Enhance Medical Device Development with Comprehensive User Research

Observations

Direct observation is the key to understanding user needs and preferences for a new product. During observations, we record users’ comments and the time spent on various tasks, as well as document key characteristics of the use environment and any points of friction between people and equipment. For example, we might observe how anesthesiologists interact with their workstations and note that the clinician needs a larger work surface to prepare injections and complete paperwork.

Benchmark tests

Benchmark tests are the starting point for further usability testing. We learn a lot about user needs and preferences by conducting usability tests of existing devices. Sometimes, we test an existing product as a precursor to designing its replacement. Other times, we test competitors’ products to establish benchmarks that, in turn, form a basis for user interface requirements and broader product development goals related to a new product’s user experience and product features and functionality.

Surveys

Questionnaires, typically sent to a large number of participants across a broad geographic region, are designed to collect quantitative data to identify trends and preferences and collect input from a large sample of representative users.

Diary studies

Diary studies, among other ethnographic methods, enable us to collect qualitative data about user behaviors and product usage over time via ongoing insights from representative end-users and responses to carefully crafted follow-up questions throughout the product experience.

Post-market device usability evaluation

We conduct product assessments, including design reviews and usability tests, of marketed products to gain benchmark performance data and uncover interaction problems.

Benchmark performance data
Benchmark performance data forms the foundation for developing a next-generation or competing product. For example, conduct a usability test on the perceived ease of setting up a dialysis machine for treatment as a basis of comparison for future design concepts.

User interaction-oriented performance data
User interaction-oriented performance data upon which to base a marketing claim. For example, conduct a study with people with diabetes to determine which lancing device is easiest to use and causes the least pain.

Reported interaction problems
Reported interaction problems that might have led to product complaints, returns or other failures. For example, perform an expert review of the user interface of a recalled surgical device to determine the root cause of use errors that led to harm and suggest design changes as part of a broader corrective and preventative action effort.

One-on-one and group interviews

Interviews generate comprehensive insights from users that complement the data gathered through observations and benchmark tests. Our research team uses a range of interview methods to gather different kinds of user feedback.

Contextual inquiry
Interviews in an actual use setting while people perform tasks, enabling real-time collection of user feedback in context. For instance, we might ask physicians about using an electronic prescription pad when they write prescriptions or ask individuals with a rare disease how they manage their treatment regimen while preparing and administering an injection.

In-depth interviews
One-on-one interviews (in-person or remote) enable a deep dive into individual needs and preferences.

Group interviews
Group discussions, also called focus groups, are a valuable complement to observations and in-depth interviews. We conduct group interviews to collect many opinions quickly and reach group consensus on specific topics, including product design attributes and alternatives.