Pursuing Usability in a Nicaraguan Demographic Surveillance System - A Case Study
Nils Assarsson · Lund University Publications Student Papers (Lund University) · 2006
Pursuing usability in a Nicaraguan demographic surveillance system (DSS) or any computerized system used by humans, means designing a system so it is intuitive for its actual users to use, rather than developing what is convenient for the developer and the system, and then asking the users to adapt to the system.But even the most insightful designer can only create a usable system through a process that involves getting information from the people that actually uses the system.To develop a usable system, developers have to know, understand and work with the people that represent actual users of the system.This master thesis is a case study where the actual end users play an active role in the design process of a graphical user interface, used for data collection at the Centre for Demographic and Health Research 1 (CIDS) in León, Nicaragua.After several iterations of user-centered design the interface is subject to a usage study in its natural working environment in Nicaragua.Finally the interface is evaluated using benchmark standards.The main results from this report are presented in terms of relevance, effectiveness, attitude and learnability and show an interface with acceptable level of usability and with most of its functionality implemented.Results from benchmarking give a good idea of how the interface usability might be improved.• My academic tutor Joakim Eriksson at the institution of design science for great support and interest in my work and giving excellent feedback on my ideas.• All personnel at CIDS for all support, help and good laughs during six month in Nicaragua.Very special thanks to all field workers for all valuable input and for participating in usability testing.