Performance vs Clinical Risk
The complexity of creating usable solutions in healthcare
The productivity that a user can get with a tool depends, among other things, on the usability of the interface used to work. In the context of healthcare applications, the interface design solutions can supose in certain situations a number of hazards that result in clinical risk. A productive solution is incompatible with clinical risk free solution? In an effort to provide a broad view of the problems, in this article we offer solutions addressing the most common design patterns used to increase productivity in user interfaces.
For the analysis, we propose two specific usage modes: data entry (interaction with the system) and data output (representation of information and data management interactions) in a health system.
Data Entry (garbage-in)
Help to complete the information
- Problem: Help may be decontextualized
- Solution: The help that is offered to the user should not contextualize only normal activity but the content and the information required.
Autocomplete
- Problem:The autocomplete action may end up in the selection of an unwanted value
- Solution: Actions should allow the end user to overwrite the value and warn you that you are entering a value outside the catalog.
Validation and error feedback
- Problem: The errors reported are partial
- Solution: Inform the user about the possible existence of more errors and the need for revision
Defaults
- Problem: Default values may be based on faulty assumptions
- Solution: Report existing defaults and even offer the possibility of removing.
Shortcuts
- Problem: Loss of visual feedback on what you are doing.
- Solution: Inform the user with a message of the action to be executed.
Commands (actions, undo, massive actions)
- Problem: The command may cause a failure in the integrity of the data.
- Solution: Run command to complete mock confirmation by the user and inform the local view of the result.
Data Output (garbage-out)
Indexes and data summaries
- Problem: The data are not updated
- Solution: Inform the user of the last update of the data and provide the ability to update it in context.
Search
- Problem: The search is hidding results.
- Solution: Reporting results of existence visible and hidden results either paging issues as matching with the search.
Notifications
- Problem: Notifications are not prioritized.
- Solution: Offer a prioritization system and allow customization of alert priority one by one or by type.
Alerts
- Problem: It was considered an alert something that is not.
- Solution: Associate clinical alerts to static domains consistently identifiable
- Problem: An unintuituve icon has been associated to an alert
- Solution: Tagged alerts with short terms and / or group them under predefined domains
The healthcare scenario
We should note that in the health context, the tasks that a user must perform that require a computer system can account for up to 30% of their time and therefore there is a clear need to improve the efficiency and productivity in their daily use.
At the same time it is important to consider that during the working day there are many and frequent changes of tasks, activities and contexts, for instance, a doctor in the emergency room in a 10’ frame has been triaging two patients, be consulted by the nursing team 3 times on matters of different nature, it has been lifted from his seat 6 times for different tests of material, information, etc.
Therefore, although the task itself requires a high concentration effort, attention span is reduced by the high number of interruptions. In this context, the user controls what he does but is subjected to a high load of stress and distractions in almost any of its activities. A medical error could pose a risk to the health of their patients.
From the most simplified view of a computer system as a mere representation of the information model, the most basic interface is build up with forms to fill available data and views for display them. Even with this formula, the application would not be free of clinical risks. Any solution applicable for the simplest interface is not incompatible with richer and more usable interfaces. For this we consider that not only is not incompatible to have solutions which can enhance productivity and usability, but it is also necessary.
References
[es] Productividad vs Riesgo Clínico
La dificultad de crear soluciones usables en sanidad
La productividad que un usuario puede conseguir con una herramienta depende, entre muchas otras cosas, de la usabilidad de la interfaz con la que trabaje. En el contexto de las aplicaciones sanitarias, las soluciones de diseño de interfaz que se aportan pueden llegar a suponer en determinadas ocasiones una serie de peligros que deriven en riesgos clínicos. ¿Es incompatible una solución productiva con una solución libre de riesgos clínicos? Con el ánimo de ofrecer una visión amplia de las problemáticas, en este artículo ofrecemos posibles soluciones atendiendo a los patrones de diseño más habituales usados para aumentar la productividad en las interfaces de usuario.
Para el análisis se proponen dos modos de uso concretos: la entrada de datos (interacción contra el sistema) y la salida de datos(representación de información e interacciones de manejo de datos) en un sistema sanitario.
Entrada de datos (garbage-in)
Ayuda para completar la información
- Problema: La ayuda puede estar descontextualizada
- Solución: La ayuda que se ofrezca al usuario no debe estar sólo contextualizada a su actividad habitual sino al contenido y la información que se requiere.
