21807120

PMC3226920

Responding to public health emergencies requires rapid and accurate assessment of workforce availability under adverse and changing circumstances. However, public health information systems to support resource management during both routine and emergency operations are currently lacking. We applied scenario-based design as an approach to engage public health practitioners in the creation and validation of an information design to support routine and emergency public health activities.|Using semi-structured interviews we identified the information needs and activities of senior public health managers of a large municipal health department during routine and emergency operations.|Interview analysis identified 25 information needs for public health operations management. The identified information needs were used in conjunction with scenario-based design to create 25 scenarios of use and a public health manager persona. Scenarios of use and persona were validated and modified based on follow-up surveys with study participants. Scenarios were used to test and gain feedback on a pilot information system.|The method of scenario-based design was applied to represent the resource management needs of senior-level public health managers under routine and disaster settings. Scenario-based design can be a useful tool for engaging public health practitioners in the design process and to validate an information system design.

CDC Public Access

5P01TP000297/TP/OPHPR CDC HHS/United States
P01HK000027/HK/PHITPO CDC HHS/United States
T15 LM007442/LM/NLM NIH HHS/United States
T15 LM007442-08/LM/NLM NIH HHS/United States
T15LM007442-08/LM/NLM NIH HHS/United States