The role of eye height in judgment of an affordance of passage under a barrier

D’après la théorie écologique de la perception (Gibson, 1979), l’observateur-acteur, au cœur de ses multiples interactions avec l’environnement, perçoit des affordances, c’est-à-dire des opportunités d’action. Cette perception serait directe et nécessiterait la prise d’information qui spécifierait la relation entre les caractéristiques de l’environnement et les propriétés de l’individu. L’objectif de cette recherche est d’étudier le rôle de la hauteur des yeux dans des jugements perceptifs de passage sous une barre. Huit participants ont effectué des jugements verbaux à propos de la hauteur minimale d’une barre sous laquelle ils pouvaient passer sans baisser la tête en marchant à vitesse normale. La hauteur des yeux perçue était également mesurée. Les jugements étaient effectués dans trois conditions de vision: (i) utilisation de lunettes à verres neutres (condition de base), (ii) utilisation de lunettes avec verre prismatique (déviation vers le bas de 20 dp) et (iii) après adaptation à ces lunettes. Les résultats montrent que les deux types de jugements (hauteur minimale et hauteur des yeux perçue) sont affectés par le port des prismes. Ils révèlent notamment un effet de l’adaptation aux prismes (after-effect) significatif. Cet after-effect est mis en évidence pour les deux types de jugements. Ces résultats étayent l’hypothèse selon laquelle la hauteur des yeux effective, souple et adaptable, est calibrée par rapport à la scène visuelle. En retour, la hauteur des yeux effective peut servir à estimer des potentialités d’action pour l’organisme.According to the ecological theory of visual perception (Gibson, 1979), the perceiver-actor perceives affordances (i.e. opportunities of action) through multiple interactions with the environment. This perception is direct and consists in picking up information that specifies the relationship between the environment's characteristics and the perceiver-actor's properties. The aim of the work reported here was to study the role of eye height in the perceptual judgments of passability under a barrier. Eight participants were asked to verbally judge the minimal height of a barrier under which they could pass without lowering their head. Their perceived eye height was also measured. The judgments were made in three viewing conditions: (i) wearing neutral glasses (the baseline condition), (ii) immediately after putting on glasses with prismatic deviation (a 20PD downward deviation) and (iii) after adaptation to the prismatic deviation. The results showed that the two judgments (minimal barrier height and perceived eye height) were affected in the same way by the prisms. Most significantly, an after-effect occurred and had a similar impact on the two judgments. These results suggest that the effective eye height is not fixed but can be adapted and calibrated relative to the visual array. Accordingly, effective eye height can help estimate action potentialities for the organism

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

AbstractIntroductionMedication-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.MethodPapers 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.Main resultsFrom 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.Main conclusionThe 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

Medication-related outcomes and health equity : evidence for pharmaceutical care

Marginalised people experience diminished access to pharmaceutical care and worse medication-related outcomes than the general population. Health equity is a global priority. This article explores the key evidence of health inequity and medication use, structures the causes and contributory factors and suggests opportunities that can be taken to advance the pharmaceutical care agenda so as to achieve health equity. The causes of, and contributors to, this inequity are multi-fold, with patient- and person-related factors being the most commonly reported. Limited evidence is available to identify risk factors related to other aspects of a personal medication use system, such as technology, tasks, tools and the internal and the external environments. Multiple opportunities exist to enhance equity in medication-related outcomes through pharmaceutical care research and practice. To optimise the effects and the sustainable implementation of these opportunities, it is important to (1) ensure the meaningful inclusion and engagement of members of marginalised groups, (2) use a person-centred approach and (3) apply a systems-based approach to address all of the necessary components of a system that interact and form a network as work processes that produce system outcomes.peer-reviewe

Limitations of the new ISO standard for health and wellness apps

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Vers une base de connaissance en utilisabilité pour aider la conception et l’évaluation de technologies de l’information en santé : application aux systèmes d’alerte médicamenteux

