Takano, Ayumi; Miyamoto, Yuki; Kawakami, Norito; Matsumoto, Toshihiko

2016-01-06

Although drug abuse has been a serious public health concern, there have been problems with implementation of treatment for drug users in Japan because of poor accessibility to treatment, concerns about stigma and confidentiality, and costs. Therapeutic interventions using the Internet and computer technologies could improve this situation and provide more feasible and acceptable approaches. The objective of the study was to show how we developed a pilot version of a new Web-based cognitive behavioral relapse prevention program with tailored feedback to assist people with drug problems and assessed its acceptance and usability. We developed the pilot program based on existing face-to-face relapse prevention approaches using an open source Web application to build an e-learning website, including relapse prevention sessions with videos, exercises, a diary function, and self-monitoring. When users submitted exercise answers and their diary, researchers provided them with personalized feedback comments using motivational interviewing skills. People diagnosed with drug dependence were recruited in this pilot study from a psychiatric outpatient ward and nonprofit rehabilitation facilities and usability was evaluated using Internet questionnaires. Overall, website usability was assessed by the Web Usability Scale. The adequacy of procedures in the program, ease of use, helpfulness of content, and adverse effects, for example, drug craving, mental distress, were assessed by original structured questionnaires and descriptive form questions. In total, 10 people participated in the study and completed the baseline assessment, 60% completed all relapse prevention sessions within the expected period. The time needed to complete one session was about 60 minutes and most of the participants took 2 days to complete the session. Overall website usability was good, with reasonable scores on subscales of the Web Usability Scale. The participants felt that the relapse prevention sessions were easy to use and helpful, but that the length of the videos was too long. The participant who until recently used drugs was satisfied with the self-monitoring, but others that had already maintained abstinence for more than a year felt this activity was unhelpful and were bored tracking and recording information on daily drug use. Feedback comments from researchers enhanced participants' motivation and further insight into the disease. Serious adverse effects caused by the intervention were not observed. Some possible improvements to the program were suggested. The Web-based relapse prevention program was easy to use and acceptable to drug users in this study. This program will be helpful for drug users who do not receive behavioral therapy. After the pilot program is revised, further large-scale research is needed to assess its efficacy among drug users who have recently used drugs.

Implant technology and usability.

PubMed

Meadows, Paul M

2008-08-01

Implanted electrical stimulation technology has changed greatly in the roughly five decades of its existence. Many factors determine the viability of the technology and whether the systems and products developed ultimately go on to help the target patient population. This article describes the successful introduction of an implanted system and the challenges to implanted system development, acceptance, and usability of these systems by the patient and clinical communities.

Usability Evaluation of a Web-Based Symptom Monitoring Application for Heart Failure.

PubMed

Wakefield, Bonnie; Pham, Kassie; Scherubel, Melody

2015-07-01

Symptom recognition and reporting by patients with heart failure are critical to avoid hospitalization. This project evaluated a patient symptom tracking application. Fourteen end users (nine patients, five clinicians) from a Midwestern Veterans Affairs Medical Center evaluated the website using a think aloud protocol. A structured observation protocol was used to assess success or failure for each task. Measures included task time, success, and satisfaction. Patients had a mean age of 70 years; clinicians averaged 42 years in age. Patients took 9.3 min and clinicians took less than 3 min per scenario. Most patients needed some assistance, but few patients were completely unable to complete some tasks. Clinicians demonstrated few problems navigating the site. Patient System Usability Scale item scores ranged from 2.0 to 3.6; clinician item scores ranged from 1.8 to 4.0. Further work is needed to determine whether using the web-based tool improves symptom recognition and reporting. © The Author(s) 2015.

The use of think-aloud and instant data analysis in evaluation research: Exemplar and lessons learned.

PubMed

Joe, Jonathan; Chaudhuri, Shomir; Le, Thai; Thompson, Hilaire; Demiris, George

2015-08-01

While health information technologies have become increasingly popular, many have not been formally tested to ascertain their usability. Traditional rigorous methods take significant amounts of time and manpower to evaluate the usability of a system. In this paper, we evaluate the use of instant data analysis (IDA) as developed by Kjeldskov et al. to perform usability testing on a tool designed for older adults and caregivers. The IDA method is attractive because it takes significantly less time and manpower than the traditional usability testing methods. In this paper we demonstrate how IDA was used to evaluate usability of a multifunctional wellness tool, discuss study results and lessons learned while using this method. We also present findings from an extension of the method which allows the grouping of similar usability problems in an efficient manner. We found that the IDA method is a quick, relatively easy approach to identifying and ranking usability issues among health information technologies. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Getting a Technology-based Diabetes Intervention Ready for Primetime: A Review of Usability Testing Studies

PubMed Central

Lyles, Courtney R.; Sarkar, Urmimala; Osborn, Chandra Y.

2014-01-01

Consumer health technologies can educate patients about diabetes and support their self-management, yet usability evidence is rarely published even though it determines patient engagement, optimal benefit of any intervention, and an understanding of generalizability. Therefore, we conducted a narrative review of peer-reviewed articles published from 2009–2013 that tested the usability of a web- or mobile-delivered system/application designed to educate and support patients with diabetes. Overall, the 23 papers included in our review used mixed (n=11), descriptive quantitative (n=9), and qualitative methods (n=3) to assess usability, such as documenting which features performed as intended and how patients rated their experiences. More sophisticated usability evaluations combined several complementary approaches to elucidate more aspects of functionality. Future work pertaining to the design and evaluation of technology-delivered diabetes education/support interventions should aim to standardize the usability testing processes, and publish usability findings to inform interpretation of why an intervention succeeded or failed, and for whom. PMID:25173689

Tree Testing of Hierarchical Menu Structures for Health Applications

PubMed Central

Le, Thai; Chaudhuri, Shomir; Chung, Jane; Thompson, Hilaire J; Demiris, George

2014-01-01

To address the need for greater evidence-based evaluation of Health Information Technology (HIT) systems we introduce a method of usability testing termed tree testing. In a tree test, participants are presented with an abstract hierarchical tree of the system taxonomy and asked to navigate through the tree in completing representative tasks. We apply tree testing to a commercially available health application, demonstrating a use case and providing a comparison with more traditional in-person usability testing methods. Online tree tests (N=54) and in-person usability tests (N=15) were conducted from August to September 2013. Tree testing provided a method to quantitatively evaluate the information structure of a system using various navigational metrics including completion time, task accuracy, and path length. The results of the analyses compared favorably to the results seen from the traditional usability test. Tree testing provides a flexible, evidence-based approach for researchers to evaluate the information structure of HITs. In addition, remote tree testing provides a quick, flexible, and high volume method of acquiring feedback in a structured format that allows for quantitative comparisons. With the diverse nature and often large quantities of health information available, addressing issues of terminology and concept classifications during the early development process of a health information system will improve navigation through the system and save future resources. Tree testing is a usability method that can be used to quickly and easily assess information hierarchy of health information systems. PMID:24582924

An eHealth Application of Self-Reported Sports-Related Injuries and Illnesses in Paralympic Sport: Pilot Feasibility and Usability Study.

PubMed

Fagher, Kristina; Jacobsson, Jenny; Dahlström, Örjan; Timpka, Toomas; Lexell, Jan

2017-11-29

Sport participation is associated with a risk of sports-related injuries and illnesses, and Paralympic athletes' additional medical issues can be a challenge to health care providers and medical staff. However, few prospective studies have assessed sports-related injuries and illnesses in Paralympic sport (SRIIPS) over time. Advances in mobile phone technology and networking systems offer novel opportunities to develop innovative eHealth applications for collection of athletes' self-reports. Using eHealth applications for collection of self-reported SRIIPS is an unexplored area, and before initiation of full-scale research of SRIIPS, the feasibility and usability of such an approach needs to be ascertained. The aim of this study was to perform a 4-week pilot study and (1) evaluate the monitoring feasibility and system usability of a novel eHealth application for self-reported SRIIPS and (2) report preliminary data on SRIIPS. An eHealth application for routine collection of data from athletes was developed and adapted to Paralympic athletes. A 4-week pilot study was performed where Paralympic athletes (n=28) were asked to weekly self-report sport exposure, training load, general well-being, pain, sleep, anxiety, and possible SRIIPS. The data collection was followed by a poststudy use assessment survey. Quantitative data related to the system use (eg, completed self-reports, missing responses, and errors) were analyzed using descriptive statistics. The qualitative feasibility and usability data provided by the athletes were condensed and categorized using thematic analysis methods. The weekly response rate was 95%. The athletes were of the opinion that the eHealth application was usable and feasible but stated that it was not fully adapted to Paralympic athletes and their impairments. For example, it was difficult to understand how a new injury or illness should be identified when the impairment was involved. More survey items related to the impairments were requested, as the athletes perceived that injuries and illnesses often occurred because of the impairment. Options for description of multifactorial incidents including an injury, an illness, and the impairment were also insufficient. Few technical issues were encountered, but athletes with visual impairment reported usability difficulties with the speech synthesizer. An incidence rate of 1.8 injuries and 1.7 illnesses per 100 hours of athlete exposure were recorded. The weekly pain prevalence was 56% and the impairment contributed to 20% of the reported incidents. The novel eHealth-based application for self-reported SRIIPS developed and tested in this pilot study was generally feasible and usable. With some adaptation to accommodate Paralympic athletes' prerequisites and improved technical support for athletes with visual impairment, this application can be recommended for use in prospective studies of SRIIPS. ClinicalTrials.gov NCT02788500; https://clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT02788500 (Archived by WebCite at http://www.webcitation.org/6v56OqTeP). ©Kristina Fagher, Jenny Jacobsson, Örjan Dahlström, Toomas Timpka, Jan Lexell. Originally published in JMIR Human Factors (http://humanfactors.jmir.org), 29.11.2017.

Aeronomy report no. 74: The Urbana meteor-radar system; design, development, and first observations

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Hess, G. C.; Geller, M. A.

1976-01-01

The design, development, and first observations of a high power meteor-radar system located near Urbana, Illinois are described. The roughly five-fold increase in usable echo rate compared to other facilities, along with automated digital data processing and interferometry measurement of echo arrival angles, permits unsurpassed observations of tidal structure and shorter period waves. Such observations are discussed. The technique of using echo decay rates to infer density and scale height and the method of inferring wind shear from radial acceleration are examined. An original experiment to test a theory of the Delta-region winter anomaly is presented.

Usability Evaluation at the Point-of-Care: A Method to Identify User Information Needs in CPOE Applications

PubMed Central

Washburn, Jeff; Fiol, Guilherme Del; Rocha, Roberto A.

2006-01-01

Point of care usability evaluation may help identify information needs that occur during the process of providing care. We describe the process of using usability-specific recording software to record Computerized Physician Order Entry (CPOE) ordering sessions on admitted adult and pediatric patients at two urban tertiary hospitals in the Intermountain Healthcare system of hospitals. PMID:17238756

An investigation of the efficacy of collaborative virtual reality systems for moderated remote usability testing.

PubMed

Chalil Madathil, Kapil; Greenstein, Joel S

2017-11-01

Collaborative virtual reality-based systems have integrated high fidelity voice-based communication, immersive audio and screen-sharing tools into virtual environments. Such three-dimensional collaborative virtual environments can mirror the collaboration among usability test participants and facilitators when they are physically collocated, potentially enabling moderated usability tests to be conducted effectively when the facilitator and participant are located in different places. We developed a virtual collaborative three-dimensional remote moderated usability testing laboratory and employed it in a controlled study to evaluate the effectiveness of moderated usability testing in a collaborative virtual reality-based environment with two other moderated usability testing methods: the traditional lab approach and Cisco WebEx, a web-based conferencing and screen sharing approach. Using a mixed methods experimental design, 36 test participants and 12 test facilitators were asked to complete representative tasks on a simulated online shopping website. The dependent variables included the time taken to complete the tasks; the usability defects identified and their severity; and the subjective ratings on the workload index, presence and satisfaction questionnaires. Remote moderated usability testing methodology using a collaborative virtual reality system performed similarly in terms of the total number of defects identified, the number of high severity defects identified and the time taken to complete the tasks with the other two methodologies. The overall workload experienced by the test participants and facilitators was the least with the traditional lab condition. No significant differences were identified for the workload experienced with the virtual reality and the WebEx conditions. However, test participants experienced greater involvement and a more immersive experience in the virtual environment than in the WebEx condition. The ratings for the virtual environment condition were not significantly different from those for the traditional lab condition. The results of this study suggest that participants were productive and enjoyed the virtual lab condition, indicating the potential of a virtual world based approach as an alternative to conventional approaches for synchronous usability testing. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Construction and Validation of a Professional Suitability Scale for Social Work Practice

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Tam, Dora M. Y.; Coleman, Heather

2009-01-01

This article reports on the construction and validation of a professional suitability scale, designed for assessing students' suitability for social work practice. Data were collected from 188 field supervisors who provided usable questionnaires, representing a response rate of 74%. Construct validation by exploratory factor analysis identified a…

Development of a personal digital assistant-based wireless application in clinical practice.

PubMed

Chen, Yen-Cheng; Chiu, Hou-Chang; Tsai, Ming-Dar; Chang, Hang; Chong, Chee-Fah

2007-02-01

Our study aims to develop a personal digital assistant (PDA)-based wireless application in medical information processing by using Bluetooth and IEEE 802.11b wireless standards and SyncML codes. In this study, an "integrated database access module" is used to provide a unified integrated access interface while consistency of wireless data transmission is achieved by using the standardized SyncML protocol. A prototype of the system has been developed, implemented, and tested for its mobility, usability, stability, and performance with questionnaire survey. Response time for browsing/searching was usually less than 3s. The average time intervals needed for data transmissions were 68.6+/-8.5s for Bluetooth and 47.0+/-4.8s for 802.11b. The five-point Likert scale (from 1=least to 5=most) questionnaire survey of 30 medical professionals yielded a high degree of satisfaction with the system's mobility (4.18+/-0.89), usability (4.69+/-0.90), stability (3.81+/-0.94), and performance (3.97+/-0.88). The results of our study suggested that PDA applications which exploit wireless communication are convenient and feasible in clinical practice.

How Usability Testing Resulted in Improvements to Ground Collision Software for General Aviation: Improved Ground Collision Avoidance System (IGCAS)

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Lamarr, Michael; Chinske, Chris; Williams, Ethan; Law, Cameron; Skoog, Mark; Sorokowski, Paul

2016-01-01

The NASA improved Ground Collision Avoidance System (iGCAS) team conducted an onsite usability study at Experimental Aircraft Association (EAA) Air Venture in Oshkosh, Wisconsin from July 19 through July 26, 2015. EAA Air Venture had approximately 550,000 attendees from which the sample pool of pilots were selected. The objectives of this study were to assess the overall appropriateness and acceptability of iGCAS as a warning system for General Aviation aircraft, usability of the iGCAS displays and audio cues, test terrain avoidance characteristics, performance, functionality, pilot response time, and correlate terrain avoidance performance and pilot response time data.

Evaluation of a Telerehabilitation System for Community-Based Rehabilitation

PubMed Central

Schutte, Jamie; Gales, Sara; Filippone, Ashlee; Saptono, Andi; Parmanto, Bambang; McCue, Michael

2012-01-01

The use of web-based portals, while increasing in popularity in the fields of medicine and research, are rarely reported on in community-based rehabilitation programs. A program within the Pennsylvania Office of Vocational Rehabilitation’s Hiram G. Andrews Center, the Cognitive Skills Enhancement Program (CSEP), sought to enhance organization of program and participant information and communication between part- and full-time employees, supervisors and consultants. A telerehabilitation system was developed consisting of (1) a web-based portal to support a variety of clinical activities, and (2) the Versatile Integrated System for Telerehabilitation (VISYTER) video-conferencing system to support the collaboration and delivery of rehabilitation services remotely. This descriptive evaluation examines the usability of the telerehabilitation system incorporating both the portal and VISYTER. Telerehabilitation system users include CSEP staff members from three geographical locations and employed by two institutions. The IBM After-Scenario Questionnaire (ASQ) and Post-Study System Usability Questionnaire (PSSUQ), the Telehealth Usability Questionnaire (TUQ), and two demographic surveys were administered to gather both objective and subjective information. Results showed generally high levels of usability. Users commented that the telerehabilitation system improved communication, increased access to information, improved speed of completing tasks, and had an appealing interface. Areas where users would like to see improvements, including ease of accessing/editing documents and searching for information, are discussed. PMID:25945193

Design and usability study of an iconic user interface to ease information retrieval of medical guidelines.

PubMed

Griffon, Nicolas; Kerdelhué, Gaétan; Hamek, Saliha; Hassler, Sylvain; Boog, César; Lamy, Jean-Baptiste; Duclos, Catherine; Venot, Alain; Darmoni, Stéfan J

2014-10-01

Doc'CISMeF (DC) is a semantic search engine used to find resources in CISMeF-BP, a quality controlled health gateway, which gathers guidelines available on the internet in French. Visualization of Concepts in Medicine (VCM) is an iconic language that may ease information retrieval tasks. This study aimed to describe the creation and evaluation of an interface integrating VCM in DC in order to make this search engine much easier to use. Focus groups were organized to suggest ways to enhance information retrieval tasks using VCM in DC. A VCM interface was created and improved using the ergonomic evaluation approach. 20 physicians were recruited to compare the VCM interface with the non-VCM one. Each evaluator answered two different clinical scenarios in each interface. The ability and time taken to select a relevant resource were recorded and compared. A usability analysis was performed using the System Usability Scale (SUS). The VCM interface contains a filter based on icons, and icons describing each resource according to focus group recommendations. Some ergonomic issues were resolved before evaluation. Use of VCM significantly increased the success of information retrieval tasks (OR=11; 95% CI 1.4 to 507). Nonetheless, it took significantly more time to find a relevant resource with VCM interface (101 vs 65 s; p=0.02). SUS revealed 'good' usability with an average score of 74/100. VCM was successfully implemented in DC as an option. It increased the success rate of information retrieval tasks, despite requiring slightly more time, and was well accepted by end-users. Published by the BMJ Publishing Group Limited. For permission to use (where not already granted under a licence) please go to http://group.bmj.com/group/rights-licensing/permissions.

Telephone-Based Mindfulness Therapy Intervention for Patients with Chronic Pancreatitis.

PubMed

Aivaliotis, Vasiliki Irene; Lee, Yvonne; Zia, Jasmine; Wassef, Wahid; Abramson, Mark; Park, Walter

2017-02-01

Patients with chronic pancreatitis (CP) have substantially impaired quality of life (QOL) both physically and mentally. Mindfulness therapy is a form of treatment that has been shown to be beneficial in many medical conditions but has not been evaluated in the CP patient population. The aims of this study were (1) to test the feasibility and usability of a novel telephone-based mindfulness therapy service for patients with CP and (2) to determine whether there was any effect on CP quality of life. We recruited ten patients with suspected or confirmed CP and five controls who were asked to utilize our telephone-based mindfulness therapy service daily for 28 days. Feasibility of the service was defined as the fraction of subjects with a ≥50% compliance rate. Usability was assessed using a System Usability Scale (SUS). QOL was evaluated using the SF-36 questionnaire and the Pancreatitis Quality of Life Instrument (PANQOLI). Paired t tests were used to compare the SF-36 and PANQOLI pre- and post-intervention. There was an overall compliance rate of 67%. The mean SUS score for all participants was 79.3, above the average published score of 68. Results showed a significant improvement in the SF-36 Mental Component Summary scores after 28 days of mindfulness therapy for patients with CP, t(9) = 2.48, p = 0.035. There was also a significant improvement in the mean total PANQOLI scores in CP patients, t(9) = 2.41, p = 0.04, most notably in the social domain. Our telephone-based mindfulness therapy service represents a feasible and easily usable treatment adjunct for patients with CP, which may provide benefit in QOL by improving mental health-related domains.

Development and user evaluation of a virtual rehabilitation system for wobble board balance training.

PubMed

Fitzgerald, Diarmaid; Trakarnratanakul, Nanthana; Dunne, Lucy; Smyth, Barry; Caulfield, Brian

2008-01-01

We have developed a prototype virtual reality-based balance training system using a single inertial orientation sensor attached to the upper surface of a wobble board. This input device has been interfaced with Neverball, an open source computer game to create the balance training platform. Users can exercise with the system by standing on the wobble board and tilting it in different directions to control an on-screen environment. We have also developed a customized instruction manual to use when setting up the system. To evaluate the usability our prototype system we undertook a user evaluation study with twelve healthy novice participants. Participants were required to assemble the system using an instruction manual and then perform balance exercises with the system. Following this period of exercise VRUSE, a usability evaluation questionnaire, was completed by participants. Results indicated a high level of usability in all categories evaluated.

Agent Transparency for an Autonomous Squad Member

DTIC Science & Technology

2015-05-01

C. Attentional  Control  Survey  41  Appendix D. System Usability Scale  45  Appendix E. Modified Jian Pre‐Post Trust Survey  47  Appendix F.  Posttest ...failing to comply with a collection of information if it does not display a currently valid OMB control number. PLEASE DO NOT RETURN YOUR FORM TO THE...information in a simulation-based unmanned ground vehicle monitoring task. Three groups were tested with visual displays representing 1 of 3 types of

Evaluating the Usability of Pinchigator, a system for Navigating Virtual Worlds using Pinch Gloves

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Hamilton, George S.; Brookman, Stephen; Dumas, Joseph D. II; Tilghman, Neal

2003-01-01

Appropriate design of two dimensional user interfaces (2D U/I) utilizing the well known WIMP (Window, Icon, Menu, Pointing device) environment for computer software is well studied and guidance can be found in several standards. Three-dimensional U/I design is not nearly so mature as 2D U/I, and standards bodies have not reached consensus on what makes a usable interface. This is especially true when the tools for interacting with the virtual environment may include stereo viewing, real time trackers and pinch gloves instead of just a mouse & keyboard. Over the last several years the authors have created a 3D U/I system dubbed Pinchigator for navigating virtual worlds based on the dVise dV/Mockup visualization software, Fakespace Pinch Gloves and Pohlemus trackers. The current work is to test the usability of the system on several virtual worlds, suggest improvements to increase Pinchigator s usability, and then to generalize about what was learned and how those lessons might be applied to improve other 3D U/I systems.

Increasing Complexity in Rule-Based Clinical Decision Support: The Symptom Assessment and Management Intervention.

PubMed

Lobach, David F; Johns, Ellis B; Halpenny, Barbara; Saunders, Toni-Ann; Brzozowski, Jane; Del Fiol, Guilherme; Berry, Donna L; Braun, Ilana M; Finn, Kathleen; Wolfe, Joanne; Abrahm, Janet L; Cooley, Mary E

2016-11-08

Management of uncontrolled symptoms is an important component of quality cancer care. Clinical guidelines are available for optimal symptom management, but are not often integrated into the front lines of care. The use of clinical decision support (CDS) at the point-of-care is an innovative way to incorporate guideline-based symptom management into routine cancer care. The objective of this study was to develop and evaluate a rule-based CDS system to enable management of multiple symptoms in lung cancer patients at the point-of-care. This study was conducted in three phases involving a formative evaluation, a system evaluation, and a contextual evaluation of clinical use. In Phase 1, we conducted iterative usability testing of user interface prototypes with patients and health care providers (HCPs) in two thoracic oncology clinics. In Phase 2, we programmed complex algorithms derived from clinical practice guidelines into a rules engine that used Web services to communicate with the end-user application. Unit testing of algorithms was conducted using a stack-traversal tree-spanning methodology to identify all possible permutations of pathways through each algorithm, to validate accuracy. In Phase 3, we evaluated clinical use of the system among patients and HCPs in the two clinics via observations, structured interviews, and questionnaires. In Phase 1, 13 patients and 5 HCPs engaged in two rounds of formative testing, and suggested improvements leading to revisions until overall usability scores met a priori benchmarks. In Phase 2, symptom management algorithms contained between 29 and 1425 decision nodes, resulting in 19 to 3194 unique pathways per algorithm. Unit testing required 240 person-hours, and integration testing required 40 person-hours. In Phase 3, both patients and HCPs found the system usable and acceptable, and offered suggestions for improvements. A rule-based CDS system for complex symptom management was systematically developed and tested. The complexity of the algorithms required extensive development and innovative testing. The Web service-based approach allowed remote access to CDS knowledge, and could enable scaling and sharing of this knowledge to accelerate availability, and reduce duplication of effort. Patients and HCPs found the system to be usable and useful. ©David F Lobach, Ellis B Johns, Barbara Halpenny, Toni-Ann Saunders, Jane Brzozowski, Guilherme Del Fiol, Donna L Berry, Ilana M Braun, Kathleen Finn, Joanne Wolfe, Janet L Abrahm, Mary E Cooley. Originally published in JMIR Medical Informatics (http://medinform.jmir.org), 08.11.2016.

A Web-Based Graphical Food Frequency Assessment System: Design, Development and Usability Metrics.

PubMed

Franco, Rodrigo Zenun; Alawadhi, Balqees; Fallaize, Rosalind; Lovegrove, Julie A; Hwang, Faustina

2017-05-08

Food frequency questionnaires (FFQs) are well established in the nutrition field, but there remain important questions around how to develop online tools in a way that can facilitate wider uptake. Also, FFQ user acceptance and evaluation have not been investigated extensively. This paper presents a Web-based graphical food frequency assessment system that addresses challenges of reproducibility, scalability, mobile friendliness, security, and usability and also presents the utilization metrics and user feedback from a deployment study. The application design employs a single-page application Web architecture with back-end services (database, authentication, and authorization) provided by Google Firebase's free plan. Its design and responsiveness take advantage of the Bootstrap framework. The FFQ was deployed in Kuwait as part of the EatWellQ8 study during 2016. The EatWellQ8 FFQ contains 146 food items (including drinks). Participants were recruited in Kuwait without financial incentive. Completion time was based on browser timestamps and usability was measured using the System Usability Scale (SUS), scoring between 0 and 100. Products with a SUS higher than 70 are considered to be good. A total of 235 participants created accounts in the system, and 163 completed the FFQ. Of those 163 participants, 142 reported their gender (93 female, 49 male) and 144 reported their date of birth (mean age of 35 years, range from 18-65 years). The mean completion time for all FFQs (n=163), excluding periods of interruption, was 14.2 minutes (95% CI 13.3-15.1 minutes). Female participants (n=93) completed in 14.1 minutes (95% CI 12.9-15.3 minutes) and male participants (n=49) completed in 14.3 minutes (95% CI 12.6-15.9 minutes). Participants using laptops or desktops (n=69) completed the FFQ in an average of 13.9 minutes (95% CI 12.6-15.1 minutes) and participants using smartphones or tablets (n=91) completed in an average of 14.5 minutes (95% CI 13.2-15.8 minutes). The median SUS score (n=141) was 75.0 (interquartile range [IQR] 12.5), and 84% of the participants who completed the SUS classified the system either "good" (n=50) or "excellent" (n=69). Considering only participants using smartphones or tablets (n=80), the median score was 72.5 (IQR 12.5), slightly below the SUS median for desktops and laptops (n=58), which was 75.0 (IQR 12.5). No significant differences were found between genders or age groups (below and above the median) for the SUS or completion time. Taking into account all the requirements, the deployment used professional cloud computing at no cost, and the resulting system had good user acceptance. The results for smartphones/tablets were comparable with desktops/laptops. This work has potential to promote wider uptake of online tools that can assess dietary intake at scale. ©Rodrigo Zenun Franco, Balqees Alawadhi, Rosalind Fallaize, Julie A Lovegrove, Faustina Hwang. Originally published in JMIR Human Factors (http://humanfactors.jmir.org), 08.05.2017.

The Post-Dam System. Volume 5. Harvard Project Manager (HPM).

DTIC Science & Technology

1992-10-01

cQllected and analyzed to determine structural integrity and usability. From this analysis, a repair schedule is developed. This is currently a time...information on mission-critical facility damage is collected and analyzed to determine structural integrity and usability. From this analysis, a repair...to determine repair strategies with an expert system, keep track of materials and equipment with a relational database management system, and

BioEarth: Envisioning and developing a new regional earth system model to inform natural and agricultural resource management

DOE PAGES

Adam, Jennifer C.; Stephens, Jennie C.; Chung, Serena H.; ...

2014-04-24

Uncertainties in global change impacts, the complexities associated with the interconnected cycling of nitrogen, carbon, and water present daunting management challenges. Existing models provide detailed information on specific sub-systems (e.g., land, air, water, and economics). An increasing awareness of the unintended consequences of management decisions resulting from interconnectedness of these sub-systems, however, necessitates coupled regional earth system models (EaSMs). Decision makers’ needs and priorities can be integrated into the model design and development processes to enhance decision-making relevance and “usability” of EaSMs. BioEarth is a research initiative currently under development with a focus on the U.S. Pacific Northwest region thatmore » explores the coupling of multiple stand-alone EaSMs to generate usable information for resource decision-making. Direct engagement between model developers and non-academic stakeholders involved in resource and environmental management decisions throughout the model development process is a critical component of this effort. BioEarth utilizes a bottom-up approach for its land surface model that preserves fine spatial-scale sensitivities and lateral hydrologic connectivity, which makes it unique among many regional EaSMs. Here, we describe the BioEarth initiative and highlights opportunities and challenges associated with coupling multiple stand-alone models to generate usable information for agricultural and natural resource decision-making.« less

WEbcoli: an interactive and asynchronous web application for in silico design and analysis of genome-scale E.coli model.

PubMed

Jung, Tae-Sung; Yeo, Hock Chuan; Reddy, Satty G; Cho, Wan-Sup; Lee, Dong-Yup

2009-11-01

WEbcoli is a WEb application for in silico designing, analyzing and engineering Escherichia coli metabolism. It is devised and implemented using advanced web technologies, thereby leading to enhanced usability and dynamic web accessibility. As a main feature, the WEbcoli system provides a user-friendly rich web interface, allowing users to virtually design and synthesize mutant strains derived from the genome-scale wild-type E.coli model and to customize pathways of interest through a graph editor. In addition, constraints-based flux analysis can be conducted for quantifying metabolic fluxes and charactering the physiological and metabolic states under various genetic and/or environmental conditions. WEbcoli is freely accessible at http://webcoli.org. cheld@nus.edu.sg.

Assessing and comparing the usability of Chinese EHRs used in two Peking University hospitals to EHRs used in the US: A method of RUA.

PubMed

Xu, Lufei; Wen, Dong; Zhang, Xingting; Lei, Jianbo

2016-05-01

The objective of this study was to investigate the usability level of Chinese hospital Electronic Health Records (EHRs) by assessing the completion times of EHRs for seven "meaningful use (MU)" relevant tasks conducted at two Chinese tertiary hospitals and comparing the results to those of relevant research conducted in US EHRs. Using Rapid Usability Assessment (RUA) developed by the National Center for Cognitive Informatics and Decision Making (NCCD), the usability of EHRs from two Peking University hospitals was assessed using a three-step Keystroke Level Model (KLM) in a laboratory environment. (1) The total EHR task completion time for 7 MU relevant test tasks showed no significant differences between the two Chinese EHRs and their US counterparts, in which the time for thinking was relatively large and comprised 35.6% of the total time. The time for the electronic physician order was the largest. (2) For specific tasks, the mean completion times of the 2 hospital EHR systems spent on recording, modifying and searching (RMS) the medication orders were similar to those for the RMS radioactive tests; the mean time spent on the RMS laboratory test orders were much less. (3) There were 85 usability problems identified in the 2 hospital EHR systems. In Chinese EHRs, a substantial amount of time is required to complete tasks relevant to MU targets and many preventable usability problems can be discovered. The task completion time of the 2 Chinese EHR systems was a little shorter than in the 5 reported US EHR systems, while the differences in smoking status and CPOE tasks were obvious; one main reason for these differences was the use of structured data entry. The efficiency of Chinese and US EHRs was not significantly different. The key to improving the efficiency of both systems lies in expediting the Computerized physician order entry (CPOE) task. Many usability problems can be identified using heuristic assessments and improved by corresponding actions. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

Improving non-technical skills (teamwork) in post-partum haemorrhage: A grouped randomised trial.

