Stress-Resistant Technology is Feasible - and Vital, Says Usability Psychologist Susan Weinschenk; Can Even Save Lives in High-Stakes Situations
More than a decade ago, having been warned that an attack from Iran might be imminent, the U.S. Navy shot down an Iran Air commercial jet, killing 290 thinking it was a military attack. "Everything the people on the ship needed to make the correct decision was on their computer screen, but in the
stress of the situation, they didn't see it," said a Navy spokesman at the time. In daily civilian life, too, stress often leads to glitches
and errors when using machines.
For: Weinschenk Consulting, PO Box 226, Edgar, WI 54426. Contact: Susan Weinschenk, (PRWEB) May 10, 2002 -2599, susan@weinschenk.com.
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Stress-Resistant Technology is Feasible - and Vital, Says Usability Psychologist Susan Weinschenk; Can Even Save Lives in High-Stakes Situations
Edgar, WI - More than a decade ago, having been warned that an attack from Iran might be imminent, the U.S. Navy shot down an Iran Air
commercial jet, killing 290 thinking it was a military attack. "Everything the people on the ship needed to make the correct decision was on their computer screen, but in the stress of the situation, they didn't see it," said a Navy spokesman at the time. In daily civilian life, too, stress often leads to glitches and errors when using machines. But better design can reduce the number of life-threatening and nerve-jangling mistakes made under pressure,
contends Susan Weinschenk, Ph.D., a psychologist who studies human beings' interaction with technology.
"People under stress can miss information right on the screen in front of them," explains Weinschenk, president of the Weinschenk Consulting
Group in Edgar, Wisconsin. "They tend to perform the same actions again and again, even if they're not having the right effect. Under stress,
they become more irritable and have an altered perception of time, losing patience when something goes slowly. One of the hardest things
to do under stress is to talk to someone in person or on the phone and use a computer at the same time."
Stress-resistant design can and should compensate for these reactions, Weinschenk argues. Making important visual information larger and
putting less on the screen will improve decision-making in a crisis, or under stress.
Designers should also arrange elements so people see only what they need to perform the task at hand, in the order in which they need them. And
if users can control the information, how it changes and the pace of change, they'll panic less and find it easier to do what they need to
do, she says.
"Remarkably, it's rare that engineers and designers study the situation under which people will be using technology, then test and make changes because of the findings," says Weinschenk, whose consulting firm performs user testing of software and Web sites. "Whether you're the military or manager of a fun Web site, you can make your interface and
policies easier for users who confront on-the-job stress. Most of all, unless you don't mind a lot of mistakes, don't expect people to type and
talk at the same time."
For organizations wishing to ease the burden on stressed-out Web users, Weinschenk Consulting offers a free Online Usability checklist at
http://www.weinschenk.com/tools/online_checklist.asp.
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