Health Information Technology (HIT) is increasingly implemented to improve healthcare quality and patient safety. However, some usability issues may reduce their impact and even induce new problems (including patient safety issues). To avoid those negative outcomes, amongst other actions, HIT usability must be improved. This action requires applying validated usability knowledge. However, usability knowledge applied to HIT is scattered across several sources, is not structured and is hardly usable. Moreover, its coverage regarding related usability flaws is not known. This work has two aims: (i) to participate in improving the accumulation of usability knowledge for HIT and (ii) to provide synthetic structured easy-to-use HIT usability knowledge with a clear coverage. Those aims are applied to medication alerting systems.Method.Two independent analyses of the literature have been performed. On the one hand, usability flaws and their consequences for the clinicians and the work system have been searched and organized; on the other hand, existing usability design principles specific to medication alerting systems have been synthesized. Results of both analyses have been matched together. Results.A systematic review identified 13 types of usability flaws in medication alerting systems. Consequences on the clinicians and the work system are varied: they greatly impede the clinicians and negatively impact the work system (e.g., alert fatigue, alert misinterpretation). Sixty-three usability design principles dedicated to medication alerting systems are identified. They represent six themes: improve the signal-to-noise ratio, fit clinicians’ workflow, support collaborative work, display relevant information, make the system transparent and provide useful tools. The matching between usability flaws and principles is quite good.Discussion.As a result of this work, a list of usability design principles illustrated by actual instances of their violation has been developed. It may help designers and Human Factors experts understand and apply usability design principles when designing and evaluating medication alerting systems. Usability applied to HIT is a recent research field that suffers from a deficit of structured knowledge. This work shows that it is possible to accumulate and structure usability knowledge. It could be carried on by developing a usability knowledge base dedicated to HIT in order to strive towards “evidence-based usability”.Les Technologies de l’Information en Santé (TIS) sont de plus en plus utilisées pour améliorer la qualité des soins et la sécurité du patient. Cependant, certains problèmes d’utilisabilité peuvent amenuiser leur impact et peuvent même induire de nouveaux problèmes dont la mise en danger du patient. Pour éviter ces effets négatifs, il est notamment nécessaire d’améliorer l’utilisabilité des TIS ce qui requiert l’application de connaissances d’utilisabilité éprouvées. Les connaissances en utilisabilité appliquée aux TIS sont rares, éparpillées à travers diverses supports et peu utilisables. Par ailleurs, leur couverture en termes de problèmes d’utilisabilité est peu connue. Ce travail a deux objectifs: (i) participer à l’amélioration de l’accumulation de la connaissance en utilisabilité pour les TIS, (ii) fournir une connaissance structurée sur l’utilisabilité des TIS et dont la couverture est établie. Le domaine d’application est celui des systèmes d’alerte médicamenteux.Méthode. Deux analyses indépendantes de la littérature ont été menées : d’un côté, identifier et organiser les problèmes d’utilisabilité des systèmes d’alerte médicamenteux ainsi que leurs conséquences ; de l’autre, identifier et synthétiser les principes d’utilisabilité spécifiques à ces systèmes. Les résultats de ces analyses ont été croisés afin de connaitre la couverture desdits principes en termes de problèmes d’utilisabilité.Résultats. La revue systématique a identifié 13 types de problèmes d’utilisabilité dans les systèmes d’alerte médicamenteux. Les conséquences de ces problèmes sur le clinicien et son système de travail sont variées et ont un grand pouvoir de nuisance (e.g., fatigue, erreur d’interprétation). Au total, 63 principes d’utilisabilité permettent de rendre compte de tous les problèmes d’utilisabilité identifiés. Ils sont organisés en 6 thèmes : améliorer le ratio signal-bruit, être en adéquation avec l’activité des cliniciens, supporter le travail collaboratif, afficher les informations pertinentes, rendre le système transparent et fournir des outils utiles. Le croisement des deux ensembles de données révèle une bonne correspondance entre les principes d’utilisabilité énoncés et les problèmes d’utilisabilité réellement observés.Discussion. Une liste structurée des principes d’utilisabilité illustrés par des exemples réels de leur violation a été développée à partir de ce travail. Cette liste peut aider les concepteurs et les experts en Facteurs Humains à comprendre et à appliquer les principes d’utilisabilité durant la conception et l’évaluation de systèmes d’alerte médicamenteux. L’utilisabilité appliquée aux TIS est une discipline relativement récente qui souffre d’un déficit de structuration et de capitalisation de ses connaissances. Ce travail montre qu’il est possible d’accumuler et de structurer les données d’utilisabilité des TIS. Ce travail pourrait être poursuivi en développant une base de connaissance en utilisabilité appliquée aux TIS afin de tendre vers une « utilisabilité fondée sur les preuves »