PubMed

Letchworth, Pippa M; Duffy, Shane P; Phillips, Dan

2017-10-01

To determine the effect of a decision support technology on teamwork and associated non-technical (NTS) and technical skills when teams manage post-partum haemorrhage (PPH) in the simulated environment. Multidisciplinary (MDT) maternity teams were taught how to manage post partum haemorrhage. They were randomised to the intervention: using a decision support mobile digital platform or a control group. Each team managed a post-partum simulation, which was recorded and reviewed by assessors. Primary outcome measures to assess teams NTS were the validated Global Assessment of Obstetric Team Performance (GAOTP) and Clinical Teamwork Scale (CTS). Secondary outcome measures were the 'friends and family test', technical skills, and the System Usability Scale (SUS). Sample size estimation was calculated by using 80% power 5% significance two tailed test (p1=85% p2=40%) n=34. 38 teams from August 2014-February 2016, were recruited, technical issues with failure of recording equipment meant 4 teams were excluded from teamwork analysis (1 intervention 3 control). Teamwork improved across all domains with the intervention (using a decision support mobile digital platform) p <0.01. CTS improved between 6.7-16.8% (average 14.2%) and GAOTP between 8.6-17.1% (average 13.5%) for all domains. Using the control group as baseline, the intervention improved teamwork by 25% using CTS and 22% using GAOTP. Fewer technical skills were missed with the intervention (p<0.01). There was no statistical difference in the time technical skills were achieved. Assessors were more likely to recommend intervention teams 87.5% (77/88) than control teams 63.6% (56/88) p<0.01 to their friends or family. The SUS was 'Good' (69) becoming excellently 'Usable' (81.6) over the study period. We report a decision support system, which improved NTS when managing PPH. Lack of teamwork is often cited as the cause of failures in care and we report a usable technology that assists with and improves teamwork during an emergency. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Design and evaluation of a software for the objective and easy-to-read presentation of new drug properties to physicians.

PubMed

Iordatii, Maia; Venot, Alain; Duclos, Catherine

2015-05-30

When new pharmaceutical products appear on the market, physicians need to know whether they are likely to be useful in their practices. Physicians currently obtain most of their information about the market release and properties of new drugs from pharmaceutical industry representatives. However, the official information contained in the summary of product characteristics (SPCs) and evaluation reports from health agencies, provide a more complete view of the potential value of new drugs, although they can be long and difficult to read. The main objective of this work was to design a prototype computer program to facilitate the objective appraisal of the potential value of a new pharmaceutical product by physicians. This prototype is based on the modeling of pharmaceutical innovations described in a previous paper. The interface was designed to allow physicians to develop a rapid understanding of the value of a new drug for their practices. We selected five new pharmaceutical products, to illustrate the function of this prototype. We considered only the texts supplied by national or international drug agencies at the time of market release. The perceived usability of the prototype was evaluated qualitatively, except for the System Usability Scale (SUS) score evaluation, by 10 physicians differing in age and medical background. The display is based on the various axes of the conceptual model of pharmaceutical innovations. The user can select three levels of detail when consulting this information (highly synthetic, synthetic and detailed). Tables provide a comparison of the properties of the new pharmaceutical product with those of existing drugs, if available for the same indication, in terms of efficacy, safety and ease of use. The interface was highly appreciated by evaluators, who found it easy to understand and suggested no other additions of important, internationally valid information. The mean System Usability Scale score for the 10 physicians was 82, corresponding to a "good" user interface. This work led us to propose the selection, grouping, and mode of presentation for various types of knowledge on pharmaceutical innovations in a way that was appreciated by evaluators. It provides physicians with readily accessible objective information about new drugs.

Get out of Fines Free: Recruiting Student Usability Testers via Fine Waivers

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hockenberry, Benjamin; Blackburn, Kourtney

2016-01-01

St. John Fisher College's Lavery Library's Access Services and Systems departments began a pilot project in which students with overdue fines tested usability of library Web sites in exchange for fine waivers. Circulation staff promoted the program and redeemed fine waiver vouchers at the Checkout Desk, while Systems staff administered testing and…

Usability of a Web-Based School Experience System: Opinions of IT Teachers and Teacher Candidates

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Genç, Zülfü

2015-01-01

With advances in information and communication technologies, the classical nature of educational institutions has changed. One innovative effort within teacher training is the Web-Based School Experience System (WBSES) developed by the researcher. In this study, the usability of an existing WBSES is evaluated from both teachers' (n = 13) and…

Usability of a Battle Management System Under Simulated Vehicular Motion

DTIC Science & Technology

2012-10-01

Figure 2, which is a commercial product designed to replicate racing car motions while playing computer games was used. The D-BOX is capable of three...7 3.2 Design ...standard usability issues such as interface design by using static BMS systems outside of vehicles (i.e. Command HQs or in the laboratory) (for example

Effects of mindfulness training programmes delivered by a self-directed mobile app and by telephone compared with an education programme for survivors of critical illness: a pilot randomised clinical trial.

PubMed

Cox, Christopher E; Hough, Catherine L; Jones, Derek M; Ungar, Anna; Reagan, Wen; Key, Mary D; Gremore, Tina; Olsen, Maren K; Sanders, Linda; Greeson, Jeffrey M; Porter, Laura S

2018-05-23

Patients who are sick enough to be admitted to an intensive care unit (ICU) commonly experience symptoms of psychological distress after discharge, yet few effective therapies have been applied to meet their needs. Pilot randomised clinical trial with 3-month follow-up conducted at two academic medical centres. Adult (≥18 years) ICU patients treated for cardiorespiratory failure were randomised after discharge home to 1 of 3 month-long interventions: a self-directed mobile app-based mindfulness programme; a therapist-led telephone-based mindfulness programme; or a web-based critical illness education programme. Among 80 patients allocated to mobile mindfulness (n=31), telephone mindfulness (n=31) or education (n=18), 66 (83%) completed the study. For the primary outcomes, target benchmarks were exceeded by observed rates for all participants for feasibility (consent 74%, randomisation 91%, retention 83%), acceptability (mean Client Satisfaction Questionnaire 27.6 (SD 3.8)) and usability (mean Systems Usability Score 89.1 (SD 11.5)). For secondary outcomes, mean values (and 95% CIs) reflected clinically significant group-based changes on the Patient Health Questionnaire depression scale (mobile (-4.8 (-6.6, -2.9)), telephone (-3.9 (-5.6, -2.2)), education (-3.0 (-5.3, 0.8)); the Generalized Anxiety Disorder scale (mobile -2.1 (-3.7, -0.5), telephone -1.6 (-3.0, -0.1), education -0.6 (-2.5, 1.3)); the Post-Traumatic Stress Scale (mobile -2.6 (-6.3, 1.2), telephone -2.2 (-5.6, 1.2), education -3.5 (-8.0, 1.0)); and the Patient Health Questionnaire physical symptom scale (mobile -5.3 (-7.0, -3.7), telephone -3.7 (-5.2, 2.2), education -4.8 (-6.8, 2.7)). Among ICU patients, a mobile mindfulness app initiated after hospital discharge demonstrated evidence of feasibility, acceptability and usability and had a similar impact on psychological distress and physical symptoms as a therapist-led programme. A larger trial is warranted to formally test the efficacy of this approach. Results, NCT02701361. © Article author(s) (or their employer(s) unless otherwise stated in the text of the article) 2018. All rights reserved. No commercial use is permitted unless otherwise expressly granted.

Usability Evaluation of an Unstructured Clinical Document Query Tool for Researchers.

PubMed

Hultman, Gretchen; McEwan, Reed; Pakhomov, Serguei; Lindemann, Elizabeth; Skube, Steven; Melton, Genevieve B

2018-01-01

Natural Language Processing - Patient Information Extraction for Researchers (NLP-PIER) was developed for clinical researchers for self-service Natural Language Processing (NLP) queries with clinical notes. This study was to conduct a user-centered analysis with clinical researchers to gain insight into NLP-PIER's usability and to gain an understanding of the needs of clinical researchers when using an application for searching clinical notes. Clinical researcher participants (n=11) completed tasks using the system's two existing search interfaces and completed a set of surveys and an exit interview. Quantitative data including time on task, task completion rate, and survey responses were collected. Interviews were analyzed qualitatively. Survey scores, time on task and task completion proportions varied widely. Qualitative analysis indicated that participants found the system to be useful and usable in specific projects. This study identified several usability challenges and our findings will guide the improvement of NLP-PIER 's interfaces.

Procuring interoperability at the expense of usability: a case study of UK National Programme for IT assurance process.

PubMed

Krause, Paul; de Lusignan, Simon

2010-01-01

The allure of interoperable systems is that they should improve patient safety and make health services more efficient. The UK's National Programme for IT has made great strides in achieving interoperability; through linkage to a national electronic spine. However, there has been criticism of the usability of the applications in the clinical environment. Analysis of the procurement and assurance process to explore whether they predetermine usability. Processes separate developers from users, and test products against theoretical assurance models of use rather than simulate or pilot in a clinical environment. The current process appears to be effective for back office systems and high risk applications, but too inflexible for developing applications for the clinical setting. For clinical applications agile techniques are more appropriate. Usability testing should become an integrated part of the contractual process and be introduced earlier in the development process.

Exploring the Role of Usability in the Software Process: A Study of Irish Software SMEs

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

O'Connor, Rory V.

This paper explores the software processes and usability techniques used by Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs) that develop web applications. The significance of this research is that it looks at development processes used by SMEs in order to assess to what degree usability is integrated into the process. This study seeks to gain an understanding into the level of awareness of usability within SMEs today and their commitment to usability in practice. The motivation for this research is to explore the current development processes used by SMEs in developing web applications and to understand how usability is represented in those processes. The background for this research is provided by the growth of the web application industry beyond informational web sites to more sophisticated applications delivering a broad range of functionality. This paper presents an analysis of the practices of several Irish SMEs that develop web applications through a series of case studies. With the focus on SMEs that develop web applications as Management Information Systems and not E-Commerce sites, informational sites, online communities or web portals. This study gathered data about the usability techniques practiced by these companies and their awareness of usability in the context of the software process in those SMEs. The contribution of this study is to further the understanding of the current role of usability within the software development processes of SMEs that develop web applications.

How to Present Evidence-Based Usability Design Principles Dedicated to Medication-Related Alerting Systems to Designers and Evaluators? Results from a Workshop.

PubMed

Marcilly, Romaric; Monkman, Helen; Villumsen, Sidsel; Kaufman, David; Beuscart-Zephir, Marie-Catherine

2016-01-01

Medication alerting system use errors and lack of adoption are often attributed to usability issues. Previous work has used evidence from the literature to reveal usability principles specific to medication alerting systems and identify potential consequences of violating these principles. The current study sought to explore how best to convey these principles to designers and evaluators of these systems to facilitate their work. To this aim, a workshop with 19 participants was used to generate ideas and opinions on how to deliver these topic-specific design principles in a way that would be most helpful for them. Participants generated ideas for how (e.g., a collaborative, continuously updated forum) and what (e.g., illustrations, checklists, evidence sources and strength, consequences of violations) information is most useful to disseminate usability principles for medication alerting systems. Participants, especially designers, expressed desire to use these principles in practice and avoid previously documented mistakes and therefore make design and evaluation of these systems more effective and efficient. Those insights are discussed in terms of feasibility and logistical challenges to developing the proposed documentation). To move this work forward, a more collaborative approach of Human Factors specialists in medical informatics is necessary.

Testing of a prototype Web based intervention for adolescent mothers on postpartum depression.

PubMed

Logsdon, M Cynthia; Barone, Michael; Lynch, Tania; Robertson, Ashley; Myers, John; Morrison, David; York, Sara; Gregg, Jennifer

2013-08-01

This article describes testing of a prototype Web site for adolescent mothers with postpartum depression; providing proof of concept. Participants (N=138) were recruited from a public school-based program for adolescent parents and completed the Mental Health Acceptability Scale, Stigma Scale for Receiving Psychological Help, and Attitudes Towards Seeking Professional Psychological Help Scale before, and after, the Web site intervention. They also provided feedback on the usability of the Web site. Attitudes related to depression and treatment (ATSPPH) improved after viewing the Web site (p=.023). Feedback on the Web site indicated that it was easy to use (77%), reflecting highly acceptable score for product usability. The data provide the foundation for the launch of the Web site from prototype to product and more comprehensive testing. The creation and testing of informational text messages will be added to the Web site to increase the interactivity and dose of the intervention. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Addressing the Tension Between Strong Perimeter Control an Usability

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Hinke, Thomas H.; Kolano, Paul Z.; Keller, Chris

2006-01-01

This paper describes a strong perimeter control system for a general purpose processing system, with the perimeter control system taking significant steps to address usability issues, thus mitigating the tension between strong perimeter protection and usability. A secure front end enforces two-factor authentication for all interactive access to an enclave that contains a large supercomputer and various associated systems, with each requiring their own authentication. Usability is addressed through a design in which the user has to perform two-factor authentication at the secure front end in order to gain access to the enclave, while an agent transparently performs public key authentication as needed to authenticate to specific systems within the enclave. The paper then describes a proxy system that allows users to transfer files into the enclave under script control, when the user is not present to perform two-factor authentication. This uses a pre-authorization approach based on public key technology, which is still strongly tied to both two-factor authentication and strict control over where files can be transferred on the target system. Finally the paper describes an approach to support network applications and systems such as grids or parallel file transfer protocols that require the use of many ports through the perimeter. The paper describes a least privilege approach that dynamically opens ports on a host-specific, if-authorized, as-needed, just-in-time basis.

From Usability Testing to Clinical Simulations: Bringing Context into the Design and Evaluation of Usable and Safe Health Information Technologies. Contribution of the IMIA Human Factors Engineering for Healthcare Informatics Working Group.

PubMed

Kushniruk, A; Nohr, C; Jensen, S; Borycki, E M

2013-01-01

The objective of this paper is to explore human factors approaches to understanding the use of health information technology (HIT) by extending usability engineering approaches to include analysis of the impact of clinical context through use of clinical simulations. Methods discussed are considered on a continuum from traditional laboratory-based usability testing to clinical simulations. Clinical simulations can be conducted in a simulation laboratory and they can also be conducted in real-world settings. The clinical simulation approach attempts to bring the dimension of clinical context into stronger focus. This involves testing of systems with representative users doing representative tasks, in representative settings/environments. Application of methods where realistic clinical scenarios are used to drive the study of users interacting with systems under realistic conditions and settings can lead to identification of problems and issues with systems that may not be detected using traditional usability engineering methods. In conducting such studies, careful consideration is needed in creating ecologically valid test scenarios. The evidence obtained from such evaluation can be used to improve both the usability and safety of HIT. In addition, recent work has shown that clinical simulations, in particular those conducted in-situ, can lead to considerable benefits when compared to the costs of running such studies. In order to bring context of use into the testing of HIT, clinical simulation, involving observing representative users carrying out tasks in representative settings, holds considerable promise.

Multi-method laboratory user evaluation of an actionable clinical performance information system: Implications for usability and patient safety.

PubMed

Brown, Benjamin; Balatsoukas, Panos; Williams, Richard; Sperrin, Matthew; Buchan, Iain

2018-01-01

Electronic audit and feedback (e-A&F) systems are used worldwide for care quality improvement. They measure health professionals' performance against clinical guidelines, and some systems suggest improvement actions. However, little is known about optimal interface designs for e-A&F, in particular how to present suggested actions for improvement. We developed a novel theory-informed system for primary care (the Performance Improvement plaN GeneratoR; PINGR) that covers the four principal interface components: clinical performance summaries; patient lists; detailed patient-level information; and suggested actions. As far as we are aware, this is the first report of an e-A&F system with all four interface components. (1) Use a combination of quantitative and qualitative methods to evaluate the usability of PINGR with target end-users; (2) refine existing design recommendations for e-A&F systems; (3) determine the implications of these recommendations for patient safety. We recruited seven primary care physicians to perform seven tasks with PINGR, during which we measured on-screen behaviour and eye movements. Participants subsequently completed usability questionnaires, and were interviewed in-depth. Data were integrated to: gain a more complete understanding of usability issues; enhance and explain each other's findings; and triangulate results to increase validity. Participants committed a median of 10 errors (range 8-21) when using PINGR's interface, and completed a median of five out of seven tasks (range 4-7). Errors violated six usability heuristics: clear response options; perceptual grouping and data relationships; representational formats; unambiguous description; visually distinct screens for confusable items; and workflow integration. Eye movement analysis revealed the integration of components largely supported effective user workflow, although the modular design of clinical performance summaries unnecessarily increased cognitive load. Interviews and questionnaires revealed PINGR is user-friendly, and that improved information prioritisation could further promote useful user action. Comparing our results with the wider usability literature we refine a previously published set of interface design recommendations for e-A&F. The implications for patient safety are significant regarding: user engagement; actionability; and information prioritisation. Our results also support adopting multi-method approaches in usability studies to maximise issue discovery and the credibility of findings. Copyright © 2017 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Usability and Culture as Two of the Value Criteria for Evaluating the Artifact

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kurosu, Masaaki

In this paper, the conceptual framework of the Artifact Development Analysis (ADA) and its relationship to the usability engineering are outlined. The ADA analyses the significance of all artifacts including hardware, software, humanware and system. Its viewpoint extends both in temporal and spatial dimensions. In short, it deals with the diversity of the artifact and casts the questions "why it is so" and "why it is not so". In this respect, the ADA is related to the usability engineering as one of the value attitudes. The usability engineering puts emphasis on effectiveness and efficiency. The usability is not always the value criterion of highest importance and some people sometimes put more emphasis on other criteria such as the aesthetic aspect, the cost, etc. Based on the findings of ADA, we should focus on the extent where the usability can provide the core satisfaction and we should also summarize the guideline on how the artifact should be designed.

Virtual setting for training in interpreting mammography images

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Pezzuol, J. L.; Abreu, F. D. L.; Silva, S. M.; Tendolini, A.; Bissaco, M. A. Se; Rodrigues, S. C. M.

2017-03-01

This work presents a web system for the training of students or residents (users) interested in the detection of breast density in mammography images. The system consists of a breast imaging database with breast density types classified and demarcated by the specialist (tutor) or online database. The planning was based on ISO / IEC 12207. Through the browser (desktop or notebook), the user will visualize the breast images and in them will realize the markings of the density region and even classify them per the BI-RADS protocol. After marking, this will be compared to the gold standard already existing in the image base, and then the system will inform if the area demarcation has been set or not. The shape of this marking is similar to the paint brush. The evaluation was based on ISO / IEC 1926 or 25010: 2011 by 3 software development specialists and 3 in mammary radiology, evaluating usability, configuration, performance and System interface through the Likert scale-based questionnaire. Where they have totally agreed on usability, configuration, performance and partially on the interface. And as a good thing: the system is able to be accessed anywhere and at any time, the hit or error response is in real time, it can be used in the educational area, the limit of the amount of images will depend on the size of the computer memory, At the end the system sends the results achieved by e-mail to the user, reproduction of the system on any type of screen, complementation of the system with other types of breast structures. Negative points are the need for internet.

AIM: a personal view of where I have been and where we might be going.

PubMed

Rector, A

2001-08-01

My own career in medical informatics and AI in medicine has oscillated between concerns with medical records and concerns with knowledge representation with decision support as a pivotal integrating issue. It has focused on using AI to organise information and reduce 'muddle' and improve the user interfaces to produce 'useful and usable systems' to help doctors with a 'humanly impossible task'. Increasingly knowledge representation and ontologies have become the fulcrum for orchestrating re-use of information and integration of systems. Encouragingly, the dilemma between computational tractability and expressiveness is lessening, and ontologies and description logics are joining the mainstream both in AI in Medicine and in Intelligent Information Management generally. It has been shown possible to scale up ontologies to meet medical needs, and increasingly ontologies are playing a key role in meeting the requirements to scale up the complexity of clinical systems to meet the ever increasing demands brought about by new emphasis on reduction of errors, clinical accountability, and the explosion of knowledge on the Web.

Cognitive engineering of film library transition from film medium to digital environment in a Texas teaching hospital.

PubMed

Koperwhats, Martha A; Chang, Wei-Chih; Xiao, Jianguo

2002-01-01

Digital imaging technology promises efficient, economical, and fast service for patient care, but the challenges are great in the transition from film to a filmless (digital) environment. This change has a significant impact on the film library's personnel (film librarians) who play a leading roles in storage, classification, and retrieval of images. The objectives of this project were to study film library errors and the usability of a physical computerized system that could not be changed, while developing an intervention to reduce errors and test the usability of the intervention. Cognitive and human factors analysis were used to evaluate human-computer interaction. A workflow analysis was performed to understand the film and digital imaging processes. User and task analyses were applied to account for all behaviors involved in interaction with the system. A heuristic evaluation was used to probe the usability issues in the picture archiving and communication systems (PACS) modules. Simplified paper-based instructions were designed to familiarize the film librarians with the digital system. A usability survey evaluated the effectiveness of the instruction. The user and task analyses indicated that different users faced challenges based on their computer literacy, education, roles, and frequency of use of diagnostic imaging. The workflow analysis showed that the approaches to using the digital library differ among the various departments. The heuristic evaluation of the PACS modules showed the human-computer interface to have usability issues that prevented easy operation. Simplified instructions were designed for operation of the modules. Usability surveys conducted before and after revision of the instructions showed that performance improved. Cognitive and human factor analysis can help film librarians and other users adapt to the filmless system. Use of cognitive science tools will aid in successful transition of the film library from a film environment to a digital environment.

Improving the accuracy and usability of Iowa falling weight deflectometer data.

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

2013-05-01

This study aims to improve the accuracy and usability of Iowa Falling Weight Deflectometer (FWD) data by incorporating significant : enhancements into the fully-automated software system for rapid processing of the FWD data. These enhancements includ...

Experiences with establishing and implementing learning management system and computer-based test system in medical college.

PubMed

Park, Joo Hyun; Son, Ji Young; Kim, Sun

2012-09-01

The purpose of this study was to establish an e-learning system to support learning in medical education and identify solutions for improving the system. A learning management system (LMS) and computer-based test (CBT) system were established to support e-learning for medical students. A survey of 219 first- and second-grade medical students was administered. The questionnaire included 9 forced choice questions about the usability of system and 2 open-ended questions about necessary improvements to the system. The LMS consisted of a class management, class evaluation, and class attendance system. CBT consisted of a test management, item bank, and authoring tool system. The results of the survey showed a high level of satisfaction in all system usability items except for stability. Further, the advantages of the e-learning system were ensuring information accessibility, providing constant feedback, and designing an intuitive interface. Necessary improvements to the system were stability, user control, readability, and diverse device usage. Based on the findings, suggestions for developing an e-learning system to improve usability by medical students and support learning effectively are recommended.

Usability and clinical efficacy of diabetes mobile applications for adults with type 2 diabetes: A systematic review.

PubMed

Fu, Helen; McMahon, Siobhan K; Gross, Cynthia R; Adam, Terrence J; Wyman, Jean F

2017-09-01

To assess the usability and clinical effectiveness of diabetes mobile applications (diabetes apps) developed for adults with type 2 diabetes. A systematic review of the usability and effectiveness of diabetes apps was conducted. Searches were performed using MEDLINE, EMBASE, COMPENDEX, and IEEE XPLORE for articles published from January 1, 2011, to January 17, 2017. Search terms included: diabetes, mobile apps, and mobile health (mHealth). The search yielded 723 abstracts of which seven usability studies and ten clinical effectiveness studies met the inclusion criteria from 20 publications. Usability, as measured by satisfaction ratings from experts and patients, ranged from 38% to 80%. Usability problem ratings ranged from moderate to catastrophic. Top usability problems are multi-steps task, limited functionality and interaction, and difficult system navigation. Clinical effectiveness, measured by reductions in HbA1c, ranged from 0.15% to 1.9%. Despite meager satisfaction ratings and major usability problems, there is some limited evidence supporting the effectiveness of diabetes apps to improve glycemic control for adults with type 2 diabetes. Findings strongly suggest that efforts to improve user satisfaction, incorporate established principles of health behavior change, and match apps to user characteristics will increase the therapeutic impact of diabetes apps. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Metrics for Assessing the Reliability of a Telemedicine Remote Monitoring System

PubMed Central

Fox, Mark; Papadopoulos, Amy; Crump, Cindy

2013-01-01

Abstract Objective: The goal of this study was to assess using new metrics the reliability of a real-time health monitoring system in homes of older adults. Materials and Methods: The “MobileCare Monitor” system was installed into the homes of nine older adults >75 years of age for a 2-week period. The system consisted of a wireless wristwatch-based monitoring system containing sensors for location, temperature, and impacts and a “panic” button that was connected through a mesh network to third-party wireless devices (blood pressure cuff, pulse oximeter, weight scale, and a survey-administering device). To assess system reliability, daily phone calls instructed participants to conduct system tests and reminded them to fill out surveys and daily diaries. Phone reports and participant diary entries were checked against data received at a secure server. Results: Reliability metrics assessed overall system reliability, data concurrence, study effectiveness, and system usability. Except for the pulse oximeter, system reliability metrics varied between 73% and 92%. Data concurrence for proximal and distal readings exceeded 88%. System usability following the pulse oximeter firmware update varied between 82% and 97%. An estimate of watch-wearing adherence within the home was quite high, about 80%, although given the inability to assess watch-wearing when a participant left the house, adherence likely exceeded the 10 h/day requested time. In total, 3,436 of 3,906 potential measurements were obtained, indicating a study effectiveness of 88%. Conclusions: The system was quite effective in providing accurate remote health data. The different system reliability measures identify important error sources in remote monitoring systems. PMID:23611640

Usability of a novel digital medicine system in adults with schizophrenia treated with sensor-embedded tablets of aripiprazole.

PubMed

Peters-Strickland, Timothy; Pestreich, Linda; Hatch, Ainslie; Rohatagi, Shashank; Baker, Ross A; Docherty, John P; Markovtsova, Lada; Raja, Praveen; Weiden, Peter J; Walling, David P

2016-01-01

Digital medicine system (DMS) is a novel drug-device combination that objectively measures and reports medication ingestion. The DMS consists of medication embedded with an ingestible sensor (digital medicine), a wearable sensor, and software applications. This study evaluated usability of the DMS in adults with schizophrenia rated by both patients and their health care providers (HCPs) during 8-week treatment with prescribed doses of digital aripiprazole. Six US sites enrolled outpatients into this Phase IIa, open-label study (NCT02219009). The study comprised a screening phase, a training phase (three weekly site visits), and a 5-week independent phase. Patients and HCPs independently rated usability of and satisfaction with the DMS. Sixty-seven patients were enrolled, and 49 (73.1%) patients completed the study. The mean age (SD) of the patients was 46.6 years (9.7 years); the majority of them were male (74.6%), black (76.1%), and rated mildly ill on the Clinical Global Impression - Severity scale (70.1%). By the end of week 8 or early termination, 82.1% (55/67) of patients had replaced the wearable sensor independently or with minimal assistance, based on HCP rating. The patients used the wearable sensor for a mean (SD) of 70.7% (24.7%) and a median of 77.8% of their time in the trial. The patients contacted a call center most frequently at week 1. At the last visit, 78% (47/60) of patients were somewhat satisfied/satisfied/extremely satisfied with the DMS. A high proportion of patients with schizophrenia were able to use the DMS and reported satisfaction with the DMS. These data support the potential utility of the DMS in clinical practice.

ODMSummary: A Tool for Automatic Structured Comparison of Multiple Medical Forms Based on Semantic Annotation with the Unified Medical Language System.

PubMed

Storck, Michael; Krumm, Rainer; Dugas, Martin

2016-01-01

Medical documentation is applied in various settings including patient care and clinical research. Since procedures of medical documentation are heterogeneous and developed further, secondary use of medical data is complicated. Development of medical forms, merging of data from different sources and meta-analyses of different data sets are currently a predominantly manual process and therefore difficult and cumbersome. Available applications to automate these processes are limited. In particular, tools to compare multiple documentation forms are missing. The objective of this work is to design, implement and evaluate the new system ODMSummary for comparison of multiple forms with a high number of semantically annotated data elements and a high level of usability. System requirements are the capability to summarize and compare a set of forms, enable to estimate the documentation effort, track changes in different versions of forms and find comparable items in different forms. Forms are provided in Operational Data Model format with semantic annotations from the Unified Medical Language System. 12 medical experts were invited to participate in a 3-phase evaluation of the tool regarding usability. ODMSummary (available at https://odmtoolbox.uni-muenster.de/summary/summary.html) provides a structured overview of multiple forms and their documentation fields. This comparison enables medical experts to assess multiple forms or whole datasets for secondary use. System usability was optimized based on expert feedback. The evaluation demonstrates that feedback from domain experts is needed to identify usability issues. In conclusion, this work shows that automatic comparison of multiple forms is feasible and the results are usable for medical experts.

Usability and Effects of an Exergame-Based Balance Training Program.

PubMed

Wüest, Seline; Borghese, Nunzio Alberto; Pirovano, Michele; Mainetti, Renato; van de Langenberg, Rolf; de Bruin, Eling D

2014-04-01

Background: Post-stroke recovery benefits from structured, intense, challenging, and repetitive therapy. Exergames have emerged as promising to achieve sustained therapy practice and patient motivation. This study assessed the usability and effects of exergames on balance and gait. Subjects and Methods: Sixteen elderly participants were provided with the study intervention based on five newly developed exergames. The participants were required to attend 36 training sessions; lasting for 20 minutes each. Adherence, attrition and acceptance were assessed together with (1) Berg Balance Scale, (2) 7-m Timed Up and Go, (3) Short Physical Performance Battery, (4) force platform stance tests, and (5) gait analysis. Results: Thirteen participants completed the study (18.8 percent attrition), without missing a single training session (100 percent adherence). Participants showed high acceptance of the intervention. Only minor adaptations in the program were needed based on the users' feedback. No changes in center of pressure area during quiet stance on both stable and unstable surfaces and no changes of walking parameters were detected. Scores for the Berg Balance Scale ( P =0.007; r =0.51), the 7-m Timed Up and Go ( P =0.002; r =0.56), and the Short Physical Performance Battery ( P =0.013; r =0.48) increased significantly with moderate to large effect sizes. Conclusion: Participants evaluated the usability of the virtual reality training intervention positively. Results indicate that the intervention improves gait- and balance-related physical performance measures in untrained elderly. The present results warrant a clinical explorative study investigating the usability and effectiveness of the exergame-based program in stroke patients.

Comparing usability testing outcomes and functions of six electronic nursing record systems.

PubMed

Cho, Insook; Kim, Eunman; Choi, Woan Heui; Staggers, Nancy

2016-04-01

This study examined the usability of six differing electronic nursing record (ENR) systems on the efficiency, proficiency and available functions for documenting nursing care and subsequently compared the results to nurses' perceived satisfaction from a previous study. The six hospitals had different ENR systems, all with narrative nursing notes in use for more than three years. Stratified by type of nursing unit, 54 staff nurses were digitally recorded during on-site usability testing by employing validated patient care scenarios and think-aloud protocols. The time to complete specific tasks was also measured. Qualitative performance data were converted into scores on efficiency (relevancy), proficiency (accuracy), and a competency index using scoring schemes described by McGuire and Babbott. Six nurse managers and the researchers completed assessments of available ENR functions and examined computerized nursing process components including the linkages among them. For the usability test, participants' mean efficiency score was 94.2% (95% CI, 91.4-96.9%). The mean proficiency was 60.6% (95% CI, 54.3-66.8%), and the mean competency index was 59.5% (95% CI, 52.9-66.0). Efficiency scores were significantly different across ENRs as was the time to complete tasks, ranging from 226.3 to 457.2s (χ(2)=12.3, P=0.031; χ(2)=11.2, P=0.048). No significant differences were seen for proficiency scores. The coverage of the various ENRs' nursing process ranged from 67% to 100%, but only two systems had complete integration of nursing components. Two systems with high efficiency and proficiency scores had much lower usability test scores and perceived user satisfaction along with more complex navigation patterns. In terms of system usability and functions, different levels of sophistication of and interaction performance with ENR systems exist in practice. This suggests that ENRs may have variable impacts on clinical outcomes and care quality. Future studies are needed to explore ENR impact on nursing care quality, efficiency, and safety. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

Evaluating the usability of an interactive, bi-lingual, touchscreen-enabled breastfeeding educational programme: application of Nielson's heuristics.

PubMed

Joshi, Ashish; Perin, Douglas M Puricelli; Amadi, Chioma; Trout, Kate

2015-03-05

The study purpose was to conduct heuristic evaluation of an interactive, bilingual touchscreen-enabled breastfeeding educational programme for Hispanic women living in rural settings in Nebraska. Three raters conducted the evaluation during May 2013 using principles of Nielson's heuristics. A total of 271 screens were evaluated and included: interface (n = 5), programme sections (n = 223) and educational content (n = 43). A total of 97 heuristic violations were identified and were mostly related to interface (8 violations/5 screens) and programme components (89 violations/266 screens). The most common heuristic violations reported were recognition rather than recall (62%, n = 60), consistency and standards (14%, n = 14) and match between the system and real world (9%, n = 9). Majority of the heuristic violations had minor usability issues (73%, n = 71). The only grade 4 heuristic violation reported was due to the visibility of system status in the assessment modules. The results demonstrated that the system was more consistent with Nielsen's usability heuristics. With Nielsen's usability heuristics, it is possible to identify problems in a timely manner, and help facilitate the identification and prioritisation of problems needing urgent attention at an earlier stage before the final deployment of the system.

