Analysis, Redesign, and Evaluation of a Patient-Controlled Analgesia Machine Interface

The hypothesis explored in this paper is that, by adopting human factors design principles, the use of medical equipment can be made safer and more efficient We have selected a commercially available patient-controlled analgesia (PCA) machine as a vehicle to test this hypothesis. A cognitive task analysis of PCA usage, combined with a set of human factors design principles, led to a redesigned PCA interface. An experimental evaluation was conducted, comparing this new interface with the existing interface. The results show that the new interface leads to significantly faster, less effortful, and more reliable performance. These findings have implications for improving the design of other medical equipment.

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Cognitive Task Analysis: What is it? Why Do It?

Proceedings of the Human Factors and Ergonomics Society Annual Meeting ◽

10.1177/154193129503900917 ◽

1995 ◽

Vol 39 (9) ◽

pp. 519-519

Author(s):

Kim J. Vicente

Keyword(s):

Human Factors ◽

Task Analysis ◽

Cognitive Task ◽

Cognitive Task Analysis

Cognitive task analysis (CTA) is increasingly being used to effectively address a wide variety of human factors problems. However, different researchers are using significantly different methods. In many cases, a particular method is used solely by its originators. Therefore, there are significant issues that must be worked through before CTA becomes a widely accepted and easily transferable human factors tool. The objectives of this symposium are to: bring CTA to the attention of a wider audience; develop a better understanding of the differences and similarities between different CTA methods; and demonstrate the practical advantages of CTA.

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Elicitation by Critiquing: Applications to Computer Network Defense

Proceedings of the Human Factors and Ergonomics Society Annual Meeting ◽

10.1177/1541931218621286 ◽

2018 ◽

Vol 62 (1) ◽

pp. 1247-1251

Author(s):

Alexander Scott ◽

Ian Cooke ◽

Katarzyna Sliwinska ◽

Novia Wong ◽

David Schuster

Keyword(s):

Human Factors ◽

Task Analysis ◽

Computer Network ◽

Cognitive Task ◽

Cognitive Task Analysis ◽

Network Defense ◽

Important Concern ◽

Cognitive Work ◽

Computer Network Defense ◽

And Training

With an increasing frequency of data breaches suffered by organizations, computer network defense (CND) is becoming an increasingly important concern. With understanding of how cybersecurity professionals engage in the cognitive aspects of their work, human factors researchers and practitioners can improve tools and training. By optimizing the tools and training network defenders rely on to detect and respond to novel network threats, the cybersecurity workforce will be strengthened. While cognitive task analysis (CTA) is well-positioned to represent the cognitive work of CND, we identify challenges practitioners are likely to encounter in the field. Through a review of published CTAs in CND and other domains, we provide guidance for future CTA efforts in CND. Finally, we present an argument for the use of Elicitation by Critiquing (EBC) and demonstrate its efficacy in mitigating the challenges of applying CTA in CND.

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Task Analysis, Cognitive Task Analysis, Cognitive Work Analysis: What's the Difference?

Proceedings of the Human Factors and Ergonomics Society Annual Meeting ◽

10.1177/154193129503900921 ◽

1995 ◽

Vol 39 (9) ◽

pp. 534-537 ◽

Cited By ~ 10

Author(s):

Kim J. Vicente

Keyword(s):

Human Factors ◽

Task Analysis ◽

Cognitive Task ◽

Cognitive Task Analysis ◽

Task Demands ◽

Cognitive Work Analysis ◽

Work Analysis ◽

Cognitive Work ◽

The Difference ◽

The 19Th Century

The term cognitive task analysis (CTA) has been appearing in the human factors literature with increasing frequency. Others have used the term cognitive work analysis (CWA). Is there a difference? Do either of these methods differ from traditional task analysis (TA)? If so, what advantages can CTA/CWA provide human factors engineers? To address these issues, the history of work analysis methods and the evolution of work are reviewed. Work method analyses of the 19th century were suited to manual labor. As job demands progressed beyond the physical, traditional TA was introduced to provide a broader perspective. CTA has since been introduced to increase the emphasis on cognitive task demands. However, CTA, like TA, is incapable of dealing with unanticipated task demands. CWA has been introduced to deal with complex systems whose demands include unanticipated events. The initial evidence available indicates that CWA can be applied to industry-scale problems, leading to innovative designs.

