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CUA of the Month – May, 2009
"CUA certification is such a solid set of fundamentals – and the course materials, ideas, and techniques are guidelines for the kinds of things I look for and explore as I try to stay current with my skillset."
Visual Information Specialist and Multimedia Project Manager
U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs
Speaking the Language of the User Taking a cross-cultural approach makes e-learning usable for medical professionals
by Doug Gorney
"Designing usable IT training interfaces for doctors and clinicians is critical," says Jamie Owen, Visual Information Specialist and Multimedia Project Manager at the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs. "If our medical staff isn't conversant and comfortable with the technology-based training, they could make a mistake. When patient safety is at stake, that's not an option."
Jamie is one of the staff responsible for interface design and content strategy for e-learning products at the VA. Understanding the user is critical for any usability specialist, but particularly so for Jamie.
"Our training covers highly specialized medical systems and software. Now, if you're a user experience practitioner designing interfaces for that training," Jamie says, "you could guess at the precise function of each instruction, field and button, but you'd just trip over your shoelaces – you'll have to go through it again when you find out what their real significance is to the medical staff who are going to use them. On the other hand, if you know the meaning first, you can almost reverse-engineer the function... and the design falls into place."
Jamie's approach to user-centered design, practical yet deeply thoughtful, is reflected in his academic background. Looking for more effective ways for users to find value in their interactions, he pursued a master's degree integrating technology with learning and cognitive psychology. Now, Jamie is a Ph.D. candidate at Kent State University, a year or so away from receiving his doctorate in educational psychology with a focus on instructional technology.
"My dissertation will be focusing on cross-cultural variables regarding interaction designs in e-Learning," says Jamie. "And the cross-cultural perspective is actually fairly relevant to my work here at the VA. It has helped me notice little things that even experienced usability practitioners might take for granted – nuances that make or break it for people who use technology differently, as a lot of our hospital staff do."
Taking HFI training gave Jamie tools to make that "cross-cultural" approach work at the VA. "One of the things the HFI instructors covered was the concept of noun architecture. You need to use your users' language to build elements of interaction design, like buttons and labels, that must resonate with the audience. It's a proactive way of figuring out subtle nuances that might otherwise get missed. That's particularly important in speaking a specialized language like medicine! Our learning UI often needs to be in the medical vernacular."
It's certainly user-focused, but seen from the bottom line, it's also very practical. The noun-architecture technique lets Jamie and other development team members bypass unnecessary revisions in learning application designs. "The medical staff's language informs the design in just the right way. That's proactive design, not reactive – and it saves the VA time and money."
"Using noun architecture is just one example of how usability tools and techniques I learned from HFI fit into the projects I'm involved with," says Jamie. "The VA values systematic approaches to design, and there are any number of usability tactics in my kit that support systematic, user-centered design standards."
When we talked with Jamie he had just completed the initial phase of work on a challenging project that drew on the full range of his HFI training and graduate education. Selected to join a leadership committee to establish e-learning standards for the VA's sizable training and education department, Jamie helped create consistent design and technical guidelines for e-learning products in the VA's Learning Management System (LMS). These guidelines make e-learning products more usable for everyone who accesses them.
"The goal was that busy people throughout the VA have to be able to find the e-learning they need, use it and understand it, and not have to familiarize themselves with a new GUI for every course."
In the end, Jamie's contributions in multimedia learning theory, interface design, and use context – for both learners and developers – played an important role in the success of the design guidelines. In fact, the committee was tasked with broadening the scope of the project to all VA departments who want to share their training in the LMS.
While facilitating a design effort intended to strengthen the existing informational website which supports VA LMS users, Jamie used techniques reinforced by the HFI toolkit and helped the team create personas so they could understand user requirements. "We had a persona of this amazingly busy nurse, for example. 'She' helped us see that VA staff are just not going to have the time to go deeply into the website. We'd have to make it easily accessible for a wide range of users who don't have time to chase after the information they need."
After recognizing the value of the usability strategies Jamie practiced, the members of the design team understood usability in the context of the project's goals. They were able complete their activities using a shared usability perspective and vocabulary.
"You might almost consider it a cross-cultural understanding!" says Jamie. "The ideas were not foreign, they just needed to be expressed within a context meaningful to those unfamiliar with user-centered design."
This contextual meaning can also be expressed on another level: the monetary value of usability. When Jamie applied to the VA for funding for his HFI training, he had to write a business case, proposing a cohesive justification for return on investment. Leadership endorsed the initiative and encouraged others in his department to undertake usability training.
Whether it's spanning boundaries between team members, framing the ROI of usability, or helping to design training for those in the healthcare workplace, Jamie demonstrates that usability affects everyone, regardless of the context.
