Cognitive Ergonomics Analysis to develop Design Guidelines for Medical Equipment User Interface Design

8000

This project is industry-driven (pre-agreed with a company) and involves analysis of digital design in the medical context.
This project conducted usability tests to analyze the interfaces of hospital medical equipment, specifically a device for inhalation anesthesia. It collected data on the relationship between the interface design and the correctness of the perception of its functions by the user and designer.
The data was collected using first-hand tests where volunteers will perform certain tasks. Collected data was synthesized using a method developed previously during the doctoral studies. The method is based on the structure of cognitive interaction as described by the Cognitive Ergonomics discipline. The method relates elements of design in a user interface with cognitive interaction; it aims to help designers identify errors in design and provide recommendations to the company. This project applied this method to a medical industry case study to propose methodological guidelines for designing the user interfaces of hospital equipment. Thus, it aspires to expand the possibilities of the Department to provide professional services. The project falls under the Schools’ research theme of digital design for enhanced human environments and is intended to develop within the “Experience and Interaction” research lab of IND.

Findings suggest that designers should be trained to research the unintended use of medical devices (the UX component), including the emotional component of interaction.
“Check” tool (the method developed for this project) can support them in doing so through differentiating rational and emotional components of interaction and structuring them according to principles of cognitive ergonomics. This allows identifying errors in interface design and improve the usability and user experience of the interfaces.
The findings also emphasize the need to conveniently and comprehensively integrate medical standards into interaction analysis, while advocating for improved communication, formalization, and potential standardization of collaborations between designers and the healthcare industry.