Cognitive Psychology

Cognitive psychology is the study of mental processes such as "attention, language use, memory, perception, problem solving, creativity and thinking."

Jean Piaget & the Usability of Healthcare Software

Jean Piaget was a Swiss psychologist and philosopher known for his epistemological studies with children. His theories of cognitive development helped pioneer the field of developmental psychology and influenced generations of elementary school curriculum.

The usability of healthcare software, or lack thereof, has been a topic of discussion for several years. The problem has become so widespread that the American Medical Association (AMA) has recently issued a framework for improving the ease of use of EHRs that, in part, includes the reduction of 'cognitive load.'

The Shock Doctrine and Human-centered Design

So far I’ve been fortunate to have lived my life in three major metropolitan areas in the United States. Each of these different geographic locations have their own unique culture that is clearly evident in the conversations that you would often overhear when out at a restaurant or coffee shop, etc.

The Fallacy of User Error

On Monday, Feb 3rd we all witnessed a glitch associated with a very high profile app--the counting of votes in the Iowa Caucuses.

In reading various news sources about the glitch, we've noticed all too many people blaming themselves for not being tech-savy. In a recent #HITsm tweetchat, a similar discussion emerged.

People are all too quick to blame themselves for not being able to use a poorly designed (or tested) system. We call this the "Fallacy of User Error."

EHR Usability: It is NOT a training issue

In a recent blog post by John Lynn, (of Healthcare Scene fame) , John discusses the irony of the following two statements:

  • EHR Training Improves EHR Satisfaction and
  • Physicians Don’t Want to Make Time for EHR Training

Many, many times in our usability evaluation and design career when a development team isn't really interested in making enhancements to fix specific issues that we've identified, we've heard something like the phrase, "There is nothing wrong with the user interface, it is a training issue."

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