Fidelity Considerations for Simulation-Based Usability Assessments of Mobile ICT for Hospitals

We have conducted controlled usability evaluations of mobile ICT for hospitals. As part of these evaluations, clinicians have acted out mobile work scenarios and used the systems to solve related tasks. The evaluations show that relevant usability factors go beyond that of graphical user interfaces. Some of these usability factors only show up when the real-world context of use is replicated in the laboratory to a high degree of fidelity. The complexity of the context of use for mobile ICT in hospitals has motivated us to explore training simulation fidelity theory. Based on a review of the training simulation literature, we identify a set of fidelity dimensions through which training simulations often are adjusted to meet specific goals. We argue that the same mechanisms can be used in usability assessments of mobile ICT for hospitals. We substantiate our argument by using the identified set of fidelity dimension in a retrospective analysis of two assessments. The analysis explains how the fidelity composition contributed to the identification of relevant usability factors.