Autocompletar
- Problema: La acción para autocompletar puede terminar en la selección de un valor no deseado
- Solución: Las acciones de autocompletar deben permitir al usuario final sobrescribir el valor y advertirlo de que está introduciendo un valor fuera del catálogo
Informar de errores de validación
- Problema: Los errores de los que se informan son parciales
- Solución: Informar al usuario de la posible existencia de más errores y de la necesidad de su revisión
Opciones por defecto
- Problema: Los valores por defecto pueden estar basados en suposiciones erróneas
- Solución: Informar de que existen valores por defecto e incluso ofrecer la posibilidad de eliminarlos
Atajos de teclado
- Problema: Pérdida de feedback visual sobre lo que se está haciendo
- Solución: Informar al usuario mediante un mensaje de la acción que se va ejecutar
Comandos (lanzar acciones, deshacer, acciones masivas)
- Problema: El comando puede provocar un fallo en la integridad de los datos
- Solución: Ejecutar comando en modo simulado hasta la completa confirmación por parte del usuario e informar de la vista local del resultado
Salida de datos (garbage-out)
Resumen de datos e índices
- Problema: Los datos no están actualizados
- Solución: informar al usuario de la última actualización de los datos y ofrecer la posibilidad de actualizarlos in-situ
Búsqueda
- Problema: La búsqueda oculta resultados
- Solución: Informar de los resultados visibles y de la existencia de resultados ocultos ya sea por cuestiones de paginación como de coincidencia con la búsqueda
Notificaciones
- Problema: Las notificaciones no están priorizadas
- Solución: Ofrecer un sistema de priorización y permitir la personalización de la prioridad de las alertas una a una o por tipologías
Alertas
- Problema: Se ha considerado una alerta algo que no lo es
- Solución: Asociar las alertas a dominios clínicos estáticos e identificables de forma consistente
- Problema: Se ha asociado un icono poco intuitivo a una alerta
- Solución: Etiquetar las alertas con términos cortos y/o agruparlas bajo dominios predefinidos
El escenario sanitario
Debemos tener en cuenta que en el contexto sanitario, las tareas que un usuario debe realizar que requieran de un sistema informático pueden llegar a suponer hasta el 30% de su tiempo y por tanto existe una necesidad evidente de mejorar la eficiencia y productividad en su uso diario. Al mismo tiempo es importante considerar que durante la jornada laboral son múltiples y muy frecuentes los cambios de tareas, actividades y contextos, por ejemplo, un médico en la sala de urgencias en un intervalo de 10’ ha podido realizar el Triaje a dos pacientes, ser consultado por el equipo de enfermería 3 veces sobre asuntos de diferentes naturaleza, se ha podido levantar de su asiento 6 veces para diferentes comprobaciones de material, información, etc. Por lo tanto, si bien la propia tarea favorece y exige una alta capacidad de concentración, la capacidad de atención se reduce por el alto número de interrupciones. En este contexto, el usuario controla lo que hace pero está sometido a una carga alta de estrés y distracciones en casi cualquiera de sus actividades. Un error médico podría suponer un riesgo para la salud de sus pacientes.
Desde la visión más simplificada de un sistema informático como mera representación del modelo de información, la interfaz básica más directa consiste en la disposición de formularios para rellenar datos y vistas para mostrarlos. Incluso con ésta fórmula, la aplicación no estaría exentas de riesgos clínicos. Cualquier solución aplicable para la interfaz más sencilla no es incompatible con interfaces más ricas y usables. Por esto consideramos que no sólo no es incompatible ofrecer soluciones que aumenten la productividad y la usabilidad, sino que además es necesario.
Referencias
UX in Spain (II)
As the second year of the UXSP event I’d like to share with you my impressions about it. This time I won’t talk about the speakers, the conferences or the labs but about the real value of this meeting point for professionals: the people who attended.
UXSpain 2013 was again a place of reunion of professionals, there were time for chatting (coffee breaks of 45’ ease to find the “right” moment), there were also time for discovering someone new (great results of the new Lab format was introduced this year) and also time for laughing (drinks on night do their job as well).
I’ve been very pleased to know in person the most of the people that I follow on Twitter, also, I finally introduced myself to people who even didn’t know me – don’t know how pleasant was that for them but I enjoyed anyway. And of course, I met again with some of the mates that I first-time met in the last edition and missed many others who couldn’t come back.
But I have to say it: knowing people it wasn’t easy for me. Don’t know how good people’s social skills are but for me, it’s still weird interrupting speakers in the hall, stopping ‘gurus’ to say ‘hi’ and asking for “looking for me if they want”. I think this is not a problem of the event, but since it’s named a “meeting event” I believe that knowing people might be the most important appeal.
How to deal with that for next year? I do not know. I still wonder not what I am doing wrong but isn’t that way how it should be?
If I can make you/myself a suggestion: share your stuff. If I want to be known by you it’s due to the UX-stuff that I do and if I want to remember you it is for the same (unless you are the sister of… ;))
So, next year I expect to know more people and to feel odder with them, too; but what I really wish is a third edition of UXSpain to have that opportunity.
Technology should do the hardwork
Adobe Fireworks team Q&A
Is Adobe proposing that existing Fireworks customers switch to Photoshop?
