The Sociotechnical Research group at the University of Utah is comprised of experts in cognitive psychology, medical decision-making, software design, and evaluation. We have PhDs in cognitive science, MD informaticists, and Informatics graduates. We use theories of motivation and cognition to understand information needs and workflow patterns of clinical users across very diverse settings. Our experts apply their knowledge of design to help create new tools in the Electronic Health Record, to evaluate clinical workflow, conduct usability testing, and assess user behavior. Our sociotechnical experts can use multiple tools, such as eye-tracking and Heuristic evaluation before implementation and research design principles post-implementation. Our team writes proposals for funding, assists other PIs in writing proposals, and provides multiple educational opportunities for the department.