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Emotion Task Analysis: Proposing a Tool for the Assessment of Emotional Components in a Task

Proceedings of the Human Factors and Ergonomics Society Annual Meeting ◽

10.1177/1071181320641295 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 64 (1) ◽

pp. 1242-1246

Author(s):

Aaron Crowson ◽

Michael Wilkinson ◽

Richard B. Wagner ◽

Ragan Wilson ◽

Doug Gillan

Keyword(s):

Human Factors ◽

Task Analysis ◽

Precise Measurement ◽

Cognitive Task ◽

Cognitive Task Analysis ◽

Research And Practice ◽

Cognitive Components ◽

Response Systems ◽

And Behavior ◽

Human Factors Research

Emotion is critical to human experience and is an integral part of perception, cognition, and behavior. While the mechanisms and precise measurement of emotion has been debated in the literature, researchers have theorized that emotion is related to activation across physiological, experiential, and behavioral response systems. This has important implications in human factors research and practice. Just as the cognitive task analysis was proposed to be used in tandem with hierarchical task analyses to account for cognitive components of a task, the current paper proposes a method to account for emotional components of a task. The emotion task analysis is proposed for the purpose of explicating emotion from an individual. Specifically, in order to account for emotional load and/or processes elicited during a task and to be used in tandem with previously established task analyses by usability/user experience researchers and human factors practitioners.

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Development of a Clinical Interface for a Novel Newborn Resuscitation Device: Human Factors Approach to Understanding Cognitive User Requirements

JMIR Human Factors ◽

10.2196/12055 ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 6 (2) ◽

pp. e12055 ◽

Cited By ~ 2

Author(s):

Laura Pickup ◽

Alexandra Lang ◽

Lara Shipley ◽

Caroline Henry ◽

James Carpenter ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Heart Rate ◽

Human Factors ◽

Interface Design ◽

Task Analysis ◽

Cognitive Task ◽

Unmet Need ◽

Neonatal Resuscitation ◽

Cognitive Task Analysis ◽

User Requirements ◽

New Device

Background A novel medical device has been developed to address an unmet need of standardizing and facilitating heart rate recording during neonatal resuscitation. In a time-critical emergency resuscitation, where failure can mean death of an infant, it is vital that clinicians are provided with information in a timely, precise, and clear manner to capacitate appropriate decision making. This new technology provides a hands-free, wireless heart rate monitoring solution that easily fits the clinical pathway and procedure for neonatal resuscitation. Objective This study aimed to understand the requirements of the interface design for a new device by using a human factors approach. This approach combined a traditional user-centered design approach with an applied cognitive task analysis to understand the tasks involved, the cognitive requirements, and the potential for error during a neonatal resuscitation scenario. Methods Fourteen clinical staff were involved in producing the final design requirements. Two pediatric doctors supported the development of a visual representation of the activities associated with neonatal resuscitation. This design was used to develop a scenario-based workshop. Two workshops were carried out in parallel and involved three pediatric doctors, three neonatal nurses, two advance neonatal practitioners, and four midwives. Both groups came together at the end to reflect on the findings from the separate sessions. Results The outputs of this study have provided a comprehensive description of information requirements during neonatal resuscitation and enabled product developers to understand the preferred requirements of the user interface design for the device. The study raised three key areas for the designers to consider, which had not previously been highlighted: (1) interface layout and information priority, as heart rate should be central and occupy two-thirds of the screen; (2) size and portability, to enable positioning of the product local to the baby’s head and allow visibility from all angles; and (3) auditory feedback, to support visual information on heart rate rhythm and reliability of the trace with an early alert for intervention while avoiding parental distress. Conclusions This study demonstrates the application of human factors and the applied cognitive task analysis method, which identified previously unidentified user requirements. This methodology provides a useful approach to aid development of the clinical interface for medical devices.

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Using Cognitive Task Analysis to Define Human Interface Requirements for First-of-A-Kind Systems

Proceedings of the Human Factors and Ergonomics Society Annual Meeting ◽

10.1177/154193129503900918 ◽

1995 ◽

Vol 39 (9) ◽

pp. 520-524 ◽

Cited By ~ 12

Author(s):

Emilie M. Roth ◽

Randall J. Mumaw

Keyword(s):

Cognitive Processing ◽

Task Analysis ◽

Cognitive Task ◽

Cognitive Task Analysis ◽

Expert Performance ◽

Advanced Process Control ◽

Human Interface ◽

Operator Problem ◽

Machine Interface ◽

Data Requirements

Cognitive task analysis (CTA) methods have grown out of the need to explicitly consider cognitive processing requirements of complex tasks. A number of approaches to CTA have been developed that vary in goals, the tools they bring to bear, and their data requirements. We present a particular CTA technique that we are utilizing in the design of new person-machine interfaces for first-of-a-kind advanced process control plants. The methodology has its roots in the formal analytic goal-means decomposition method pioneered by Rasmussen (1986). It contrasts with other approaches in that it is intended: (1) for design of first-of-a-kind systems for which there are no close existing analogues, precluding the use of CTA techniques that rely on empirical analysis of expert performance; (2) to define person-machine interface requirements to support operator problem-solving and decision-making in unanticipated situations; and (3) to be a pragmatic, codified, tool that can be used reliably by person-machine interface designers.

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