Cost Effective Development of Usable Systems: Gaps between HCI and Software Architecture Design

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Folmer, Eelke; Bosch, Jan

A software product with poor usability is likely to fail in a highly competitive market; therefore software developing organizations are paying more and more attention to ensuring the usability of their software. Practice, however, shows that product quality (which includes usability among others) is not that high as it could be. Studies of software projects (Pressman, 2001) reveal that organizations spend a relative large amount of money and effort on fixing usability problems during late stage development. Some of these problems could have been detected and fixed much earlier. This avoidable rework leads to high costs and because during development different tradeoffs have to be made, for example between cost and quality leads to systems with less than optimal usability. This problem has been around for a couple of decades especially after software engineering (SE) and human computer interaction (HCI) became disciplines on their own. While both disciplines developed themselves, several gaps appeared which are now receiving increased attention in research literature. Major gaps of understanding, both between suggested practice and how software is actually developed in industry, but also between the best practices of each of the fields have been identified (Carrol et al, 1994, Bass et al, 2001, Folmer and Bosch, 2002). In addition, there are gaps in the fields of differing terminology, concepts, education, and methods.

Validation and testing of the Acceptability E-scale for Web-based patient-reported outcomes in cancer care

PubMed Central

Tariman, Joseph D.; Berry, Donna L.; Halpenny, Barbara; Wolpin, Seth; Schepp, Karen

2010-01-01

The performance of the Acceptability E-scale was tested in a sample of 627 adult and older adult patients from various oncology clinics who completed an electronic symptoms survey. The revised Acceptability E-scale has strong psychometric properties and can be useful in assessing the acceptability and usability of computerized health-related programs in oncology and other health population. PMID:20974066

Development and Validation of a Short-Form Safety Net Medical Home Scale.

PubMed

Nocon, Robert S; Gunter, Kathryn E; Gao, Yue; Lee, Sang Mee; Chin, Marshall H

2017-12-01

To develop a short-form Safety Net Medical Home Scale (SNMHS) for assessing patient-centered medical home (PCMH) capability in safety net clinics. National surveys of federally qualified health centers (FQHCs). Interviews with FQHC directors. We constructed three short-form SNMHS versions and examined correlations with full SNMHS and related primary care assessments. We tested usability with FQHC directors and reviewed scale development with an advisory group. Federally qualified health center surveys were administered in 2009 and 2013, by mail and online. Usability testing was conducted through telephone interviews with FQHC directors in 2013. Six-, 12-, and 18-question short-form SNMHS versions had Pearson correlations with full scale of 0.84, 0.92, and 0.96, respectively. All versions showed a level of convergent validity with other primary care assessment scales comparable to the full SNMHS. User testers found short forms to be low-burden, though missing some PCMH concepts. Advisory group members expressed caution over missing concepts and appropriate use of short-form self-assessments. Short-form versions of SNMHS showed strong correlations with full scale and may be useful for brief assessment of safety net PCMH capability. Each short-form SNMHS version may be appropriate for different research, quality improvement, and assessment purposes. © Health Research and Educational Trust.

Spray sealing: A breakthrough in integral fuel tank sealing technology

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Richardson, Martin D.; Zadarnowski, J. H.

1989-11-01

In a continuing effort to increase readiness, a new approach to sealing integral fuel tanks is being developed. The technique seals potential leak sources by spraying elastomeric materials inside the tank cavity. Laboratory evaluations project an increase in aircraft supportability and reliability, an improved maintainability, decreasing acquisition and life cycle costs. Increased usable fuel volume and lower weight than conventional bladders improve performance. Concept feasibility was demonstrated on sub-scale aircraft fuel tanks. Materials were selected by testing sprayable elastomers in a fuel tank environment. Chemical stability, mechanical properties, and dynamic durability of the elastomer are being evaluated at the laboratory level and in sub-scale and full scale aircraft component fatigue tests. The self sealing capability of sprayable materials is also under development. Ballistic tests show an improved aircraft survivability, due in part to the elastomer's mechanical properties and its ability to damp vibrations. New application equipment, system removal, and repair methods are being investigated.

Usability analysis of industrial cooking equipment.

PubMed

Calado, Alexana Vilar Soares; Soares, Marcelo Márcio

2012-01-01

This paper refers to the comparative study of the equipment used for cooking in commercial of kitchens restaurants that use the system of traditional cooking and those ones which use the system called smart cooking (combination oven). The study investigates the usability issues concerning to the two systems, analyzing comparatively the aspects related to anthropometry, dimensional variables, the use of the product and also the product safety, as well as issues of information related to operation of the new concepts of cooking in intelligent systems.

User Guide: How to Use and Operate Virtual Reality Equipment in the Systems Assessment and Usability Laboratory (SAUL) for Conducting Demonstrations

DTIC Science & Technology

2017-08-01

ARL-TN-0839 ● AUG 2017 US Army Research Laboratory User Guide: How to Use and Operate Virtual Reality Equipment in the Systems...ARL-TN-0839 ● AUG 2017 US Army Research Laboratory User Guide: How to Use and Operate Virtual Reality Equipment in the Systems...September 2017 4. TITLE AND SUBTITLE User Guide: How to Use and Operate Virtual Reality Equipment in the Systems Assessment and Usability Laboratory

[Benefits and usability of a pharmaceutical record in medical practice. A survey of hospital doctors and pharmacists (MATRIX study)].

PubMed

Schuers, M; Timsit, M; Gillibert, A; Fred, A; Griffon, N; Bénichou, J; Darmoni, S J; Staccini, P

2016-09-01

To evaluate the impact of the pharmaceutical patient record use in emergency, geriatric and anaesthesia and intensive care departments, an experimentation was launched in 2013 in 55 hospitals. The purpose of the study was to assess the opinions of physicians and pharmacists about the benefits and usability of the patient pharmaceutical record. An e-mailed self-administered questionnaire was sent to all the pharmacists, anaesthesiologists, geriatricians and emergency physicians of the 55 hospitals involved in the patient pharmaceutical record experimentation. The questionnaire assessed the usability of the patient pharmaceutical record using the "System Usability Scale", as well as its use, its benefits and limitations perceived in clinical practice, and overall user satisfaction. Questionnaires were collected from November 2014 to January 2015. Ninety-six questionnaires were collected, from 47 hospitals, representing 86% of the hospitals involved in the experimentation. The patient pharmaceutical record was effectively operational in 36 hospitals. Data from 73 questionnaires filled by physicians and pharmacists with potential experience with the patient pharmaceutical record were used for evaluation. Forty-two respondents were pharmacists (57%) and 31 were physicians (43%), including 13 geriatricians, 11 emergency physicians and 7 anaesthesiologists. Patient pharmaceutical record overall usability score was 62.5 out of 100. It did not vary with the profession or seniority of the respondent. It was positively correlated with the frequency of use. More than half of respondents reported that they never or uncommonly used the patient pharmaceutical record. The length of access to data period was considered as insufficient. Main obstacles to more utilization of the patient pharmaceutical record were the lack of information about the dosage of dispensed drugs, the low number of patients in possession of their health card and the low number of patients with an activated patient pharmaceutical record. Two years after the beginning of the experiment aiming to broaden the access to the patient pharmaceutical record to physicians, these first evaluation results are encouraging. The evaluation of the consequences of the access to the patient pharmaceutical record for physicians remains necessary. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Masson SAS. All rights reserved.

Relationship Between Evidence Requirements, User Expectations, and Actual Experiences: Usability Evaluation of the Twazon Arabic Weight Loss App

PubMed Central

Kyle, Janet; Alkhalifah, Abdulrahman; Marais, Debbi

2018-01-01

Background Saudi Arabia has faced a steady growth in the prevalence of obesity. The concurrent and ubiquitous use of mobile technology, such as smartphones and apps, provides an opportunity for the implementation of mHealth technology, a method for delivering behavioral interventions. Despite their effectiveness in promoting lifestyle and diet modification, culturally adapted weight loss apps and related interventions are lacking in Gulf Cooperation Council countries. Objective The objective of our study was to identify the relationship between adherence to evidence-informed practices, potential user expectations, and actual user experiences in order to enhance the understanding of the overall usability of the Twazon Arabic weight loss app. Methods In 2 previous studies, 39 Saudi women were recruited for focus group discussions and 240 Saudi women were recruited for an app-based weight loss intervention. Usability of the Twazon Arabic weight loss app was evaluated by analyzing the opinions and experiences of 26 participants who engaged with the Twazon app for 4 months; the System Usability Scale (SUS) and word clouds were used. The results were triangulated with potential user expectations obtained in the focus group discussion and with the findings from an Arabic app screening for evidence-informed practices. Results The average reported SUS score was 69.3. The most favored features were the calorie counter, step counter, and physical activity calorie counter. The features in need of improvement were the social network, notifications, and the Twazon Saudi Food Database. Twazon users preferred and found useful 7 of the 13 evidence-informed weight loss practices that were integrated into the features of the app. Conclusions Triangulation identified the most notable relationship to be the disparity between user experience and 2 of the evidence-informed practices, namely a minimum weight loss goal of 0.5 to 1 kg/week and social support; no relationship was found between user expectations and evidence-informed weight loss practices. The overall usability of the Twazon Arabic weight loss app ranged between high marginal and acceptable, indicating that some improvements to the app should be considered for implementation in future app-based weight loss interventions of this kind. PMID:29666042

Development of a Just-in-Time Adaptive mHealth Intervention for Insomnia: Usability Study.

PubMed

Pulantara, I Wayan; Parmanto, Bambang; Germain, Anne

2018-05-17

Healthy sleep is a fundamental component of physical and brain health. Insomnia, however, is a prevalent sleep disorder that compromises functioning, productivity, and health. Therefore, developing efficient treatment delivery methods for insomnia can have significant societal and personal health impacts. Cognitive behavioral therapy for insomnia (CBTI) is the recommended first-line treatment of insomnia but access is currently limited for patients, since treatment must occur in specialty sleep clinics, which suffer from an insufficient number of trained clinicians. Smartphone-based interventions offer a promising means for improving the delivery of CBTI. Furthermore, novel features such as real-time monitoring and assessment, personalization, dynamic adaptations of the intervention, and context awareness can enhance treatment personalization and effectiveness, and reduce associated costs. Ultimately, this "Just in Time Adaptive Intervention" for insomnia-an intervention approach that is acceptable to patients and clinicians, and is based on mobile health (mHealth) platform and tools-can significantly improve patient access and clinician delivery of evidence-based insomnia treatments. This study aims to develop and assess the usability of a Just in Time Adaptive Intervention application platform called iREST ("interactive Resilience Enhancing Sleep Tactics") for use in behavioral insomnia interventions. iREST can be used by both patients and clinicians. The development of iREST was based on the Iterative and Incremental Development software development model. Requirement analysis was based on the case study's description, workflow and needs, clinician inputs, and a previously conducted BBTI military study/implementation of the Just in Time Adaptive Intervention architecture. To evaluate the usability of the iREST mHealth tool, a pilot usability study was conducted. Additionally, this study explores the feasibility of using an off-the-shelf wearable device to supplement the subjective assessment of patient sleep patterns. The iREST app was developed from the mobile logical architecture of Just in Time Adaptive Intervention. It consists of a cross-platform smartphone app, a clinician portal, and secure 2-way communications platform between the app and the portal. The usability study comprised 19 Active Duty Service Members and Veterans between the ages of 18 and 60. Descriptive statistics based on in-app questionnaires indicate that on average, 12 (mean 12.23, SD 8.96) unique devices accessed the clinician portal per day for more than two years, while the app was rated as "highly usable", achieving a mean System Usability Score score of 85.74 (SD 12.37), which translates to an adjective rating of "Excellent". The participants also gave high scores on "ease of use and learnability" with an average score of 4.33 (SD 0.65) on a scale of 1 to 5. iREST provides a feasible platform for the implementation of Just in Time Adaptive Intervention in mHealth-based and remote intervention settings. The system was rated highly usable and its cross-platformness made it readily implemented within the heavily segregated smartphone market. The use of wearables to track sleep is promising; yet the accuracy of this technology needs further improvement. Ultimately, iREST demonstrates that mHealth-based Just in Time Adaptive Intervention is not only feasible, but also works effectively. ©I Wayan Pulantara, Bambang Parmanto, Anne Germain. Originally published in JMIR Human Factors (http://humanfactors.jmir.org), 17.05.2018.

Effectiveness and usability of Scanning Wizard software: a tool for enhancing switch scanning.

PubMed

Koester, Heidi Horstmann; Simpson, Richard C

2017-11-24

Scanning Wizard software helps scanning users improve the setup of their switch and scanning system. This study evaluated Scanning Wizard's effectiveness and usability. Ten people who use switch scanning and ten practitioners used Scanning Wizard in the initial session. Usability was high, based on survey responses averaging over 4.5 out of 5, and qualitative feedback was very positive. Five switch users were able to complete the multi-week protocol, using settings on their own scanning system that were recommended from the Scanning Wizard session. Using these revised settings, text entry rates improved by an average of 71%, ranging from 29% to 172% improvement. Results suggest that Scanning Wizard is a useful tool for improving the configuration of scanning systems for people who use switch scanning to communicate. Implications for Rehabilitation Some individuals with severe physical impairments use switch scanning for spoken and written communication. Scanning Wizard software helps scanning users improve the setup of their switch and scanning system. This study demonstrated high usability of Scanning Wizard (with 10 switch userpractitioner teams) and increased text entry rate by an average of 71% (for five switch users). Results suggest that Scanning Wizard is a useful tool for improving the configuration of scanning systems for people who use switch scanning to communicate.

Evaluation of the usability of a serious game aiming to teach facial expressions to schizophrenic patients.

PubMed

Isleyen, Filiz; Gulkesen, K Hakan; Cinemre, Buket; Samur, M Kemal; Zayim, Nese; Sen Kaya, Semiha

2014-01-01

In some psychological disorders such as autism and schizophrenia, loss of facial expression recognition skill may complicate patient's daily life. Information technology may help to develop facial expression recognition skill by educational software and games. We designed and developed an interactive web-based educational program with which we performed a usability study before investigating its effectiveness on the schizophrenia patients' ability of emotion perception. The purpose of this study is to describe the usability evaluation for a web-based game set that has been designed to teach facial expressions to schizophrenic patients. The usability study was done at two steps; first, we applied heuristic evaluation and the violations were rated in a scale from most to least severe and the major problems were solved. In the second step, think-aloud method was used and the web site was assessed by five schizophrenic patients. Eight experts participated in the heuristic evaluation, in which a total of 60 violations were identified with a mean severity of 2.77 (range: 0-4). All of the major problems (severity over 2.5) were listed and the usability problems were solved by the development team. After solving the problems, five users with a diagnosis of schizophrenia used the web site with the same scenario. They reported to have experienced minor, but different problems. In conclusion, we suggest that a combination of heuristic evaluation and think-aloud method may be an effective and efficient way for usability evaluations for the serious games that have been designed for special patient groups.

Engineering the electronic health record for safety: a multi-level video-based approach to diagnosing and preventing technology-induced error arising from usability problems.

PubMed

Borycki, Elizabeth M; Kushniruk, Andre W; Kuwata, Shigeki; Kannry, Joseph

2011-01-01

Electronic health records (EHRs) promise to improve and streamline healthcare through electronic entry and retrieval of patient data. Furthermore, based on a number of studies showing their positive benefits, they promise to reduce medical error and make healthcare safer. However, a growing body of literature has clearly documented that if EHRS are not designed properly and with usability as an important goal in their design, rather than reducing error, EHR deployment has the potential to actually increase medical error. In this paper we describe our approach to engineering (and reengineering) EHRs in order to increase their beneficial potential while at the same time improving their safety. The approach described in this paper involves an integration of the methods of usability analysis with video analysis of end users interacting with EHR systems and extends the evaluation of the usability of EHRs to include the assessment of the impact of these systems on work practices. Using clinical simulations, we analyze human-computer interaction in real healthcare settings (in a portable, low-cost and high fidelity manner) and include both artificial and naturalistic data collection to identify potential usability problems and sources of technology-induced error prior to widespread system release. Two case studies where the methods we have developed and refined have been applied at different levels of user-computer interaction are described.

Audited credential delegation: a usable security solution for the virtual physiological human toolkit.

PubMed

Haidar, Ali N; Zasada, Stefan J; Coveney, Peter V; Abdallah, Ali E; Beckles, Bruce; Jones, Mike A S

2011-06-06

We present applications of audited credential delegation (ACD), a usable security solution for authentication, authorization and auditing in distributed virtual physiological human (VPH) project environments that removes the use of digital certificates from end-users' experience. Current security solutions are based on public key infrastructure (PKI). While PKI offers strong security for VPH projects, it suffers from serious usability shortcomings in terms of end-user acquisition and management of credentials which deter scientists from exploiting distributed VPH environments. By contrast, ACD supports the use of local credentials. Currently, a local ACD username-password combination can be used to access grid-based resources while Shibboleth support is underway. Moreover, ACD provides seamless and secure access to shared patient data, tools and infrastructure, thus supporting the provision of personalized medicine for patients, scientists and clinicians participating in e-health projects from a local to the widest international scale.

Audited credential delegation: a usable security solution for the virtual physiological human toolkit

PubMed Central

Haidar, Ali N.; Zasada, Stefan J.; Coveney, Peter V.; Abdallah, Ali E.; Beckles, Bruce; Jones, Mike A. S.

2011-01-01

We present applications of audited credential delegation (ACD), a usable security solution for authentication, authorization and auditing in distributed virtual physiological human (VPH) project environments that removes the use of digital certificates from end-users' experience. Current security solutions are based on public key infrastructure (PKI). While PKI offers strong security for VPH projects, it suffers from serious usability shortcomings in terms of end-user acquisition and management of credentials which deter scientists from exploiting distributed VPH environments. By contrast, ACD supports the use of local credentials. Currently, a local ACD username–password combination can be used to access grid-based resources while Shibboleth support is underway. Moreover, ACD provides seamless and secure access to shared patient data, tools and infrastructure, thus supporting the provision of personalized medicine for patients, scientists and clinicians participating in e-health projects from a local to the widest international scale. PMID:22670214

Ambient Assisted Living spaces validation by services and devices simulation.

PubMed

Fernández-Llatas, Carlos; Mocholí, Juan Bautista; Sala, Pilar; Naranjo, Juan Carlos; Pileggi, Salvatore F; Guillén, Sergio; Traver, Vicente

2011-01-01

The design of Ambient Assisted Living (AAL) products is a very demanding challenge. AAL products creation is a complex iterative process which must accomplish exhaustive prerequisites about accessibility and usability. In this process the early detection of errors is crucial to create cost-effective systems. Computer-assisted tools can suppose a vital help to usability designers in order to avoid design errors. Specifically computer simulation of products in AAL environments can be used in all the design phases to support the validation. In this paper, a computer simulation tool for supporting usability designers in the creation of innovative AAL products is presented. This application will benefit their work saving time and improving the final system functionality.

Design and Usability Evaluation of Social Mobile Diabetes Management System in the Gulf Region.

PubMed

Alanzi, Turki; Istepanian, Robert; Philip, Nada

2016-09-26

The prevalence of diabetes in the Gulf States is one of the highest globally. It is estimated that 20% of the population in the region has been diagnosed with diabetes and according to the International Diabetes Federation (IDF), five of the IDF's "top 10" countries for diabetes prevalence in 2011 and projected for 2030 are in this region. In recent years, there have been an increasing number of clinical studies advocating the use of mobile phone technology for diabetes self-management with improved clinical outcomes. However, there are few studies to date addressing the application of mobile diabetes management in the Gulf region, particularly in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA), where there is exponential increase in mobile phone usage and access to social networking. The objective of this paper is to present the design and development of a new mobile health system for social behavioral change and management tailored for Saudi patients with diabetes called Saudi Arabia Networking for Aiding Diabetes (SANAD). A usability study for the SANAD system is presented to validate the acceptability of using mobile technologies among patients with diabetes in the KSA and the Gulf region. The SANAD system was developed using mobile phone technology with diabetes management and social networking modules. For the usability study the Questionnaire for User Interaction Satisfaction was used to evaluate the usability aspect of the SANAD system. A total of 33 users with type 2 diabetes participated in the study. The key modules of the SANAD system consist of (1) a mobile diabetes management module; (2) a social networking module; and (3) a cognitive behavioral therapy module for behavioral change issues. The preliminary results of the usability study indicated general acceptance of the patients in using the system with higher usability rating in patients with type 2 diabetes. We found that the acceptability of the system was high among Saudi patients with diabetes, and ongoing work in this research area is underway to conduct a clinical pilot study in the KSA for patients with type 2 diabetes. The wide deployment of such a system is timely and required in the Gulf region due to the wide use of mobile phones and social networking mediums.

Design and Usability Evaluation of Social Mobile Diabetes Management System in the Gulf Region

PubMed Central

2016-01-01

Background The prevalence of diabetes in the Gulf States is one of the highest globally. It is estimated that 20% of the population in the region has been diagnosed with diabetes and according to the International Diabetes Federation (IDF), five of the IDF’s “top 10” countries for diabetes prevalence in 2011 and projected for 2030 are in this region. In recent years, there have been an increasing number of clinical studies advocating the use of mobile phone technology for diabetes self-management with improved clinical outcomes. However, there are few studies to date addressing the application of mobile diabetes management in the Gulf region, particularly in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA), where there is exponential increase in mobile phone usage and access to social networking. Objective The objective of this paper is to present the design and development of a new mobile health system for social behavioral change and management tailored for Saudi patients with diabetes called Saudi Arabia Networking for Aiding Diabetes (SANAD). A usability study for the SANAD system is presented to validate the acceptability of using mobile technologies among patients with diabetes in the KSA and the Gulf region. Methods The SANAD system was developed using mobile phone technology with diabetes management and social networking modules. For the usability study the Questionnaire for User Interaction Satisfaction was used to evaluate the usability aspect of the SANAD system. A total of 33 users with type 2 diabetes participated in the study. Results The key modules of the SANAD system consist of (1) a mobile diabetes management module; (2) a social networking module; and (3) a cognitive behavioral therapy module for behavioral change issues. The preliminary results of the usability study indicated general acceptance of the patients in using the system with higher usability rating in patients with type 2 diabetes. Conclusions We found that the acceptability of the system was high among Saudi patients with diabetes, and ongoing work in this research area is underway to conduct a clinical pilot study in the KSA for patients with type 2 diabetes. The wide deployment of such a system is timely and required in the Gulf region due to the wide use of mobile phones and social networking mediums. PMID:27670696

Application-level regression testing framework using Jenkins

DOE PAGES

Budiardja, Reuben; Bouvet, Timothy; Arnold, Galen

2017-09-26

Monitoring and testing for regression of large-scale systems such as the NCSA's Blue Waters supercomputer are challenging tasks. In this paper, we describe the solution we came up with to perform those tasks. The goal was to find an automated solution for running user-level regression tests to evaluate system usability and performance. Jenkins, an automation server software, was chosen for its versatility, large user base, and multitude of plugins including collecting data and plotting test results over time. We also describe our Jenkins deployment to launch and monitor jobs on remote HPC system, perform authentication with one-time password, and integratemore » with our LDAP server for its authorization. We show some use cases and describe our best practices for successfully using Jenkins as a user-level system-wide regression testing and monitoring framework for large supercomputer systems.« less

Application-level regression testing framework using Jenkins

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Budiardja, Reuben; Bouvet, Timothy; Arnold, Galen

Monitoring and testing for regression of large-scale systems such as the NCSA's Blue Waters supercomputer are challenging tasks. In this paper, we describe the solution we came up with to perform those tasks. The goal was to find an automated solution for running user-level regression tests to evaluate system usability and performance. Jenkins, an automation server software, was chosen for its versatility, large user base, and multitude of plugins including collecting data and plotting test results over time. We also describe our Jenkins deployment to launch and monitor jobs on remote HPC system, perform authentication with one-time password, and integratemore » with our LDAP server for its authorization. We show some use cases and describe our best practices for successfully using Jenkins as a user-level system-wide regression testing and monitoring framework for large supercomputer systems.« less

Utilization of the Tablet Application Proband in Pedigree Construction and Assessment.

PubMed

McCarty, Andrew Joseph; Miller, Jeffrey M; Fecteau, Heather; Pennington, Jeffrey W; Kessler, Lisa

2018-04-01

Many medical institutions have converted to a digital model for record keeping due to the Health Information Technology for Economic and Clinical Health Act. This Act provides incentives to health care systems to accelerate and encourage the adoption of electronic health record (EHR) systems. The pedigree as a tool in medicine provides an efficient method to assess and represent an individual's health and family health risks that may otherwise not be apparent in the medical record in a clearly identifiable way (Schuette, J. L., & Bennett 2009). Many clinicians continue to construct pedigrees using pen and paper method despite findings of improved identification of at risk patients with similar electronic intake tools (Arar et al. in Personalized Medicine 2011 8:523-32). The goal of this study was to explore the patient and practitioner experience with electronic pedigree programs using Proband, an application developed at The Children's Hospital of Philadelphia for genetic counselors to construct pedigrees during genetic counseling sessions directly on iPads. The first part of this study looked at the patient experience and assessed time to take the pedigree and the impact of using an electronic pedigree tool on the relationship between participant and genetic counselor. This involved 50 participants and was compared with the traditional paper method of taking a pedigree. There was no statistical significance found between the two different mediums in accuracy, speed, and rapport with provider. The second part of the study assessed the usability of Proband by ten genetic counselors. Overall, the application received a system usability score of 90/100 with a majority (7/10) of counselors agreeing that they would use this application in their clinic. The positive outcome of this study encourages future work to assess the impact and usability of programs on a larger scale as they continue to integrate into current electronic health records.

Polarization sensitive corneal and anterior segment swept-source optical coherence tomography

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lim, Yiheng; Yamanari, Masahiro; Yasuno, Yoshiaki

2010-02-01

We develop a compact polarization sensitive corneal and anterior segment swept-source optical coherence tomography (PS-CAS- OCT) for evaluating the usefulness of PS-OCT, and enabling large scale studies in the tissue properties of normal and diseased eyes using the benefits of the PS-OCT, which provides better tissue discrimination compared to the conventional OCT by visualizing the fibrous tissues in the anterior eye segment. Our polarization-sensitive interferometer is size reduced into a 19 inch box for the portability and the probe is integrated into a position adjustable scanning head for the usability of our system.

Promoting Higher Order Thinking Skills via IPTEACES e-Learning Framework in the Learning of Information Systems Units

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Isaias, Pedro; Issa, Tomayess; Pena, Nuno

2014-01-01

When developing and working with various types of devices from a supercomputer to an iPod Mini, it is essential to consider the issues of Human Computer Interaction (HCI) and Usability. Developers and designers must incorporate HCI, Usability and user satisfaction in their design plans to ensure that systems are easy to learn, effective,…

Using a medical simulation center as an electronic health record usability laboratory

PubMed Central

Landman, Adam B; Redden, Lisa; Neri, Pamela; Poole, Stephen; Horsky, Jan; Raja, Ali S; Pozner, Charles N; Schiff, Gordon; Poon, Eric G

2014-01-01

Usability testing is increasingly being recognized as a way to increase the usability and safety of health information technology (HIT). Medical simulation centers can serve as testing environments for HIT usability studies. We integrated the quality assurance version of our emergency department (ED) electronic health record (EHR) into our medical simulation center and piloted a clinical care scenario in which emergency medicine resident physicians evaluated a simulated ED patient and documented electronically using the ED EHR. Meticulous planning and close collaboration with expert simulation staff was important for designing test scenarios, pilot testing, and running the sessions. Similarly, working with information systems teams was important for integration of the EHR. Electronic tools are needed to facilitate entry of fictitious clinical results while the simulation scenario is unfolding. EHRs can be successfully integrated into existing simulation centers, which may provide realistic environments for usability testing, training, and evaluation of human–computer interactions. PMID:24249778

Addressing critical issues in the development of an Oncology Information System.

PubMed

Urda, D; Ribelles, N; Subirats, J L; Franco, L; Alba, E; Jerez, J M

2013-05-01

This paper presents the experience on the design and implementation of a user-centered Oncology Information System developed for the Medical Oncology Department at the "Hospital Universitario Virgen de la Victoria", in Málaga, Spain. The project focused on the aspects considered in the literature as critical factors for a successful deployment and usage of a health information system. System usability, adequate technology, integration of clinical routines, real-time statistical analysis of data, information confidentiality and standard protocol-based external interconnection were the key aspects considered. The developed system is based on a web application with a modular and layered architecture accounting for usability, ease of maintenance and further system development. Evaluation of system usability was carried at three and fifteen months after system deployment to analyze the advantages/disadvantages experienced by the end-users. A thorough prior analysis of clinical activities and workflows, the use of the adequate technology, and the availability of data analysis tools will almost guarantee success in the deployment of an Oncology Information System. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

A Usability Study of Users’ Perceptions Toward a Multimedia Computer-Assisted Learning Tool for Neuroanatomy

PubMed Central

Gould, Douglas J.; Terrell, Mark A.; Fleming, Jo

2015-01-01

This usability study evaluated users’ perceptions of a multimedia prototype for a new e-learning tool: Anatomy of the Central Nervous System: A Multimedia Course. Usability testing is a collection of formative evaluation methods that inform the developmental design of e-learning tools to maximize user acceptance, satisfaction, and adoption. Sixty-two study participants piloted the prototype and completed a usability questionnaire designed to measure two usability properties: program need and program applicability. Statistical analyses were used to test the hypothesis that the multimedia prototype was well designed and highly usable, it was perceived as: 1) highly needed across a spectrum of educational contexts, 2) highly applicable in supporting the pedagogical processes of teaching and learning neuroanatomy, and 3) was highly usable by all types of users. Three independent variables represented user differences: level of expertise (faculty vs. student), age, and gender. Analysis of the results supports the research hypotheses that the prototype was designed well for different types of users in various educational contexts and for supporting the pedagogy of neuroanatomy. In addition, the results suggest that the multimedia program will be most useful as a neuroanatomy review tool for health-professions students preparing for licensing or board exams. This study demonstrates the importance of integrating quality properties of usability with principles of human learning during the instructional design process for multimedia products. PMID:19177405

Supercomputers ready for use as discovery machines for neuroscience.

PubMed

Helias, Moritz; Kunkel, Susanne; Masumoto, Gen; Igarashi, Jun; Eppler, Jochen Martin; Ishii, Shin; Fukai, Tomoki; Morrison, Abigail; Diesmann, Markus

2012-01-01

NEST is a widely used tool to simulate biological spiking neural networks. Here we explain the improvements, guided by a mathematical model of memory consumption, that enable us to exploit for the first time the computational power of the K supercomputer for neuroscience. Multi-threaded components for wiring and simulation combine 8 cores per MPI process to achieve excellent scaling. K is capable of simulating networks corresponding to a brain area with 10(8) neurons and 10(12) synapses in the worst case scenario of random connectivity; for larger networks of the brain its hierarchical organization can be exploited to constrain the number of communicating computer nodes. We discuss the limits of the software technology, comparing maximum filling scaling plots for K and the JUGENE BG/P system. The usability of these machines for network simulations has become comparable to running simulations on a single PC. Turn-around times in the range of minutes even for the largest systems enable a quasi interactive working style and render simulations on this scale a practical tool for computational neuroscience.

Supercomputers Ready for Use as Discovery Machines for Neuroscience

PubMed Central

Helias, Moritz; Kunkel, Susanne; Masumoto, Gen; Igarashi, Jun; Eppler, Jochen Martin; Ishii, Shin; Fukai, Tomoki; Morrison, Abigail; Diesmann, Markus

2012-01-01

NEST is a widely used tool to simulate biological spiking neural networks. Here we explain the improvements, guided by a mathematical model of memory consumption, that enable us to exploit for the first time the computational power of the K supercomputer for neuroscience. Multi-threaded components for wiring and simulation combine 8 cores per MPI process to achieve excellent scaling. K is capable of simulating networks corresponding to a brain area with 108 neurons and 1012 synapses in the worst case scenario of random connectivity; for larger networks of the brain its hierarchical organization can be exploited to constrain the number of communicating computer nodes. We discuss the limits of the software technology, comparing maximum filling scaling plots for K and the JUGENE BG/P system. The usability of these machines for network simulations has become comparable to running simulations on a single PC. Turn-around times in the range of minutes even for the largest systems enable a quasi interactive working style and render simulations on this scale a practical tool for computational neuroscience. PMID:23129998

Hybrid P300-based brain-computer interface to improve usability for people with severe motor disability: electromyographic signals for error correction during a spelling task.

