Abstract
Objective. Information presentation on the monitor screen of ventilator machines affects nurses’ response and decision-making during ventilation treatment. The purpose of this study is to evaluate whether a new GUI (graphical user interface) prototype, the so-called circular display prototype can make deviations easy to detect. Method. A numerical display prototype was made and used as a reference display in the evaluation. Six task scenarios that involved parameter changes were selected to simulate a real situation under volume control (VC) mode during ventilation treatment. Usability tests with the two display designs were carried out in a usability laboratory. Twenty medical nursing students participated as test subjects in the usability tests. Results. The objective results showed that the graphical circular display had an advantage over the numerical display in interpreting parameter changes, but not in reducing the error rates for detecting the number of parameter changes or for forming an overall picture of the patient’s situation. Furthermore, the circular display prototype did not improve the detection time. Conclusions. Although the majority of the test subjects preferred the graphical circular display, the results implied that several aspects of this prototype should be improved in a future development study.
Article PDF
Similar content being viewed by others
Avoid common mistakes on your manuscript.
References
Gaba D. Human error in dynamic medical domains. In: Human error in medicine. 1994; 197–224.
George TB, Stephen DS, Kate W. A graphical object display improves anesthesiologists’ performance on a simulated diagnostic task. J Clin Monit 1999; 15: 37–44.
Gurushanthaiah K, Weinger MB, Englund CE. Visual display format affects the ability of anesthesiologists to detect acute physiologic changes. Anesthesiology 1995; 83: 1184–1193.
Siegel JH, Baker SP, Gennarelli TA. Panel: Current status of trauma severity indices. J Trauma 1983; 23(3): 185–201.
Michels P, Gravenstein D, Westenskow DR. An integrated graphic data display improves detection and identification of critical events during anaesthesia. J Clin Monit 1997; 13: 249–259.
Nielsen J. Usability engineering. San Diego: Academic Press, 1993: 165–200.
McClelland I. Product assessment and user trials. In: Wilson JR, Corlett EN, eds. Evaluation of human work. London: Taylor and Francis, 1995: 118–247.
Preece J. Human-computer interaction. Harlow, England: Addison-Wesley, 1994: 78–89.
Endsley MR. Design and evaluation for situation awareness enhancement. In: Proceedings of the Human Factors Society 32nd annual meeting, 1988: 97–101.
Endsley MR. Measurement of situation awareness in dynamic systems. Hum Factors 1995; 37: 65–84.
Endsley MR. The role of situation awareness in naturalistic decision making. In: Zsambok CE, Klein G, eds. Naturalistic decision making. Mahwah, NJ: Earlbaum, 1997: 269–283.
Muckler FR, Seven SA. Selecting performance measures: ‘objective’ versus ‘subjective’ measurements. Hum Factors 1992; 34: 441–455.
Sinclair AM. Subjective assessment. In: Wilson JR, Corlett EN, eds. Evaluation of human work. A practical ergonomics methodology. London: Taylor and Francis, 1990: 58–88.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Corresponding author
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Liu, Y., Tech., L. & Osvalder, AL. Usability Evaluation of a Gui Prototype for a Ventilator Machine. J Clin Monit Comput 18, 365–372 (2004). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10877-005-7997-9
Received:
Revised:
Accepted:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10877-005-7997-9