Diane H. SonnenwaldGöteborg University &

University College of Borås

Re-thinking Usability: Some Thoughts

The nanoManipulatorThe nanoManipulator Enables scientists to interact directly with physical

samples, ranging in size from DNA to cells

AdenovirusDNA

(Taylor & Superfine, 1999; Guthold, et al., 1999)(Taylor & Superfine, 1999; Guthold, et al., 1999)

nanoManipulator Collaboratory

• Field study: Scientists collaborating, working alone

• Participatory design meetings with scientists & computer scientists

• User interface design study

• Usability testing

• Experimental evaluation study - Repeated measures (within subject) design - Working face-to-face vs. working remotely - Each session: 2.5 hours on average

• Longitudinal field study

Project History

nanoManipulator Collaboratory

• Some successes - Internet based scheduling tool - Wireless phone & headset - User interface - Inspiration for new science (biomedical research) - Inspiration for other technology - High school science classes

• Some failures - Scientists want the system, find it easy to use & don’t use it all that much - Excluded from commercial version - Great front-end to the wrong scientific instrument

A Few Thoughts….A Few Thoughts….

• Consequences of failures in system design - Impact on individual lives, e.g., caller id - Question of return on investments in research

• Ownership of failures - First step to discovering alternatives…

Are our current approaches to design in e-science good enough?

Can we do better?

Trying a Different Approach…Trying a Different Approach…• Evaluation of a technology’s potential - After ‘proof-of-concept’ prototype - Concurrent with computer science research - Focused on a specific context of use

• Two components - Experimental lab study using simulation - Stakeholder technology acceptance study

• Technology - 3D telepresence technology - for use in emergency medical consultation

Extending medical expertise throughout, between & beyond hospitals in trauma situations

Trauma - “Hidden epidemic of modern society” - Responsible for more productive years lost than heart disease, cancer & stroke combined

Project Team• UNC School of Medicine

- Bruce Cairns, Jim Manning, Gene Fried

• UNC Computer Science - Henry Fuchs, Greg Welch, Herman Towles, Ketan Meyer-Patel, Jim Mahaney & students

• Swedish School of Library & Info Science - Hanna Maurin, Diane Sonnenwald

Evaluation ApproachEvaluation Approach

• Post-test design -Task performance - Paramedics’ perceptions

• 3 conditions: - Paramedic working alone - Paramedic in consultation with a M.D: via 2D video - Paramedic in consultation with M.D. via 3D proxy

• Simulation of emergency medical situation & technology

Part I: Experimental lab studyPart I: Experimental lab study

Emergency Medical Simulation• METI human patient simulator (HPS)

• Management of the difficult airway - Diagnosis & perform a cricothyrotomy

• Most common cause of preventable death in prehospital care of injured patients

• Description in `When doctors make mistakes,´ Complications, Gawande, 2002

• Car accident scenario

Evaluation Data Collection• Video (3 views) & audio recordings• HPS mannequin output• Post-questionnaire: Self-efficacy, trust, usefulness of info, quality of interaction, innovation adoption• Post-interview

Paramedics’ Perspectives

• Realism of scenario It felt real. [I was] absolutely absorbed. Absolutely. It was like life. The manniquin was awesome.

• Appropriateness of medical task Cric skills scare the crap out of you. It’s something I hope I don’t have to do. It’s difficult making that next step, the decision that you’re gonna have to do a cric.

• Role of consulting M.D. Doing it with him...was cool...it made a big difference. It gives you ...more confidence.

Evaluation ApproachEvaluation Approach

• Stakeholder technology acceptance study - What might facilitate or impede the adoption & use of 3D telepresence?

- Interviews/focus groups with relevant stakeholders e.g., Hospital administrators, nurses, paramedics, patients, health insurance companies

Part IIPart II

Next Steps• Experiment data analysis

• Technology acceptance study

• Reflection on usefulness of approach

This work is funded by the National Library ofMedicine, contract N01-LM-3-3514: Extending

Medical Expertise Through, Between andBeyond Hospitals