Institutionalising human factors in the design process: the ADONIS experience

Abstract

This item is not the definitive copy. Please use the following citation when referencing this material: Dillon, A., Richardson, J. and McKnight, C. (1991) Institutionalizing Human Factors in the design process: the ADONIS Experience. Contemporary Ergonomics '91, London: Taylor and Francis, 421-426. Abstract: The ADONIS workstation was an experimental document delivery system developed to facilitate retrieval and printing of CD-ROM stored articles. Although primarily aimed at the document supply industry, its potential application in libraries and research environments with end users was recognised. Hence, the present authors were asked to assess the system ergonomically from this perspective, and the outcomes of this assessment form the basis of this paper. It was clear that the design of the system ignored many formal ergonomic considerations. Subsequent user evaluations of the interface highlighted several potentially serious problems and cast doubt on the usability of the system in the end-user domain. A follow-up study of actual usage rates during field-testing of the product confirmed the findings of the initial evaluation and also indicated that some of the very first design decisions (e.g., regarding the choice of journal titles included), which proved detrimental to the system's acceptance, might have been very different if human factors considerations had been taken into account. The present paper describes the system and the problems highlighted by the human factors practitioners as well as discussing the pitfalls that could have been avoided by earlier involvement. The potential role of human factors in early design of such products is emphasised.