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ReferencesNavigation arrowAuthorsNavigation arrowNicolas Marmaras
Jun 19

“ ... there are no simple 'right' answers for most web design questions (at least not for the important ones). What works is good, integrated design that fills a need--carefully thought out, well executed, and tested. ”

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Nicolas Marmaras

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Publications by Nicolas Marmaras (bibliography)

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2010
 
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Vassilakopoulou, Polyxeni, Tsagkas, Vassilis and Marmaras, Nicolas (2010): Exploratory analysis of deviations from formal procedures during preoperative anaesthetic evaluation. In: Proceedings of the 2010 Annual European Conference on Cognitive Ergonomics 2010. pp. 151-154.

“Motivation -- The aim of this paper is to study deviations from formal procedures during preoperative anaesthetic evaluation and to investigate their possible association with the assumptions that anaesthesiologists make during the evaluation. The findings of this analysis can be applied for the identification of requirements and limitations for the standardisation of the task through supporting tools. Research approach -- Records of 100 consecutive preanaesthesia evaluations for elective surgery in a private hospital were retrospectively analysed. In addition, field observations were carried out in order to guide data collection and support the formulation of an initial framework for organizing our findings. This way, data analysis and fieldwork were interwoven, feeding each other. Findings/Design -- The review of 100 preanaesthesia evaluation records revealed that a significant number of them deviated from the normative course of action. Specifically, contrary to the stipulations of the prescribed procedure, in 26% of our cases, the evaluation was performed without having available the preoperative laboratory test results. Furthermore, the form provided for the documentation of the evaluation was scarcely filled-in (75% of the forms had less than 30 out of the 83 total fields completed. In the same time, free-text fields were extensively used, spilling over their content to other fields in 15% of the cases. Our findings are consistent with prior research which indicates that routine laboratory tests are not critical for the evaluation of the patient. Furthermore, the frequently completed fields coincide with the main findings of previous research on the opinions of anaesthesiologists regarding what variables they consider as important. A possible explanation for the observed deviations from formal procedures and low utilisation of standardized forms could be that anaesthesiologists are engaged in a thinking-acting process rather than in a process of information collection directed by a protocol. Standardisation efforts through supporting tools ought to be non-obstructive to this process. Research limitations/Implications -- Our research is limited by the modest sample size of 100 cases and input from a single hospital. Nevertheless, the questions raised and initial hypotheses formulated can be further tested with a larger sample size and different medical establishments. Originality/Value -- Anaesthesiologists have been leaders in applying lessons from Human Factors and Cognitive Ergonomics, but most effort was directed to the development of support tools and decision aids for the operating theatre. The research presented here aims at extending those lessons to the preanaesthesia related tasks. Take away message -- Deviations from the formal procedure during preoperative anaesthetic evaluation can be used for the identification of requirements and limitations for the standardisation of the task through supporting tools.”

© All rights reserved Vassilakopoulou et al. and/or their publisher

 
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Papakostopoulos, Vassilis, Nathanael, Dimitris and Marmaras, Nicolas (2010): An explorative study of visual scanning strategies of motorcyclists in urban environment. In: Proceedings of the 2010 Annual European Conference on Cognitive Ergonomics 2010. pp. 157-160.

“Motivation -- To identify the objects/entities that determine the ontology of the motorcyclist's visual exploration activity, when driving in urban arterials. This ontology may form the basis for modelling the motorcyclists' visual activity in urban traffic as well as shed light in their interaction with automobile drivers. Research approach -- An explorative naturalistic field study was conducted, using the eye-tracking method, in which three experienced motorcyclists were asked to drive normally in a predefined route consisting of three road sections: motorway, avenue, local urban two way street. Immediately after driving an interview of each participant was conducted using the video assisted autoconfrontation method. Findings/Design -- The results suggest that (i) visual scan patterns of motorcyclists in urban arterials are much more vivid compared to those in motorway and extend well beyond formal signals, (ii) to minimize the cognitive effort of scanning motorcyclists seek for specific cues to monitor the future intentions of the other road users (iii) motorcyclists feel more vulnerable than car drivers, which leads them to recurring visual checks of the points of concern. Research limitations/Implications -- The results presented are based on a small sample of motorcyclists. In the near future we intend to extend our sample of participants and to perform formal protocol analysis of the a-posteriory, verbalizations. Originality/Value -- One of the very few naturalistic field studies of motorcyclist visual exploration activity in urban environment using eye tracking and autoconfrontation. Promises to offer fresh insights to safety measures for motorcyclists. Take away message -- Urban driving scan patterns of motorcyclists are very systematic and recurring across situations and participants. Fixation points are rarely directed to road elements as such. Fixations tend to be clearly directed at specific points (e.g. side mirrors, car wheels, rear edge of car roofs) that convey information about the other road users' state and intentions.”

© All rights reserved Papakostopoulos et al. and/or their publisher

2003
 
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Marmaras, Nicolas and Papadopoulos, Stelios (2003): A Study of Computerized Offices in Greece: Are Ergonomic Design Requirements Met?. In International Journal of Human-Computer Interaction, 16 (2) pp. 261-281.

“In this study, an investigation was conducted into the extent to which ergonomic requirements for work on computers are met in Greek office workstations. The ergonomic requirements considered were those included in Council Directive 90/270/EEC (1990) of the European Union and the ISO 9241 (1997) standard. 593 office workstations were assessed using an assessment tool consisting of 70 assessment points. The assessment results show that the ergonomic requirements that are independent of the specific characteristics of individual work spaces and environments (e.g., design standards for seats, monitors, and input devices) are adequately met. Ergonomic requirements that should take into consideration the specific characteristics and constraints of individual work content, work spaces, and environments (e.g., requirements dealing with workplace layout, environmental conditions, software, and work organization) are inadequately met. Based on these results, issues are indicated on the effort ergonomists should focus to improve working conditions in computerized offices.”

© All rights reserved Marmaras and Papadopoulos and/or Lawrence Erlbaum Associates

 
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Changes to this page (author)

03 Apr 2012: Modified
03 Apr 2012: Modified
26 Jul 2007: Added

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URL: http://www.interaction-design.org/references/authors/nicolas_marmaras.html
Jun 19

“ ... there are no simple 'right' answers for most web design questions (at least not for the important ones). What works is good, integrated design that fills a need--carefully thought out, well executed, and tested. ”

-- Steve Krug, Don't Make Me Think, p. 136

 
 

Featured chapter

Read the fascinating history of Wearable Computing, told by its father, Steve Mann

Read Steve's chapter !

 
 

Latest books

The Social Design of Technical Systems: Building technologies for communities
by Brian Whitworth and Adnan Ahmad

 
Start reading

The Encyclopedia of Human-Computer Interaction, 2nd Ed.
by Mads Soegaard and Rikke Friis Dam

 
Start reading
 
 

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