Alert override as a habitual behavior - a new perspective on a persistent problem.

Area of Science:

• Health Informatics
• Human-Computer Interaction
• Clinical Decision Support

Background:

• Alert override rates are traditionally used to measure the effectiveness of computerized alerts.
• This metric assumes users consciously deem alerts irrelevant, which may not hold true during alert overload.

Purpose of the Study:

• To propose a new perspective on alert override, viewing it as a habitual behavior.
• To present evidence supporting the habitual nature of alert override.
• To discuss implications for future research and decision support system design.

Main Methods:

• Literature review and conceptual analysis of alert override behavior.
• Examination of existing research on alert effectiveness and user interaction with alerts.
• Development of a theoretical framework for habitual alert override.

Main Results:

• Alert override may become an automatic, habitual response triggered by environmental cues, rather than a conscious decision.
• Users experiencing alert overload are likely to develop habitual override patterns.
• This habitual override occurs with limited conscious intention.

Conclusions:

• Rethinking alert override as a habitual behavior is crucial for accurate assessment of alert effectiveness.
• Future research should explore the mechanisms and triggers of habitual alert override.
• Strategies to mitigate habitual override are needed for effective decision support system implementation.