2 research outputs found
Usability evaluation of obstetrics and gynecology information system using cognitive walkthrough method
Background and aim: Obstetrics and gynecology information system is a critical component of the HIS in social
security organization health centers. The objective of this study was to evaluate the usability of this system using
the cognitive walkthrough method. Also, the present study provided a detailed formal description of how the
cognitive usability evaluation can be applied and reported for a health care information system.
Methods: This study was conducted at the Mashhad University of Medical Sciences' usability lab from March
2016 to June 2017. A two-phase approach was used to conduct the cognitive walkthrough evaluation: preparatory
and evaluation. The preparation was done in three stages: first, we investigated users’ capabilities and
background knowledge through a semi-structured interview. Second, the evaluation scenario was developed
based on the most common tasks in routine workflow of users. Finally, each task was broken down into
sequences of actions. In the evaluation phase, three usability experts independently assessed each action using a
four-item checklist. Problems were categorized thematically and were reported from three different perspectives:
Question-based, Task-based, and Evaluator-based. The data were then analyzed to understand the contribution of
each task, along with its mean severity score.
Results: Evaluators’ responses were compared and any conflict was resolved in an expert panel. A total of 116
usability problems were identified based on the consensus of the evaluators. Inadequate system feedback was
found to be the main source of 43% of the problems, and resulted in users confusion.
Conclusion: Since the system was evaluated in its pilot implementation phase, there was an opportunity to
prevent future potential usability problems. The use of a mixed quantitative and qualitative approach in this
usability study provided a more comprehensive perspective of the system problems. This study provided a
detailed description of conducting CW usability evaluation which can be used as a practical guide for future
studie
Usability testing of bed information management system: A think-Aloud method
Not considering the usability in designing clinical information systems causes problems in human-computer interaction and patient dissatisfaction. Therefore, in this study, the usability of the bed information management system (BIMS) was examined by think-Aloud method. This cross-sectional study was conducted on the BIMS in 50 noneducational hospitals. Participants consisted of three groups including users, facilitators, and technical support. To carry out the study, a scenario consisting of four tasks was designed. Three researchers analyzed the recorded files to identify the usability problems and their severity. The mean time of the evaluation process was 20:33 ± 4:47 s. The total number of the problems identifies by users was 80 cases. Data entry and layout problems with 38 (48%) and 33 (41%) cases were the most frequently found problems, respectively. About 61% and 55% of the data entry and layout problems had a minor severity (Severity 2), respectively. Furthermore, 43 (54%) cases of the problems were resolved by the users and 32 (40%) cases by the facilitator assistance. This study showed that a large number of the problems were due to the system poor design. Furthermore, by increasing the users' level of knowledge about the system, it is possible to enhance user-system interaction. It is recommended that before designing and implementing a system, the system should be evaluated for usability, and the users should be educated in clinical information systems