Short answer

Engage a diverse group of users and industry experts early and often in the design process for health IT systems to ensure usability and accessibility are prioritized.

Field
User-Centred Design
Source
Academic Publication (2010)
Method
Workshop and Roundtable Discussion
Sample
27 (roundtable) + >100 (attendees)
Evidence
Moderate effect

Bringing together diverse stakeholders from government, industry, and healthcare is crucial for developing effective technical strategies to enhance the usability of electronic health records (EHRs). This user-centred design research insight is drawn from a 2010 study published in Academic Publication. Using Workshop and roundtable discussion with 27 (roundtable) + >100 (attendees), researchers explored how this design variable affects real-world outcomes. The key design takeaway: Engage a diverse group of users and industry experts early and often in the design process for health IT systems to ensure usability and accessibility are prioritized.

Study
User-Centred DesignHigh ImpactModerate effect

Collaborative Usability Strategies for Health IT Drive Industry-Wide Improvement

Bringing together diverse stakeholders from government, industry, and healthcare is crucial for developing effective technical strategies to enhance the usability of electronic health records (EHRs).

Academic Publication · 2010

01

Key Findings

  • 01A diverse group of stakeholders convened to discuss EHR usability.
  • 02The workshop aimed to identify technical strategies and implementation tactics for improving EHR usability and accessibility.
02

Application

Design takeaway

Engage a diverse group of users and industry experts early and often in the design process for health IT systems to ensure usability and accessibility are prioritized.

How to apply

When designing or improving health IT systems, organize or participate in cross-functional workshops that include clinicians, IT developers, administrators, and patient advocates to identify and prioritize usability requirements.

Project actions

  • 01When researching a product, consider who else is involved in its creation and use, not just the primary user.
  • 02Think about how different groups might have different needs or perspectives on usability.
03

Method & Evidence

AimWhat are the key technical strategies and implementation tactics for improving the usability and accessibility of electronic health records (EHRs) through multi-stakeholder collaboration?
MethodWorkshop and Roundtable Discussion
ProcedureA full-day workshop was convened, including a roundtable discussion, to bring together representatives from federal government, the EHR and health information technology industries, healthcare providers, and universities to discuss current activities and future strategies for EHR usability.
Sample27 (roundtable) + >100 (attendees)
ContextHealth Information Technology (Health IT) / Electronic Health Records (EHRs)

Variables

IVStakeholder involvement (diverse vs. limited)
DVEffectiveness of technical strategies for EHR usability
04

Strengths & Limitations

Strengths

  • +Brought together a wide range of relevant experts.
  • +Focused on a critical area of health IT usability.

Limitations

The abstract doesn't provide specific details on the technical strategies that were discussed, making it hard to know the exact solutions proposed.

Reliability & validity

The reliability and validity of the findings are difficult to assess from the abstract alone, as the specific methodologies for gathering and synthesizing information from the workshop are not detailed.

Think critically

How might the differing priorities of industry, healthcare providers, and government influence the technical strategies proposed for EHR usability?

05

Design Principles

"Multi-stakeholder collaboration is essential for addressing complex usability challenges in specialized domains."

This approach acknowledges that improving complex systems like EHRs requires a multi-faceted perspective. By fostering dialogue and shared understanding among developers, providers, and regulatory bodies, design teams can identify critical usability barriers and co-create solutions that are both technically feasible and practically beneficial in real-world healthcare settings.

06

What This Means for Your Design

Getting lots of different people who use or make health technology together helps figure out how to make it work better for everyone.

How to use in your project

  • 1.Reference this study when discussing the importance of involving diverse stakeholders in your design research process, particularly for complex systems.
07

Add to My Project

08

Quick Cite

Paragraph starter

Research indicates that improving the usability of complex systems, such as electronic health records, benefits significantly from collaborative efforts involving diverse stakeholders, including industry professionals, healthcare providers, and government representatives. This multi-stakeholder approach helps in identifying and implementing effective technical strategies and practical solutions.

09

Source

Academic Publication

Usability in health IT :

journal · 2010

View source

Questions About This Research

What does the research say about collaborative usability strategies for health it drive industry-wide improvement?
Engage a diverse group of users and industry experts early and often in the design process for health IT systems to ensure usability and accessibility are prioritized. Evidence: Academic Publication (2010).
Why does "Collaborative Usability Strategies for Health IT Drive Industry-Wide Improvement" matter for design?
This approach acknowledges that improving complex systems like EHRs requires a multi-faceted perspective. By fostering dialogue and shared understanding among developers, providers, and regulatory bodies, design teams can identify critical usability barriers and co-create solutions that are both technically feasible and practically beneficial in real-world healthcare settings.
How can designers apply this research?
Engage a diverse group of users and industry experts early and often in the design process for health IT systems to ensure usability and accessibility are prioritized.
What were the main findings?
A diverse group of stakeholders convened to discuss EHR usability.. The workshop aimed to identify technical strategies and implementation tactics for improving EHR usability and accessibility.
What research method was used?
Workshop and Roundtable Discussion with 27 (roundtable) + >100 (attendees).
How strong is the evidence?
Evidence strength is rated Moderate effect, based on a 2010 journal from Academic Publication.
What should I do differently in my next project?
When designing or improving health IT systems, organize or participate in cross-functional workshops that include clinicians, IT developers, administrators, and patient advocates to identify and prioritize usability requirements.
What are the limitations?
The findings are based on a single workshop and may not represent all possible perspectives or solutions. The specific technical strategies discussed are not detailed in the abstract.