How to Reach Evidence-Based Usability Evaluation Methods

This paper discusses how and why to build evidence-based knowledge on usability evaluation methods. At each step of building evidence, requisites and difficulties to achieve it are highlighted. Specifically, the paper presents how usability evaluation studies should be designed to allow capitalizing evidence. Reciprocally, it presents how evidence-based usability knowledge will help improve usability practice. Finally, it underlines that evaluation and evidence participate in a virtuous circle that will help improve scientific knowledge and evaluation practic

Apport des facteurs humains dans la conception d'un système d'ordonnancement des patients aux urgences pédiatriques

International audienceThis paper presents how, in compliance with the standard ISO 9241-210:2010, Human Factors activities were implemented in the design of a patient scheduling system in order to decrease the overcrowding in a pediatric emergency department. More specifically, an original method to assess an algorithm with end-users is described. First, a work system analysis was performed through observations and interviews of physicians and nurses from the pediatric emergency department from a French 2965-bed academic hospital. Then, the work system was modeled with a focus on how the patients are arranged and on which criteria the arrangement is based. Those results allowed developing a patients arrangement algorithm along with recommendations to develop a patient scheduling system automatically fed by the existing electronic patient record system. A mock-up of the patient scheduling system has been developed in order to test upstream in the design process the proposed algorithm and a set of icons with healthcare professionals through user testing. Overall, results showed the end-users validated the patients arrangement algorithm and most of the icons. Next steps will be to develop and to implement the patient scheduling system in the pediatric emergency department in order to assess its impact.Cet article présente l'intégration des aspects facteurs humains et ergonomie, conformément à la norme ISO 9241-210 :2010, dans la conception d'un système d'ordonnancement des patients pour les urgences pédiatriques. L'originalité de ce papier réside dans l'adoption de méthodes classiques d'évaluation de produits impliquant les utilisateurs pour l'évaluation d'un algorithme de tri. Une analyse de l'activité, sous forme d'observations et d'entretiens, a été menée dans le service. Ces résultats ont permis de modéliser la gestion du flux patient, d'identifier les indicateurs pertinents et de formuler des recommandations pour la conception du système d'ordonnancement des patients. Ce système prévoit d'être automatiquement alimenté par le système d'information du service des urgences pédiatriques. Une maquette de l'interface a été réalisée pour simuler le fonctionnement de l'algorithme. L'algorithme de tri et les icônes de l'interface associée ont été évalués via des tests utilisateurs, effectués auprès des médecins et infirmiers du service, avec la maquette du système. Les résultats ont validés le fonctionnement de l'algorithme et l'utilisation de certaines icônes. La prochaine étape est d'implémenter l'algorithme et de déployer le système dans le service afin d'évaluer son impact dans la gestion du flux patient

Comparison of the validity, perceived usefulness and usability of I-MeDeSA and TEMAS, two tools to evaluate alert system usability: a study protocol

International audienceIntroduction: Research has shown that improvements to the usability of medication alert systems are needed. For designers and decisions-makers to assess usability of their alert systems, two paper-based tools are currently available: the instrument for evaluating human-factors principles in medication-related decision support alerts (I-MeDeSA) and the tool for evaluating medication alerting systems (TEMAS). This study aims to compare the validity, usability and usefulness of both tools to identify their strengths and limitations and assist designers and decision-makers in making an informed decision about which tool is most suitable for assessing their current or prospective system.Methods and analysis: First, TEMAS and I-MeDeSA will be translated into French. This translation will be validated by three experts in human factors. Then, in 12 French hospitals with a medication alert system in place, staff with expertise in the system will evaluate their alert system using the two tools successively. After the use of each tool, participants will be asked to fill in the System Usability Scale (SUS) and complete a survey on the understandability and perceived usefulness of each tool. Following the completion of both assessments, participants will be asked to nominate their preferred tool and relay their opinions on the tools. The design philosophy of TEMAS and I-MeDeSA differs on the calculation of a score, impacting the way the comparison between the tools can be performed. Convergent validity will be evaluated by matching the items of the two tools with respect to the usability dimensions they assess. SUS scores and answers to the survey will be statistically compared for I-MeDeSA and TEMAS to identify differences. Free-text responses in surveys will be analysed using an inductive approach.Ethics and dissemination: Ethical approval is not required in France for a study of this nature. The results will be published in a peer-reviewed journal

Modeling MedDRA terms search cognitive task to design a pharmacovigilance report search tool.

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