Video observation in HIT development: lessons learned on benefits and challenges

Area of Science:

• Health Informatics
• Ethnographic Research
• Human-Computer Interaction

Background:

• Successful health information technology (HIT) development requires understanding clinical work practices, which are often tacit and difficult to capture.
• Traditional research methods struggle to reveal the complexities and context of routine clinical work.
• Video observation offers a powerful tool to gain deep insights into healthcare settings.

Purpose of the Study:

• To advocate for the use of video observation techniques in improving HIT development.
• To share practical insights and lessons learned from applying video observation in healthcare.

Main Methods:

• A multiple case study design involving nine studies conducted between 2004 and 2011.
• Utilized non-participant, audio-visual video observation for data collection in diverse healthcare environments.

Main Results:

• Video observation effectively informs and enhances system design for HIT.
• It aids in studying evolving work practices, identifying new opportunities, and documenting current workflows.
• Provides realistic insights into complex clinical work, surpassing traditional methods.

Conclusions:

• Video observation is superior to other ethnographic methods for understanding clinical complexity and tacit practices.
• It generates valuable data for professional dialogue and user requirement identification.
• Recommended for focused studies within specific clinical settings, crucial for future HIT success.