Photoshop is a major part of the design process, but we know that Fireworks offers something unique that has made it an essential part of the web designer’s toolkit. While Photoshop is continuing to add features and workflows to support web designers, whether or not it is a good replacement for Fireworks will depend on individual needs and preferences.
What new tools is Adobe proposing to create for web design?
Adobe has embarked on creating a new collection of tools and services aimed at addressing the needs of today’s web designer – we’ve started with focusing on responsive layout, web animation and HTML, CSS and JavaScript code editing and are delivering new Edge tools to address these use cases. We are actively working on next-generation solutions for screen design and prototyping that we hope our existing Fireworks customers will love.
Read more, last update May 7, 2013.
Fireworks’ users farewell by @doctorsirius - Keep calm and …
Untilted*: Now what?
If it caught you by surprise, you weren’t paying enough attention, as the writing’s been on the wall for the last three releases (CS4 was crap, CS5 added some minor features, and CS6 was nothing more than cosmetic changes).
So now you’re wondering: what’s next?…
Arquitectura de la Información - Introducción en 3 pasos
La Arquitectura de la Información (AI) es una disciplina que se centra en la organización y estructuración de la información y la presentación de datos para que estos sean accesibles y fácilmente entendibles por los usuarios.
En este vídeo vamos a intentar explicar en 3 sencillos pasos cómo representar y analizar la arquitectura de la información de un portal web de ejemplo.
Como apoyo al diseño de los patrones de visualización de información os dejo aquí unos enlaces:
- Information Architecture for the World Wide Web
- Patterns in Interaction Design
- UI Design Pattern Library
- Designing Interfaces (Book)
Este vídeo ha sido editado por @karmel para @TrainingBubbles. No dudes en lanzarnos tus comentarios
Escenarios con Indigo Studio y Balsamiq Mockups
Balsamiq Mockups es una herramienta genial para sketching, en este vídeo veremos cómo partir de un mockup hecho en Balsamiq e importarlo a Índigo, con una misión: describir mejor el escenario de uso.
Daremos un repaso a la creación de storyboards y explicaremos en qué casos nos puede venir bien servirnos de ambas herramientas para comunicar nuestras ideas.
Por @karmel para @trainingbubbles
What’s Your Sign? The everyday personas in the stars | UX Magazine
So why not start your project with existing information about possible personality types and motivations you need to accommodate—whether you refer to astrological profiling or a more traditional psychological study—and avoid the impulse of putting a face to them if you can. To follow, use your research time to discover real scenario specific behaviors and, later on, validate your solutions with users as you usually would. Whatever you do, don’t assume that simply asking your users their date of birth will count as a user test.
That will never work, especially if your client is a Virgo.
Tumblr for Windows Phone has arrived!
- Find and follow the things you love
- Share photos, gifs, video, quotes, chats, links, and text
- Jump between your dashboard and Explore with just one swipe
- Display the latest images from your dashboard on your lock screen and live tile
- GIFs play as you scroll
Windows 8 UX - “first impressions”
Read the original article in spanish at UXSALAD Blog
One of the best things that Microsoft style guide emphasises to design Windows 8 applications is the importance to make a good “first impression” of our solution.
They suggest several ways to accomplish considering the concept and application architecture within its new visual metaphor (also known as Modern UI).
Tiles and Notifications
The tiles are the face of your application and highlights your brand identity. The relevant notifications will always return the user to your application.
If we consider that “a tile” must be distinguishable from a good list of tiles is important to keep it as simple and clear as possible. We do not know if the rumor of abandoning the current home screen of Windows 8 the tiles will lose strength. In any case, I hope never to retreat from the Live Tiles surely his most original proposal.
Splash Screen
It expresses personality and should load as fast as possible.
There is some confusion between the resolution that recommended guidelines and the final result of the logo. The image used in the splash must have a resolution of 620x300 pixels, which is not to say that the logo must conform 100% to that resolution. In any case there is freedom to take advantage of every pixel as you like.
First launch
Give the user the contents of examples so that you know how to use the application.
Given that any toolbar could be hidden by default and send the contents, examples of contents are a good place to hitch.
But I’m not convinced that this can be applied to applications in which the user must generate content or, for example, in games. In this case, follow the pattern of instant gratification and for that we would have to get the user to do or interact with the application easily and quickly and be compensated for it, and not relegate it simply to see or be a spectator.
Home page
Use the content just to show what it’s made for your application.
If your application is fully oriented content this should be the place where offer that shows you belong to the first level of hierarchy of information architecture. Of course, do not forget that there is the Semantic Zoom and if the contents do not speak enough of your structure the user can always do “pinch” (zoom out) and see everything a little clearer (after labeling).
The combination of all these elements reinforce, as we said, the effort to generate a good impression and make it clear why your application is the best for the purpose it is designed. Although they are strongly linked to the mode of operation of an app for Windows 8 are extrapolated to any other standard, there is more to see how patterns have evolved on other platforms where the contents retrieved his reign.
