Often the aesthetic of a device or system experience is considered a commercial objective and even a tertiary, superficial aspect of design development in the healthcare ecosystem. Human factors engineering (HFE) research has theorized the aesthetics of a device or user interface may actually influence its usability, that is, its apparent usability may be as important as actual usability.1 This discussion will specifically address the relationship between the aesthetic of a device, HFE, and how it can be purposefully designed to optimize use-safety and ease-of-use.
The process of a user understanding a device’s operation is a complex amalgamation of perceptional translation, biases, interactions, reasoning, and expectations that starts with an initial assessment. This process is especially critical when there is no product training or a significant lapse between use and training. In healthcare, the initial interaction with a device is often critical to a person’s well-being.
Often the aesthetic of a device or system experience is considered a commercial objective and even a tertiary, superficial aspect of design development in the healthcare ecosystem. Human factors engineering (HFE) research has theorized the aesthetics of a device or user interface may actually influence its usability, that is, its apparent usability may be as important as actual usability.1 This discussion will specifically address the relationship between the aesthetic of a device, HFE, and how it can be purposefully designed to optimize use-safety and ease-of-use.
The process of a user understanding a device’s operation is a complex amalgamation of perceptional translation, biases, interactions, reasoning, and expectations that starts with an initial assessment. This process is especially critical when there is no product training or a significant lapse between use and training. In healthcare, the initial interaction with a device is often critical to a person’s well-being.