PubMed

Riccio, Angela; Holz, Elisa Mira; Aricò, Pietro; Leotta, Francesco; Aloise, Fabio; Desideri, Lorenzo; Rimondini, Matteo; Kübler, Andrea; Mattia, Donatella; Cincotti, Febo

2015-03-01

To evaluate the impact of a hybrid control on usability of a P300-based brain-computer interface (BCI) system that was designed to control an assistive technology software and was integrated with an electromyographic channel for error correction. Proof-of-principle study with a convenience sample. Neurologic rehabilitation hospital. Participants (N=11) in this pilot study included healthy (n=8) and severely motor impaired (n=3) persons. The 3 people with severe motor disability were identified as potential candidates to benefit from the proposed hybrid BCI system for communication and environmental interaction. To eventually investigate the improvement in usability, we compared 2 modalities of BCI system control: a P300-based and a hybrid P300 electromyographic-based mode of control. System usability was evaluated according to the following outcome measures within 3 domains: (1) effectiveness (overall system accuracy and P300-based BCI accuracy); (2) efficiency (throughput time and users' workload); and (3) satisfaction (users' satisfaction). We also considered the information transfer rate and time for selection. Findings obtained in healthy participants were in favor of a higher usability of the hybrid control as compared with the nonhybrid. A similar trend was indicated by the observational results gathered from each of the 3 potential end-users. The proposed hybrid BCI control modality could provide end-users with severe motor disability with an option to exploit some residual muscular activity, which could not be fully reliable for properly controlling an assistive technology device. The findings reported in this pilot study encourage the implementation of a clinical trial involving a large cohort of end-users. Copyright © 2015 American Congress of Rehabilitation Medicine. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

ODMSummary: A Tool for Automatic Structured Comparison of Multiple Medical Forms Based on Semantic Annotation with the Unified Medical Language System

PubMed Central

Krumm, Rainer; Dugas, Martin

2016-01-01

Introduction Medical documentation is applied in various settings including patient care and clinical research. Since procedures of medical documentation are heterogeneous and developed further, secondary use of medical data is complicated. Development of medical forms, merging of data from different sources and meta-analyses of different data sets are currently a predominantly manual process and therefore difficult and cumbersome. Available applications to automate these processes are limited. In particular, tools to compare multiple documentation forms are missing. The objective of this work is to design, implement and evaluate the new system ODMSummary for comparison of multiple forms with a high number of semantically annotated data elements and a high level of usability. Methods System requirements are the capability to summarize and compare a set of forms, enable to estimate the documentation effort, track changes in different versions of forms and find comparable items in different forms. Forms are provided in Operational Data Model format with semantic annotations from the Unified Medical Language System. 12 medical experts were invited to participate in a 3-phase evaluation of the tool regarding usability. Results ODMSummary (available at https://odmtoolbox.uni-muenster.de/summary/summary.html) provides a structured overview of multiple forms and their documentation fields. This comparison enables medical experts to assess multiple forms or whole datasets for secondary use. System usability was optimized based on expert feedback. Discussion The evaluation demonstrates that feedback from domain experts is needed to identify usability issues. In conclusion, this work shows that automatic comparison of multiple forms is feasible and the results are usable for medical experts. PMID:27736972

An evaluation method of computer usability based on human-to-computer information transmission model.

PubMed

Ogawa, K

1992-01-01

This paper proposes a new evaluation and prediction method for computer usability. This method is based on our two previously proposed information transmission measures created from a human-to-computer information transmission model. The model has three information transmission levels: the device, software, and task content levels. Two measures, called the device independent information measure (DI) and the computer independent information measure (CI), defined on the software and task content levels respectively, are given as the amount of information transmitted. Two information transmission rates are defined as DI/T and CI/T, where T is the task completion time: the device independent information transmission rate (RDI), and the computer independent information transmission rate (RCI). The method utilizes the RDI and RCI rates to evaluate relatively the usability of software and device operations on different computer systems. Experiments using three different systems, in this case a graphical information input task, confirm that the method offers an efficient way of determining computer usability.

Semantic Indexing of Medical Learning Objects: Medical Students' Usage of a Semantic Network

PubMed Central

Gießler, Paul; Ohnesorge-Radtke, Ursula; Spreckelsen, Cord

2015-01-01

Background The Semantically Annotated Media (SAM) project aims to provide a flexible platform for searching, browsing, and indexing medical learning objects (MLOs) based on a semantic network derived from established classification systems. Primarily, SAM supports the Aachen emedia skills lab, but SAM is ready for indexing distributed content and the Simple Knowledge Organizing System standard provides a means for easily upgrading or even exchanging SAM’s semantic network. There is a lack of research addressing the usability of MLO indexes or search portals like SAM and the user behavior with such platforms. Objective The purpose of this study was to assess the usability of SAM by investigating characteristic user behavior of medical students accessing MLOs via SAM. Methods In this study, we chose a mixed-methods approach. Lean usability testing was combined with usability inspection by having the participants complete four typical usage scenarios before filling out a questionnaire. The questionnaire was based on the IsoMetrics usability inventory. Direct user interaction with SAM (mouse clicks and pages accessed) was logged. Results The study analyzed the typical usage patterns and habits of students using a semantic network for accessing MLOs. Four scenarios capturing characteristics of typical tasks to be solved by using SAM yielded high ratings of usability items and showed good results concerning the consistency of indexing by different users. Long-tail phenomena emerge as they are typical for a collaborative Web 2.0 platform. Suitable but nonetheless rarely used keywords were assigned to MLOs by some users. Conclusions It is possible to develop a Web-based tool with high usability and acceptance for indexing and retrieval of MLOs. SAM can be applied to indexing multicentered repositories of MLOs collaboratively. PMID:27731860

Semantic Indexing of Medical Learning Objects: Medical Students' Usage of a Semantic Network.

PubMed

Tix, Nadine; Gießler, Paul; Ohnesorge-Radtke, Ursula; Spreckelsen, Cord

2015-11-11

The Semantically Annotated Media (SAM) project aims to provide a flexible platform for searching, browsing, and indexing medical learning objects (MLOs) based on a semantic network derived from established classification systems. Primarily, SAM supports the Aachen emedia skills lab, but SAM is ready for indexing distributed content and the Simple Knowledge Organizing System standard provides a means for easily upgrading or even exchanging SAM's semantic network. There is a lack of research addressing the usability of MLO indexes or search portals like SAM and the user behavior with such platforms. The purpose of this study was to assess the usability of SAM by investigating characteristic user behavior of medical students accessing MLOs via SAM. In this study, we chose a mixed-methods approach. Lean usability testing was combined with usability inspection by having the participants complete four typical usage scenarios before filling out a questionnaire. The questionnaire was based on the IsoMetrics usability inventory. Direct user interaction with SAM (mouse clicks and pages accessed) was logged. The study analyzed the typical usage patterns and habits of students using a semantic network for accessing MLOs. Four scenarios capturing characteristics of typical tasks to be solved by using SAM yielded high ratings of usability items and showed good results concerning the consistency of indexing by different users. Long-tail phenomena emerge as they are typical for a collaborative Web 2.0 platform. Suitable but nonetheless rarely used keywords were assigned to MLOs by some users. It is possible to develop a Web-based tool with high usability and acceptance for indexing and retrieval of MLOs. SAM can be applied to indexing multicentered repositories of MLOs collaboratively.

A usability study of a mobile health application for rural Ghanaian midwives.

PubMed

Vélez, Olivia; Okyere, Portia Boakye; Kanter, Andrew S; Bakken, Suzanne

2014-01-01

Midwives in rural Ghana work at the frontline of the health care system, where they have access to essential data about the patient population. However, current methods of data capture, primarily pen and paper, make the data neither accessible nor usable for monitoring patient care or program evaluation. Electronic health (eHealth) systems present a potential mechanism for enhancing the roles of midwives by providing tools for collecting, exchanging, and viewing patient data as well as offering midwives the possibility for receiving information and decision support. Introducing such technology in low-resource settings has been challenging because of low levels of user acceptance, software design that does not match the end-user environment, and/or unforeseen challenges such as irregular power availability. These challenges are often attributable to a lack of understanding by the software developers of the end users' needs and work environment. A mobile health (mHealth) application known as mClinic was designed to support midwife access to the Millennium Village-Global Network, an eHealth delivery platform that captures data for managing patient care as well as program evaluation and monitoring, decision making, and management. We conducted a descriptive usability study composed of 3 phases to evaluate an mClinic prototype: 1) hybrid lab-live software evaluation of mClinic to identify usability issues; 2) completion of a usability questionnaire; and 3) interviews that included low-fidelity prototyping of new functionality proposed by midwives. The heuristic evaluation identified usability problems related to 4 of 8 usability categories. Analysis of usability questionnaire data indicated that the midwives perceived mClinic as useful but were more neutral about the ease of use. Analysis of midwives' reactions to low-fidelity prototypes during the interview process supported the applicability of mClinic to midwives' work and identified the need for additional functionality. User acceptance is essential for the success of any mHealth implementation. Usability testing identified mClinic development flaws and needed software enhancements. © 2014 by the American College of Nurse-Midwives.

Mixed-Methods Analysis of Factors Impacting Use of a Postoperative mHealth App

PubMed Central

Scott, Aaron R; Alore, Elizabeth A; Naik, Aanand D; Berger, David H

2017-01-01

Background Limited communication and care coordination following discharge from hospitals may contribute to surgical complications. Smartphone apps offer a novel mechanism for communication and care coordination. However, factors which may affect patient app use in a postoperative, at-home setting are poorly understood. Objective The objectives of this study were to (1) gauge interest in smartphone app use among patients after colorectal surgery and (2) better understand factors affecting patient app use in a postoperative, at-home setting. Methods A prospective feasibility study was performed at a hospital that principally serves low socioeconomic status patients. After colorectal surgery, patients were enrolled and given a smartphone app, which uses previously validated content to provide symptom-based recommendations. Patients were instructed to use the app daily for 14 days after discharge. Demographics and usability data were collected at enrollment. Usability was measured with the System Usability Scale (SUS). At follow-up, the SUS was repeated and patients underwent a structured interview covering ease of use, willingness to use, and utility of use. Two members of the research team independently reviewed the field notes from follow-up interviews and extracted the most consistent themes. Chart and app log reviews identified clinical endpoints. Results We screened 115 patients, enrolled 20 patients (17.4%), and completed follow-up interviews with 17 patients (85%). Reasons for nonenrollment included: failure to meet inclusion criteria (47/115, 40.9%), declined to participate (26/115, 22.6%), and other reasons (22/115, 19.1%). There was no difference in patient ratings between usability at first-use and after extended use, with SUS scores greater than the 95th percentile at both time points. Despite high usability ratings, 6/20 (30%) of patients never used the app at home after hospital discharge and 2/20 (10%) only used the app once. Interviews revealed three themes related to app use: (1) patient-related barriers could prevent use even though the app had high usability scores; (2) patients viewed the app as a second opinion, rather than a primary source of information; and (3) many patients viewed the app as an external burden. Conclusions Use patterns in this study, and response rates after prompts to contact the operative team, suggest that apps need to be highly engaging to be adopted by patients. The growing penetration of smartphones and the proliferation of app-based interventions are unlikely to improve care coordination and communication, unless apps address the barriers and patient perceptions identified in this study. This study shows that high usability alone is not sufficient to motivate patients to use smartphone apps in the postoperative period. PMID:28179215

Nano-materials enabled thermoelectricity from window glasses.

PubMed

Inayat, Salman B; Rader, Kelly R; Hussain, Muhammad M

2012-01-01

With a projection of nearly doubling up the world population by 2050, we need wide variety of renewable and clean energy sources to meet the increased energy demand. Solar energy is considered as the leading promising alternate energy source with the pertinent challenge of off sunshine period and uneven worldwide distribution of usable sun light. Although thermoelectricity is considered as a reasonable renewable energy from wasted heat, its mass scale usage is yet to be developed. Here we show, large scale integration of nano-manufactured pellets of thermoelectric nano-materials, embedded into window glasses to generate thermoelectricity using the temperature difference between hot outside and cool inside. For the first time, this work offers an opportunity to potentially generate 304 watts of usable power from 9 m(2) window at a 20°C temperature gradient. If a natural temperature gradient exists, this can serve as a sustainable energy source for green building technology.

Automated Scoring of Teachers' Open-Ended Responses to Video Prompts: Bringing the Classroom-Video-Analysis Assessment to Scale

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kersting, Nicole B.; Sherin, Bruce L.; Stigler, James W.

2014-01-01

In this study, we explored the potential for machine scoring of short written responses to the Classroom-Video-Analysis (CVA) assessment, which is designed to measure teachers' usable mathematics teaching knowledge. We created naïve Bayes classifiers for CVA scales assessing three different topic areas and compared computer-generated scores to…

The value of Retrospective and Concurrent Think Aloud in formative usability testing of a physician data query tool.

PubMed

Peute, Linda W P; de Keizer, Nicolette F; Jaspers, Monique W M

2015-06-01

To compare the performance of the Concurrent (CTA) and Retrospective (RTA) Think Aloud method and to assess their value in a formative usability evaluation of an Intensive Care Registry-physician data query tool designed to support ICU quality improvement processes. Sixteen representative intensive care physicians participated in the usability evaluation study. Subjects were allocated to either the CTA or RTA method by a matched randomized design. Each subject performed six usability-testing tasks of varying complexity in the query tool in a real-working context. Methods were compared with regard to number and type of problems detected. Verbal protocols of CTA and RTA were analyzed in depth to assess differences in verbal output. Standardized measures were applied to assess thoroughness in usability problem detection weighted per problem severity level and method overall effectiveness in detecting usability problems with regard to the time subjects spent per method. The usability evaluation of the data query tool revealed a total of 43 unique usability problems that the intensive care physicians encountered. CTA detected unique usability problems with regard to graphics/symbols, navigation issues, error messages, and the organization of information on the query tool's screens. RTA detected unique issues concerning system match with subjects' language and applied terminology. The in-depth verbal protocol analysis of CTA provided information on intensive care physicians' query design strategies. Overall, CTA performed significantly better than RTA in detecting usability problems. CTA usability problem detection effectiveness was 0.80 vs. 0.62 (p<0.05) respectively, with an average difference of 42% less time spent per subject compared to RTA. In addition, CTA was more thorough in detecting usability problems of a moderate (0.85 vs. 0.7) and severe nature (0.71 vs. 0.57). In this study, the CTA is more effective in usability-problem detection and provided clarification of intensive care physician query design strategies to inform redesign of the query tool. However, CTA does not outperform RTA. The RTA additionally elucidated unique usability problems and new user requirements. Based on the results of this study, we recommend the use of CTA in formative usability evaluation studies of health information technology. However, we recommend further research on the application of RTA in usability studies with regard to user expertise and experience when focusing on user profile customized (re)design. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Content validity and electronic PRO (ePRO) usability of the Lung Cancer Symptom Scale-Mesothelioma (LCSS-Meso) in mesothelioma patients.

PubMed

Gelhorn, Heather L; Skalicky, Anne M; Balantac, Zaneta; Eremenco, Sonya; Cimms, Tricia; Halling, Katarina; Hollen, Patricia J; Gralla, Richard J; Mahoney, Martin C; Sexton, Chris

2018-07-01

Obtaining qualitative data directly from the patient perspective enhances the content validity of patient-reported outcome (PRO) instruments. The objective of this qualitative study was to evaluate the content validity of the Lung Cancer Symptom Scale for Mesothelioma (LCSS-Meso) and its usability on an electronic device. A cross-sectional methodological study, using a qualitative approach, was conducted among patients recruited from four clinical sites. The primary target population included patients with pleural mesothelioma; data were also collected from patients with peritoneal mesothelioma on an exploratory basis. Semi-structured interviews were conducted consisting of concept elicitation, cognitive interviewing, and evaluation of electronic patient-reported outcome (ePRO) usability. Participants (n = 21) were interviewed in person (n = 9) or by telephone (n = 12); 71% were male with a mean age of 69 years (SD = 14). The most common signs and symptoms experienced by participants with pleural mesothelioma (n = 18) were shortness of breath, fluid build-up, pain, fatigue, coughing, and appetite loss. The most commonly described symptoms for those with peritoneal mesothelioma (n = 4) were bloating, changes in appetite, fatigue, fluid build-up, shortness of breath, and pain. Participants with pleural mesothelioma commonly described symptoms assessed by the LCSS-Meso in language consistent with the questionnaire and a majority understood and easily completed each of the items. The ePRO version was easy to use, and there was no evidence that the electronic formatting changed the way participants responded to the questions. Results support the content validity of the LCSS-Meso and the usability of the electronic format for use in assessing symptoms among patients with pleural mesothelioma.

Pattern mining of user interaction logs for a post-deployment usability evaluation of a radiology PACS client.

PubMed

Jorritsma, Wiard; Cnossen, Fokie; Dierckx, Rudi A; Oudkerk, Matthijs; van Ooijen, Peter M A

2016-01-01

To perform a post-deployment usability evaluation of a radiology Picture Archiving and Communication System (PACS) client based on pattern mining of user interaction log data, and to assess the usefulness of this approach compared to a field study. All user actions performed on the PACS client were logged for four months. A data mining technique called closed sequential pattern mining was used to automatically extract frequently occurring interaction patterns from the log data. These patterns were used to identify usability issues with the PACS. The results of this evaluation were compared to the results of a field study based usability evaluation of the same PACS client. The interaction patterns revealed four usability issues: (1) the display protocols do not function properly, (2) the line measurement tool stays active until another tool is selected, rather than being deactivated after one use, (3) the PACS's built-in 3D functionality does not allow users to effectively perform certain 3D-related tasks, (4) users underuse the PACS's customization possibilities. All usability issues identified based on the log data were also found in the field study, which identified 48 issues in total. Post-deployment usability evaluation based on pattern mining of user interaction log data provides useful insights into the way users interact with the radiology PACS client. However, it reveals few usability issues compared to a field study and should therefore not be used as the sole method of usability evaluation. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

Usability Guidelines for Product Recommenders Based on Example Critiquing Research

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Pu, Pearl; Faltings, Boi; Chen, Li; Zhang, Jiyong; Viappiani, Paolo

Over the past decade, our group has developed a suite of decision tools based on example critiquing to help users find their preferred products in e-commerce environments. In this chapter, we survey important usability research work relative to example critiquing and summarize the major results by deriving a set of usability guidelines. Our survey is focused on three key interaction activities between the user and the system: the initial preference elicitation process, the preference revision process, and the presentation of the systems recommendation results. To provide a basis for the derivation of the guidelines, we developed a multi-objective framework of three interacting criteria: accuracy, confidence, and effort (ACE). We use this framework to analyze our past work and provide a specific context for each guideline: when the system should maximize its ability to increase users' decision accuracy, when to increase user confidence, and when to minimize the interaction effort for the users. Due to the general nature of this multi-criteria model, the set of guidelines that we propose can be used to ease the usability engineering process of other recommender systems, especially those used in e-commerce environments. The ACE framework presented here is also the first in the field to evaluate the performance of preference-based recommenders from a user-centric point of view.

A Human Reliability Based Usability Evaluation Method for Safety-Critical Software

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Phillippe Palanque; Regina Bernhaupt; Ronald Boring

2006-04-01

Recent years have seen an increasing use of sophisticated interaction techniques including in the field of safety critical interactive software [8]. The use of such techniques has been required in order to increase the bandwidth between the users and systems and thus to help them deal efficiently with increasingly complex systems. These techniques come from research and innovation done in the field of humancomputer interaction (HCI). A significant effort is currently being undertaken by the HCI community in order to apply and extend current usability evaluation techniques to these new kinds of interaction techniques. However, very little has been donemore » to improve the reliability of software offering these kinds of interaction techniques. Even testing basic graphical user interfaces remains a challenge that has rarely been addressed in the field of software engineering [9]. However, the non reliability of interactive software can jeopardize usability evaluation by showing unexpected or undesired behaviors. The aim of this SIG is to provide a forum for both researchers and practitioners interested in testing interactive software. Our goal is to define a roadmap of activities to cross fertilize usability and reliability testing of these kinds of systems to minimize duplicate efforts in both communities.« less

Standards for Instrument Migration When Implementing Paper Patient-Reported Outcome Instruments Electronically: Recommendations from a Qualitative Synthesis of Cognitive Interview and Usability Studies.

PubMed

Muehlhausen, Willie; Byrom, Bill; Skerritt, Barbara; McCarthy, Marie; McDowell, Bryan; Sohn, Jeremy

2018-01-01

To synthesize the findings of cognitive interview and usability studies performed to assess the measurement equivalence of patient-reported outcome (PRO) instruments migrated from paper to electronic formats (ePRO), and make recommendations regarding future migration validation requirements and ePRO design best practice. We synthesized findings from all cognitive interview and usability studies performed by a contract research organization between 2012 and 2015: 53 studies comprising 68 unique instruments and 101 instrument evaluations. We summarized study findings to make recommendations for best practice and future validation requirements. Five studies (9%) identified minor findings during cognitive interview that may possibly affect instrument measurement properties. All findings could be addressed by application of ePRO best practice, such as eliminating scrolling, ensuring appropriate font size, ensuring suitable thickness of visual analogue scale lines, and providing suitable instructions. Similarly, regarding solution usability, 49 of the 53 studies (92%) recommended no changes in display clarity, navigation, operation, and completion without help. Reported usability findings could be eliminated by following good product design such as the size, location, and responsiveness of navigation buttons. With the benefit of accumulating evidence, it is possible to relax the need to routinely conduct cognitive interview and usability studies when implementing minor changes during instrument migration. Application of design best practice and selecting vendor solutions with good user interface and user experience properties that have been assessed in a representative group may enable many instrument migrations to be accepted without formal validation studies by instead conducting a structured expert screen review. Copyright © 2018 International Society for Pharmacoeconomics and Outcomes Research (ISPOR). Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

A usability assessment on a virtual reality system for panic disorder treatment

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lee, Jaelin; Kawai, Takashi; Yoshida, Nahoko; Izawa, Shuhei; Nomura, Shinobu; Eames, Douglas; Kaiya, Hisanobu

2008-02-01

The authors have developed a virtual reality exposure system that reflects the Japanese culture and environment. Concretely, the system focuses on the subway environment, which is the environment most patients receiving treatment for panic disorder at hospitals in Tokyo, Japan tend to avoid. The system is PC based and features realistic video images and highly interactive functionality. In particular, the system enables instant transformation of the virtual space and allows situations to be freely customized according to the condition and symptoms expressed by each patient. Positive results achieved in therapy assessments aimed at patients with panic disorder accompanying agoraphobia indicate the possibility of indoor treatment. Full utilization of the functionality available requires that the interactive functions be easily operable. Accordingly, there appears to be a need for usability testing aimed at determining whether or not a therapist can operate the system naturally while focusing fully on treatment. In this paper, the configuration of the virtual reality exposure system focusing on the subway environment is outlined. Further, the results of usability tests aimed at assessing how naturally it can be operated while focusing fully on treatment are described.

A Contextual Model for Identity Management (IdM) Interfaces

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Fuller, Nathaniel J.

2014-01-01

The usability of Identity Management (IdM) systems is highly dependent upon design that simplifies the processes of identification, authentication, and authorization. Recent findings reveal two critical problems that degrade IdM usability: (1) unfeasible techniques for managing various digital identifiers, and (2) ambiguous security interfaces.…

5 CFR 532.241 - Analysis of usable wage survey data.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-01-01

... average rates identified and computed under paragraph (a) of this section. (ii) The frequency payline... PREVAILING RATE SYSTEMS Prevailing Rate Determinations § 532.241 Analysis of usable wage survey data. (a)(1) The lead agency shall compute a weighted average rate for each appropriated fund survey job having at...

A model for decentralised grey wastewater treatment system in Singapore public housing.

PubMed

Lim, J; Jern, Ng Wun; Chew, K L; Kallianpur, V

2002-01-01

Global concerns over the sustainable use of natural resources provided the impetus for research into water reclamation from wastewater within the Singapore context. The objective of the research is to study and develop a water infrastructure system as an integral element of architecture and the urbanscape, thereby reducing the need for the large area requirements associated with centralised treatment plants. The decentralised plants were considered so as to break up the large contiguous plot of land otherwise needed, into smaller integrated fragments, which can be incorporated within the housing scheme. This liberated more usable space on the ground plane of the urban housing master plan, enabling water-edge and waterscape relationships within both the private and public domains of varying scale.

WeaVR: a self-contained and wearable immersive virtual environment simulation system.

PubMed

Hodgson, Eric; Bachmann, Eric R; Vincent, David; Zmuda, Michael; Waller, David; Calusdian, James

2015-03-01

We describe WeaVR, a computer simulation system that takes virtual reality technology beyond specialized laboratories and research sites and makes it available in any open space, such as a gymnasium or a public park. Novel hardware and software systems enable HMD-based immersive virtual reality simulations to be conducted in any arbitrary location, with no external infrastructure and little-to-no setup or site preparation. The ability of the WeaVR system to provide realistic motion-tracked navigation for users, to improve the study of large-scale navigation, and to generate usable behavioral data is shown in three demonstrations. First, participants navigated through a full-scale virtual grocery store while physically situated in an open grass field. Trajectory data are presented for both normal tracking and for tracking during the use of redirected walking that constrained users to a predefined area. Second, users followed a straight path within a virtual world for distances of up to 2 km while walking naturally and being redirected to stay within the field, demonstrating the ability of the system to study large-scale navigation by simulating virtual worlds that are potentially unlimited in extent. Finally, the portability and pedagogical implications of this system were demonstrated by taking it to a regional high school for live use by a computer science class on their own school campus.

Logistical Consideration in Computer-Based Screening of Astronaut Applicants

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Galarza, Laura

2000-01-01

This presentation reviews the logistical, ergonomic, and psychometric issues and data related to the development and operational use of a computer-based system for the psychological screening of astronaut applicants. The Behavioral Health and Performance Group (BHPG) at the Johnson Space Center upgraded its astronaut psychological screening and selection procedures for the 1999 astronaut applicants and subsequent astronaut selection cycles. The questionnaires, tests, and inventories were upgraded from a paper-and-pencil system to a computer-based system. Members of the BHPG and a computer programmer designed and developed needed interfaces (screens, buttons, etc.) and programs for the astronaut psychological assessment system. This intranet-based system included the user-friendly computer-based administration of tests, test scoring, generation of reports, the integration of test administration and test output to a single system, and a complete database for past, present, and future selection data. Upon completion of the system development phase, four beta and usability tests were conducted with the newly developed system. The first three tests included 1 to 3 participants each. The final system test was conducted with 23 participants tested simultaneously. Usability and ergonomic data were collected from the system (beta) test participants and from 1999 astronaut applicants who volunteered the information in exchange for anonymity. Beta and usability test data were analyzed to examine operational, ergonomic, programming, test administration and scoring issues related to computer-based testing. Results showed a preference for computer-based testing over paper-and -pencil procedures. The data also reflected specific ergonomic, usability, psychometric, and logistical concerns that should be taken into account in future selection cycles. Conclusion. Psychological, psychometric, human and logistical factors must be examined and considered carefully when developing and using a computer-based system for psychological screening and selection.

Adapting Nielsen’s Design Heuristics to Dual Processing for Clinical Decision Support

PubMed Central

Taft, Teresa; Staes, Catherine; Slager, Stacey; Weir, Charlene

2016-01-01

The study objective was to improve the applicability of Nielson’s standard design heuristics for evaluating electronic health record (EHR) alerts and linked ordering support by integrating them with Dual Process theory. Through initial heuristic evaluation and a user study of 7 physicians, usability problems were identified. Through independent mapping of specific usability criteria to support for each of the Dual Cognitive processes (S1 and S2) and deliberation, agreement was reached on mapping criteria. Finally, usability errors from the heuristic and user study were mapped to S1 and S2. Adding a dual process perspective to specific heuristic analysis increases the applicability and relevance of computerized health information design evaluations. This mapping enables designers to measure that their systems are tailored to support attention allocation. System 1 will be supported by improving pattern recognition and saliency, and system 2 through efficiency and control of information access. PMID:28269915

Adapting Nielsen's Design Heuristics to Dual Processing for Clinical Decision Support.

PubMed

Taft, Teresa; Staes, Catherine; Slager, Stacey; Weir, Charlene

2016-01-01

The study objective was to improve the applicability of Nielson's standard design heuristics for evaluating electronic health record (EHR) alerts and linked ordering support by integrating them with Dual Process theory. Through initial heuristic evaluation and a user study of 7 physicians, usability problems were identified. Through independent mapping of specific usability criteria to support for each of the Dual Cognitive processes (S1 and S2) and deliberation, agreement was reached on mapping criteria. Finally, usability errors from the heuristic and user study were mapped to S1 and S2. Adding a dual process perspective to specific heuristic analysis increases the applicability and relevance of computerized health information design evaluations. This mapping enables designers to measure that their systems are tailored to support attention allocation. System 1 will be supported by improving pattern recognition and saliency, and system 2 through efficiency and control of information access.

Investigating the Complex Chemistry of Functional Energy Storage Systems: The Need for an Integrative, Multiscale (Molecular to Mesoscale) Perspective.

PubMed

Abraham, Alyson; Housel, Lisa M; Lininger, Christianna N; Bock, David C; Jou, Jeffrey; Wang, Feng; West, Alan C; Marschilok, Amy C; Takeuchi, Kenneth J; Takeuchi, Esther S

2016-06-22

Electric energy storage systems such as batteries can significantly impact society in a variety of ways, including facilitating the widespread deployment of portable electronic devices, enabling the use of renewable energy generation for local off grid situations and providing the basis of highly efficient power grids integrated with energy production, large stationary batteries, and the excess capacity from electric vehicles. A critical challenge for electric energy storage is understanding the basic science associated with the gap between the usable output of energy storage systems and their theoretical energy contents. The goal of overcoming this inefficiency is to achieve more useful work (w) and minimize the generation of waste heat (q). Minimization of inefficiency can be approached at the macro level, where bulk parameters are identified and manipulated, with optimization as an ultimate goal. However, such a strategy may not provide insight toward the complexities of electric energy storage, especially the inherent heterogeneity of ion and electron flux contributing to the local resistances at numerous interfaces found at several scale lengths within a battery. Thus, the ability to predict and ultimately tune these complex systems to specific applications, both current and future, demands not just parametrization at the bulk scale but rather specific experimentation and understanding over multiple length scales within the same battery system, from the molecular scale to the mesoscale. Herein, we provide a case study examining the insights and implications from multiscale investigations of a prospective battery material, Fe3O4.

Remote Sensing Application to Land Use Classification in a Rapidly Changing Agricultural/Urban Area: City of Virginia Beach, Virginia. Ph.D. Thesis

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Odenyo, V. A. O.

1975-01-01

Remote sensing data on computer-compatible tapes of LANDSAT 1 multispectral scanner imager were analyzed to generate a land use map of the City of Virginia Beach. All four bands were used in both the supervised and unsupervised approaches with the LAYSYS software system. Color IR imagery of a U-2 flight of the same area was also digitized and two sample areas were analyzed via the unsupervised approach. The relationships between the mapped land use and the soils of the area were investigated. A land use land cover map at a scale of 1:24,000 was obtained from the supervised analysis of LANDSAT 1 data. It was concluded that machine analysis of remote sensing data to produce land use maps was feasible; that the LAYSYS software system was usable for this purpose; and that the machine analysis was capable of extracting detailed information from the relatively small scale LANDSAT data in a much shorter time without compromising accuracy.

[Exploring nurse, usage effectiveness of mobile nursing station].

PubMed

Chang, Fang-Mei; Lee, Ting-Ting

2013-04-01

A mobile nursing station is an innovative cart that integrates a wireless network, information technology devices, and online charts. In addition to improving clinical work and workflow efficiencies, data is integrated among different information systems and hardware devices to promote patient safety. This study investigated the effectiveness of mobile nursing cart use. We compared different distributions of nursing activity working samples to evaluate the nursing information systems in terms of interface usability and usage outcomes. There were two parts of this study. Part one used work sampling to collect nursing activity data necessary to compare a unit that used a mobile nursing cart (mobile group, n = 18) with another that did not (traditional group, n = 14). Part two applied a nursing information system interface usability questionnaire to survey the mobile unit with nurses who had used a mobile nursing station (including those who had worked in this unit as floating nurses) (n = 30) in order to explore interface usability and effectiveness. We found that using the mobile nursing station information system increased time spent on direct patient care and decreased time spent on indirect patient care and documentation. Results further indicated that participants rated interface usability as high and evaluated usage effectiveness positively. Comments made in the open-ended question section raised several points of concern, including problems / inadequacies related to hardware devices, Internet speed, and printing. This study indicates that using mobile nursing station can improve nursing activity distributions and that nurses hold generally positive attitudes toward mobile nursing station interface usability and usage effectiveness. The authors thus encourage the continued implementation of mobile nursing stations and related studies to further enhance clinical nursing care.

