The PTA contribution means that user friendliness can be increased while incorrect operations were dramatically reduced. The usability engineer of the PTA creates storyboards (in Balsamiq) and interactive prototypes (in Axure) for use in usability tests in order to redesign existing functions.
Supplement
The revised middleware system was difficult to operate, leading to low user friendliness amongst the target group. Technicians use the software daily to carry out checks on a variety of bio-diagnostic instruments as well as for entering patient data that is stored in the laboratory and hospital information system. By carrying out an expert review of the existing solution as well as conducting discussions with users and stakeholders, the usability engineer was able to use the feedback combined with his experience to create alternative workflows. These are intended to lead to simpler and more intuitive operation, thereby making the revised solution less frustrating and less susceptible to incorrect operation than the solution which existed at the start of the project involvement. Formative usability tests make it possible to show that the alternative solution has improved the simplicity of operation. Moreover, insights are obtained for further improvement.
Subject description
The usability engineer uses two tools when carrying out the task. Balsamiq, a simple mockup tool for creating various versions of storyboards which are shown to the stakeholders in order to convince them and to obtain additional feedback. Starting from a certain degree of maturity, the storyboards are translated into a clickable prototype which is created in Axure. The prototype plays a central role in the usability test which is carried out by the usability engineer. The usability engineer carries out a quantitative and qualitative analysis of the results and surveys. This data is used for creating a new generation of the software in which many usability errors were removed. This increases efficiency in operation, user productivity and satisfaction in use.