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All aspects of the interface must be intuitive including configuration. It is likely to be used by staff with a wide range of educational backgrounds working in a remote location.
Data entry must be as simple as possible – the use of drop down lists, tick boxes etc to avoid typing is important.
Uncluttered design is vital – low light, difficulty in keeping spectacles clean etc mean that the display must be easy to read.
The minimum required dataset should be small. Overly onerous requirements to complete all fields will prevent user compliance.
From a design perspective this means understanding what activities an AAV will routinely perform and how they expect to be recording data and related information. This process will
guide the design of the application and in particular the user interface – what menu items
should be on what screen and what optionslinks need to be designed so that each routine activity can be achieved with minimal interaction with the hand held device.
10.7.4 The device can’t be precious, but the data is
The device will should form the primary and preferably only point of data capture for most observations. This means that any damage to the device or loss will mean loss of data.
This is no different to the traditional notebook, and in fact offers a potentially useful solution that is not available for the written notebook.
The Device must: be inherently robust;
be small enough to be carried in a pocket; have a bright enough screen to allow visibility in direct sunlight and below decks;
have sufficient memory and processing capacity to store data and rapidly process commands; and,
be rapidly replaceable low unit cost. They will get lost and broken. The supporting database service must be:
easy to use – requiring no more skill than to be able to turn it on and plug in the device; quick to synchronise data; and,
able to share data back to devices, so that all users can have access to the full range of information about animals ie diagnostic and treatment history at any time.
These characteristics mean that if a hand-held device is backed up or synchronised to the laptop every time the AAV enters the cabin, then loss or failure of a device will only mean
loss of data entered since the last synchronisation.
10.7.5 Custom application vs off the shelf
Our experience is that any future shipboard application will require custom development to suit the specific end users.
Any system developed through modification of existing frameworks or applications is likely to be associated with problems in user interface ease of use and functionality and in our view
will then not be well received or widely used.
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10.7.6 Leveraged functionality
There are a number of functions that may be added to a hand-held device to increase leverage the potential value of the device and also ensure that it is carried everywhere and
used. As mobile phones started to provide more functions than just phone calls camera, alarm clock, timer, calendar, note recorder, etc, they became more important to carry
everywhere.
The current generation of multi-function devices gives a user more reasons to remember to carry such a device. Commonly available or potential features of such a device of value to
an AAV or stockman would include:
photographs, ear tag scanning and recording of RFID records,
voice memo recording, and reference or resource material.
The ability to have access to one of more of the items on this list was widely appealing to different users, and their inclusion will improve the chances of the device being carried and
used.
One of the issues not satisfactorily resolved during this project was the linking of a hand held device to a small portable ear tag reader for NLIS tags. The small printing of numbers on
these tags and the potential delays and errors in data capture would limit the number of animal tags captured, however most researchers are in agreement that accurate reporting of
animal outcomes is vital. Although data capture was possible using a Bluetooth enabled NLIS RFID scanner, at the time this report was written, it was still somewhat cumbersome.
An NLIS ear tag reader would need to be carried another device to charge, carry and use and the ear tag reader has to be synchronised to the hand-held device to transfer an ear tag
record to the shipboard application at the right time and linked to the right record. It is expected that either RFID tag readers will be developed, as smaller and more easy to use
devices or that software capacity will be developed so a hand-held device can be used to scan and read RFID tags.
10.7.7 Security and privacy