Evaluation of the acceptability and usability of a decision support system to encourage safe and effective use of opioid therapy for chronic, noncancer pain by primary care providers.

PubMed

Trafton, Jodie; Martins, Susana; Michel, Martha; Lewis, Eleanor; Wang, Dan; Combs, Ann; Scates, Naquell; Tu, Samson; Goldstein, Mary K

2010-04-01

To develop and evaluate a clinical decision support system (CDSS) named Assessment and Treatment in Healthcare: Evidenced-Based Automation (ATHENA)-Opioid Therapy, which encourages safe and effective use of opioid therapy for chronic, noncancer pain. CDSS development and iterative evaluation using the analysis, design, development, implementation, and evaluation process including simulation-based and in-clinic assessments of usability for providers followed by targeted system revisions. Volunteers provided detailed feedback to guide improvements in the graphical user interface, and content and design changes to increase clinical usefulness, understandability, clinical workflow fit, and ease of completing guideline recommended practices. Revisions based on feedback increased CDSS usability ratings over time. Practice concerns outside the scope of the CDSS were also identified. Usability testing optimized the CDSS to better address barriers such as lack of provider education, confusion in dosing calculations and titration schedules, access to relevant patient information, provider discontinuity, documentation, and access to validated assessment tools. It also highlighted barriers to good clinical practice that are difficult to address with CDSS technology in its current conceptualization. For example, clinicians indicated that constraints on time and competing priorities in primary care, discomfort in patient-provider communications, and lack of evidence to guide opioid prescribing decisions impeded their ability to provide effective, guideline-adherent pain management. Iterative testing was essential for designing a highly usable and acceptable CDSS; however, identified barriers may limit the impact of the ATHENA-Opioid Therapy system and other CDSS on clinical practices and outcomes unless CDSS are paired with parallel initiatives to address these issues.

How International Large-Scale Skills Assessments Engage with National Actors: Mobilising Networks through Policy, Media and Public Knowledge

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hamilton, Mary

2017-01-01

This paper examines how international, large-scale skills assessments (ILSAs) engage with the broader societies they seek to serve and improve. It looks particularly at the discursive work that is done by different interest groups and the media through which the findings become part of public conversations and are translated into usable form in…

Preliminary Evaluation of a Personal Healthcare System Prototype for Cognitive eRehabilitation in a Living Assistance Domain

PubMed Central

Pastorino, Matteo; Fioravanti, Alessio; Arredondo, Maria Teresa; Cogollor, José M.; Rojo, Javier; Ferre, Manuel; Bienkiewicz, Marta; Hermsdörfer, Joachim; Fringi, Evangelia; Wing, Alan M.

2014-01-01

The integration of rehabilitation systems in an ambient assisted living environment can provide a powerful and versatile tool for long-term stroke rehabilitation goals. This paper introduces a novel concept of a personalized cognitive rehabilitation system in a naturalistic setting. The proposed platform was developed within the CogWatch project, with the intent of fostering independence in activities of daily living in patients with apraxia and action disorganization syndrome. Technical usability was evaluated in a series of pilot experiments, which illustrate how this approach may help to retrain patients in activities of daily living. The first system prototype has been tested with 36 participants divided into three groups, providing an exploratory evaluation of the usability of this solution and its acceptability. The technical solutions used within the CogWatch project are targeted to meet both the end users' needs from the interaction and usability point of views and the clinical requirements associated with the use of such systems. The challenges behind the development of ambient assisted living systems for cognitive rehabilitation are discussed. PMID:24922452

Usability evaluation of mobile applications using ISO 9241 and ISO 25062 standards.

PubMed

Moumane, Karima; Idri, Ali; Abran, Alain

2016-01-01

This paper presents an empirical study based on a set of measures to evaluate the usability of mobile applications running on different mobile operating systems, including Android, iOS and Symbian. The aim is to evaluate empirically a framework that we have developed on the use of the Software Quality Standard ISO 9126 in mobile environments, especially the usability characteristic. To do that, 32 users had participated in the experiment and we have used ISO 25062 and ISO 9241 standards for objective measures by working with two widely used mobile applications: Google Apps and Google Maps. The QUIS 7.0 questionnaire have been used to collect measures assessing the users' level of satisfaction when using these two mobile applications. By analyzing the results we highlighted a set of mobile usability issues that are related to the hardware as well as to the software and that need to be taken into account by designers and developers in order to improve the usability of mobile applications.

Feasibility and usability of a home monitoring concept based on mobile phones and near field communication (NFC) technology.

PubMed

Morak, Jürgen; Kollmann, Alexander; Schreier, Günter

2007-01-01

Utilization of mobile information and communication technologies in home monitoring applications is becoming more and more common. The mobile phone, acting as a patient terminal for patients suffering from chronic diseases, provides an active link to the caregiver to transmit health status information and receive feedback. In such a concept the usability is still limited by the necessity of entering the values via the mobile phone's small keypad. The near field communication technology (NFC), a touch-based wireless interface that became available recently, may improve the usability level of such applications significantly. The focus of this paper is to describe the development of a prototype application based on this technology embedded in a home monitoring system. The feasibility and usability of this approach are evaluated and compared with concepts used in previous approaches. The high quantifier with respect to overall usability indicates that NFC may be the technology of choice for some tasks in home monitoring applications.

Usability evaluation of user interface of thesis title review system

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Tri, Y.; Erna, A.; Gellysa, U.

2018-03-01

Presentation of programs with user interface that can be accessed online through the website of course greatly provide user benefits. User can easily access the program they need. There are usability values that serve as a benchmark for the success of a user accessible program, ie efficiency, effectiveness, and convenience. These usability values also determine the development of the program for the better use. Therefore, on the review title thesis program that will be implemented in STT Dumai was measured usability evaluation. It aims to see which sides are not yet perfect and need to be improved to improve the performance and utilization of the program. Usability evaluation was measured by using smartPLS software. Database used was the result of respondent questionnaires that include questions about the experience when they used program. The result of a review of thesis title program implemented in STT Dumai has an efficiency value of 22.615, the effectiveness of 20.612, and satisfaction of 33.177.

The McMaster Optimal Aging Portal: Usability Evaluation of a Unique Evidence-Based Health Information Website.

PubMed

Barbara, Angela M; Dobbins, Maureen; Haynes, R Brian; Iorio, Alfonso; Lavis, John N; Raina, Parminder; Levinson, Anthony J

2016-05-11

Increasingly, older adults and their informal caregivers are using the Internet to search for health-related information. There is a proliferation of health information online, but the quality of this information varies, often based on exaggerated or dramatic findings, and not easily comprehended by consumers. The McMaster Optimal Aging Portal (Portal) was developed to provide Internet users with high-quality evidence about aging and address some of these current limitations of health information posted online. The Portal includes content for health professionals coming from three best-in-class resources (MacPLUS, Health Evidence, and Health Systems Evidence) and four types of content specifically prepared for the general public (Evidence Summaries, Web Resource Ratings, Blog Posts, and Twitter messages). Our objectives were to share the findings of the usability evaluation of the Portal with particular focus on the content features for the general public and to inform designers of health information websites and online resources for older adults about key usability themes. Data analysis included task performance during usability testing and qualitative content analyses of both the usability sessions and interviews to identify core themes. A total of 37 participants took part in 33 usability testing sessions and 21 focused interviews. Qualitative analysis revealed common themes regarding the Portal's strengths and challenges to usability. The strengths of the website were related to credibility, applicability, browsing function, design, and accessibility. The usability challenges included reluctance to register, process of registering, searching, terminology, and technical features. The study reinforced the importance of including end users during the development of this unique, dynamic, evidence-based health information website. The feedback was applied to iteratively improve website usability. Our findings can be applied by designers of health-related websites.

The McMaster Optimal Aging Portal: Usability Evaluation of a Unique Evidence-Based Health Information Website

PubMed Central

Dobbins, Maureen; Haynes, R. Brian; Iorio, Alfonso; Lavis, John N; Raina, Parminder

2016-01-01

Background Increasingly, older adults and their informal caregivers are using the Internet to search for health-related information. There is a proliferation of health information online, but the quality of this information varies, often based on exaggerated or dramatic findings, and not easily comprehended by consumers. The McMaster Optimal Aging Portal (Portal) was developed to provide Internet users with high-quality evidence about aging and address some of these current limitations of health information posted online. The Portal includes content for health professionals coming from three best-in-class resources (MacPLUS, Health Evidence, and Health Systems Evidence) and four types of content specifically prepared for the general public (Evidence Summaries, Web Resource Ratings, Blog Posts, and Twitter messages). Objective Our objectives were to share the findings of the usability evaluation of the Portal with particular focus on the content features for the general public and to inform designers of health information websites and online resources for older adults about key usability themes. Methods Data analysis included task performance during usability testing and qualitative content analyses of both the usability sessions and interviews to identify core themes. Results A total of 37 participants took part in 33 usability testing sessions and 21 focused interviews. Qualitative analysis revealed common themes regarding the Portal’s strengths and challenges to usability. The strengths of the website were related to credibility, applicability, browsing function, design, and accessibility. The usability challenges included reluctance to register, process of registering, searching, terminology, and technical features. Conclusions The study reinforced the importance of including end users during the development of this unique, dynamic, evidence-based health information website. The feedback was applied to iteratively improve website usability. Our findings can be applied by designers of health-related websites. PMID:27170443

Measuring Usability Compliance of a Stand-Alone Educational Tablet: The Users' Perspective, Nigeria

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Tijani, Olawale Kazeem

2017-01-01

This study assessed usability compliance of Opón-Ìmò Technology Enhanced Learning System (OTELS), Nigeria. Specifically, the study investigated: students' satisfaction with the OTELS; its efficiency; retentiveness; learnability and capacity to reduce errors. Being a survey study, samples were drawn from six secondary schools across the three…

The Role of Human Web Assistants in E-Commerce: An Analysis and a Usability Study.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Aberg, Johan; Shahmehri, Nahid

2000-01-01

Discusses electronic commerce and presents the concept of Web assistants, human assistants working in an electronic Web shop. Presents results of a usability study of a prototype adaptive Web assistant system that show users were enthusiastic about the concept of Web assistants and its implications. (Author/LRW)

Eliciting and Analyzing Quality Requirements: Management Influences on Software Quality Requirements

DTIC Science & Technology

2005-03-01

their portable devices [ Balfanz 04] can be applied to many of the quality requirements issues within the development life cycle: " Neither usability or...Systems. New York, NY: Wiley Computer Publishing, 2001. [ Balfanz 04] Balfanz , D.; Durfee, G; & Smetters, D. K. "Search of Usable Security: Five Lessons from

Usability Evaluation of a Research Repository and Collaboration Web Site

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Zhang, Tao; Maron, Deborah J.; Charles, Christopher C.

2013-01-01

This article reports results from an empirical usability evaluation of Human-Animal Bond Research Initiative Central as part of the effort to develop an open access research repository and collaboration platform for human-animal bond researchers. By repurposing and altering key features of the original HUBzero system, Human-Animal Bond Research…

Defining Usability Heuristics for Adoption and Efficiency of an Electronic Workflow Document Management System

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Fuentes, Steven

2017-01-01

Usability heuristics have been established for different uses and applications as general guidelines for user interfaces. These can affect the implementation of industry solutions and play a significant role regarding cost reduction and process efficiency. The area of electronic workflow document management (EWDM) solutions, also known as…

Graphical Weather Information System Evaluation: Usability, Perceived Utility, and Preferences from General Aviation Pilots

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Latorella, Kara A.; Chamberlain, James P.

2002-01-01

Weather is a significant factor in General Aviation (GA) accidents and fatality rates. Graphical Weather Information Systems (GWISs) for the flight deck are appropriate technologies for mitigating the difficulties GA pilots have with current aviation weather information sources. This paper describes usability evaluations of a prototype GWIS by 12 GA pilots after using the system in flights towards convective weather. We provide design guidance for GWISs and discuss further research required to support weather situation awareness and in-flight decision making for GA pilots.

The Shared Decision Making Frontier: a Feasibility and Usability Study for Managing Non-Critical Chronic Illness by Combining Behavioural & Decision Theory with Online Technology.

PubMed

Russell, Amina; Van Woensel, William; Abidi, Samina Raza

2015-01-01

The objective of this study is to determine if shared decisions for managing non-critical chronic illness, made through an online biomedical technology intervention, us feasible and usable. The technology intervention incorporates behavioural and decision theories to increase patient engagement, and ultimately long term adherence to health behaviour change. We devised the iheart web intervention as a "proof of concept" in five phases. The implementation incorporates the Vaadin web application framework, Drools, EclipseLink and a MySQL database. Two-thirds of the study participants favoured the technology intervention, based on Likert-scale questions from a post-study questionnaire. Qualitative analysis of think aloud feedback, video screen captures and open-ended questions from the post-study questionnaire uncovered six main areas or themes for improvement. We conclude that online shared decisions for managing a non-critical chronic illness are feasible and usable through the iheart web intervention.

Recent developments in user-job management with Ganga

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Currie, R.; Elmsheuser, J.; Fay, R.; Owen, P. H.; Richards, A.; Slater, M.; Sutcliffe, W.; Williams, M.

2015-12-01

The Ganga project was originally developed for use by LHC experiments and has been used extensively throughout Run1 in both LHCb and ATLAS. This document describes some the most recent developments within the Ganga project. There have been improvements in the handling of large scale computational tasks in the form of a new GangaTasks infrastructure. Improvements in file handling through using a new IGangaFile interface makes handling files largely transparent to the end user. In addition to this the performance and usability of Ganga have both been addressed through the development of a new queues system allows for parallel processing of job related tasks.

Overcoming the Law of the Hidden in Cyberinfrastructures.

PubMed

Bucksch, Alexander; Das, Abhiram; Schneider, Hannah; Merchant, Nirav; Weitz, Joshua S

2017-02-01

Cyberinfrastructure projects (CIPs) are complex, integrated systems that require interaction and organization amongst user, developer, hardware, technical infrastructure, and funding resources. Nevertheless, CIP usability, functionality, and growth do not scale with the sum of these resources. Instead, growth and efficient usage of CIPs require access to 'hidden' resources. These include technical resources within CIPs as well as social and functional interactions among stakeholders. We identify approaches to overcome resource limitations following the conceptual basis of Liebig's Law of the Minimum. In so doing, we recommend practical steps towards efficient and scaleable resource use, taking the iPlant/CyVerse CIP as an example. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Development of a patient decision aid prototype for adults with obstructive sleep apnea.

PubMed

Trenaman, Logan; Munro, Sarah; Almeida, Fernanda; Ayas, Najib; Hicklin, James; Bansback, Nick

2016-05-01

To describe the development and assess the usability of a patient decision aid (PtDA) prototype designed for newly diagnosed, treatment-naïve, obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) patients. A web-based PtDA was developed which focuses on two first-line treatment options: continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) and mandibular advancement splints (MAS). Development was guided by the International Patient Decision Aid Standards (IPDAS). Usability was assessed in individuals at high risk for OSA based on the STOP-Bang questionnaire, the patient acceptance of decision aid, the System Usability Scale (SUS), and content analysis of open-ended user feedback. Eighty eligible participants completed the survey. The mean age was 54 years (SD = 8.9), 60 % of the sample was male, 78 % were university-educated, and 64 % were employed full-time. Participants took an average of 13.7 min (SD = 9.6) to complete the PtDA, with 39 participants choosing CPAP, 25 choosing MAS, and 16 choosing no treatment. The mean SUS score was 78.22 (SD = 15.13). The majority of individuals thought the PtDA was useful in making a decision (n = 77, 96 %) and would recommend it to others (n = 77, 96 %), while a third (n = 26, 33 %) thought it was slanted towards CPAP. The SUS indicated that the PtDA was acceptable and useful for participants. And useful for participants. User feedback has been used to improve the prototype, which will now undergo further testing in patients at the Vancouver Sleep Disorders Clinic.

Feasibility of Interactive Resistance Chair in Older Adults with Diabetes.

PubMed

Finkelstein, Joseph; Cisse, Pape; Jeong, In Cheol

2015-01-01

An interactive resistance chair (RC) exercise system has been designed to support patients at home in following their individualized strengthening exercise plan. The aim of this study was (1) to introduce a computer-assisted home-based resistance exercise for older adults and (2) to demonstrate feasibility of the proposed system in older adults with diabetes. The RC exercise system was well accepted by older adults with diabetes regardless of education level, race or gender. The post-task questionnaires demonstrated ease of system use and satisfaction with the system. The attitudinal survey results showed positive seniors' attitudes towards the RC exercise system. The system usability (SUS) scale score was 94.0±5.76 demonstrating high acceptance of the RC exercise system. From the qualitative interviews, individualized feedback yielded important system upgrade solutions that can be useful in tailoring patient needs, values and preferences specific for seniors with diabetes. Further research is warranted to assess impact of RC exercise system in home setting with a larger sample size in a randomized trial.

Locating and Searching Electronic Documents: A User Study of Supply Publications in the United States Marine Corps

DTIC Science & Technology

2007-12-01

Boyle, “Important issues in hypertext documentation usability,” In Proceedings of the 9th Annual international Conference on Systems Documentation...Tufte’s principles of information design to creating effective Web sites.” In Proceedings of the 15th Annual international Conference on Computer...usability,” In Proceedings of the 9th Annual international Conference on Systems Documentation (Chicago, Illinois, 1991). SIGDOC 󈨟. ACM, New York, NY

Lightweight and Statistical Techniques for Petascale Debugging: Correctness on Petascale Systems (CoPS) Preliminry Report

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

de Supinski, B R; Miller, B P; Liblit, B

2011-09-13

Petascale platforms with O(10{sup 5}) and O(10{sup 6}) processing cores are driving advancements in a wide range of scientific disciplines. These large systems create unprecedented application development challenges. Scalable correctness tools are critical to shorten the time-to-solution on these systems. Currently, many DOE application developers use primitive manual debugging based on printf or traditional debuggers such as TotalView or DDT. This paradigm breaks down beyond a few thousand cores, yet bugs often arise above that scale. Programmers must reproduce problems in smaller runs to analyze them with traditional tools, or else perform repeated runs at scale using only primitive techniques.more » Even when traditional tools run at scale, the approach wastes substantial effort and computation cycles. Continued scientific progress demands new paradigms for debugging large-scale applications. The Correctness on Petascale Systems (CoPS) project is developing a revolutionary debugging scheme that will reduce the debugging problem to a scale that human developers can comprehend. The scheme can provide precise diagnoses of the root causes of failure, including suggestions of the location and the type of errors down to the level of code regions or even a single execution point. Our fundamentally new strategy combines and expands three relatively new complementary debugging approaches. The Stack Trace Analysis Tool (STAT), a 2011 R&D 100 Award Winner, identifies behavior equivalence classes in MPI jobs and highlights behavior when elements of the class demonstrate divergent behavior, often the first indicator of an error. The Cooperative Bug Isolation (CBI) project has developed statistical techniques for isolating programming errors in widely deployed code that we will adapt to large-scale parallel applications. Finally, we are developing a new approach to parallelizing expensive correctness analyses, such as analysis of memory usage in the Memgrind tool. In the first two years of the project, we have successfully extended STAT to determine the relative progress of different MPI processes. We have shown that the STAT, which is now included in the debugging tools distributed by Cray with their large-scale systems, substantially reduces the scale at which traditional debugging techniques are applied. We have extended CBI to large-scale systems and developed new compiler based analyses that reduce its instrumentation overhead. Our results demonstrate that CBI can identify the source of errors in large-scale applications. Finally, we have developed MPIecho, a new technique that will reduce the time required to perform key correctness analyses, such as the detection of writes to unallocated memory. Overall, our research results are the foundations for new debugging paradigms that will improve application scientist productivity by reducing the time to determine which package or module contains the root cause of a problem that arises at all scales of our high end systems. While we have made substantial progress in the first two years of CoPS research, significant work remains. While STAT provides scalable debugging assistance for incorrect application runs, we could apply its techniques to assertions in order to observe deviations from expected behavior. Further, we must continue to refine STAT's techniques to represent behavioral equivalence classes efficiently as we expect systems with millions of threads in the next year. We are exploring new CBI techniques that can assess the likelihood that execution deviations from past behavior are the source of erroneous execution. Finally, we must develop usable correctness analyses that apply the MPIecho parallelization strategy in order to locate coding errors. We expect to make substantial progress on these directions in the next year but anticipate that significant work will remain to provide usable, scalable debugging paradigms.« less

Usability testing in medical informatics: cognitive approaches to evaluation of information systems and user interfaces.

PubMed Central

Kushniruk, A. W.; Patel, V. L.; Cimino, J. J.

1997-01-01

This paper describes an approach to the evaluation of health care information technologies based on usability engineering and a methodological framework from the study of medical cognition. The approach involves collection of a rich set of data including video recording of health care workers as they interact with systems, such as computerized patient records and decision support tools. The methodology can be applied in the laboratory setting, typically involving subjects "thinking aloud" as they interact with a system. A similar approach to data collection and analysis can also be extended to study of computer systems in the "live" environment of hospital clinics. Our approach is also influenced from work in the area of cognitive task analysis, which aims to characterize the decision making and reasoning of subjects of varied levels of expertise as they interact with information technology in carrying out representative tasks. The stages involved in conducting cognitively-based usability analyses are detailed and the application of such analysis in the iterative process of system and interface development is discussed. PMID:9357620

Software Prototyping

PubMed Central

Del Fiol, Guilherme; Hanseler, Haley; Crouch, Barbara Insley; Cummins, Mollie R.

2016-01-01

Summary Background Health information exchange (HIE) between Poison Control Centers (PCCs) and Emergency Departments (EDs) could improve care of poisoned patients. However, PCC information systems are not designed to facilitate HIE with EDs; therefore, we are developing specialized software to support HIE within the normal workflow of the PCC using user-centered design and rapid prototyping. Objective To describe the design of an HIE dashboard and the refinement of user requirements through rapid prototyping. Methods Using previously elicited user requirements, we designed low-fidelity sketches of designs on paper with iterative refinement. Next, we designed an interactive high-fidelity prototype and conducted scenario-based usability tests with end users. Users were asked to think aloud while accomplishing tasks related to a case vignette. After testing, the users provided feedback and evaluated the prototype using the System Usability Scale (SUS). Results Survey results from three users provided useful feedback that was then incorporated into the design. After achieving a stable design, we used the prototype itself as the specification for development of the actual software. Benefits of prototyping included having 1) subject-matter experts heavily involved with the design; 2) flexibility to make rapid changes, 3) the ability to minimize software development efforts early in the design stage; 4) rapid finalization of requirements; 5) early visualization of designs; 6) and a powerful vehicle for communication of the design to the programmers. Challenges included 1) time and effort to develop the prototypes and case scenarios; 2) no simulation of system performance; 3) not having all proposed functionality available in the final product; and 4) missing needed data elements in the PCC information system. PMID:27081404

Papaya drying and waste conversion system. Final report

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Not Available

1982-02-12

This project, performed under United States Department of Energy Small-scale Appropriate Energy Technology Grant, involves demonstration of an integrated system using solar energy to process off-grade or reject fruit into marketable food products. The integrated system consists of three phases: (1) solar dehydration of usable fruit; (2) solar vacuum distillation of fermented wastes (peelings, rinds, skins, and seeds) to produce an ethanol fuel to use as a backup source of heat for dehydration; and (3) land reclamation by mixing stillage and compost with volcanic cinder and ash to produce on marginal land a rich soil suitable for growing more cropsmore » to dry. Although the system is not 100% complete the investigators have demonstrated that a small business can efficiently use solar energies in an integrated fashion to process waste into food, improve the quality of the land, and provide meaningful jobs in a region of very high unemployment.« less

Usability and Acceptability of a Mobile Comprehensive HIV Prevention App for Men Who Have Sex With Men: A Pilot Study

PubMed Central

Driggers, Robert; Stekler, Joanne D; Siegler, Aaron; Goldenberg, Tamar; McDougal, Sarah J; Caucutt, Jason; Jones, Jeb; Stephenson, Rob

2017-01-01

Background Men who have sex with men (MSM) are the group most impacted by the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) epidemic and the only subgroup in the United States among which new HIV diagnoses are not decreasing. To achieve the US National HIV/AIDS (acquired immunodeficiency syndrome) Strategy goals of reducing new diagnoses by 25%, high (eg, 30-50%) coverage of multiple HIV prevention interventions is needed in both urban and rural areas. Mobile phone “apps” are an important channel through which prevention services could be provided at scale and at low marginal cost. Objective The aim of this study was to evaluate the usability and acceptability of a theory-based Android mobile phone app for HIV prevention. Methods The app included self-assessment tools; prevention recommendations; commodity (condoms, HIV self-tests) ordering; reminders to MSM for basic HIV prevention services, HIV testing, condom use, screening for preexposure prophylaxis (PrEP) and nonoccupational postexposure prophylaxis (nPEP); and prevention and treatment provider locators. The study recruited HIV-negative, Android-using MSM in Atlanta and Seattle who were asked to use the app for 4 months and complete a post-use survey. We measured the use of the app and its features, ordering of commodities, self-report of establishing an HIV testing plan, being HIV tested in the community, and starting PrEP or using nPEP. Usability was assessed using the system usability scale (SUS). Results A total of 121 MSM were enrolled (59.5%, 72/121 from Atlanta; 40.5%, 49/121 from Seattle). Median age was 28. Nearly half (48.8%, 59/121) were nonwhite, and most (85.9%, 104/121) were gay-identified. Most had tested for HIV in the past (85.1%, 103/121), and 52 (43.0%, 52/121) had a plan to test for HIV regularly. Men used the app for an average of 17.7 minutes over the first 4 months. Over the 4-month period, over half ordered condoms (63.6%, 77/121) and HIV test kits (52.8%, 64/121) on the app. Eight of 86 (9%) PrEP-eligible MSM started PrEP during the 4-month period; of those, 6 of the 8 reported that the app influenced their decision to start PrEP. The mean SUS was 73 (above average). Conclusions A theory-based mobile phone app was acceptable to MSM and was rated as having above-average usability. Most men used the commodity-ordering features of the app during the 4-month evaluation period, and nearly 1 in 10 PrEP-eligible men started PrEP, with most attributing their decision to start PrEP in part to the app. A broader, randomized controlled study of the impact of the app on uptake of prevention behaviors for MSM is warranted. PMID:28279949

The usability axiom of medical information systems.

PubMed

Pantazi, Stefan V; Kushniruk, Andre; Moehr, Jochen R

2006-12-01

In this article we begin by connecting the concept of simplicity of user interfaces of information systems with that of usability, and the concept of complexity of the problem-solving in information systems with the concept of usefulness. We continue by stating "the usability axiom" of medical information technology: information systems must be, at the same time, usable and useful. We then try to show why, given existing technology, the axiom is a paradox and we continue with analysing and reformulating it several times, from more fundamental information processing perspectives. We underline the importance of the concept of representation and demonstrate the need for context-dependent representations. By means of thought experiments and examples, we advocate the need for context-dependent information processing and argue for the relevance of algorithmic information theory and case-based reasoning in this context. Further, we introduce the notion of concept spaces and offer a pragmatic perspective on context-dependent representations. We conclude that the efficient management of concept spaces may help with the solution to the medical information technology paradox. Finally, we propose a view of informatics centred on the concepts of context-dependent information processing and management of concept spaces that aligns well with existing knowledge centric definitions of informatics in general and medical informatics in particular. In effect, our view extends M. Musen's proposal and proposes a definition of Medical Informatics as context-dependent medical information processing. The axiom that medical information systems must be, at the same time, useful and usable, is a paradox and its investigation by means of examples and thought experiments leads to the recognition of the crucial importance of context-dependent information processing. On the premise that context-dependent information processing equates to knowledge processing, this view defines Medical Informatics as a context-dependent medical information processing which aligns well with existing knowledge centric definitions of our field.

Usability and Acceptance of the Librarian Infobutton Tailoring Environment: An Open Access Online Knowledge Capture, Management, and Configuration Tool for OpenInfobutton.

PubMed

Jing, Xia; Cimino, James J; Del Fiol, Guilherme

2015-11-30

The Librarian Infobutton Tailoring Environment (LITE) is a Web-based knowledge capture, management, and configuration tool with which users can build profiles used by OpenInfobutton, an open source infobutton manager, to provide electronic health record users with context-relevant links to online knowledge resources. We conducted a multipart evaluation study to explore users' attitudes and acceptance of LITE and to guide future development. The evaluation consisted of an initial online survey to all LITE users, followed by an observational study of a subset of users in which evaluators' sessions were recorded while they conducted assigned tasks. The observational study was followed by administration of a modified System Usability Scale (SUS) survey. Fourteen users responded to the survey and indicated good acceptance of LITE with feedback that was mostly positive. Six users participated in the observational study, demonstrating average task completion time of less than 6 minutes and an average SUS score of 72, which is considered good compared with other SUS scores. LITE can be used to fulfill its designated tasks quickly and successfully. Evaluators proposed suggestions for improvements in LITE functionality and user interface.

The added value of user involvement during the development of a feedback system regarding physical functioning for community-dwelling elderly people

PubMed Central

Vermeulen, Joan; Neyens, Jacques C. L; Spreeuwenberg, Marieke D; Van Rossum, Erik; Hewson, David; De Witte, Luc P

2012-01-01

Background The number of frail elderly people is increasing. Unfortunately, the number of caregivers is not increasing at the same pace, which affects older people, caregivers and healthcare systems. Because of these developments, self-management is becoming more important in healthcare. To support community-dwelling elderly people in their self-management, a system was developed that monitors their physical functioning. This system provides feedback to elderly people and their caregivers regarding physical indicators of frailty. The feedback is provided to elderly people via the screen of a mobile phone. It is important that elderly people understand the content of the feedback and are able to use the mobile phone properly. If not, it is unlikely that the system can support self-management. Many interactive health technologies that have been developed do not fulfil their promises. An important reason for this is that human and other non-technology issues are not sufficiently taken into consideration during the development process. Objective To collaborate with elderly people during the development and evaluation of a feedback system for community-dwelling elderly people regarding physical functioning. Methods An iterative user-centered design that consists of five phases was used to develop and evaluate the feedback system. These five phases were: 1) Selection of users, 2) Analysis of users and their context, 3) Identification of user needs, 4) Development of a prototype, and 5) Evaluation of the prototype. Three representatives of a target group panel for elderly people were selected in phase 1. They shared their needs and preferences during three expert group meetings that took place during the development process. This resulted in the development of a prototype which was first evaluated in a heuristic evaluation. Once adjustments were made, 11 elderly people evaluated the adjusted prototype using a think aloud procedure. They rated the usability and acceptability of the developed interface on a scale from 1 till 7 using an adapted version of the Post-Study System Usability Questionnaire (PSSUQ). Results A feedback system was developed that provides feedback regarding physical indicators of frailty via a touch screen mobile phone. The interface uses colours, smiley’s, and spoken/written messages to provide feedback that is easy to understand. The heuristic evaluation revealed that there were some problems with consistency and the use of user language. The think aloud evaluation showed that the 11 elderly people were able to navigate through the interface without much difficulty despite some small problems related to the lay-out of the interface. The mean score on an adapted version of the PSSUQ was 5.90 (SD 1.09) which indicates high user satisfaction and good usability. Conclusions The involvement of end-users significantly influenced the lay-out of the interface that was developed. This resulted in an interface that was accepted by the target group. Evaluation of the prototype revealed that the usability of the interface was good. The feedback system will only succeed in supporting self-management when elderly people are able to use the interface and understand the feedback. The input of elderly people during the development process contributed to this.

Development and psychometric evaluation of the Assessment of Core CBT Skills (ACCS): An observation-based tool for assessing cognitive behavioral therapy competence.

