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TOFWorks Interface MDS Sciex / PerkinElmer Software Application (2001-2003) |
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Time: 16 months Techniques: contextual inquiry, requirements gathering, persona development, scenario development, brainstorming, paper prototyping, Tools: paper, whiteboards, illustrator, photoshop, visual basic, portable usability lab Team: 2 interaction designers (my role), product manager, project managers, facilitators, chief scientist, software developers, testers, technical writers, marketing executives, mechanical and electrical engineers, graphic artist, and many many customers. |
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Design Problem: Scientists are unable to take full advantage of their instruments and focus their energy on research because the disparate systems are so complex, they require weeks training; even then, much of the interface remains confusing. Design Solution: Designed with a user centered design approach, TOFworks integrates many of the operations formerly managed by a number of other software applications into a workflow that parallels what researchers do in the field. Sample tracking, data acquisition, peak picking, database searching, and reporting, can now be accessed through a consistent interface that steps through each process. This integration also simplifies unattended batch management. TOFworks also bridges the control of the hardware and the information by always providing a view and navigation of the sample plates. Result: TOFworks is an integrated software and hardware package that fits seamlessly into the workflow of protein researchers. There is also a dramatic reduction in learning time. “It feels like you really talked to mass spectrometers before you designed this”. - Customer | |
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| TOFWorks interface. Note the tabbed processes and physical controls | |
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Researchers now spend more time overcoming the challenges of drug discovery rather than the effective operation of the instrument. | |
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Link:  TOFworks |
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Personas guided design decisions and tradeoffs |
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“The prOTOF is really beginning to take off - the hardware, performance and of course software are really turning heads and generating a lot of interest.” - Eric Denoyer, product manager | |
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| TOFworks is used to operate the prOTOF protein mass spectrometer |  |
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