When human factors and design unite: using visual language and usability testing to improve instructions for a home-use medication infusion pump

Abstract

Use of medical devices in the home that had previously been used in a healthcare facility is increasing as more care is being transferred to the home environment. To accommodate these changes, instructions for use (IFU) for these devices must be clear and understandable for patients and caregivers to be able to operate them safety. IFUs that use illustrations and graphics rather than text to convey information may make user guides more accessible. This project consisted of two phases to determine the appropriate design of a visual user guide (VUG). During the first phase, a heuristic evaluation of the manufacturer’s IFU for an infusion pump was conducted. In the second phase, the heuristic evaluation results were used to inform the development of a VUG. Two rounds of iterative user testing were then conducted with a sample of target end users, with each round resulting in updates to the VUG. Findings demonstrated both major deficiencies in the usability of the manufacturer’s IFU, and improvements in helpfulness ratings and subjective participant feedback as the VUG was updated based on testing recommendations. The study demonstrates the value of visual guides for patients using medical devices and the use of discount usability techniques to identify major design issues.