Dr Chris Paton

Abstract

Motivated by the mixed outcomes of previous digital health initiatives, such as the National Programme for IT and the adoption of US-based electronic health record (EHR) systems, this thesis investigates how the usability of NHS digital systems could be improved through the development of modernised user interface (UI) guidelines and how quantitative usability modelling could be used to evaluate and improve the design of digital health technologies. The research employed Design Science Research spanning six stages, analysed EHR usability problems via the Certified Health IT Product List database, reviewed NHS guidelines, and created updated UI design artefacts. HCI modelling demonstrated performance differences across designs without requiring human-subject experiments. Key contributions include evidence of EHR usability variability, technically feasible design updates for Patient Banner and Patient Name Input components, and integration of HCI modelling into Human-Centred Design processes.