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User interfaces used in professional contexts can impose an extra cognitive burden on its users. Things like visual clutter and scrolling could hinder reading and search for crucial information. To counter that, interfaces can be optimised to support reading efficiently. However, finding a method to edit and populate those interfaces introduces a new challenge to tackle.
A literature review was conducted to understand the drawbacks of the available interface solutions and how screens could potentially be optimised for information presentation. Searching and reading medical records was the main focus of this project.
Then, using the findings from the literature review, besides following the design thinking method, I proposed a general design hypothesis to enable input on screens optimised for reading. The theme of the solution focussed on preserving the screen’s original layout. This was accomplished using separated fixed panels containing only the necessary instructions for each input task.
Furthermore, I used the keystroke-level model (KLM) to evaluate the efficiency of the proposed solution for expert users. Finally, I conducted an empirical study to assess the solution’s efficiency for inexperienced users.
The results demonstrated that the proposed design solution could be as efficient as, or better than the conventional interfaces. Additionally, the reading-optimised screen scored significantly better than the standard option regarding task times and mouse travel averages.