PubMed

Muse, Kate; McManus, Freda; Rakovshik, Sarah; Thwaites, Richard

2017-05-01

This article outlines the development and psychometric evaluation of the Assessment of Core CBT Skills (ACCS) rating scale. The ACCS aims to provide a novel assessment framework to deliver formative and summative feedback regarding therapists' performance within observed cognitive-behavioral treatment sessions, and for therapists to rate and reflect on their own performance. Findings from 3 studies are outlined: (a) a feedback study (n = 66) examining content validity, face validity and usability; (b) a focus group (n = 9) evaluating usability and utility; and (c) an evaluation of the psychometric properties of the ACCS in real world cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) training and routine clinical practice contexts. Results suggest that the ACCS has good face validity, content validity, and usability and provides a user-friendly tool that is useful for promoting self-reflection and providing formative feedback. Scores on both the self and assessor-rated versions of the ACCS demonstrate good internal consistency, interrater reliability, and discriminant validity. In addition, ACCS scores were found to be correlated with, but distinct from, the Revised Cognitive Therapy Scale (CTS-R) and were comparable to CTS-R scores in terms of internal consistency and discriminant validity. In addition, the ACCS may have advantages over the CTS-R in terms of interrater reliability of scores. The studies also provided insight into areas for refinement and a number of modifications were undertaken to improve the scale. In summary, the ACCS is an appropriate and useful measure of CBT competence that can be used to promote self-reflection and provide therapists with formative and summative feedback. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2017 APA, all rights reserved).

Subjective visual vertical assessment with mobile virtual reality system.

PubMed

Ulozienė, Ingrida; Totilienė, Milda; Paulauskas, Andrius; Blažauskas, Tomas; Marozas, Vaidotas; Kaski, Diego; Ulozas, Virgilijus

2017-01-01

The subjective visual vertical (SVV) is a measure of a subject's perceived verticality, and a sensitive test of vestibular dysfunction. Despite this, and consequent upon technical and logistical limitations, SVV has not entered mainstream clinical practice. The aim of the study was to develop a mobile virtual reality based system for SVV test, evaluate the suitability of different controllers and assess the system's usability in practical settings. In this study, we describe a novel virtual reality based system that has been developed to test SVV using integrated software and hardware, and report normative values across healthy population. Participants wore a mobile virtual reality headset in order to observe a 3D stimulus presented across separate conditions - static, dynamic and an immersive real-world ("boat in the sea") SVV tests. The virtual reality environment was controlled by the tester using a Bluetooth connected controllers. Participants controlled the movement of a vertical arrow using either a gesture control armband or a general-purpose gamepad, to indicate perceived verticality. We wanted to compare 2 different methods for object control in the system, determine normal values and compare them with literature data, to evaluate the developed system with the help of the system usability scale questionnaire and evaluate possible virtually induced dizziness with the help of subjective visual analog scale. There were no statistically significant differences in SVV values during static, dynamic and virtual reality stimulus conditions, obtained using the two different controllers and the results are compared to those previously reported in the literature using alternative methodologies. The SUS scores for the system were high, with a median of 82.5 for the Myo controller and of 95.0 for the Gamepad controller, representing a statistically significant difference between the two controllers (P<0.01). The median of virtual reality-induced dizziness for both devices was 0.7. The mobile virtual reality based system for implementation of subjective visual vertical test, is accurate and applicable in the clinical environment. The gamepad-based virtual object control method was preferred by the users. The tests were well tolerated with low dizziness scores in the majority of patients. Copyright © 2018 The Lithuanian University of Health Sciences. Production and hosting by Elsevier Sp. z o.o. All rights reserved.

User-Centered Innovation: A Model for "Early Usability Testing."

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Sugar, William A.; Boling, Elizabeth

The goal of this study is to show how some concepts and techniques from disciplines outside Instructional Systems Development (ISD) have the potential to extend and enhance the traditional view of ISD practice when they are employed very early in the ISD process. The concepts and techniques employed were user-centered in design and usability, and…

Towards an Understanding of Mobile Website Contextual Usability and Its Impact on Mobile Commerce

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hyman, Jack Alan

2012-01-01

An increasing number of technologies and applications have begun to focus on mobile computing and the wireless Web as a way to conduct commerce-oriented transactions. M-commerce Websites that are usability friendly must emphasize information quality, system quality, and service quality, as these are proxy measures to mobile commerce user…

Record completeness and data concordance in an anesthesia information management system using context-sensitive mandatory data-entry fields.

PubMed

Avidan, Alexander; Weissman, Charles

2012-03-01

Use of an anesthesia information management system (AIMS) does not insure record completeness and data accuracy. Mandatory data-entry fields can be used to assure data completeness. However, they are not suited for data that is mandatory depending on the clinical situation (context sensitive). For example, information on equal breath sounds should be mandatory with tracheal intubation, but not with mask ventilation. It was hypothesized that employing context-sensitive mandatory data-entry fields can insure high data-completeness and accuracy while maintaining usability. A commercial off-the-shelf AIMS was enhanced using its built-in VBScript programming tool to build event-driven forms with context-sensitive mandatory data-entry fields. One year after introduction of the system, all anesthesia records were reviewed for data completeness. Data concordance, used as a proxy for accuracy, was evaluated using verifiable age-related data. Additionally, an anonymous satisfaction survey on general acceptance and usability of the AIMS was performed. During the initial 12 months of AIMS use, 12,241 (99.6%) of 12,290 anesthesia records had complete data. Concordances of entered data (weight, size of tracheal tubes, laryngoscopy blades and intravenous catheters) with patients' ages were 98.7-99.9%. The AIMS implementation was deemed successful by 98% of the anesthesiologists. Users rated the AIMS usability in general as very good and the data-entry forms in particular as comfortable. Due to the complexity and the high costs of implementation of an anesthesia information management system it was not possible to compare various system designs (for example with or without context-sensitive mandatory data entry-fields). Therefore, it is possible that a different or simpler design would have yielded the same or even better results. This refers also to the evaluation of usability, since users did not have the opportunity to work with different design approaches or even different computer programs. Using context-sensitive mandatory fields in an anesthesia information management system was associated with high record completeness rate and data concordance. In addition, the system's usability was rated as very good by its users. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

Does user-centred design affect the efficiency, usability and safety of CPOE order sets?

PubMed

Chan, Julie; Shojania, Kaveh G; Easty, Anthony C; Etchells, Edward E

2011-05-01

Application of user-centred design principles to Computerized provider order entry (CPOE) systems may improve task efficiency, usability or safety, but there is limited evaluative research of its impact on CPOE systems. We evaluated the task efficiency, usability, and safety of three order set formats: our hospital's planned CPOE order sets (CPOE Test), computer order sets based on user-centred design principles (User Centred Design), and existing pre-printed paper order sets (Paper). 27 staff physicians, residents and medical students. Sunnybrook Health Sciences Centre, an academic hospital in Toronto, Canada. Methods Participants completed four simulated order set tasks with three order set formats (two CPOE Test tasks, one User Centred Design, and one Paper). Order of presentation of order set formats and tasks was randomized. Users received individual training for the CPOE Test format only. Completion time (efficiency), requests for assistance (usability), and errors in the submitted orders (safety). 27 study participants completed 108 order sets. Mean task times were: User Centred Design format 273 s, Paper format 293 s (p=0.73 compared to UCD format), and CPOE Test format 637 s (p<0.0001 compared to UCD format). Users requested assistance in 31% of the CPOE Test format tasks, whereas no assistance was needed for the other formats (p<0.01). There were no significant differences in number of errors between formats. The User Centred Design format was more efficient and usable than the CPOE Test format even though training was provided for the latter. We conclude that application of user-centred design principles can enhance task efficiency and usability, increasing the likelihood of successful implementation.

Does user-centred design affect the efficiency, usability and safety of CPOE order sets?

PubMed Central

Chan, Julie; Shojania, Kaveh G; Easty, Anthony C

2011-01-01

Background Application of user-centred design principles to Computerized provider order entry (CPOE) systems may improve task efficiency, usability or safety, but there is limited evaluative research of its impact on CPOE systems. Objective We evaluated the task efficiency, usability, and safety of three order set formats: our hospital's planned CPOE order sets (CPOE Test), computer order sets based on user-centred design principles (User Centred Design), and existing pre-printed paper order sets (Paper). Participants 27staff physicians, residents and medical students. Setting Sunnybrook Health Sciences Centre, an academic hospital in Toronto, Canada. Methods Participants completed four simulated order set tasks with three order set formats (two CPOE Test tasks, one User Centred Design, and one Paper). Order of presentation of order set formats and tasks was randomized. Users received individual training for the CPOE Test format only. Main Measures Completion time (efficiency), requests for assistance (usability), and errors in the submitted orders (safety). Results 27 study participants completed 108 order sets. Mean task times were: User Centred Design format 273 s, Paper format 293 s (p=0.73 compared to UCD format), and CPOE Test format 637 s (p<0.0001 compared to UCD format). Users requested assistance in 31% of the CPOE Test format tasks, whereas no assistance was needed for the other formats (p<0.01). There were no significant differences in number of errors between formats. Conclusions The User Centred Design format was more efficient and usable than the CPOE Test format even though training was provided for the latter. We conclude that application of user-centred design principles can enhance task efficiency and usability, increasing the likelihood of successful implementation. PMID:21486886

Iterative User Interface Design for Automated Sequential Organ Failure Assessment Score Calculator in Sepsis Detection

PubMed Central

Herasevich, Vitaly

2017-01-01

Background The new sepsis definition has increased the need for frequent sequential organ failure assessment (SOFA) score recalculation and the clerical burden of information retrieval makes this score ideal for automated calculation. Objective The aim of this study was to (1) estimate the clerical workload of manual SOFA score calculation through a time-motion analysis and (2) describe a user-centered design process for an electronic medical record (EMR) integrated, automated SOFA score calculator with subsequent usability evaluation study. Methods First, we performed a time-motion analysis by recording time-to-task-completion for the manual calculation of 35 baseline and 35 current SOFA scores by 14 internal medicine residents over a 2-month period. Next, we used an agile development process to create a user interface for a previously developed automated SOFA score calculator. The final user interface usability was evaluated by clinician end users with the Computer Systems Usability Questionnaire. Results The overall mean (standard deviation, SD) time-to-complete manual SOFA score calculation time was 61.6 s (33). Among the 24% (12/50) usability survey respondents, our user-centered user interface design process resulted in >75% favorability of survey items in the domains of system usability, information quality, and interface quality. Conclusions Early stakeholder engagement in our agile design process resulted in a user interface for an automated SOFA score calculator that reduced clinician workload and met clinicians’ needs at the point of care. Emerging interoperable platforms may facilitate dissemination of similarly useful clinical score calculators and decision support algorithms as “apps.” A user-centered design process and usability evaluation should be considered during creation of these tools. PMID:28526675

Iterative User Interface Design for Automated Sequential Organ Failure Assessment Score Calculator in Sepsis Detection.

PubMed

Aakre, Christopher Ansel; Kitson, Jaben E; Li, Man; Herasevich, Vitaly

2017-05-18

The new sepsis definition has increased the need for frequent sequential organ failure assessment (SOFA) score recalculation and the clerical burden of information retrieval makes this score ideal for automated calculation. The aim of this study was to (1) estimate the clerical workload of manual SOFA score calculation through a time-motion analysis and (2) describe a user-centered design process for an electronic medical record (EMR) integrated, automated SOFA score calculator with subsequent usability evaluation study. First, we performed a time-motion analysis by recording time-to-task-completion for the manual calculation of 35 baseline and 35 current SOFA scores by 14 internal medicine residents over a 2-month period. Next, we used an agile development process to create a user interface for a previously developed automated SOFA score calculator. The final user interface usability was evaluated by clinician end users with the Computer Systems Usability Questionnaire. The overall mean (standard deviation, SD) time-to-complete manual SOFA score calculation time was 61.6 s (33). Among the 24% (12/50) usability survey respondents, our user-centered user interface design process resulted in >75% favorability of survey items in the domains of system usability, information quality, and interface quality. Early stakeholder engagement in our agile design process resulted in a user interface for an automated SOFA score calculator that reduced clinician workload and met clinicians' needs at the point of care. Emerging interoperable platforms may facilitate dissemination of similarly useful clinical score calculators and decision support algorithms as "apps." A user-centered design process and usability evaluation should be considered during creation of these tools. ©Christopher Ansel Aakre, Jaben E Kitson, Man Li, Vitaly Herasevich. Originally published in JMIR Human Factors (http://humanfactors.jmir.org), 18.05.2017.

Software architecture and engineering for patient records: current and future.

PubMed

Weng, Chunhua; Levine, Betty A; Mun, Seong K

2009-05-01

During the "The National Forum on the Future of the Defense Health Information System," a track focusing on "Systems Architecture and Software Engineering" included eight presenters. These presenters identified three key areas of interest in this field, which include the need for open enterprise architecture and a federated database design, net centrality based on service-oriented architecture, and the need for focus on software usability and reusability. The eight panelists provided recommendations related to the suitability of service-oriented architecture and the enabling technologies of grid computing and Web 2.0 for building health services research centers and federated data warehouses to facilitate large-scale collaborative health care and research. Finally, they discussed the need to leverage industry best practices for software engineering to facilitate rapid software development, testing, and deployment.

MIIP: a web-based platform for medical image interpretation training and evaluation focusing on ultrasound

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lindseth, Frank; Nordrik Hallan, Marte; Schiller Tønnessen, Martin; Smistad, Erik; Vâpenstad, Cecilie

2017-03-01

Introduction: Medical imaging technology has revolutionized health care over the past 30 years. This is especially true for ultrasound, a modality that an increasing amount of medical personal is starting to use. Purpose: The purpose of this study was to develop and evaluate a platform for improving medical image interpretation skills regardless of time and space and without the need for expensive imaging equipment or a patient to scan. Methods, results and conclusions: A stable web application with the needed functionality for image interpretation training and evaluation has been implemented. The system has been extensively tested internally and used during an international course in ultrasound-guided neurosurgery. The web application was well received and got very good System Usability Scale (SUS) scores.

Human Factors for Nursing: From In-Situ Testing to Mobile Usability Engineering.

PubMed

Kushniruk, Andre W; Borycki, Elizabeth M; Solvoll, Terje; Hullin, Carola

2016-01-01

The tutorial goal is to familiarize participants with human aspects of health informatics and human-centered approaches to the design, evaluation and deployment of both usable and safe healthcare information systems. The focus will be on demonstrating and teaching practical and low-cost methods for evaluating mobile applications in nursing. Basic background to testing methods will be provided, followed by live demonstration of the methods. Then the audience will break into small groups to explore the application of the methods to applications of interest (there will be a number of possible applications that will be available for applications in areas such as electronic health records and decision support, however, if the groups have applications of specific interest to them that will be possible). The challenges of conducting usability testing, and in particular mobile usability testing will be discussed along with practical solutions. The target audience includes practicing nurses and nurse researchers, nursing informatics specialists, nursing students, nursing managers and health informatics professionals interested in improving the usability and safety of healthcare applications.

A usability evaluation of medical software at an expert conference setting.

PubMed

Bond, Raymond Robert; Finlay, Dewar D; Nugent, Chris D; Moore, George; Guldenring, Daniel

2014-01-01

A usability test was employed to evaluate two medical software applications at an expert conference setting. One software application is a medical diagnostic tool (electrocardiogram [ECG] viewer) and the other is a medical research tool (electrode misplacement simulator [EMS]). These novel applications have yet to be adopted by the healthcare domain, thus, (1) we wanted to determine the potential user acceptance of these applications and (2) we wanted to determine the feasibility of evaluating medical diagnostic and medical research software at a conference setting as opposed to the conventional laboratory setting. The medical diagnostic tool (ECG viewer) was evaluated using seven delegates and the medical research tool (EMS) was evaluated using 17 delegates that were recruited at the 2010 International Conference on Computing in Cardiology. Each delegate/participant was required to use the software and undertake a set of predefined tasks during the session breaks at the conference. User interactions with the software were recorded using screen-recording software. The 'think-aloud' protocol was also used to elicit verbal feedback from the participants whilst they attempted the pre-defined tasks. Before and after each session, participants completed a pre-test and a post-test questionnaire respectively. The average duration of a usability session at the conference was 34.69 min (SD=10.28). However, taking into account that 10 min was dedicated to the pre-test and post-test questionnaires, the average time dedication to user interaction of the medical software was 24.69 min (SD=10.28). Given we have shown that usability data can be collected at conferences, this paper details the advantages of conference-based usability studies over the laboratory-based approach. For example, given delegates gather at one geographical location, a conference-based usability evaluation facilitates recruitment of a convenient sample of international subject experts. This would otherwise be very expensive to arrange. A conference-based approach also allows for data to be collected over a few days as opposed to months by avoiding administration duties normally involved in laboratory based approach, e.g. mailing invitation letters as part of a recruitment campaign. Following analysis of the user video recordings, 41 (previously unknown) use errors were identified in the advanced ECG viewer and 29 were identified in the EMS application. All use errors were given a consensus severity rating from two independent usability experts. Out of a rating scale of 4 (where 1=cosmetic and 4=critical), the average severity rating for the ECG viewer was 2.24 (SD=1.09) and the average severity rating for the EMS application was 2.34 (SD=0.97). We were also able to extract task completion rates and times from the video recordings to determine the effectiveness of the software applications. For example, six out of seven tasks were completed by all participants when using both applications. This statistic alone suggests both applications already have a high degree of usability. As well as extracting data from the video recordings, we were also able to extract data from the questionnaires. Using a semantic differential scale (where 1=poor and 5=excellent), delegates highly rated the 'responsiveness', 'usefulness', 'learnability' and the 'look and feel' of both applications. This study has shown the potential user acceptance and user-friendliness of the novel EMS and the ECG viewer applications within the healthcare domain. It has also shown that both medical diagnostic software and medical research software can be evaluated for their usability at an expert conference setting. The primary advantage of a conference-based usability evaluation over a laboratory-based evaluation is the high concentration of experts at one location, which is convenient, less time consuming and less expensive. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

Applying User-Centered Design Methods to the Development of an mHealth Application for Use in the Hospital Setting by Patients and Care Partners.

PubMed

Couture, Brittany; Lilley, Elizabeth; Chang, Frank; DeBord Smith, Ann; Cleveland, Jessica; Ergai, Awatef; Katsulis, Zachary; Benneyan, James; Gershanik, Esteban; Bates, David W; Collins, Sarah A

2018-04-01

 Developing an optimized and user-friendly mHealth application for patients and family members in the hospital environment presents unique challenges given the diverse patient population and patients' various states of well-being.  This article describes user-centered design methods and results for developing the patient and family facing user interface and functionality of MySafeCare, a safety reporting tool for hospitalized patients and their family members.  Individual and group usability sessions were conducted with specific testing scenarios for participants to follow to test the usability and functionality of the tool. Participants included patients, family members, and Patient and Family Advisory Council (PFAC) members. Engagement rounds were also conducted on study units and lessons learned provided additional information to the usability work. Usability results were aligned with Nielsen's Usability Heuristics.  Eleven patients and family members and 25 PFAC members participated in usability testing and over 250 patients and family members were engaged during research team rounding. Specific themes resulting from the usability testing sessions influenced the changes made to the user interface design, workflow functionality, and terminology.  User-centered design should focus on workflow functionality, terminology, and user interface issues for mHealth applications. These themes illustrated issues aligned with four of Nielsen's Usability Heuristics: match between system and the real world, consistency and standards, flexibility and efficiency of use, and aesthetic and minimalist design. We identified workflow and terminology issues that may be specific to the use of an mHealth application focused on safety and used by hospitalized patients and their families. Schattauer GmbH Stuttgart.

Massive Cloud-Based Big Data Processing for Ocean Sensor Networks and Remote Sensing

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Schwehr, K. D.

2017-12-01

Until recently, the work required to integrate and analyze data for global-scale environmental issues was prohibitive both in cost and availability. Traditional desktop processing systems are not able to effectively store and process all the data, and super computer solutions are financially out of the reach of most people. The availability of large-scale cloud computing has created tools that are usable by small groups and individuals regardless of financial resources or locally available computational resources. These systems give scientists and policymakers the ability to see how critical resources are being used across the globe with little or no barrier to entry. Google Earth Engine has the Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) Terra, MODIS Aqua, and Global Land Data Assimilation Systems (GLDAS) data catalogs available live online. Here we demonstrate these data to calculate the correlation between lagged chlorophyll and rainfall to identify areas of eutrophication, matching these events to ocean currents from datasets like HYbrid Coordinate Ocean Model (HYCOM) to check if there are constraints from oceanographic configurations. The system can provide addition ground truth with observations from sensor networks like the International Comprehensive Ocean-Atmosphere Data Set / Voluntary Observing Ship (ICOADS/VOS) and Argo floats. This presentation is intended to introduce users to the datasets, programming idioms, and functionality of Earth Engine for large-scale, data-driven oceanography.

Web-scale discovery in an academic health sciences library: development and implementation of the EBSCO Discovery Service.

PubMed

Thompson, Jolinda L; Obrig, Kathe S; Abate, Laura E

2013-01-01

Funds made available at the close of the 2010-11 fiscal year allowed purchase of the EBSCO Discovery Service (EDS) for a year-long trial. The appeal of this web-scale discovery product that offers a Google-like interface to library resources was counter-balanced by concerns about quality of search results in an academic health science setting and the challenge of configuring an interface that serves the needs of a diverse group of library users. After initial configuration, usability testing with library users revealed the need for further work before general release. Of greatest concern were continuing issues with the relevance of items retrieved, appropriateness of system-supplied facet terms, and user difficulties with navigating the interface. EBSCO has worked with the library to better understand and identify problems and solutions. External roll-out to users occurred in June 2012.

Comparing two anesthesia information management system user interfaces: a usability evaluation.

PubMed

Wanderer, Jonathan P; Rao, Anoop V; Rothwell, Sarah H; Ehrenfeld, Jesse M

2012-11-01

Anesthesia information management systems (AIMS) have been developed by multiple vendors and are deployed in thousands of operating rooms around the world, yet not much is known about measuring and improving AIMS usability. We developed a methodology for evaluating AIMS usability in a low-fidelity simulated clinical environment and used it to compare an existing user interface with a revised version. We hypothesized that the revised user interface would be more useable. In a low-fidelity simulated clinical environment, twenty anesthesia providers documented essential anesthetic information for the start of the case using both an existing and a revised user interface. Participants had not used the revised user interface previously and completed a brief training exercise prior to the study task. All participants completed a workload assessment and a satisfaction survey. All sessions were recorded. Multiple usability metrics were measured. The primary outcome was documentation accuracy. Secondary outcomes were perceived workload, number of documentation steps, number of user interactions, and documentation time. The interfaces were compared and design problems were identified by analyzing recorded sessions and survey results. Use of the revised user interface was shown to improve documentation accuracy from 85.1% to 92.4%, a difference of 7.3% (95% confidence interval [CI] for the difference 1.8 to 12.7). The revised user interface decreased the number of user interactions by 6.5 for intravenous documentation (95% CI 2.9 to 10.1) and by 16.1 for airway documentation (95% CI 11.1 to 21.1). The revised user interface required 3.8 fewer documentation steps (95% CI 2.3 to 5.4). Airway documentation time was reduced by 30.5 seconds with the revised workflow (95% CI 8.5 to 52.4). There were no significant time differences noted in intravenous documentation or in total task time. No difference in perceived workload was found between the user interfaces. Two user interface design problems were identified in the revised user interface. The usability of anesthesia information management systems can be evaluated using a low-fidelity simulated clinical environment. User testing of the revised user interface showed improvement in some usability metrics and highlighted areas for further revision. Vendors of AIMS and those who use them should consider adopting methods to evaluate and improve AIMS usability.

Feasibility study of a clinical decision support system for the management of multimorbid seniors in primary care: study protocol.

PubMed

Weltermann, Birgitta; Kersting, Christine

2016-01-01

Care for seniors is complex because patients often have more than one disease, one medication, and one physician. It is a key challenge for primary care physicians to structure the various aspects of each patient's care, to integrate each patient's preferences, and to maintain a long-term overview. This article describes the design for the development and feasibility testing of the clinical decision support system (CDSS) eCare*Seniors© which is electronic health record (EHR)-based allowing for a long-term, comprehensive, evidence-based, and patient preference-oriented management of multimorbid seniors. This mixed-methods study is designed in three steps. First, focus groups and practice observations will be conducted to develop criteria for software design from a physicians' and practice assistants' perspective. Second, based on these criteria, a CDSS prototype will be developed. Third, the prototype's feasibility will be tested by five primary care practices in the care of 30 multimorbid seniors. Primary outcome is the usability of the software measured by the validated system usability scale (SUS) after 3 months. Secondary outcomes are the (a) willingness to routinely use the CDSS, (b) degree of utilization of the CDSS, (c) acceptance of the CDSS, (d) willingness of the physicians to purchase the CDSS, and (e) willingness of the practice assistants to use the CDSS in the long term. These outcomes will be measured using semi-structured interviews and software usage data. If the SUS score reaches ≥70 %, feasibility testing will be judged successful. Otherwise, the CDSS prototype will be refined according to the users' needs and retested by the physicians and practice assistants until it is fully adapted to their requirements and reaches a usability score ≥70 %. The study will support the development of a CDSS which is primary care-defined, user-friendly, easy-to-comprehend, workflow-oriented, and comprehensive. The software will assist physicians and practices in their long-term, individualized care for multimorbid seniors. German Clinical Trials Register, DRKS00008777.

Steam atmosphere dryer project: System development and field test. Final report

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

NONE

1999-02-01

The objective of this project was to develop and demonstrate the use of a superheated steam atmosphere dryer as a highly improved alternative to conventional hot air-drying systems, the present industrial standard method for drying various wet feedstocks. The development program plan consisted of three major activities. The first was engineering analysis and testing of a small-scale laboratory superheated steam dryer. This dryer provided the basic engineering heat transfer data necessary to design a large-scale system. The second major activity consisted of the design, fabrication, and laboratory checkout testing of the field-site prototype superheated steam dryer system. The third majormore » activity consisted of the installation and testing of the complete 250-lb/hr evaporation rate dryer and a 30-kW cogeneration system in conjunction with an anaerobic digester facility at the Village of Bergen, NY. Feedstock for the digester facility at the Village of Bergen, NY. Feedstock for the digester was waste residue from a nearby commercial food processing plant. The superheated steam dryer system was placed into operation in August 1996 and operated successfully through March 1997. During this period, the dryer processed all the material from the digester to a powdered consistency usable as a high-nitrogen-based fertilizer.« less

Participatory interaction design in user requirements specification in healthcare.

PubMed

Martikainen, Susanna; Ikävalko, Pauliina; Korpela, Mikko

2010-01-01

Healthcare information systems are accused of poor usability even in the popular media in Finland. Doctors especially have been very critical and actively expressed their opinions in public. User involvement and user-centered design methods are seen as the key solution to usability problems. In this paper we describe a research case where participatory methods were experimented within healthcare information systems development in medicinal care in a hospital. The study was part of a larger research project on Activity-driven Information Systems Development in healthcare. The study started by finding out about and modeling the present state of medicinal care in the hospital. After that it was important to define and model the goal state. The goal state, facilitated by the would-be software package, was modeled with the help of user interface drawings as one way of prototyping. Traditional usability methods were extended during the study. According to the health professionals' feedback, the use of participatory and user-centered interaction design methods, particularly user interface drawings enabled them to describe their requirements and create common understanding with the system developers.

Improving the Interoperability and Usability of NASA Earth Observation Data

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Walter, J.; Berrick, S. W.; Murphy, K. J.; Mitchell, A. E.; Tilmes, C.

2014-12-01

NASA's Earth Science Data and Information System Project (ESDIS) is charged with managing, maintaining, and evolving NASA's Earth Observing System Data and Information System (EOSDIS) and is responsible for processing, archiving, and distributing NASA Earth Science data. The system supports a multitude of missions and serves diverse science research and other user communities. While NASA has made, and continues to make, great strides in the discoverability and accessibility of its earth observation data holdings, issues associated with data interoperability and usability still present significant challenges to realizing the full scientific and societal benefits of these data. This concern has been articulated by multiple government agencies, both U.S. and international, as well as other non-governmental organizations around the world. Among these is the White House Office of Science and Technology Policy who, in response, has launched the Big Earth Data Initiative and the Climate Data Initiative to address these concerns for U.S. government agencies. This presentation will describe NASA's approach for addressing data interoperability and usability issues with our earth observation data.

Using scenarios and personas to enhance the effectiveness of heuristic usability evaluations for older adults and their care team.

PubMed

Kneale, Laura; Mikles, Sean; Choi, Yong K; Thompson, Hilaire; Demiris, George

2017-09-01

Using heuristics to evaluate user experience is a common methodology for human-computer interaction studies. One challenge of this method is the inability to tailor results towards specific end-user needs. This manuscript reports on a method that uses validated scenarios and personas of older adults and care team members to enhance heuristics evaluations of the usability of commercially available personal health records for homebound older adults. Our work extends the Chisnell and Redish heuristic evaluation methodology by using a protocol that relies on multiple expert reviews of each system. It further standardizes the heuristic evaluation process through the incorporation of task-based scenarios. We were able to use the modified version of the Chisnell and Redish heuristic evaluation methodology to identify potential usability challenges of two commercially available personal health record systems. This allowed us to: (1) identify potential usability challenges for specific types of users, (2) describe improvements that would be valuable to all end-users of the system, and (3) better understand how the interactions of different users may vary within a single personal health record. The methodology described in this paper may help designers of consumer health information technology tools, such as personal health records, understand the needs of diverse end-user populations. Such methods may be particularly helpful when designing systems for populations that are difficult to recruit for end-user evaluations through traditional methods. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Older Adults' Acceptance of Activity Trackers

PubMed Central

Preusse, Kimberly C.; Mitzner, Tracy L.; Fausset, Cara Bailey; Rogers, Wendy A.

2016-01-01

Objective To assess the usability and acceptance of activity tracking technologies by older adults. Method First in our multi-method approach, we conducted heuristic evaluations of two activity trackers that revealed potential usability barriers to acceptance. Next, questionnaires and interviews were administered to 16 older adults (Mage=70, SDage=3.09, rangeage= 65-75) before and after a 28-day field study to understand facilitators and additional barriers to acceptance. These measurements were supplemented with diary and usage data and assessed if and why users overcame usability issues. Results The heuristic evaluation revealed usability barriers in System Status Visibility; Error Prevention; and Consistency and Standards. The field study revealed additional barriers (e.g., accuracy, format), and acceptance-facilitators (e.g., goal-tracking, usefulness, encouragement). Discussion The acceptance of wellness management technologies, such as activity trackers, may be increased by addressing acceptance-barriers during deployment (e.g., providing tutorials on features that were challenging, communicating usefulness). PMID:26753803

The E-health Literacy Demands of Australia's My Health Record: A Heuristic Evaluation of Usability.

PubMed

Walsh, Louisa; Hemsley, Bronwyn; Allan, Meredith; Adams, Natalie; Balandin, Susan; Georgiou, Andrew; Higgins, Isabel; McCarthy, Shaun; Hill, Sophie

2017-01-01

My Health Record is Australia's electronic personal health record system, which was introduced in July 2012. As of August 2017, approximately 21 percent of Australia's total population was registered to use My Health Record. Internationally, usability issues have been shown to negatively influence the uptake and use of electronic health record systems, and this scenario may particularly affect people who have low e-health literacy. It is likely that usability issues are negatively affecting the uptake and use of My Health Record in Australia. To identify potential e-health literacy-related usability issues within My Health Record through a heuristic evaluation method. Between September 14 and October 12, 2016, three of the authors conducted a heuristic evaluation of the two consumer-facing components of My Health Record-the information website and the electronic health record itself. These two components were evaluated against two sets of heuristics-the Health Literacy Online checklist and the Monkman Heuristics. The Health Literacy Online checklist and Monkman Heuristics are evidence-based checklists of web design elements with a focus on design for audiences with low health literacy. During this heuristic evaluation, the investigators individually navigated through the consumer-facing components of My Health Record, recording instances where the My Health Record did not conform to the checklist criteria. After the individual evaluations were completed, the investigators conferred and aggregated their results. From this process, a list of usability violations was constructed. When evaluated against the Health Literacy Online Checklist, the information website demonstrated violations in 12 of 35 criteria, and the electronic health record demonstrated violations in 16 of 35 criteria. When evaluated against the Monkman Heuristics, the information website demonstrated violations in 7 of 11 criteria, and the electronic health record demonstrated violations in 9 of 11 criteria. The identified violations included usability issues with the reading levels used within My Health Record, the graphic design elements, the layout of web pages, and a lack of images and audiovisual tools to support learning. Other important usability issues included a lack of translated resources, difficulty using accessibility tools, and complexity of the registration processes. My Health Record is an important piece of technology that has the potential to facilitate better communication between consumers and their health providers. However, this heuristic evaluation demonstrated that many usability-related elements of My Health Record cater poorly to users at risk of having low e-health literacy. Usability issues have been identified as an important barrier to use of personal health records internationally, and the findings of this heuristic evaluation demonstrate that usability issues may be substantial barriers to the uptake and use of My Health Record.

