Short answer
When designing or evaluating hospital information systems, prioritize user testing and heuristic evaluation, leveraging established tools like SUS and Nielsen's heuristics to ensure comprehensive usability assessment.
- Field
- User-Centred Design
- Source
- BMC Health Services Research (2025)
- Method
- Systematic Review
- Sample
- 41 studies
- Evidence
- Strong effect
User testing and heuristic evaluation are the most prevalent methods for assessing the usability of hospital information systems. This user-centred design research insight is drawn from a 2025 study published in BMC Health Services Research. Using Systematic review with 41 studies, researchers explored how this design variable affects real-world outcomes. The key design takeaway: When designing or evaluating hospital information systems, prioritize user testing and heuristic evaluation, leveraging established tools like SUS and Nielsen's heuristics to ensure comprehensive usability assessment.
User Testing and Heuristic Evaluation Dominate HIS Usability Assessments
User testing and heuristic evaluation are the most prevalent methods for assessing the usability of hospital information systems.
BMC Health Services Research · 2025
Key Findings
- 01User testing (UT) and heuristic evaluation (HE) were the most frequently applied usability evaluation methods, each appearing in 34% of the reviewed studies.
- 02Standardized questionnaires (40%) and checklists (36%) were the most common tools, with SUS and Nielsen's heuristics being predominant.
- 03User satisfaction and efficiency were the most frequently assessed usability criteria.
Application
Design takeaway
When designing or evaluating hospital information systems, prioritize user testing and heuristic evaluation, leveraging established tools like SUS and Nielsen's heuristics to ensure comprehensive usability assessment.
How to apply
In your next design project involving a complex software system, plan to incorporate both user testing and heuristic evaluation. Use the System Usability Scale (SUS) for quantitative feedback and Nielsen's 10 Usability Heuristics for expert review.
Project actions
- 01When choosing evaluation methods for your design project, consider the nature of your product and the resources available.
- 02Document your chosen evaluation methods thoroughly, explaining why they are appropriate for your specific design.
Method & Evidence
Variables
Strengths & Limitations
Strengths
- +Comprehensive search strategy across multiple databases.
- +Adherence to PRISMA 2020 guidelines for systematic reviews.
Limitations
The prevalence of certain methods might be influenced by the specific domain (e.g., healthcare) and the availability of research in different regions.
Reliability & validity
The reliability of the findings is strengthened by the systematic review methodology and the independent data extraction by two reviewers. Validity is supported by the quality appraisal of included studies.
Think critically
While user testing and heuristic evaluation are prevalent, are there emerging or underutilized methods that could offer more comprehensive insights into HIS usability?
Design Principles
"Employ established and validated usability evaluation methods to ensure robust assessment of user interaction with complex systems."
Understanding the most common usability evaluation methods provides a benchmark for design practice. By knowing which techniques are frequently employed, designers can better anticipate industry standards and focus their efforts on refining these established approaches or exploring complementary methods.
What This Means for Your Design
When you need to check if a hospital computer system is easy to use, most people use two main methods: watching users try it out (user testing) and having experts look for common problems (heuristic evaluation).
How to use in your project
- 1.Reference this review when justifying the choice of user testing and heuristic evaluation as your primary usability assessment methods in your design project report.
Add to My Project
Quick Cite
Paragraph starter
This systematic review highlights that user testing and heuristic evaluation are the most frequently employed methods for assessing the usability of hospital information systems. These methods, often supported by standardized questionnaires like the System Usability Scale (SUS) and established heuristic sets, provide valuable insights into user satisfaction, efficiency, and error reduction, informing iterative design improvements.
Source
BMC Health Services Research
Usability evaluation methods for hospital information systems: a systematic review
journal · 2025
View sourceQuestions About This Research
- What does the research say about user testing and heuristic evaluation dominate his usability assessments?
- When designing or evaluating hospital information systems, prioritize user testing and heuristic evaluation, leveraging established tools like SUS and Nielsen's heuristics to ensure comprehensive usability assessment. Evidence: BMC Health Services Research (2025).
- Why does "User Testing and Heuristic Evaluation Dominate HIS Usability Assessments" matter for design?
- Understanding the most common usability evaluation methods provides a benchmark for design practice. By knowing which techniques are frequently employed, designers can better anticipate industry standards and focus their efforts on refining these established approaches or exploring complementary methods.
- How can designers apply this research?
- When designing or evaluating hospital information systems, prioritize user testing and heuristic evaluation, leveraging established tools like SUS and Nielsen's heuristics to ensure comprehensive usability assessment.
- What were the main findings?
- User testing (UT) and heuristic evaluation (HE) were the most frequently applied usability evaluation methods, each appearing in 34% of the reviewed studies.. Standardized questionnaires (40%) and checklists (36%) were the most common tools, with SUS and Nielsen's heuristics being predominant.. User satisfaction and efficiency were the most frequently assessed usability criteria.
- What research method was used?
- Systematic Review with 41 studies.
- How strong is the evidence?
- Evidence strength is rated Strong effect, based on a 2025 journal from BMC Health Services Research.
- What should I do differently in my next project?
- In your next design project involving a complex software system, plan to incorporate both user testing and heuristic evaluation. Use the System Usability Scale (SUS) for quantitative feedback and Nielsen's 10 Usability Heuristics for expert review.
- What are the limitations?
- The review primarily focused on studies published between 2016 and 2020, and a significant portion of the research originated from low- and middle-income countries, potentially limiting the generalizability of findings to all global contexts.