Each month we highlight the successes and achievements of a different member of our CUA community. If you are a Certified Usability Analyst and would like to be considered for CUA of the Month recognition, please send a brief professional bio to hfi@humanfactors.com
Privacy policy
Reviewed: 18 Mar 2014
This Privacy Policy governs the manner in which Human Factors International, Inc., an Iowa corporation ("HFI") collects, uses, maintains and discloses information collected from users (each, a "User") of its humanfactors.com website and any derivative or affiliated websites on which this Privacy Policy is posted (collectively, the "Website"). HFI reserves the right, at its discretion, to change, modify, add or remove portions of this Privacy Policy at any time by posting such changes to this page. You understand that you have the affirmative obligation to check this Privacy Policy periodically for changes, and you hereby agree to periodically review this Privacy Policy for such changes. The continued use of the Website following the posting of changes to this Privacy Policy constitutes an acceptance of those changes.
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HFI may use "cookies" or "web beacons" to track how Users use the Website. A cookie is a piece of software that a web server can store on Users’ PCs and use to identify Users should they visit the Website again. Users may adjust their web browser software if they do not wish to accept cookies. To withdraw your consent after accepting a cookie, delete the cookie from your computer.
Privacy
HFI believes that every User should know how it utilizes the information collected from Users. The Website is not directed at children under 13 years of age, and HFI does not knowingly collect personally identifiable information from children under 13 years of age online. Please note that the Website may contain links to other websites. These linked sites may not be operated or controlled by HFI. HFI is not responsible for the privacy practices of these or any other websites, and you access these websites entirely at your own risk. HFI recommends that you review the privacy practices of any other websites that you choose to visit.
HFI is based, and this website is hosted, in the United States of America. If User is from the European Union or other regions of the world with laws governing data collection and use that may differ from U.S. law and User is registering an account on the Website, visiting the Website, purchasing products or services from HFI or the Website, or otherwise using the Website, please note that any personally identifiable information that User provides to HFI will be transferred to the United States. Any such personally identifiable information provided will be processed and stored in the United States by HFI or a service provider acting on its behalf. By providing your personally identifiable information, User hereby specifically and expressly consents to such transfer and processing and the uses and disclosures set forth herein.
In the course of its business, HFI may perform expert reviews, usability testing, and other consulting work where personal privacy is a concern. HFI believes in the importance of protecting personal information, and may use measures to provide this protection, including, but not limited to, using consent forms for participants or "dummy" test data.
The Information HFI Collects
Users browsing the Website without registering an account or affirmatively providing personally identifiable information to HFI do so anonymously. Otherwise, HFI may collect personally identifiable information from Users in a variety of ways. Personally identifiable information may include, without limitation, (i)contact data (such as a User’s name, mailing and e-mail addresses, and phone number); (ii)demographic data (such as a User’s zip code, age and income); (iii) financial information collected to process purchases made from HFI via the Website or otherwise (such as credit card, debit card or other payment information); (iv) other information requested during the account registration process; and (v) other information requested by our service vendors in order to provide their services. If a User communicates with HFI by e-mail or otherwise, posts messages to any forums, completes online forms, surveys or entries or otherwise interacts with or uses the features on the Website, any information provided in such communications may be collected by HFI. HFI may also collect information about how Users use the Website, for example, by tracking the number of unique views received by the pages of the Website, or the domains and IP addresses from which Users originate. While not all of the information that HFI collects from Users is personally identifiable, it may be associated with personally identifiable information that Users provide HFI through the Website or otherwise. HFI may provide ways that the User can opt out of receiving certain information from HFI. If the User opts out of certain services, User information may still be collected for those services to which the User elects to subscribe. For those elected services, this Privacy Policy will apply.
How HFI Uses Information
HFI may use personally identifiable information collected through the Website for the specific purposes for which the information was collected, to process purchases and sales of products or services offered via the Website if any, to contact Users regarding products and services offered by HFI, its parent, subsidiary and other related companies in order to otherwise to enhance Users’ experience with HFI. HFI may also use information collected through the Website for research regarding the effectiveness of the Website and the business planning, marketing, advertising and sales efforts of HFI. HFI does not sell any User information under any circumstances.
