Usability and Public Safety Communications Research

Description

First responders in public safety respond to emergency incidents to serve and protect their communities. The voices of first responders have often not been taken into consideration, especially when technology is developed for them but not with them. The National Institute of Standards and Technology’s (NIST) public safety usability team is multidisciplinary with scientists specialized in human factors and ergonomics, usability, computer science, psychology and social science. We perform human-centered research aimed at understanding the experiences, tasks, needs, requirements, and the contexts of use of first responders in different public safety disciplines–Comm Center & 9-1-1 Services; Emergency medical services; Fire service, and Law enforcement. Our research objective is to provide guidance for the public safety research and development (R&D) community to ensure that technologies are developed for and with first responders to achieve their goals and objectives with effectiveness, efficiency, and satisfaction in their specified contexts of use.

The public safety community is currently undergoing a transition in communication capabilities. With the recent development of a high-speed backbone, the Nationwide Public Safety Broadband Network (NPSBN) offers a dedicated broadband network for public safety to take advantage of new technological innovations and enhance their communications and information sharing. The NIST Public Safety Communication Research (PSCR) program is leading a coordinated, multidisciplinary research effort to facilitate the transition from existing disparate Land Mobile Radio (LMR) networks to a nationwide Long-Term Evolution (LTE) broadband network. PSCR has identified user interface and user experience (UI/UX) as an important R&D opportunity area with the vision to “Enhance the ability of the public safety user to effectively interact with and obtain information from the system. Ensure public safety devices are designed around operational needs through innovation and collaboration with industry and the public safety community.” Our Public Safety Usability team plays a key role by bringing in our expertise to support the PSCR UI/UX portfolio to achieve its vision.

Reports and Publications

Voices of First Responders Series

Voices of First Responders Series

PSCR Usability Results Tool
Description: Web-based interface where PSCR stakeholders can access and interact with the results from the Voices of First Responders survey and interviews. Unfortunately, due to the conclusion of the project, this tool is no longer being supported. Please see the MIDAS Database for the dataset used in the tool, as it is still available for use.

Public Safety User Interface R&D Roadmap 
April 2017 
Authors: Harris Feldman, Marc Leh, Ryan Felts, Jeb Benson 
DOI: https://doi.org/10.6028/NIST.TN.1961

Usability Handbook for Public Safety Communications 
May 30, 2017 
Authors:  Yee-Yin Choong, Shanée Dawkins, Kristen Greene, Brian Stanton, and Ryan Winpigler 
DOI: https://doi.org/10.6028/NIST.HB.161

Incident Scenarios Collection for Public Safety Communications Research 
June 12, 2017 
Authors:  Yee-Yin Choong, Shanée Dawkins, Kristen Greene, and Mary F. Theofanos 
DOI: https://doi.org/10.6028/NIST.IR.8181  

Public Safety User Interface R&D Summit Report 
March 16, 2018 
Authors: Scott A. Legerwood, Marc Leh 
URL: https://tsapps.nist.gov/publication/get_pdf.cfm?pub_id=924773 

Voices of First Responders – Identifying Public Safety Communication Problems: Findings from User-Centered Interviews, Phase 1, Volume 1
July 31, 2018
Authors:  Yee-Yin Choong, Shanée Dawkins, Susanne M. Furman, Kristen Greene, Sandra S. Prettyman, and Mary F. Theofanos
DOI: https://doi.org/10.6028/NIST.IR.8216  View the infographic of this report here.

Voices of First Responders – Examining Public Safety Communication Problems and Requested Functionality, Phase 1, Volume 2.1
May 15, 2019
Authors:  Shanée Dawkins, Yee-Yin Choong, Mary F. Theofanos, Kristen Greene, Susanne M. Furman, Michelle P. Steves, Sandra S. Prettyman
DOI: https://doi.org/10.6028/NIST.IR.8245

Voices of First Responders – Examining Public Safety Communication from the Rural Perspective, Phase 1, Volume 3
November 25, 2019
Authors:  Kristen Greene, Shanée Dawkins, Mary F. Theofanos, Michelle P. Steves, Susanne M. Furman, Yee-Yin Choong, and Sandra S. Prettyman
DOI: https://doi.org/10.6028/NIST.IR.8277  View the infographic of this report here.

Voices of First Responders – Nationwide Public Safety Communication Survey Methodology: Development, Dissemination, and Demographics, Phase 2, Volume 1 
March 20, 2020
Authors:  Kristen K. Greene, Shanée Dawkins, Sandra S. Prettyman, Pamela Konkol, Mary F. Theofanos, Kevin Mangold, Susanne Furman, Yee-Yin Choong, and Michelle Steves
DOI: https://doi.org/10.6028/NIST.IR.8288

Voices of First Responders – Examining Public Safety Communication from the Perspective of 9-1-1 Call Takers and Dispatchers, Phase 1, Volume 4 
March 24, 2020
Authors:  Michelle P. Steves, Mary F. Theofanos, Yee-Yin Choong, Shanée Dawkins, Susanne M. Furman, Kristen Greene, and Sandra S. Prettyman
DOI: https://doi.org/10.6028/NIST.IR.8295

Voices of First Responders – Nationwide Public Safety Communication Survey Findings: Mobile Devices, Applications, and Futuristic Technology, Phase 2, Volume 2 
August 27, 2020
Authors:  Shanée Dawkins, Kristen K. Greene, and Sandra S. Prettyman
DOI: https://doi.org/10.6028/NIST.IR.8314  View the Infographic of this report here.

