title: Post-deployment usability evaluation of a radiology workstation.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To determine the number, nature and severity of usability issues radiologists encounter while using a commercially available radiology workstation in clinical practice, and to assess how well the results of a pre-deployment usability evaluation of this workstation generalize to clinical practice.
  
  
  METHODS
  The usability evaluation consisted of semi-structured interviews and observations of twelve users using the workstation during their daily work. Usability issues and positive usability findings were documented. Each issue was given a severity rating and its root cause was determined. Results were compared to the results of a pre-deployment usability evaluation of the same workstation.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Ninety-two usability issues were identified, ranging from issues that cause minor frustration or delay, to issues that cause significant delays, prevent users from completing tasks, or even pose a potential threat to patient safety. The results of the pre-deployment usability evaluation had limited generalizability to clinical practice.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  This study showed that radiologists encountered a large number and a wide variety of usability issues when using a commercially available radiology workstation in clinical practice. This underlines the need for effective usability engineering in radiology. Given the limitations of pre-deployment usability evaluation in radiology, which were confirmed by our finding that the results of a pre-deployment usability evaluation of this workstation had limited generalizability to clinical practice, it is vital that radiology workstation vendors devote significant resources to usability engineering efforts before deployment of their workstation, and to continue these efforts after the workstation is deployed in a hospital.
authors.affiliation: University of Groningen, University Medical Center Groningen, Dept. Radiology, Hanzeplein 1, 9713 GZ Groningen, The Netherlands. Electronic address: w.jorritsma01@umcg.nl.
authors.forename: Wiard
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Jorritsma
authors.affiliation: University of Groningen, Institute of Artificial Intelligence and Cognitive Engineering, Nijenborgh 9, 9747 AG Groningen, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: Fokie
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Cnossen
authors.affiliation: University of Groningen, University Medical Center Groningen, Dept. Radiology, Hanzeplein 1, 9713 GZ Groningen, The Netherlands; University of Groningen, University Medical Center Groningen, Dept. Nuclear Medicine and Molecular Imaging, Hanzeplein 1, 9713 GZ Groningen, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: Rudi A
authors.initials: RA
authors.lastname: Dierckx
authors.affiliation: University of Groningen, University Medical Center Groningen, Dept. Radiology, Hanzeplein 1, 9713 GZ Groningen, The Netherlands; Center for Medical Imaging North East Netherlands, Hanzeplein 1, 9713 GZ Groningen, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: Matthijs
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Oudkerk
authors.affiliation: University of Groningen, University Medical Center Groningen, Dept. Radiology, Hanzeplein 1, 9713 GZ Groningen, The Netherlands; Center for Medical Imaging North East Netherlands, Hanzeplein 1, 9713 GZ Groningen, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: Peter M A
authors.initials: PM
authors.lastname: Van Ooijen
mesh_terms: D016288:Computer Terminals; D006801:Humans; D007588:Job Satisfaction; D011871:Radiology / Q000295:instrumentation*
keywords: Field study; Post-deployment; Radiology; Usability; User-computer interface