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Unreliable numbers: error and harm induced by bad design can be reduced by better design

Harold Thimbleby Orcid Logo, Patrick Oladimeji, Paul Cairns

Journal of The Royal Society Interface, Volume: 12, Issue: 110, Start page: 20150685

Swansea University Author: Harold Thimbleby Orcid Logo

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DOI (Published version): 10.1098/rsif.2015.0685

Abstract

Number entry is a ubiquitous activity and is often performed in safety- and mission-critical procedures, such as healthcare, science, finance, aviation and in many other areas. We show that Monte Carlo methods can quickly and easily compare the reliability of different number entry systems. A surpri...

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Published in: Journal of The Royal Society Interface
ISSN: 1742-5662
Published: London Royal Society 2015
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URI: https://cronfa.swan.ac.uk/Record/cronfa28817
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Abstract: Number entry is a ubiquitous activity and is often performed in safety- and mission-critical procedures, such as healthcare, science, finance, aviation and in many other areas. We show that Monte Carlo methods can quickly and easily compare the reliability of different number entry systems. A surprising finding is that many common, widely used systems are defective, and induce unnecessary human error. We show that Monte Carlo methods enable designers to explore the implications of normal and unexpected operator behaviour, and to design systems to be more resilient to use error. We demonstrate novel designs with improved resilience, implying that the common problems identified and the errors they induce are avoidable.
College: Faculty of Science and Engineering
Issue: 110
Start Page: 20150685

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