Voices of First Responders – Applying Human Factors & Ergonomics Knowledge to Improve the Usability of Public Safety Communications Technology, Phase 1, Volume 5
February 11, 2021
Authors:  Yee-Yin Choong, and Gavriel Slavendy
DOI: https://doi.org/10.6028/NIST.IR.8340

Voices of First Responders – Nationwide Public Safety Communication Survey Findings: Day-to-Day Technology, Phase 2, Volume 3
October 15, 2021
Authors:  Shanée Dawkins, Kristen K. Greene, and Sandra S. Prettyman
DOI: https://doi.org/10.6028/NIST.IR.8314

Augmented Reality (AR) Usability Evaluation Framework: The Case of Public Safety Communications Research
April 2022
Authors: Yee-Yin Choong, Kurtis Goad, Kevin C. Mangold
DOI: https://doi.org/10.6028/NIST.IR.8422

Voices of First Responders -- Nationwide Public Safety Communications Survey Findings: Statistical Analysis Results Phase 4, Volume 2 
November 21, 2022
Authors: Adam L. Pintar, Kerrianne Buchanan, Yee-Yin Choong
DOI: https://doi.org/10.6028/NIST.IR.8444

Voices of First Responders: How to Facilitate Adoption and Usage of Communication Technology - An Integrated Analysis of Qualitative and Quantitative Findings 
November 28, 2022
Authors: Yee-Yin Choong, Kerrianne Buchanan, Shanee Dawkins, Sandra Spickard Prettyman
DOI: https://doi.org/10.6028/NIST.IR.8443

Voices of First Responders: Discipline-specific NIST Special Publications
January 2023
Authors: NIST PSCR Usability Team: Shanée Dawkins, Yee-Yin Choong, Kerrianne Buchanan, Sandra Spickard-Prettyman
Communication Center & 9-1-1 Dispatch: https://doi.org/10.6028/NIST.SP.1286pt1
Emergency Medical Services: https://doi.org/10.6028/NIST.SP.1286pt2
Fire Service: https://doi.org/10.6028/NIST.SP.1286pt3
Law Enforcement: https://doi.org/10.6028/NIST.SP.1286pt4

Presentations

PSCR 2021: Make Technology Usable - Operational Human Factors and Ergonomics Guidelines
September 28, 2021
Authors:  Yee-Yin Choong, Gavriel Salvendy

PSCR 2021: Design Technology Incorporating the Voices of First Responders - Now is the Time!
September 28, 2021
Authors:  Shanée Dawkins, Kerrianne Buchanan, Yee-Yin Choong, Kurtis Goad, Sandra Spickard Prettyman

PSCR 2021: Pecha Kucha Portfolio Overviews
September 28, 2021
Author:  Yee-Yin Choong
pp 22-24

PSCR 2020_7000+ First Responders Have More to Say: Nationwide Usability Survey Results at Your Fingertips 
October 29, 2020
Authors:  Yee-Yin Choong, Shanée Dawkins

7000+ First Responders Have Something to Say: Are We Answering the Call?
October 25, 2021
Authors: Kristen Greene, Mary Theofanos, Yee-Yin Choong, Sandra Spickard Prettyman, Pamela Konkol

2018 Stakeholder Presentations, Day 3, Room 30C 
October 16, 2018
Authors:  Mary F. Theofanos, Yee-Yin Choong, Shanée Dawkins, Kristen Greene, Sandra S. Prettyman
pp. 1-31

User Driven Approach: Identifying Communications and Data Needs from Station to Scene
September 4, 2017
Authors:  Mary Theofanos, Yee-Yin Choong, Shanée Dawkins, Kristen Greene, Ryan Winpigler, Sandra Spickard Prettyman
pp. 119-160

User Interface Roadmapping for Public Safety Mobilizing the Future from Interface to Experience
September 15, 2016
Author:  Mary Theofanos
pp. 22-25

Other Reports & Publications

Current Problems, Future Needs: Voices of First Responders About Communication Technology
July 27, 2021
Authors:  Kerrianne Buchanan, Shanée Dawkins, Yee-Yin Choong, Mary Theofanos, Kristen Greene, Susanne M. Furman, Sandra S. Prettyman

What Futuristic Technology Means for First Responders: Voices from the Field
July 3, 2021
Authors:  Shanée Dawkins, Kerrianne Buchanan, Yee-Yin Choong, Kristen Greene

How NIST is Helping First Responders Stay Connected
January 6, 2021
Authors:  Shanée Dawkins

Public Safety Communication User Needs: Voices of First Responders 
September 25, 2018
Author(s):  Shanée Dawkins, Kristen Greene, Michelle P. Steves, Mary F. Theofanos, Yee-Yin Choong, Susanne M. Furman, Sandra S. Prettyman

Towards Developing Standardized Usability Evaluation Methodology for Public Safety Communications Technology: A User-Centered Approach 
June 14, 2018
Authors:  Kristen Greene, Shanée Dawkins, Yee-Yin Choong, Mary F. Theofanos, Sandra S. Prettyman, Susanne M. Furman, Michelle P. Steves

Incident Scenarios Collection for Public Safety Communications Research: Framing the Context of Use 
June 12, 2017
Authors:  Yee-Yin Choong, Shanée Dawkins, Kristen Greene, Mary F. Theofanos

Usability Handbook for Public Safety Communications - Ensuring Successful Systems for First Responders 
May 30, 2017
Authors:  Mary F. Theofanos, Yee-Yin Choong, Shanée Dawkins, Kristen Greene, Brian C. Stanton, Ryan E. Winpigler

Usability and Security Considerations for Public Safety Mobile Authentication 
July 27, 2016
Authors:  Yee-Yin Choong, Joshua M. Franklin, Kristen Greene