Human Factors in the Design of Emergency Communications Systems

Abstract

The design of the user interface for emergency communications systems is critical in providing timely and appropriate response to emergency requests. With the creation of a plan to implement a national emergency number (9-1-1), more communities are choosing to centralize all emergency service communications with a single center called a public safety answering point (PSAP). This paper describes some of the issues faced in building a PSAP attendant workstation user interface for an Enhanced 9-1-1 emergency communications system. Designing a user interface for emergency communications requires a thorough understanding of the circumstances in which PSAP attendants operate. Researching the work environment of PSAP attendants has served to identify several human factors issues that became design goals for the user interface. Conducting iterative usability testing with PSAP attendants ensured the design of a usable system.