Disclosure of Information
HFI may disclose personally identifiable information collected from Users to its parent, subsidiary and other related companies to use the information for the purposes outlined above, as necessary to provide the services offered by HFI and to provide the Website itself, and for the specific purposes for which the information was collected. HFI may disclose personally identifiable information at the request of law enforcement or governmental agencies or in response to subpoenas, court orders or other legal process, to establish, protect or exercise HFI’s legal or other rights or to defend against a legal claim or as otherwise required or allowed by law. HFI may disclose personally identifiable information in order to protect the rights, property or safety of a User or any other person. HFI may disclose personally identifiable information to investigate or prevent a violation by User of any contractual or other relationship with HFI or the perpetration of any illegal or harmful activity. HFI may also disclose aggregate, anonymous data based on information collected from Users to investors and potential partners. Finally, HFI may disclose or transfer personally identifiable information collected from Users in connection with or in contemplation of a sale of its assets or business or a merger, consolidation or other reorganization of its business.
Personal Information as Provided by User
If a User includes such User’s personally identifiable information as part of the User posting to the Website, such information may be made available to any parties using the Website. HFI does not edit or otherwise remove such information from User information before it is posted on the Website. If a User does not wish to have such User’s personally identifiable information made available in this manner, such User must remove any such information before posting. HFI is not liable for any damages caused or incurred due to personally identifiable information made available in the foregoing manners. For example, a User posts on an HFI-administered forum would be considered Personal Information as provided by User and subject to the terms of this section.
Security of Information
Information about Users that is maintained on HFI’s systems or those of its service providers is protected using industry standard security measures. However, no security measures are perfect or impenetrable, and HFI cannot guarantee that the information submitted to, maintained on or transmitted from its systems will be completely secure. HFI is not responsible for the circumvention of any privacy settings or security measures relating to the Website by any Users or third parties.
Correcting, Updating, Accessing or Removing Personal Information
If a User’s personally identifiable information changes, or if a User no longer desires to receive non-account specific information from HFI, HFI will endeavor to provide a way to correct, update and/or remove that User’s previously-provided personal data. This can be done by emailing a request to HFI at hfi@humanfactors.com. Additionally, you may request access to the personally identifiable information as collected by HFI by sending a request to HFI as set forth above. Please note that in certain circumstances, HFI may not be able to completely remove a User’s information from its systems. For example, HFI may retain a User’s personal information for legitimate business purposes, if it may be necessary to prevent fraud or future abuse, for account recovery purposes, if required by law or as retained in HFI’s data backup systems or cached or archived pages. All retained personally identifiable information will continue to be subject to the terms of the Privacy Policy to which the User has previously agreed.
Contacting HFI
If you have any questions or comments about this Privacy Policy, you may contact HFI via any of the following methods:
Human Factors International, Inc.
PO Box 2020
1680 highway 1, STE 3600
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hfi@humanfactors.com
(800) 242-4480
Terms and Conditions for Public Training Courses
Reviewed: 18 Mar 2014
Cancellation of Course by HFI
HFI reserves the right to cancel any course up to 14 (fourteen) days prior to the first day of the course. Registrants will be promptly notified and will receive a full refund or be transferred to the equivalent class of their choice within a 12-month period. HFI is not responsible for travel expenses or any costs that may be incurred as a result of cancellations.
Cancellation of Course by Participants (All regions except India)
$100 processing fee if cancelling within two weeks of course start date.
Cancellation / Transfer by Participants (India)
4 Pack + Exam registration: Rs. 10,000 per participant processing fee (to be paid by the participant) if cancelling or transferring the course (4 Pack-CUA/CXA) registration before three weeks from the course start date. No refund or carry forward of the course fees if cancelling or transferring the course registration within three weeks before the course start date.
Cancellation / Transfer by Participants (Online Courses)
$100 processing fee if cancelling within two weeks of course start date. No cancellations or refunds less than two weeks prior to the first course start date.
Individual Modules: Rs. 3,000 per participant ‘per module’ processing fee (to be paid by the participant) if cancelling or transferring the course (any Individual HFI course) registration before three weeks from the course start date. No refund or carry forward of the course fees if cancelling or transferring the course registration within three weeks before the course start date.
Exam: Rs. 3,000 per participant processing fee (to be paid by the participant) if cancelling or transferring the pre agreed CUA/CXA exam date before three weeks from the examination date. No refund or carry forward of the exam fees if requesting/cancelling or transferring the CUA/CXA exam within three weeks before the examination date.
No Recording Permitted
There will be no audio or video recording allowed in class. Students who have any disability that might affect their performance in this class are encouraged to speak with the instructor at the beginning of the class.
Course Materials Copyright
The course and training materials and all other handouts provided by HFI during the course are published, copyrighted works proprietary and owned exclusively by HFI. The course participant does not acquire title nor ownership rights in any of these materials. Further the course participant agrees not to reproduce, modify, and/or convert to electronic format (i.e., softcopy) any of the materials received from or provided by HFI. The materials provided in the class are for the sole use of the class participant. HFI does not provide the materials in electronic format to the participants in public or onsite courses.