Improving the U.S. Adult Immunization Schedule by Applying Usability Principles

Human factors (HF) can be implemented in various domains to improve usability, and healthcare is no exception. A student team from Georgia Tech was consulted by the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) about performing a straightforward user-centered redesign of the CDC’s immunization schedule. Using classic design principles (e.g., consistency, simplicity, clarity), the team created a prototype schedule that aims to produce HF-driven efficiency of use while maintaining a form that fits with end-user expectations of the schedule. The CDC implemented some of the team’s design recommendations in its 2017 immunization schedule, and more changes could be implemented in the 2018 version of the schedule.