| This study aimed to apply human factors methods to identify potentially unsafe aspects of a radiation therapy delivery system at Princess Margaret Hospital, and to provide recommendations accordingly. Analyses were conducted to examine the workflow, work environment and user interfaces involved in the treatment process. Based on findings from these analyses, components of the user interface were redesigned to address some of the issues found. Sixteen radiation therapy students were then used to experimentally evaluate the redesigned interface through a usability test. Compared to the current interface, the error rates of two common errors were significantly lower, and the average task completion time was significantly shorter when the redesigned interface was used. Results from a post-test questionnaire also indicated a high degree of satisfaction with the redesigned interface. Therefore, human factors methods can be applied to evaluate and design radiation therapy systems for improved error rates, efficiency and user satisfaction. |
