Looking is not the same as noticing - why important device information is often overlooked
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Looking is not the same as noticing - why important device information may be overlooked.
Introduction
An important instruction is printed on a medical device label. It is visibly positioned on the device. Yet the user proceeds without following it. How could they have missed the important information that was right in front of them?
Our insights
Making the information available is only part of the challenge. The user needs to notice it, understand its meaning and recognise when it applies. From a Human Factors perspective, this means looking beyond whether the information merely is present but also consider how the user will encounter it during real-life use
When someone uses a medical device, their attention is usually directed towards a particular goal, such as preparing treatment, selecting a dose, or checking that administration is complete. This helps them focus on the relevant information for reaching their goal, but it can also mean that other details receive less attention. A user searching a label for their dose, for example, might find the number they need and move on without noticing a preparation instruction nearby. They have looked at the label, but that does not mean that they have processed all information on it.
Previous experiences may also shape what information the user absorbs. Someone who is familiar with a similar device may expect instructions to appear in a particular location or assume that the steps required are unchanged. The user’s expectations can help them navigate the interface but may also lead them to overlook information that challenges their existing mental models. Therefore, the design needs to support users in finding both the information they are actively seeking, as well as important details they may not realise they need. This becomes particularly challenging when several elements compete for attention. Labels and instructions may need to communicate operating steps, warnings, storage requirements, and product details, all within limited space. If all information receives similar emphasis, the user may struggle to identify what is relevant for the current task. Highlighting more text does not necessarily solve this. When too many elements stand out, the distinction between them becomes less meaningful. A clear visual hierarchy and logical grouping can help guide attention, while placing instructions close to relevant actions can help make their purpose easier to recognise.
Solely attracting attention is not enough to ensure that information is understood and acted upon appropriately. A user might notice a symbol without understanding it or read a warning without recognising that it applies to their next action. They might see an indicator and interpret it as confirmation that treatment is complete when it actually signals something else entirely. Noticing, understanding, and acting are connected, but are separate steps in responding to information. For example, making text larger may improve visibility while leaving an unclear and ambiguous instruction unresolved.
Conclusion
Usability testing helps manufacturers of medical devices explore the distinction between seeing something and actually noticing it in practice. Reviewing a label on its own is different from using it while handling its accompanying device and completing a sequence of tasks with it. Observing representative users can reveal where they search for information, what they overlook, and how they interpret feedback. Follow-up questions can help explain the user’s actions and determine a root cause. An instruction that was not followed may have been missed, misunderstood, forgotten or considered irrelevant; the observation of a missed task alone cannot establish the cause.
For manufacturers of medical devices, putting important information on the label is therefore just a starting point. Effective communication depends on how the information fits into the users’ tasks, expectations, and decisions. The question is not simply whether the user can see the instruction, but whether the design helps them find, understand and use it at the moment it matters. THAY Medical focus on this in the verification of a medical device, or when we conduct Readability Studies since we want the user to have the best chance of understanding what is required to be communicated. The solutions for effective comprehension are often subtle, small changes, but the impact can be significant - especially when the user is not in a position to act upon it right then. We like to predict this and co-develop solutions that do work.
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Who wrote this insight?
Our Author today was: Frida Markemyr, Human Factors Engineer.
Frida is a Human Factors Engineer at THAY Medical and has been with us since 2020. She has helped the team become what it is now in two different roles since starting in our Marketing team. Following a degree in Cognitive Science, Frida is now a Human Factors Engineer and specialist in human behaviour in particular user habits, performance, limitations and really understanding users and their predictive future use of medical devices. She is also bi-lingual and has a passion for inclusive design and its application for a wide range of user types.
If you want to discuss this blog post, please reach out to Frida below - I am sure she would love to hear from you!
Frida Markemyr - frida.markemyr@thaymedical.com
Or, if you would like to know more on our services, please reach out to us below also! We would love to hear from you!