Paper interface to electronic medical records: a case of usage-driven technology appropriation

ABSTRACT

We conducted a 6-month project with a physical therapy clinic, involving equal parts ethnographic fieldwork and rapid prototyping. It differed from most reported user-informed design by having an explicit dual purpose. On the one hand, the prototype should provide significant, measurable improvements for the field site. On the other hand, the project sponsor did not intend to develop the prototype into a product but rather identify future opportunities and needs in the small-to-medium health care sector, requirements for next generation multifunction peripherals (MFPs), and business applications of existing technology. Thus, the project simultaneously investigated specific solutions for a specific work practice while looking for key technologies to address future needs. This paper provides a detailed account of the process and results, highlighting particular contingencies that come with a dual-purpose exploration, as well as the benefits of a small, focused team that "oscillates" between research and deployment.

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INDEX TERMS

Primary Classification:
  H. Information Systems
  H.5 INFORMATION INTERFACES AND PRESENTATION (I.7)
      H.5.2 User Interfaces (D.2.2, H.1.2, I.3.6)

Additional Classification:
  D. Software
  D.2 SOFTWARE ENGINEERING
      D.2.1 Requirements/Specifications
          Subjects: Elicitation methods (e.g., rapid prototyping, interviews, JAD)

  J. Computer Applications
  J.3 LIFE AND MEDICAL SCIENCES
      Subjects: Medical information systems

General Terms:
Design, Experimentation, Human Factors, Measurement, Performance

Keywords:
agile development, barcode, electronic medical record, ethnography, healthcare, paper interface, rapid prototyping, usage-informed design, value proposition, work practice study