I had a doctors appointment yesterday and apart from the fact that I didn’t enjoy it, I had the opportunity to witness a great software UI.
While diagnosing me the doctor pressed some keys, giving the system information need for billing I am sure (well, and the file). He then handed me over to his assistant who was able to proceed my recipe with a very easy keyboard-supported menu. Kind of like: type three letters, then use the arrow-keys to find the right medicine. Then she scheduled my next appointments. Same effective UI (designed butt-ugly I have to say), accessing the schedule of doctors and rooms. 10 seconds and I was done there. Next she took me to perform a ultra-sonic scan. Other room and there my file was, back on the screen. She did the scan which the doctor will look at together with my blood-test during my next appointment, coming from my electronic file.
Maybe I am amazed because I haven’t been to a doctor much in the past years, but still. I thougght this was might progressive for a non IT-specific industry. The UI was just what you need, all epicenters chosen carefully. (I immediately thought of Jason’s account of the 37signals thoughts on how to build a calendar.)
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