Paper interface to electronic medical records: a case of usage-driven technology appropriation

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...

• Type: Conference
• Year: 2008
• Where: ACMDIS
• Authors: Elin Rønby Pedersen, Greg Wolff
• Keywords: ACMDIS 2008, Explicit Dual Purpose, Human Computer Interaction, Parts Ethnographic Fieldwork, Rapid Prototyping