Designing the User Interface for Health Care Settings

Designing the User Interface

2008-11-17

Designing the User Interface for Health Care Settings

Kelly HindsRN BN BA MBA

Business Analyst – Momentum Healthware


2008-11-17

Learning Objectives

At the end of this session you will have been introduced to:

The principles and processes of user interface design

How users and their tasks are identified How to balance the concepts of doable, usable

and likable in a health care setting


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Some Definitions to Start With… UI - User Interface

The communication between human and computer

An interface enables a user to interact with a system to perform a task. For example: website navigation (hyperlinks, search tools, etc.) enables a user

to find content a shopping cart/basket system enables goods to be ordered the formatting palette in Microsoft Word enables a user to

change text colour, size, font, etc.


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Some Definitions to Start With… GUI – Graphical user interface

A GUI allows a user to interact with a computer without entering code

With the combination of an input device (such as a mouse or stylus) and visual representations of the workspace and tasks, the user is able to interact with the computer in a manner similar to the physical manipulations available in the real world.


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In 1973, researchers at Xerox’s Paulo Alto Research Centre (PARC) were the first to experiment with the key components of the GUI: a mouse bitmap display (graphic image)

graphical windows

Combining these elements allowed a user to interact with the computer without translating the user’s request into machine code.


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An interface may combine a number of types of sensory cues: visual/graphic: text (labels); shape, colour and size; spatial

cues such as beveling and shadows to indicate ‘click-ability’; icons; change when moused-over; etc.

aural: speech, beeps, clicks, etc. tactile (touch)

An effective interface combines the available, contextually-appropriate sensory cues to: inform users of the task the interface can be used to complete provide feedback (in response to interaction) to confirm task

status (often referred to as closure).


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Perceived affordance Does the user perceive that clicking on that object is a

meaningful, useful action, with a known outcome? (Where ‘object’ is an interface element, such as a button, checkbox or hyperlink.)

The designer cares more about what actions the user perceives to be possible than what is true.

Usability Usability is a measure of the quality of a person’s

experience in interacting with content or services.


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Ease of learning How fast can a user who has never seen the user interface

before learn it sufficiently well to accomplish basic tasks?

Efficiency of use Once an experienced user has learned to use the system,

how fast can he or she accomplish tasks?

Memorability If a user has used the system before, can he or she

remember enough to use it effectively the next time or does the user have to start over again learning everything?


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Error frequency and severity How often do users make errors while using the

system, how serious are these errors, and how do users recover from these errors?

Subjective satisfaction How much does the user like using the system


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Why do we care about UI?User Acceptance model (F.D. Davis 1989)

Perceived Ease of Use

Perceived Usefulness

Intention to Use Actual Use


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Why do we care about UI?User Participation Model (Venkatesh et al, 2003)

Individual reactions to using technology

Intentions to use technology

Actual Use of Information Technology


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The Key Design Concepts User-centred – the interface has to match the users,

their tasks, priorities and environment

All UI design is a compromise between: Doable

Can we do it the way it was designed Usable

Does it do the job Likeable

What does the intended user think of it

Subtle evolution Change a little at a time


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Software Development Lifecycle

Planning

Development

Implementation

Design


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Design Phase of DevelopmentBusiness Requirements

What are the goals of the system

Functional SpecificationsWhat are the actual tasks the system needs to do

Audience AnalysisComputer Literacy Levels and Need

Novice, Intermediate, Expert (handout)


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Nurses’ Attitudes Towards Computers(Brumini et al 2005)

No difference in regards to gender Nurses younger than 30 had significantly more positive score than older nurses Nurses with a bachelor’s degree had a more positive score Nurses with computer science education had a more positive score Nurses who attended classes in medical informatics during their formal

education had a significantly more positive score Nurses with previous computer training had significantly more positive score with

users who did not use computers scoring less than nurses using computers at home

Nurses using computers for any purpose (work, education, pleasure, communication) also related to a higher attitude towards computers


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Interface design needs to take into account:

scenario the situation in which an interface is to be used

use-case the task(s) the user will complete using the interface

path how a task is broken down into meaningful stages and sequences

interface conventions sensory cues and interaction models likely to be known by the user


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Health Care Triad (McLeod and Clark, 2007)

Physician

•Interpretive data source

•Role may be primary or secondary

•Use may be voluntary or involuntary

Clinician

•Diagnostic data source, value added

•Usually intermediary role, may be interpretive

•Involuntary use, usually as a condition of employment

Patient

•Always data source

•Role may be active or passive

•Use typically voluntary, compelled by disease, family, law


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Physician

Clinician Patient

Surrogate

IT Use

Purpose Obtain patient history for electronic record

Time Dimension Present

Time Frame Short term

Available Resources Health care information system, secured UI

Culture and Context Physician-clinician, clinician-patient relationship, physician surrogates clinician to obtain patient’s medical history

Level of Analysis Physician not local. Could be regional, national, or international. Clinician and patient local.

Stakeholders Physician, clinician, patient

User Clinician

Example of a healthcare stakeholder analysis (McLeod and Clark, 2007)


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Design Phase of DevelopmentUser’s goals, tasks, work strategies, tools, problems, wants, needs

Preliminary DesignTask Flow

Style Guide

Detailed Design

Usability TestingMock-ups and “Vapor Ware”


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General Design GuidelinesSimplicity

Basic functions are immediately apparentLet’s users accomplish their tasks with a minimum of objects and actions

ConsistencyBeing able to anticipate how something will workStandardizing the interface

TransparencyThe design should tell you how it worksRecognition


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General Design Guidelines

FeedbackProvide an immediate response to every single actionKeep users informed of progress

ForgivenessGive an explicit explanation and constructive adviceCan mistakes be corrected?

User Control and FlexibilityShortcutsDefaults


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Design Guidelines - Navigation “Three Click Rule” of Navigation

Every piece of content should take no more than three clicks to access

Avoid “Mystery Meat” navigationNavigation controls that are unmarked until the user moves the mouse over them

Fitt’s LawThe farther the person has to move the mouse, to get to an object, the more effort it will take to get toThe smaller an object is, the harder it will be to click on. Top, bottom and the sides of the screen are the most targetable


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Design Guidelines – Screen LayoutSemantic Order

What you should read first

Perceptual OrderWhat you perceive as first

The F shapeWe tend to read the top row from left to right, then the left side column, then across once more.

Because of this concept, the most important information should be on top and navigation on the left hand side


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Design Guidelines – Screen Layout

“Chunk” the DataGroup similar type of data togetherBy type verses by use by a particular role

IconsAre they universally understood by all usersHealthcare has several unique icons and images

ColourMust have meaning in the setting Colour “codes” DO NOT have universal meaning in the healthcare setting


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Questions

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Documents

Designing the User Interface for Health Care Settings