Participatory heuristic evaluation of a tablet computer system for clinical microbiology

MultiplexBCT is a molecular-based diagnostic test for rapid identification of microorganisms in positive blood cultures. A MultiplexBCT Android tablet computer application is being developed as an accessory to the diagnostic test. The aim of the application is to facility the end user's workflow by supporting data entry and communication of the MultiplexBCT test results in a hospital environment. This paper reports the results and benefit of a participatory heuristic evaluation conducted on the MultiplexBCT application. The design is an extension of heuristic evaluation that includes end users as work-domain experts to complement usability experts for inspection of a user interface. The user interface assessment identified 86 heuristic violations, which consisted of both product- and domain-related issues. These results will be used to guide further development of the MultiplexBCT application to ensure that the system will fully support the workflow of the end users when using the MultiplexBCT diagnostic test.