The E-health Literacy Demands of Australia's My Health Record: A Heuristic Evaluation of Usability

PubMed Central

Walsh, Louisa; Hemsley, Bronwyn; Allan, Meredith; Adams, Natalie; Balandin, Susan; Georgiou, Andrew; Higgins, Isabel; McCarthy, Shaun; Hill, Sophie

2017-01-01

Background My Health Record is Australia's electronic personal health record system, which was introduced in July 2012. As of August 2017, approximately 21 percent of Australia's total population was registered to use My Health Record. Internationally, usability issues have been shown to negatively influence the uptake and use of electronic health record systems, and this scenario may particularly affect people who have low e-health literacy. It is likely that usability issues are negatively affecting the uptake and use of My Health Record in Australia. Objective To identify potential e-health literacy–related usability issues within My Health Record through a heuristic evaluation method. Methods Between September 14 and October 12, 2016, three of the authors conducted a heuristic evaluation of the two consumer-facing components of My Health Record—the information website and the electronic health record itself. These two components were evaluated against two sets of heuristics—the Health Literacy Online checklist and the Monkman Heuristics. The Health Literacy Online checklist and Monkman Heuristics are evidence-based checklists of web design elements with a focus on design for audiences with low health literacy. During this heuristic evaluation, the investigators individually navigated through the consumer-facing components of My Health Record, recording instances where the My Health Record did not conform to the checklist criteria. After the individual evaluations were completed, the investigators conferred and aggregated their results. From this process, a list of usability violations was constructed. Results When evaluated against the Health Literacy Online Checklist, the information website demonstrated violations in 12 of 35 criteria, and the electronic health record demonstrated violations in 16 of 35 criteria. When evaluated against the Monkman Heuristics, the information website demonstrated violations in 7 of 11 criteria, and the electronic health record demonstrated violations in 9 of 11 criteria. The identified violations included usability issues with the reading levels used within My Health Record, the graphic design elements, the layout of web pages, and a lack of images and audiovisual tools to support learning. Other important usability issues included a lack of translated resources, difficulty using accessibility tools, and complexity of the registration processes. Conclusion My Health Record is an important piece of technology that has the potential to facilitate better communication between consumers and their health providers. However, this heuristic evaluation demonstrated that many usability-related elements of My Health Record cater poorly to users at risk of having low e-health literacy. Usability issues have been identified as an important barrier to use of personal health records internationally, and the findings of this heuristic evaluation demonstrate that usability issues may be substantial barriers to the uptake and use of My Health Record. PMID:29118683

Usability Testing, User-Centered Design, and LibGuides Subject Guides: A Case Study

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Sonsteby, Alec; DeJonghe, Jennifer

2013-01-01

Usability testing has become a routine way for many libraries to ensure that their Web presence is user-friendly and accessible. At the same time, popular subject guide creation systems, such as LibGuides, decentralize Web content creation and put authorship into the hands of librarians who may not be trained in user-centered design principles. At…

INCOMMANDS TDP: Human Factors Evaluation of the Command Decision Support Capability Prototype

DTIC Science & Technology

2009-03-01

CDSC) design with guidelines and principles stipulated in the INCOMMANDS TDP Human Factors Design and Evaluation Guide. 2. Usability and Utility...INCOMMANDS CDSC. The Heuristic Evaluation helps to ensure that the design of system is compliant with HCI best practices. Whereas the Usability and...implemented to confirm compliance with the INCOMMANDS TDP Human Factors Design and Evaluation Guide

Developing an Understanding of the Nature of Accessibility and Usability Problems Blind Students Face in Web-Enhanced Instruction Environments

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Babu, Rakesh

2011-01-01

The central premise of this research is that blind and visually impaired (BVI) people cannot use the Internet effectively due to accessibility and usability problems. Use of the Internet is indispensable in today's education system that relies on Web-enhanced instruction (WEI). Therefore, BVI students cannot participate effectively in WEI. Extant…

Web-Based Intervention for Postpartum Depression: Formative Research and Design of the MomMoodBooster Program.

PubMed

Danaher, Brian G; Milgrom, Jeannette; Seeley, John R; Stuart, Scott; Schembri, Charlene; Tyler, Milagra S; Ericksen, Jennifer; Lester, Whitney; Gemmill, Alan W; Lewinsohn, Peter

2012-11-22

Postpartum depression is a significant public health problem affecting approximately 13% of women. There is strong evidence supporting Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) for successful psychosocial treatment. This treatment model combines cognitive and behavioral strategies to address pessimism, attributions for failure, low self-esteem, low engagement in pleasant activities, social withdrawal, anxiety, and low social support. Encouraging results have been reported for using Web-based CBT interventions for mental health domains, including the treatment of panic disorder, post-traumatic stress disorder, and complicated grief and depression. To date, however, Web-based interventions have not been used and evaluated specifically for the treatment of postpartum depression. We describe the formative work that contributed to the development of our Web-based intervention for helping to ameliorate symptoms of postpartum depression, and the design and key components of the program. A total of 17 focus group participants and 22 usability testers, who shared key characteristics with the participants of our planned feasibility study, took part. The proposed structure and ingredients of the program and mock-ups of selected webpages were presented to focus group participants. At various points, participants were asked a series of thought questions designed to elicit opinions and set the occasion for group discussion. At the end of the session, participants were asked to describe their overall reaction to the proposed features of the program emphasizing candid opinions about what they did not like and features they thought were missing and should be added. Usability testers were asked to interact with a series of seven different Web-based interactions planned for the program while receiving minimal direction. Each tester was asked to describe her thoughts using a think-aloud technique. They were then asked to consider all that they had learned about the program and complete the System Usability Scale that we adapted slightly to be appropriate for evaluating the proposed website. Transcripts from the focus groups and usability tests were reviewed by research team members for overarching themes with particular emphasis on suggested changes. A list emerged, and iterative and incremental adjustments were made as a result. The qualitative and quantitative data gathered in the focus groups and usability sessions reported here suggest that the new mothers involved had largely positive reactions to the major features of the program and that those program features performed well in terms of usability. An overview of the eventual design, architecture, and key program ingredients of the MomMoodBooster program is provided including innovative features supplementing 6 core CBT sessions, which include a partner's website, a library, and individual feedback by a personal coach.

CPOE system design aspects and their qualitative effect on usability.

PubMed

Khajouei, Reza; Jaspers, Monique W M

2008-01-01

Although many studies have discussed the benefits of Computerized Provider Order Entry (CPOE) systems, their configuration can have a great impact on clinicians' adoption of these systems. Poorly designed CPOE systems can lead to usability problems, users' dissatisfaction and may disrupt normal flow of clinical activities. This paper reports on a literature review focused on the identification of CPOE medication systems' design aspects that impact CPOE systems' usability and create opportunities for medication errors. Our review is based on a systematic literature search in PubMed, EMBASE and Ovid MEDLINE for relevant publications from 1986-2006. We categorized the design aspects extracted from relevant publications into six different groups: 1) timing of alerts, 2) log in/out procedures, 3) pick lists and drop down menus, 4) clues and guidelines, 5) documentation and data entry options, and 6) screen display and layout. Our review shows that the manner in which a CPOE system is configured can have a high impact on ease of system use, task behavior of clinicians in ordering drugs, and medication errors. Characterization of consequences associated with certain CPOE design aspects provides insight into how CPOE system designs can be improved to enhance physicians' adoption of these systems and their success. Recommendations are provided to enable CPOE system designers to create CPOE systems that are not only more user friendly and efficient but safer.

Development and usability testing of FOCUS: a smartphone system for self-management of schizophrenia.

PubMed

Ben-Zeev, Dror; Kaiser, Susan M; Brenner, Christopher J; Begale, Mark; Duffecy, Jennifer; Mohr, David C

2013-12-01

Mobile Health (mHealth) approaches can support the rehabilitation of individuals with psychiatric conditions. In the current article, we describe the development of a smartphone illness self-management system for people with schizophrenia. The research was conducted with consumers and practitioners at a community-based rehabilitation agency. Stage 1: 904 individuals with schizophrenia or schizoaffective disorder completed a survey reporting on their current use of mobile devices and interest in mHealth services. Eight practitioners completed a survey examining their attitudes and expectations from an mHealth intervention, and identified needs and potential obstacles. Stage 2: A multidisciplinary team incorporated consumer and practitioner input and employed design principles for the development of e-resources for people with schizophrenia to produce an mHealth intervention. Stage 3: 12 consumers participated in laboratory usability sessions. They performed tasks involved in operating the new system, and provided "think aloud" commentary and post-session usability ratings. 570 (63%) of survey respondents reported owning a mobile device and many expressed interest in receiving mHealth services. Most practitioners believed that consumers could learn to use and would benefit from an mHealth intervention. In response, we developed a smartphone system that targets medication adherence, mood regulation, sleep, social functioning, and coping with symptoms. Usability testing revealed several design vulnerabilities, and the system was adapted to address consumer needs and preferences accordingly. Through a comprehensive development process, we produced an mHealth illness self-management intervention that is likely to be used successfully, and is ready for deployment and systemic evaluation in real-world conditions. PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2013 APA, all rights reserved.

An Expert System for Diagnosing Eye Diseases using Forward Chaining Method

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Munaiseche, C. P. C.; Kaparang, D. R.; Rompas, P. T. D.

2018-02-01

Expert System is a system that seeks to adopt human knowledge to the computer, so that the computer can solve problems which are usually done by experts. The purpose of medical expert system is to support the diagnosis process of physicians. It considers facts and symptoms to provide diagnosis. This implies that a medical expert system uses knowledge about diseases and facts about the patients to suggest diagnosis. The aim of this research is to design an expert system application for diagnosing eye diseases using forward chaining method and to figure out user acceptance to this application through usability testing. Eye is selected because it is one of the five senses which is very sensitive and important. The scope of the work is extended to 16 types of eye diseases with 41 symptoms of the disease, arranged in 16 rules. The computer programming language employed was the PHP programming language and MySQL as the Relational Database Management System (RDBMS). The results obtained showed that the expert system was able to successfully diagnose eye diseases corresponding to the selected symptoms entered as query and the system evaluation through usability testing showed the expert system for diagnosis eye diseases had very good rate of usability, which includes learnability, efficiency, memorability, errors, and satisfaction so that the system can be received in the operational environment.

Evaluating Nurses' Satisfaction With Two Nursing Information Systems.

PubMed

Khajouei, Reza; Abbasi, Reza

2017-06-01

Evaluating user satisfaction is one of the methods to ensure the usability of information systems. Considering the importance of nursing information systems in patient health, the objective of this study is to evaluate nurses' satisfaction with two widely used nursing information systems (Peyvand Dadeh and Tirazhe) in Iran. This descriptive-analytical study was done on 230 nurses in all teaching hospitals of Kerman University of Medical Sciences in 2015. Data were collected using an augmented version of a questionnaire developed by IBM. Data were analyzed by SPSS.16 using descriptive and analytical statistical methods including t test, analysis of variance, and Pearson correlation coefficient. The mean of overall satisfaction with the two systems was 61 ± 2.2 and 74 ± 2.4, respectively. The mean of satisfaction with different systems dimensions, that is, ease of use, information quality, and interface quality, was, respectively, 24 ± 1.9, 26 ± 9.7, and 12 ± 4.7 for Tirazhe and 29 ± 1.1, 39 ± 1.04 and 13 ± 5.3 for Peyvand Dadeh system. Nurses' satisfaction with both systems was at a medium level. The majority of nurses were relatively satisfied with the information quality and user interface quality of these systems. The results suggest that designing nursing information systems in accordance with their users' need improves usability. Hence, policy and decision makers of healthcare institutions should invest on usability when purchasing such systems.

Usability evaluation of in-housed developed ERP system

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Faisal, Chaudhry Muhammad Nadeem; Shakeel Faridi, Muhammad; Javed, Zahid

2011-10-01

Enterprise Resource Planning systems are the combination of different business IS (Information System) applications that are designed according to the organization requirements. Generally ERP systems are suffering from complex user interface issues. Recent research shows that there is a need for improvement concerning, the user interface from their perspectives. In order to design the software applications that are easy to use, memorize and apply to new problems, we must know the users philosophy and something about learning, reminiscence and problems solving. The Usability engineering is the only way to study the deeds of users while interacting with ERP (Enterprise Resource & Planning). This paper will focus on the users' experiences view of financial module in ERP system. The HCI research method, explicitly survey questionnaire method was adopted to gather users understanding in order to evaluate the selected modules for in-housed ERP system. The study involved group of users from two industries, the results can not be generalized as a whole. The study was first time successfully applied Usability evaluation on in-housed ERP in local industry (Masood Textile Mills, Interloop Ltd) in Pakistan. The results may hopefully opened-up an area of research and methodology that could provide considerable further benefits to Industry in developments of Industrial information systems.

A Serious Exergame for Patients Suffering from Chronic Musculoskeletal Back and Neck Pain: A Pilot Study

PubMed Central

Huis in ’t Veld, Rianne M.H.A.; Schönauer, Christian; Kaufmann, Hannes; Hermens, Hermie J.; Vollenbroek-Hutten, Miriam M.R.

2013-01-01

Abstract Introduction Over recent years, the popularity of videogames has gone beyond youth and gamers and is slowly entering the field of professional healthcare. Exergames are an attractive alternative to physical therapy. The primary aim of this pilot study was to explore the user experience (usability, satisfaction, level of motivation, and game experience) of the patient with the “PlayMancer” exergame. The secondary aim was to explore the progression of the performed motor skills (walking velocity, overhead reach ability, and cervical range of motion) and the clinical changes (to physical condition, disability, and pain intensity) in a group of patients with chronic musculoskeletal pain using an exergame for 4 weeks. Materials and Methods In the European PlayMancer project, an exergame for physical rehabilitation of chronic pain patients was developed. This exergame is controlled by relevant motions of the patient's body captured by a motion suit and several infrared cameras. In three different integrated minigames, the patient can train the following motor skills: Walking velocity, overhead reaching, and neck mobility. Results Ten patients participated in this study and completed the 4 weeks of gaming. Patients rated the usability of the exergames as good (score of 78.5 [standard deviation 9.7; range, 60.0–97.5]) on the System Usability Scale, and the game motivated all patients to perform their exercises. Patients enjoyed playing and were pleased with both the game environment and the game play. Overall, the patients made a progression in the examined motor skills during the minigames over the 4 weeks of gaming. Conclusions The “PlayMancer” exergame is a potential tool for achieving physical rehabilitation because it motivates patients to perform their exercises and as a result increases their motor skills and physical condition. PMID:24761327

An augmented reality game to support therapeutic education for children with diabetes

PubMed Central

Calle-Bustos, Andrés-Marcelo; García-García, Inmaculada; Abad, Francisco

2017-01-01

Therapeutic education in diabetes helps patients take responsibility for self-control of their disease, and providing technological support systems facilitates this education. In this paper, we present an augmented reality game to support therapeutic education for patients with diabetes. Our game helps children (aged 5–14 years) to learn carbohydrate (carb) content of different foods. The game shows virtual foods on a real dish. The number of carb choices corresponding to the visualized food is also shown (1 carb choice = 10 grams of carbs). A study to determine the effectiveness of the game in terms of learning and perceived satisfaction and usability was carried out. A total of seventy children with diabetes participated in the study. From the results, we observed that the initial knowledge about carb choices of the children who participated in the study was low (a mean of 2 on a scale from 0 to 9). This indicates that therapeutic education for patients with diabetes is needed. When the results for the pre-knowledge questionnaire and the post-knowledge questionnaire were compared, it was shown that the children learned about carb choices by playing our game. We used two post-knowledge questionnaires (one post-knowledge questionnaire that contained the same foods as the pre-knowledge questionnaire and a second post-knowledge questionnaire that contained foods that were different from the ones on the pre-knowledge questionnaire). There were no statistically significant differences between these two different post-knowledge questionnaires. Moreover, the knowledge acquired was independent of gender and age. We also evaluated usability and perceived satisfaction. The children were satisfied with the game and considered that the game offers a high degree of usability. This game could be a valuable therapeutic education tool for patients with diabetes. PMID:28957355

Web-Based Versus Conventional Training for Medical Students on Infant Gross Motor Screening.

PubMed

Pusponegoro, Hardiono D; Soebadi, Amanda; Surya, Raymond

2015-12-01

Early detection of developmental abnormalities is important for early intervention. A simple screening method is needed for use by general practitioners, as is an effective and efficient training method. This study aims to evaluate the effectiveness, acceptability, and usability of Web-based training for medical students on a simple gross motor screening method in infants. Fifth-year medical students at University of Indonesia in Jakarta were randomized into two groups. A Web-based training group received online video modules, discussions, and assessments (at www.schoology.com ). A conventional training group received a 1-day live training using the same module. Both groups completed identical pre- and posttests and the User Satisfaction Questionnaire (USQ). The Web-based group also completed the System Usability Scale (SUS). The module was based on a gross motor screening method used in the World Health Organization Multicentre Growth Reference Study. There were 39 and 32 subjects in the Web-based and conventional groups, respectively. Mean pretest versus posttest scores (correct answers out of 20) were 9.05 versus 16.95 (p=0.0001) in the Web-based group and 9.31 versus 16.88 (p=0.0001) in the conventional group. Mean difference between pre- and posttest scores did not differ significantly between the Web-based and conventional groups (mean [standard deviation], 7.56 [3.252] versus 7.90 [5.170]; p=0.741]. Both training methods were acceptable based on USQ scores. Based on SUS scores, the Web-based training had good usability. Web-based training is an effective, efficient, and acceptable training method for medical students on simple infant gross motor screening and is as effective as conventional training.

An augmented reality game to support therapeutic education for children with diabetes.

PubMed

Calle-Bustos, Andrés-Marcelo; Juan, M-Carmen; García-García, Inmaculada; Abad, Francisco

2017-01-01

Therapeutic education in diabetes helps patients take responsibility for self-control of their disease, and providing technological support systems facilitates this education. In this paper, we present an augmented reality game to support therapeutic education for patients with diabetes. Our game helps children (aged 5-14 years) to learn carbohydrate (carb) content of different foods. The game shows virtual foods on a real dish. The number of carb choices corresponding to the visualized food is also shown (1 carb choice = 10 grams of carbs). A study to determine the effectiveness of the game in terms of learning and perceived satisfaction and usability was carried out. A total of seventy children with diabetes participated in the study. From the results, we observed that the initial knowledge about carb choices of the children who participated in the study was low (a mean of 2 on a scale from 0 to 9). This indicates that therapeutic education for patients with diabetes is needed. When the results for the pre-knowledge questionnaire and the post-knowledge questionnaire were compared, it was shown that the children learned about carb choices by playing our game. We used two post-knowledge questionnaires (one post-knowledge questionnaire that contained the same foods as the pre-knowledge questionnaire and a second post-knowledge questionnaire that contained foods that were different from the ones on the pre-knowledge questionnaire). There were no statistically significant differences between these two different post-knowledge questionnaires. Moreover, the knowledge acquired was independent of gender and age. We also evaluated usability and perceived satisfaction. The children were satisfied with the game and considered that the game offers a high degree of usability. This game could be a valuable therapeutic education tool for patients with diabetes.

A Serious Exergame for Patients Suffering from Chronic Musculoskeletal Back and Neck Pain: A Pilot Study.

PubMed

Jansen-Kosterink, Stephanie M; Huis In 't Veld, Rianne M H A; Schönauer, Christian; Kaufmann, Hannes; Hermens, Hermie J; Vollenbroek-Hutten, Miriam M R

2013-10-01

Over recent years, the popularity of videogames has gone beyond youth and gamers and is slowly entering the field of professional healthcare. Exergames are an attractive alternative to physical therapy. The primary aim of this pilot study was to explore the user experience (usability, satisfaction, level of motivation, and game experience) of the patient with the "PlayMancer" exergame. The secondary aim was to explore the progression of the performed motor skills (walking velocity, overhead reach ability, and cervical range of motion) and the clinical changes (to physical condition, disability, and pain intensity) in a group of patients with chronic musculoskeletal pain using an exergame for 4 weeks. In the European PlayMancer project, an exergame for physical rehabilitation of chronic pain patients was developed. This exergame is controlled by relevant motions of the patient's body captured by a motion suit and several infrared cameras. In three different integrated minigames, the patient can train the following motor skills: Walking velocity, overhead reaching, and neck mobility. Ten patients participated in this study and completed the 4 weeks of gaming. Patients rated the usability of the exergames as good (score of 78.5 [standard deviation 9.7; range, 60.0-97.5]) on the System Usability Scale, and the game motivated all patients to perform their exercises. Patients enjoyed playing and were pleased with both the game environment and the game play. Overall, the patients made a progression in the examined motor skills during the minigames over the 4 weeks of gaming. The "PlayMancer" exergame is a potential tool for achieving physical rehabilitation because it motivates patients to perform their exercises and as a result increases their motor skills and physical condition.

Less is more: development and evaluation of an interactive e-atlas to support anatomy learning.

PubMed

Guy, Richard; Pisani, Heather R; Rich, Peter; Leahy, Cathy; Mandarano, Giovanni; Molyneux, Tom

2015-01-01

An Interactive electronic Atlas (IeA) was developed to assist first-year nursing students with interpretation of laboratory-based prosected cadaveric material. It was designed, using pedagogically sound principles, as a student-centered resource accessible to students from a wide range of learning backgrounds. It consisted of a highly simplified interactive interface limited to essential anatomical structures and was intended for use in a blended learning situation. The IeA's nine modules mirrored the body systems covered in a Nursing Biosciences course, with each module comprising a maximum of 10 pages using the same template: an image displaying a cadaveric specimen and, in most cases, a corresponding anatomical model with navigation panes (menus) on one side. Cursor movement over the image or clicking the menu highlighted the structure with a transparent overlay and revealed a succinct functional description. The atlas was complemented by a multiple-choice database of nearly 1,000 questions using IeA images. Students' perceptions of usability and utility were measured by survey (n = 115; 57% of the class) revealing mean access of 2.3 times per week during the 12-week semester and a median time of three hours of use. Ratings for usability and utility were high, with means ranging between 4.24 and 4.54 (five-point Likert scale; 5 = strongly agree). Written responses told a similar story for both usability and utility. The role of providing basic computer-assisted learning support for a large first-year class is discussed in the context of current research into student-centered resources and blended learning in human anatomy. © 2014 American Association of Anatomists.

User Experience Evaluation of a Smoking Cessation App in People With Serious Mental Illness

PubMed Central

Rizo, Javier; Kientz, Julie A.; McDonell, Michael G.; Ries, Richard K.; Sobel, Kiley

2016-01-01

Introduction: Smoking rates among people with serious mental illness are 3 to 4 times higher than the general population, yet currently there are no smoking cessation apps specifically designed to address this need. We report the results of a User Experience (UX) evaluation of a National Cancer Institute smoking cessation app, QuitPal, and provide user centered design data that can be used to tailor smoking cessation apps for this population. Methods: Two hundred forty hours of field experience with QuitPal, 10 hours of recorded interviews and task performances, usage logs and a self-reported usability scale, informed the results of our study. Participants were five individuals recruited from a community mental health clinic with a reported serious mental illness history. Performance, self-reports, usage logs and interview data were triangulated to identify critical usability errors and UX themes emerging from this population. Results: Data suggests QuitPal has below average levels of usability, elevated time on task performances and required considerable amounts of guidance. UX themes provided critical information to tailor smoking cessation apps for this population, such as the importance of breaking down “cessation” into smaller steps and use of a reward system. Conclusions: This is the first study to examine the UX of a smoking cessation app among people with serious mental illness. Data from this study will inform future research efforts to expand the effectiveness and reach of smoking cessation apps for this highly nicotine dependent yet under-served population. Implications: Data from this study will inform future research efforts to expand the effectiveness and reach of smoking cessation apps for people with serious mental illness, a highly nicotine dependent yet under-served population. PMID:26581430

"Usability of data integration and visualization software for multidisciplinary pediatric intensive care: a human factors approach to assessing technology".

PubMed

Lin, Ying Ling; Guerguerian, Anne-Marie; Tomasi, Jessica; Laussen, Peter; Trbovich, Patricia

2017-08-14

Intensive care clinicians use several sources of data in order to inform decision-making. We set out to evaluate a new interactive data integration platform called T3™ made available for pediatric intensive care. Three primary functions are supported: tracking of physiologic signals, displaying trajectory, and triggering decisions, by highlighting data or estimating risk of patient instability. We designed a human factors study to identify interface usability issues, to measure ease of use, and to describe interface features that may enable or hinder clinical tasks. Twenty-two participants, consisting of bedside intensive care physicians, nurses, and respiratory therapists, tested the T3™ interface in a simulation laboratory setting. Twenty tasks were performed with a true-to-setting, fully functional, prototype, populated with physiological and therapeutic intervention patient data. Primary data visualization was time series and secondary visualizations were: 1) shading out-of-target values, 2) mini-trends with exaggerated maxima and minima (sparklines), and 3) bar graph of a 16-parameter indicator. Task completion was video recorded and assessed using a use error rating scale. Usability issues were classified in the context of task and type of clinician. A severity rating scale was used to rate potential clinical impact of usability issues. Time series supported tracking a single parameter but partially supported determining patient trajectory using multiple parameters. Visual pattern overload was observed with multiple parameter data streams. Automated data processing using shading and sparklines was often ignored but the 16-parameter data reduction algorithm, displayed as a persistent bar graph, was visually intuitive. However, by selecting or automatically processing data, triggering aids distorted the raw data that clinicians use regularly. Consequently, clinicians could not rely on new data representations because they did not know how they were established or derived. Usability issues, observed through contextual use, provided directions for tangible design improvements of data integration software that may lessen use errors and promote safe use. Data-driven decision making can benefit from iterative interface redesign involving clinician-users in simulated environments. This study is a first step in understanding how software can support clinicians' decision making with integrated continuous monitoring data. Importantly, testing of similar platforms by all the different disciplines who may become clinician users is a fundamental step necessary to understand the impact on clinical outcomes of decision aids.

Digitized Special Collections and Multiple User Groups

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Gueguen, Gretchen

2010-01-01

Many organizations have evolved since their early attempts to mount digital exhibits on the Web and are experimenting with ways to increase the scale of their digitized collections by utilizing archival finding aid description rather than resource-intensive collections and exhibits. This article examines usability research to predict how such…

An Evaluation of Operational Airspace Sectorization Integrated System (OASIS) Advisory Tool

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Lee, Paul U.; Mogford, Richard H.; Bridges, Wayne; Buckley, Nathan; Evans, Mark; Gujral, Vimmy; Lee, Hwasoo; Peknik, Daniel; Preston, William

2013-01-01

In January 2013, a human-in-the-loop evaluation of the Operational Airspace Sectorization Integrated System (OASIS) was conducted in the Airspace Operations Laboratory of the Human Systems Integration Division (Code TH) in conjunction with the Aviation Systems Division (Code AF). The development of OASIS is a major activity of the Dynamic Airspace Configuration (DAC) research focus area within the Aeronautics Research Mission Directorate (ARMD) Airspace Systems Program. OASIS is an advisory tool to assist Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) En Route Area Supervisors in their planning of sector combinedecombine operations as well as opening closing of Data-side (D-side) control positions. These advisory solutions are tailored to the predicted traffic demand over the next few hours. During the experiment, eight retired FAA personnel served as participants for a part-task evaluation of OASIS functionality, covering the user interface as well as the underlying algorithm. Participants gave positive feedback on both the user interface and the algorithm solutions for airspace configuration, including an excellent average rating of 94 on the tool usability scales. They also suggested various enhancements to the OASIS tool, which will be incorporated into the next tool development cycle for the full-scale human-in-the-loop evaluation to be conducted later this year.

Methods and Tools for Ethical Usability

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kavathatzopoulos, Iordanis; Kostrzewa, Agata; Laaksoharju, Mikael

The objectives of the tutorial are to provide knowledge of basic ethical, psychological and organizational theories that are relevant to consider ethical aspects during design and use of IT systems; knowledge and skills about handling and solving ethical problems in connection with design and use of IT-systems; and skills in using questionnaires, surveys, interviews and the like in connection with software development and IT-use. It contains lectures, workshop and exercises; use of special tools to identify and consider IT ethical issues during planning, construction, installation and use of IT systems; and group exercises where the participants train their ethical skills on IT ethical conflicts and problems. Intended participants are system developers, purchasers, usability experts, academics, HCI teachers.

Usability Testing for e-Resource Discovery: How Students Find and Choose e-Resources Using Library Web Sites

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Fry, Amy; Rich, Linda

2011-01-01

In early 2010, library staff at Bowling Green State University (BGSU) in Ohio designed and conducted a usability study of key parts of the library web site, focusing on the web pages generated by the library's electronic resources management system (ERM) that list and describe the library's databases. The goal was to discover how users find and…

United States Navy Health Care Providers' Attitudes and Satisfaction toward the Usability of the Navy's Primary Learning Portal and Learning Management System

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Catanese, Anthony Peter

2013-01-01

The purpose of this study was to investigate if the architectural design factors affected usability of Navy Knowledge Online (NKO) technology along with the user dissatisfaction associated through restricted achievements of online education and training. In this study, attitudes, satisfaction, obstacles, and providers' demographics were also…

Applying Human Factors Principles to Mitigate Usability Issues Related to Embedded Assumptions in Health Information Technology Design

PubMed Central

Lowry, Svetlana Z; Patterson, Emily S

2014-01-01

Background There is growing recognition that design flaws in health information technology (HIT) lead to increased cognitive work, impact workflows, and produce other undesirable user experiences that contribute to usability issues and, in some cases, patient harm. These usability issues may in turn contribute to HIT utilization disparities and patient safety concerns, particularly among “non-typical” HIT users and their health care providers. Health care disparities are associated with poor health outcomes, premature death, and increased health care costs. HIT has the potential to reduce these disparate outcomes. In the computer science field, it has long been recognized that embedded cultural assumptions can reduce the usability, usefulness, and safety of HIT systems for populations whose characteristics differ from “stereotypical” users. Among these non-typical users, inappropriate embedded design assumptions may contribute to health care disparities. It is unclear how to address potentially inappropriate embedded HIT design assumptions once detected. Objective The objective of this paper is to explain HIT universal design principles derived from the human factors engineering literature that can help to overcome potential usability and/or patient safety issues that are associated with unrecognized, embedded assumptions about cultural groups when designing HIT systems. Methods Existing best practices, guidance, and standards in software usability and accessibility were subjected to a 5-step expert review process to identify and summarize those best practices, guidance, and standards that could help identify and/or address embedded design assumptions in HIT that could negatively impact patient safety, particularly for non-majority HIT user populations. An iterative consensus-based process was then used to derive evidence-based design principles from the data to address potentially inappropriate embedded cultural assumptions. Results Design principles that may help identify and address embedded HIT design assumptions are available in the existing literature. Conclusions Evidence-based HIT design principles derived from existing human factors and informatics literature can help HIT developers identify and address embedded cultural assumptions that may underlie HIT-associated usability and patient safety concerns as well as health care disparities. PMID:27025349

Applying Human Factors Principles to Mitigate Usability Issues Related to Embedded Assumptions in Health Information Technology Design.

PubMed

Gibbons, Michael C; Lowry, Svetlana Z; Patterson, Emily S

2014-12-18

There is growing recognition that design flaws in health information technology (HIT) lead to increased cognitive work, impact workflows, and produce other undesirable user experiences that contribute to usability issues and, in some cases, patient harm. These usability issues may in turn contribute to HIT utilization disparities and patient safety concerns, particularly among "non-typical" HIT users and their health care providers. Health care disparities are associated with poor health outcomes, premature death, and increased health care costs. HIT has the potential to reduce these disparate outcomes. In the computer science field, it has long been recognized that embedded cultural assumptions can reduce the usability, usefulness, and safety of HIT systems for populations whose characteristics differ from "stereotypical" users. Among these non-typical users, inappropriate embedded design assumptions may contribute to health care disparities. It is unclear how to address potentially inappropriate embedded HIT design assumptions once detected. The objective of this paper is to explain HIT universal design principles derived from the human factors engineering literature that can help to overcome potential usability and/or patient safety issues that are associated with unrecognized, embedded assumptions about cultural groups when designing HIT systems. Existing best practices, guidance, and standards in software usability and accessibility were subjected to a 5-step expert review process to identify and summarize those best practices, guidance, and standards that could help identify and/or address embedded design assumptions in HIT that could negatively impact patient safety, particularly for non-majority HIT user populations. An iterative consensus-based process was then used to derive evidence-based design principles from the data to address potentially inappropriate embedded cultural assumptions. Design principles that may help identify and address embedded HIT design assumptions are available in the existing literature. Evidence-based HIT design principles derived from existing human factors and informatics literature can help HIT developers identify and address embedded cultural assumptions that may underlie HIT-associated usability and patient safety concerns as well as health care disparities.

