TY - JOUR
T1 - Icon and user interface design for emergency medical information systems
T2 - A case study
AU - Salman, Y. Batu
AU - Cheng, Hong In
AU - Patterson, Patrick E.
PY - 2012/1
Y1 - 2012/1
N2 - A usable medical information system should allow for reliable and accurate interaction between users and the system in emergencies. A participatory design approach was used to develop a medical information system in two Turkish hospitals. The process consisted of task and user analysis, an icon design survey, initial icon design, final icon design and evaluation, and installation of the iconic medical information system with the icons. We observed work sites to note working processes and tasks related to the information system and interviewed medical personnel. Emergency personnel then participated in the design process to develop a usable graphical user interface, by drawing icon sketches for 23 selected tasks. Similar sketches were requested for specific tasks such as family medical history, contact information, translation, addiction, required inspections, requests and applications, and nurse observations. The sketches were analyzed and redesigned into computer icons by professional designers and the research team. A second group of physicians and nurses then tested the understandability of the icons. The user interface layout was examined and evaluated by system users, followed by the system's installation. Medical personnel reported the participatory design process was interesting and believed the resulting designs would be more familiar and friendlier.
AB - A usable medical information system should allow for reliable and accurate interaction between users and the system in emergencies. A participatory design approach was used to develop a medical information system in two Turkish hospitals. The process consisted of task and user analysis, an icon design survey, initial icon design, final icon design and evaluation, and installation of the iconic medical information system with the icons. We observed work sites to note working processes and tasks related to the information system and interviewed medical personnel. Emergency personnel then participated in the design process to develop a usable graphical user interface, by drawing icon sketches for 23 selected tasks. Similar sketches were requested for specific tasks such as family medical history, contact information, translation, addiction, required inspections, requests and applications, and nurse observations. The sketches were analyzed and redesigned into computer icons by professional designers and the research team. A second group of physicians and nurses then tested the understandability of the icons. The user interface layout was examined and evaluated by system users, followed by the system's installation. Medical personnel reported the participatory design process was interesting and believed the resulting designs would be more familiar and friendlier.
KW - Icon
KW - Medical information system
KW - Participatory design
KW - User interface design
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=83555177327&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1016/j.ijmedinf.2011.08.005
DO - 10.1016/j.ijmedinf.2011.08.005
M3 - Article
C2 - 21920810
AN - SCOPUS:83555177327
VL - 81
SP - 29
EP - 35
JO - International Journal of Medical Informatics
JF - International Journal of Medical Informatics
SN - 1386-5056
IS - 1
ER -