Paper interface to electronic medical records: a case of usage-driven technology appropriation
Abstract
We conducted a 6-month project with a physical therapy clinic, involving equal parts
ethnographic fieldwork and rapid prototyping. It differed from most reported user-informed
design by having an explicit dual purpose. On the one hand, the prototype should provide
significant, measurable improvements for the field site. On the other hand, the project sponsor
did not intend to develop the prototype into a product but rather identify future opportunities
and needs in the small-to-medium health care sector, requirements for next generation
multifunction peripherals (MFPs), and business applications of existing technology. Thus, the
project simultaneously investigated specific solutions for a specific work practice while looking
for key technologies to address future needs. This paper provides a detailed account of the
process and results, highlighting particular contingencies that come with a dual-purpose
exploration, as well as the benefits of a small, focused team that “oscillates” between research
and deployment.
ethnographic fieldwork and rapid prototyping. It differed from most reported user-informed
design by having an explicit dual purpose. On the one hand, the prototype should provide
significant, measurable improvements for the field site. On the other hand, the project sponsor
did not intend to develop the prototype into a product but rather identify future opportunities
and needs in the small-to-medium health care sector, requirements for next generation
multifunction peripherals (MFPs), and business applications of existing technology. Thus, the
project simultaneously investigated specific solutions for a specific work practice while looking
for key technologies to address future needs. This paper provides a detailed account of the
process and results, highlighting particular contingencies that come with a dual-purpose
exploration, as well as the benefits of a small, focused team that “oscillates” between research
and deployment.
Research Areas