A versatile genome-scale PCR-based pipeline for high-definition DNA FISH.

PubMed

Bienko, Magda; Crosetto, Nicola; Teytelman, Leonid; Klemm, Sandy; Itzkovitz, Shalev; van Oudenaarden, Alexander

2013-02-01

We developed a cost-effective genome-scale PCR-based method for high-definition DNA FISH (HD-FISH). We visualized gene loci with diffraction-limited resolution, chromosomes as spot clusters and single genes together with transcripts by combining HD-FISH with single-molecule RNA FISH. We provide a database of over 4.3 million primer pairs targeting the human and mouse genomes that is readily usable for rapid and flexible generation of probes.

Are Virtual Rehabilitation Technologies Feasible Models to Scale an Evidence-Based Fall Prevention Program? A Pilot Study Using the Kinect Camera

PubMed Central

Basnett, Jeanna; Chokshi, Anang; Barrett, Mark; Komatireddy, Ravi

2015-01-01

Background Falls in older adults are a significant public health issue. Interventions have been developed and proven effective to reduce falls in older adults, but these programs typically last several months and can be resource intensive. Virtual rehabilitation technologies may offer a solution to bring these programs to scale. Off-the-shelf and custom exergames have demonstrated to be a feasible adjunct to rehabilitation with older adults. However, it is not known if older adults will be able or willing to use a virtual rehabilitation technology to participate in an evidence-based fall prevention program. To have the greatest impact, virtual rehabilitation technologies need to be acceptable to older adults from different backgrounds and level of fall risk. If these technologies prove to be a feasible option, they offer a new distribution channel to disseminate fall prevention programs. Objective Stand Tall (ST) is a virtual translation of the Otago Exercise Program (OEP), an evidence-based fall prevention program. Stand Tall was developed using the Virtual Exercise Rehabilitation Assistant (VERA) software, which uses a Kinect camera and a laptop to deliver physical therapy exercise programs. Our purpose in this pilot study was to explore if ST could be a feasible platform to deliver the OEP to older adults from a variety of fall risk levels, education backgrounds, and self-described level of computer expertise. Methods Adults age 60 and over were recruited to participate in a one-time usability study. The study included orientation to the program, navigation to exercises, and completion of a series of strength and balance exercises. Quantitative analysis described participants and the user experience. Results A diverse group of individuals participated in the study. Twenty-one potential participants (14 women, 7 men) met the inclusion criteria. The mean age was 69.2 (± 5.8) years, 38% had a high school education, 24% had a graduate degree, and 66% classified as “at risk for falls”. Eighteen participants agreed they would like to use ST to help improve their balance, and 17 agreed or strongly agreed they would feel confident using the system in either the senior center or the home. Thirteen participants felt confident they could actually set up the system in their home. The mean System Usability Scale (SUS) score was 65.5 ± 21.2 with a range of 32.5 to 97.5. Ten participants scored ST as an above average usability experience compared to other technologies and 5 participants scored a less than optimal experience. Exploratory analysis revealed no significant relationships between user experience, education background, self-described computer experience, and fall risk. Conclusions Results support the virtual delivery of the OEP by a Kinect camera and an avatar may be acceptable to older adults from a variety of backgrounds. Virtual technologies, like Stand Tall, could offer an efficient and effective approach to bring evidence-based fall prevention programs to scale to address the problem of falls and fall-related injuries. Next steps include determining if similar or better outcomes are achieved by older adults using the virtual OEP, Stand Tall, compared to the standard of care. PMID:28582244

Are Virtual Rehabilitation Technologies Feasible Models to Scale an Evidence-Based Fall Prevention Program? A Pilot Study Using the Kinect Camera.

PubMed

Shubert, Tiffany E; Basnett, Jeanna; Chokshi, Anang; Barrett, Mark; Komatireddy, Ravi

2015-11-05

Falls in older adults are a significant public health issue. Interventions have been developed and proven effective to reduce falls in older adults, but these programs typically last several months and can be resource intensive. Virtual rehabilitation technologies may offer a solution to bring these programs to scale. Off-the-shelf and custom exergames have demonstrated to be a feasible adjunct to rehabilitation with older adults. However, it is not known if older adults will be able or willing to use a virtual rehabilitation technology to participate in an evidence-based fall prevention program. To have the greatest impact, virtual rehabilitation technologies need to be acceptable to older adults from different backgrounds and level of fall risk. If these technologies prove to be a feasible option, they offer a new distribution channel to disseminate fall prevention programs. Stand Tall (ST) is a virtual translation of the Otago Exercise Program (OEP), an evidence-based fall prevention program. Stand Tall was developed using the Virtual Exercise Rehabilitation Assistant (VERA) software, which uses a Kinect camera and a laptop to deliver physical therapy exercise programs. Our purpose in this pilot study was to explore if ST could be a feasible platform to deliver the OEP to older adults from a variety of fall risk levels, education backgrounds, and self-described level of computer expertise. Adults age 60 and over were recruited to participate in a one-time usability study. The study included orientation to the program, navigation to exercises, and completion of a series of strength and balance exercises. Quantitative analysis described participants and the user experience. A diverse group of individuals participated in the study. Twenty-one potential participants (14 women, 7 men) met the inclusion criteria. The mean age was 69.2 (± 5.8) years, 38% had a high school education, 24% had a graduate degree, and 66% classified as "at risk for falls". Eighteen participants agreed they would like to use ST to help improve their balance, and 17 agreed or strongly agreed they would feel confident using the system in either the senior center or the home. Thirteen participants felt confident they could actually set up the system in their home. The mean System Usability Scale (SUS) score was 65.5 ± 21.2 with a range of 32.5 to 97.5. Ten participants scored ST as an above average usability experience compared to other technologies and 5 participants scored a less than optimal experience. Exploratory analysis revealed no significant relationships between user experience, education background, self-described computer experience, and fall risk. Results support the virtual delivery of the OEP by a Kinect camera and an avatar may be acceptable to older adults from a variety of backgrounds. Virtual technologies, like Stand Tall, could offer an efficient and effective approach to bring evidence-based fall prevention programs to scale to address the problem of falls and fall-related injuries. Next steps include determining if similar or better outcomes are achieved by older adults using the virtual OEP, Stand Tall, compared to the standard of care. ©Tiffany E Shubert, Jeanna Basnett, Anang Chokshi, Mark Barrett, Ravi Komatireddy. Originally published in JMIR Rehabilitation and Assistive Technology (http://rehab.jmir.org), 05.11.2015.

Overview of ATLAS PanDA Workload Management

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Maeno, T.; De, K.; Wenaus, T.; Nilsson, P.; Stewart, G. A.; Walker, R.; Stradling, A.; Caballero, J.; Potekhin, M.; Smith, D.; ATLAS Collaboration

2011-12-01

The Production and Distributed Analysis System (PanDA) plays a key role in the ATLAS distributed computing infrastructure. All ATLAS Monte-Carlo simulation and data reprocessing jobs pass through the PanDA system. We will describe how PanDA manages job execution on the grid using dynamic resource estimation and data replication together with intelligent brokerage in order to meet the scaling and automation requirements of ATLAS distributed computing. PanDA is also the primary ATLAS system for processing user and group analysis jobs, bringing further requirements for quick, flexible adaptation to the rapidly evolving analysis use cases of the early datataking phase, in addition to the high reliability, robustness and usability needed to provide efficient and transparent utilization of the grid for analysis users. We will describe how PanDA meets ATLAS requirements, the evolution of the system in light of operational experience, how the system has performed during the first LHC data-taking phase and plans for the future.

Overview of ATLAS PanDA Workload Management

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Maeno T.; De K.; Wenaus T.

2011-01-01

The Production and Distributed Analysis System (PanDA) plays a key role in the ATLAS distributed computing infrastructure. All ATLAS Monte-Carlo simulation and data reprocessing jobs pass through the PanDA system. We will describe how PanDA manages job execution on the grid using dynamic resource estimation and data replication together with intelligent brokerage in order to meet the scaling and automation requirements of ATLAS distributed computing. PanDA is also the primary ATLAS system for processing user and group analysis jobs, bringing further requirements for quick, flexible adaptation to the rapidly evolving analysis use cases of the early datataking phase, in additionmore » to the high reliability, robustness and usability needed to provide efficient and transparent utilization of the grid for analysis users. We will describe how PanDA meets ATLAS requirements, the evolution of the system in light of operational experience, how the system has performed during the first LHC data-taking phase and plans for the future.« less

Software Prototyping: A Case Report of Refining User Requirements for a Health Information Exchange Dashboard.

PubMed

Nelson, Scott D; Del Fiol, Guilherme; Hanseler, Haley; Crouch, Barbara Insley; Cummins, Mollie R

2016-01-01

Health information exchange (HIE) between Poison Control Centers (PCCs) and Emergency Departments (EDs) could improve care of poisoned patients. However, PCC information systems are not designed to facilitate HIE with EDs; therefore, we are developing specialized software to support HIE within the normal workflow of the PCC using user-centered design and rapid prototyping. To describe the design of an HIE dashboard and the refinement of user requirements through rapid prototyping. Using previously elicited user requirements, we designed low-fidelity sketches of designs on paper with iterative refinement. Next, we designed an interactive high-fidelity prototype and conducted scenario-based usability tests with end users. Users were asked to think aloud while accomplishing tasks related to a case vignette. After testing, the users provided feedback and evaluated the prototype using the System Usability Scale (SUS). Survey results from three users provided useful feedback that was then incorporated into the design. After achieving a stable design, we used the prototype itself as the specification for development of the actual software. Benefits of prototyping included having 1) subject-matter experts heavily involved with the design; 2) flexibility to make rapid changes, 3) the ability to minimize software development efforts early in the design stage; 4) rapid finalization of requirements; 5) early visualization of designs; 6) and a powerful vehicle for communication of the design to the programmers. Challenges included 1) time and effort to develop the prototypes and case scenarios; 2) no simulation of system performance; 3) not having all proposed functionality available in the final product; and 4) missing needed data elements in the PCC information system.

Finding collaborators: toward interactive discovery tools for research network systems.

PubMed

Borromeo, Charles D; Schleyer, Titus K; Becich, Michael J; Hochheiser, Harry

2014-11-04

Research networking systems hold great promise for helping biomedical scientists identify collaborators with the expertise needed to build interdisciplinary teams. Although efforts to date have focused primarily on collecting and aggregating information, less attention has been paid to the design of end-user tools for using these collections to identify collaborators. To be effective, collaborator search tools must provide researchers with easy access to information relevant to their collaboration needs. The aim was to study user requirements and preferences for research networking system collaborator search tools and to design and evaluate a functional prototype. Paper prototypes exploring possible interface designs were presented to 18 participants in semistructured interviews aimed at eliciting collaborator search needs. Interview data were coded and analyzed to identify recurrent themes and related software requirements. Analysis results and elements from paper prototypes were used to design a Web-based prototype using the D3 JavaScript library and VIVO data. Preliminary usability studies asked 20 participants to use the tool and to provide feedback through semistructured interviews and completion of the System Usability Scale (SUS). Initial interviews identified consensus regarding several novel requirements for collaborator search tools, including chronological display of publication and research funding information, the need for conjunctive keyword searches, and tools for tracking candidate collaborators. Participant responses were positive (SUS score: mean 76.4%, SD 13.9). Opportunities for improving the interface design were identified. Interactive, timeline-based displays that support comparison of researcher productivity in funding and publication have the potential to effectively support searching for collaborators. Further refinement and longitudinal studies may be needed to better understand the implications of collaborator search tools for researcher workflows.

Finding Collaborators: Toward Interactive Discovery Tools for Research Network Systems

PubMed Central

Schleyer, Titus K; Becich, Michael J; Hochheiser, Harry

2014-01-01

Background Research networking systems hold great promise for helping biomedical scientists identify collaborators with the expertise needed to build interdisciplinary teams. Although efforts to date have focused primarily on collecting and aggregating information, less attention has been paid to the design of end-user tools for using these collections to identify collaborators. To be effective, collaborator search tools must provide researchers with easy access to information relevant to their collaboration needs. Objective The aim was to study user requirements and preferences for research networking system collaborator search tools and to design and evaluate a functional prototype. Methods Paper prototypes exploring possible interface designs were presented to 18 participants in semistructured interviews aimed at eliciting collaborator search needs. Interview data were coded and analyzed to identify recurrent themes and related software requirements. Analysis results and elements from paper prototypes were used to design a Web-based prototype using the D3 JavaScript library and VIVO data. Preliminary usability studies asked 20 participants to use the tool and to provide feedback through semistructured interviews and completion of the System Usability Scale (SUS). Results Initial interviews identified consensus regarding several novel requirements for collaborator search tools, including chronological display of publication and research funding information, the need for conjunctive keyword searches, and tools for tracking candidate collaborators. Participant responses were positive (SUS score: mean 76.4%, SD 13.9). Opportunities for improving the interface design were identified. Conclusions Interactive, timeline-based displays that support comparison of researcher productivity in funding and publication have the potential to effectively support searching for collaborators. Further refinement and longitudinal studies may be needed to better understand the implications of collaborator search tools for researcher workflows. PMID:25370463

Electric-drive tractability indicator integrated in hybrid electric vehicle tachometer

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Tamai, Goro; Zhou, Jing; Weslati, Feisel

An indicator, system and method of indicating electric drive usability in a hybrid electric vehicle. A tachometer is used that includes a display having an all-electric drive portion and a hybrid drive portion. The all-electric drive portion and the hybrid drive portion share a first boundary which indicates a minimum electric drive usability and a beginning of hybrid drive operation of the vehicle. The indicated level of electric drive usability is derived from at least one of a percent battery discharge, a percent maximum torque provided by the electric drive, and a percent electric drive to hybrid drive operating costmore » for the hybrid electric vehicle.« less

Safety status system for operating room devices.

PubMed

Guédon, Annetje C P; Wauben, Linda S G L; Overvelde, Marlies; Blok, Joleen H; van der Elst, Maarten; Dankelman, Jenny; van den Dobbelsteen, John J

2014-01-01

Since the increase of the number of technological aids in the operating room (OR), equipment-related incidents have come to be a common kind of adverse events. This underlines the importance of adequate equipment management to improve the safety in the OR. A system was developed to monitor the safety status (periodic maintenance and registered malfunctions) of OR devices and to facilitate the notification of malfunctions. The objective was to assess whether the system is suitable for use in an busy OR setting and to analyse its effect on the notification of malfunctions. The system checks automatically the safety status of OR devices through constant communication with the technical facility management system, informs the OR staff real-time and facilitates notification of malfunctions. The system was tested for a pilot period of six months in four ORs of a Dutch teaching hospital and 17 users were interviewed on the usability of the system. The users provided positive feedback on the usability. For 86.6% of total time, the localisation of OR devices was accurate. 62 malfunctions of OR devices were reported, an increase of 12 notifications compared to the previous year. The safety status system was suitable for an OR complex, both from a usability and technical point of view, and an increase of reported malfunctions was observed. The system eases monitoring the safety status of equipment and is a promising tool to improve the safety related to OR devices.

Heuristic Evaluation on Mobile Interfaces: A New Checklist

PubMed Central

Yáñez Gómez, Rosa; Cascado Caballero, Daniel; Sevillano, José-Luis

2014-01-01

The rapid evolution and adoption of mobile devices raise new usability challenges, given their limitations (in screen size, battery life, etc.) as well as the specific requirements of this new interaction. Traditional evaluation techniques need to be adapted in order for these requirements to be met. Heuristic evaluation (HE), an Inspection Method based on evaluation conducted by experts over a real system or prototype, is based on checklists which are desktop-centred and do not adequately detect mobile-specific usability issues. In this paper, we propose a compilation of heuristic evaluation checklists taken from the existing bibliography but readapted to new mobile interfaces. Selecting and rearranging these heuristic guidelines offer a tool which works well not just for evaluation but also as a best-practices checklist. The result is a comprehensive checklist which is experimentally evaluated as a design tool. This experimental evaluation involved two software engineers without any specific knowledge about usability, a group of ten users who compared the usability of a first prototype designed without our heuristics, and a second one after applying the proposed checklist. The results of this experiment show the usefulness of the proposed checklist for avoiding usability gaps even with nontrained developers. PMID:25295300

Evaluating the parent-adolescent communication toolkit: Usability and preliminary content effectiveness of an online intervention.

PubMed

Toombs, Elaine; Unruh, Anita; McGrath, Patrick

2018-01-01

This study aimed to assess the Parent-Adolescent Communication Toolkit, an online intervention designed to help improve parent communication with their adolescents. Participant preferences for two module delivery systems (sequential and unrestricted module access) were identified. Usability assessment of the PACT intervention was completed using pre-test and posttest comparisons. Usability data, including participant completion and satisfaction ratings were examined. Parents ( N  =   18) of adolescents were randomized to a sequential or unrestricted chapter access group. Parent participants completed pre-test measures, the PACT intervention and posttest measures. Participants provided feedback for the intervention to improve modules and provided usability ratings. Adolescent pre- and posttest ratings were evaluated. Usability ratings were high and parent feedback was positive. The sequential module access groups rated the intervention content higher and completed more content than the unrestricted chapter access group, indicating support for the sequential access design. Parent mean posttest communication scores were significantly higher ( p  <   .05) than pre-test scores. No significant differences were detected for adolescent participants. Findings suggest that the Parent-Adolescent Communication Toolkit has potential to improve parent-adolescent communication but further effectiveness assessment is required.

Empirical studies on usability of mHealth apps: a systematic literature review.

PubMed

Zapata, Belén Cruz; Fernández-Alemán, José Luis; Idri, Ali; Toval, Ambrosio

2015-02-01

The release of smartphones and tablets, which offer more advanced communication and computing capabilities, has led to the strong emergence of mHealth on the market. mHealth systems are being used to improve patients' lives and their health, in addition to facilitating communication between doctors and patients. Researchers are now proposing mHealth applications for many health conditions such as dementia, autism, dysarthria, Parkinson's disease, and so on. Usability becomes a key factor in the adoption of these applications, which are often used by people who have problems when using mobile devices and who have a limited experience of technology. The aim of this paper is to investigate the empirical usability evaluation processes described in a total of 22 selected studies related to mHealth applications by means of a Systematic Literature Review. Our results show that the empirical evaluation methods employed as regards usability could be improved by the adoption of automated mechanisms. The evaluation processes should also be revised to combine more than one method. This paper will help researchers and developers to create more usable applications. Our study demonstrates the importance of adapting health applications to users' need.

A task-specific interactive game-based virtual reality rehabilitation system for patients with stroke: a usability test and two clinical experiments.

PubMed

Shin, Joon-Ho; Ryu, Hokyoung; Jang, Seong Ho

2014-03-06

Virtual reality (VR) is not commonly used in clinical rehabilitation, and commercial VR gaming systems may have mixed effects in patients with stroke. Therefore, we developed RehabMaster™, a task-specific interactive game-based VR system for post-stroke rehabilitation of the upper extremities, and assessed its usability and clinical efficacy. A participatory design and usability tests were carried out for development of RehabMaster with representative user groups. Two clinical trials were then performed. The first was an observational study in which seven patients with chronic stroke received 30 minutes of RehabMaster intervention per day for two weeks. The second was a randomised controlled trial of 16 patients with acute or subacute stroke who received 10 sessions of conventional occupational therapy only (OT-only group) or conventional occupational therapy plus 20 minutes of RehabMaster intervention (RehabMaster + OT group). The Fugl-Meyer Assessment score (FMA), modified Barthel Index (MBI), adverse effects, and drop-out rate were recorded. The requirements of a VR system for stroke rehabilitation were established and incorporated into RehabMaster. The reported advantages from the usability tests were improved attention, the immersive flow experience, and individualised intervention. The first clinical trial showed that the RehabMaster intervention improved the FMA (P = .03) and MBI (P = .04) across evaluation times. The second trial revealed that the addition of RehabMaster intervention tended to enhance the improvement in the FMA (P = .07) but did not affect the improvement in the MBI. One patient with chronic stroke left the trial, and no adverse effects were reported. The RehabMaster is a feasible and safe VR system for enhancing upper extremity function in patients with stroke.

A task-specific interactive game-based virtual reality rehabilitation system for patients with stroke: a usability test and two clinical experiments

PubMed Central

2014-01-01

Background Virtual reality (VR) is not commonly used in clinical rehabilitation, and commercial VR gaming systems may have mixed effects in patients with stroke. Therefore, we developed RehabMaster™, a task-specific interactive game-based VR system for post-stroke rehabilitation of the upper extremities, and assessed its usability and clinical efficacy. Methods A participatory design and usability tests were carried out for development of RehabMaster with representative user groups. Two clinical trials were then performed. The first was an observational study in which seven patients with chronic stroke received 30 minutes of RehabMaster intervention per day for two weeks. The second was a randomised controlled trial of 16 patients with acute or subacute stroke who received 10 sessions of conventional occupational therapy only (OT-only group) or conventional occupational therapy plus 20 minutes of RehabMaster intervention (RehabMaster + OT group). The Fugl-Meyer Assessment score (FMA), modified Barthel Index (MBI), adverse effects, and drop-out rate were recorded. Results The requirements of a VR system for stroke rehabilitation were established and incorporated into RehabMaster. The reported advantages from the usability tests were improved attention, the immersive flow experience, and individualised intervention. The first clinical trial showed that the RehabMaster intervention improved the FMA (P = .03) and MBI (P = .04) across evaluation times. The second trial revealed that the addition of RehabMaster intervention tended to enhance the improvement in the FMA (P = .07) but did not affect the improvement in the MBI. One patient with chronic stroke left the trial, and no adverse effects were reported. Conclusions The RehabMaster is a feasible and safe VR system for enhancing upper extremity function in patients with stroke. PMID:24597650

Two years of unintended consequences: introducing an electronic health record system in a hospice in Scotland.

PubMed

Snowden, Austyn; Kolb, Hildegard

2017-05-01

To explore the impact of implementing an electronic health record system on staff at a Scottish hospice. Electronic health records are broadly considered preferable to paper-based systems. However, changing from one system to the other is difficult. This study analysed the impact of this change in a Scottish hospice. Naturalistic prospective repeated-measures mixed-methods approach. Data on the usability of the system, staff engagement and staff experience were obtained at four time points spanning 30 months from inception. Quantitative data were obtained from surveys, and qualitative from concurrent analysis of free-text comments and focus group. Participants were all 150 employees of a single hospice in Scotland. Both system usability and staff engagement scores decreased for the first two years before recovering at 30 months. Staff experience data pointed to two main challenges: (1) Technical issues, with subthemes of accessibility and usability. (2) Cultural issues, with subthemes of time, teamwork, care provision and perception of change. It took 30 months for system usability and staff engagement scores to rise, after falling significantly for the first two years. The unintended outcomes of implementation included challenges to the way the patient story was both recorded and communicated. Nevertheless, this process of change was found to be consistent with the 'J-curve' theory of organisational change, and as such, it is both predictable and manageable for other organisations. It is known that implementing an electronic health record system is complex. This paper puts parameters on this complexity by defining both the nature of the complexity ('J' curve) and the time taken for the organisation to begin recovery from the challenges (two years). Understanding these parameters will help health organisations across the world plan more strategically. © 2016 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Usability and Acceptability of a Mobile Comprehensive HIV Prevention App for Men Who Have Sex With Men: A Pilot Study.

PubMed

Sullivan, Patrick S; Driggers, Robert; Stekler, Joanne D; Siegler, Aaron; Goldenberg, Tamar; McDougal, Sarah J; Caucutt, Jason; Jones, Jeb; Stephenson, Rob

2017-03-09

Men who have sex with men (MSM) are the group most impacted by the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) epidemic and the only subgroup in the United States among which new HIV diagnoses are not decreasing. To achieve the US National HIV/AIDS (acquired immunodeficiency syndrome) Strategy goals of reducing new diagnoses by 25%, high (eg, 30-50%) coverage of multiple HIV prevention interventions is needed in both urban and rural areas. Mobile phone "apps" are an important channel through which prevention services could be provided at scale and at low marginal cost. The aim of this study was to evaluate the usability and acceptability of a theory-based Android mobile phone app for HIV prevention. The app included self-assessment tools; prevention recommendations; commodity (condoms, HIV self-tests) ordering; reminders to MSM for basic HIV prevention services, HIV testing, condom use, screening for preexposure prophylaxis (PrEP) and nonoccupational postexposure prophylaxis (nPEP); and prevention and treatment provider locators. The study recruited HIV-negative, Android-using MSM in Atlanta and Seattle who were asked to use the app for 4 months and complete a post-use survey. We measured the use of the app and its features, ordering of commodities, self-report of establishing an HIV testing plan, being HIV tested in the community, and starting PrEP or using nPEP. Usability was assessed using the system usability scale (SUS). A total of 121 MSM were enrolled (59.5%, 72/121 from Atlanta; 40.5%, 49/121 from Seattle). Median age was 28. Nearly half (48.8%, 59/121) were nonwhite, and most (85.9%, 104/121) were gay-identified. Most had tested for HIV in the past (85.1%, 103/121), and 52 (43.0%, 52/121) had a plan to test for HIV regularly. Men used the app for an average of 17.7 minutes over the first 4 months. Over the 4-month period, over half ordered condoms (63.6%, 77/121) and HIV test kits (52.8%, 64/121) on the app. Eight of 86 (9%) PrEP-eligible MSM started PrEP during the 4-month period; of those, 6 of the 8 reported that the app influenced their decision to start PrEP. The mean SUS was 73 (above average). A theory-based mobile phone app was acceptable to MSM and was rated as having above-average usability. Most men used the commodity-ordering features of the app during the 4-month evaluation period, and nearly 1 in 10 PrEP-eligible men started PrEP, with most attributing their decision to start PrEP in part to the app. A broader, randomized controlled study of the impact of the app on uptake of prevention behaviors for MSM is warranted. ©Patrick S Sullivan, Robert Driggers, Joanne D Stekler, Aaron J Siegler, Tamar Goldenberg, Sarah J McDougal, Jason Caucutt, Jeb Jones, Rob Stephenson. Originally published in JMIR Mhealth and Uhealth (http://mhealth.jmir.org), 09.03.2017.

The effect of touch-key size on the usability of In-Vehicle Information Systems and driving safety during simulated driving.

PubMed

Kim, Heejin; Kwon, Sunghyuk; Heo, Jiyoon; Lee, Hojin; Chung, Min K

2014-05-01

Investigating the effect of touch-key size on usability of In-Vehicle Information Systems (IVISs) is one of the most important research issues since it is closely related to safety issues besides its usability. This study investigated the effects of the touch-key size of IVISs with respect to safety issues (the standard deviation of lane position, the speed variation, the total glance time, the mean glance time, the mean time between glances, and the mean number of glances) and the usability of IVISs (the task completion time, error rate, subjective preference, and NASA-TLX) through a driving simulation. A total of 30 drivers participated in the task of entering 5-digit numbers with various touch-key sizes while performing simulated driving. The size of the touch-key was 7.5 mm, 12.5 mm, 17.5 mm, 22.5 mm and 27.5 mm, and the speed of driving was set to 0 km/h (stationary state), 50 km/h and 100 km/h. As a result, both the driving safety and the usability of the IVISs increased as the touch-key size increased up to a certain size (17.5 mm in this study), at which they reached asymptotes. We performed Fitts' law analysis of our data, and this revealed that the data from the dual task experiment did not follow Fitts' law. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Ltd and The Ergonomics Society. All rights reserved.

Designing Home-Based Telemedicine Systems for the Geriatric Population: An Empirical Study.

PubMed

Narasimha, Shraddhaa; Agnisarman, Sruthy; Chalil Madathil, Kapil; Gramopadhye, Anand; McElligott, James T

2018-02-01

Background and Introduction: Telemedicine, the process of providing healthcare remotely using communication devices, has the potential to be useful for the geriatric population when specifically designed for this age group. This study explored the design of four video telemedicine systems currently available and outlined issues with these systems that impact usability among the geriatric population. Based on the results, design suggestions were developed to improve telemedicine systems for this population. Using a between-subjects experimental design, the study considered four telemedicine systems used in Medical University of South Carolina. The study was conducted at a local retirement home. The participant pool consisted of 40 adults, 60 years or older. The dependent measures used were the mean times for telemedicine session initiation and video session, mean number of errors, post-test satisfaction ratings, the NASA-Task Load Index (NASA-TLX) workload measures, and the IBM-Computer Systems Usability Questionnaire measures. Statistical significance was found among the telemedicine systems' initiation times. The analysis of the qualitative data revealed several issues, including lengthy e-mail content, icon placement, and chat box design, which affect the usability of these systems for the geriatric population. Human factor-based design modifications, including short, precise e-mail content, appropriately placed icons, and the inclusion of instructions, are recommended to address the issues found in the qualitative study.

Dosvox Usability: recommendations for improving interaction of blind people with the web using the system.

PubMed

de Souza, Edson Rufino; de Freitas, Sydney Fernandes

2012-01-01

At present, it is recognized that the Internet plays key role in universalization of opportunities in society in which we live. For people with disabilities, the content must be accessible in all websites, but the assistive technologies used must be adequate to the specific needs of people with disabilities. Dosvox is a free system developed in the Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro (UFRJ) specially designed for blind people and used by them in the performance of their tasks with the use of computers. Previously, through exploratory research based on the observation of the interaction of blind students with the Web, usability problems were identified in the Dosvox interface and in the Webvox, the Web browser included in the system, and these problems were related to the fact that the interface is designed in accordance with the mental model of these Information Technology professionals. This study consolidate the problems in earlier phases of the research, link the results with usability heuristics of Nielsen and propose several improvements to Dosvox and its development process.

Human-centered design of a personal health record system for metabolic syndrome management based on the ISO 9241-210:2010 standard.

PubMed

Farinango, Charic D; Benavides, Juan S; Cerón, Jesús D; López, Diego M; Álvarez, Rosa E

2018-01-01

Previous studies have demonstrated the effectiveness of information and communication technologies to support healthy lifestyle interventions. In particular, personal health record systems (PHR-Ss) empower self-care, essential to support lifestyle changes. Approaches such as the user-centered design (UCD), which is already a standard within the software industry (ISO 9241-210:2010), provide specifications and guidelines to guarantee user acceptance and quality of eHealth systems. However, no single PHR-S for metabolic syndrome (MS) developed following the recommendations of the ISO 9241-210:2010 specification has been found in the literature. The aim of this study was to describe the development of a PHR-S for the management of MS according to the principles and recommendations of the ISO 9241-210 standard. The proposed PHR-S was developed using a formal software development process which, in addition to the traditional activities of any software process, included the principles and recommendations of the ISO 9241-210 standard. To gather user information, a survey sample of 1,187 individuals, eight interviews, and a focus group with seven people were performed. Throughout five iterations, three prototypes were built. Potential users of each system evaluated each prototype. The quality attributes of efficiency, effectiveness, and user satisfaction were assessed using metrics defined in the ISO/IEC 25022 standard. The following results were obtained: 1) a technology profile from 1,187 individuals at risk for MS from the city of Popayan, Colombia, identifying that 75.2% of the people use the Internet and 51% had a smartphone; 2) a PHR-S to manage MS developed (the PHR-S has the following five main functionalities: record the five MS risk factors, share these measures with health care professionals, and three educational modules on nutrition, stress management, and a physical activity); and 3) usability tests on each prototype obtaining the following results: 100% effectiveness, 100% efficiency, and 84.2 points in the system usability scale. The software development methodology used was based on the ISO 9241-210 standard, which allowed the development team to maintain a focus on user's needs and requirements throughout the project, which resulted in an increased satisfaction and acceptance of the system. Additionally, the establishment of a multidisciplinary team allowed the application of considerations not only from the disciplines of software engineering and health sciences but also from other disciplines such as graphical design and media communication. Finally, usability testing allowed the observation of flaws in the designs, which helped to improve the solution.

Further Exploration of the Classroom Video Analysis (CVA) Instrument as a Measure of Usable Knowledge for Teaching Mathematics: Taking a Knowledge System Perspective

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kersting, Nicole B.; Sutton, Taliesin; Kalinec-Craig, Crystal; Stoehr, Kathleen Jablon; Heshmati, Saeideh; Lozano, Guadalupe; Stigler, James W.

2016-01-01

In this article we report further explorations of the classroom video analysis instrument (CVA), a measure of usable teacher knowledge based on scoring teachers' written analyses of classroom video clips. Like other researchers, our work thus far has attempted to identify and measure separable components of teacher knowledge. In this study we take…