WO2006042417A1

WO2006042417A1 - Graphical interface for repetitive data entry and data visualization

Info

Publication number: WO2006042417A1
Application number: PCT/CA2005/001622
Authority: WO
Inventors: Mary Louise Jackson; Evan Lee Jackson Willms
Original assignee: Mary Louise Jackson; Evan Lee Jackson Willms
Priority date: 2004-10-20
Filing date: 2005-10-20
Publication date: 2006-04-27

Abstract

A method, apparatus, and system for entering repetitive data pertaining to a domain are described. A graphical interface is provided through which the user is able to continuously move, passing over data elements to select them. Most common data elements are arranged on one axis and a secondary axis is created according to domain specific variables. When entering data one gains feedback according to each of these axes and also creates a graphical pattern which presents a visual summary. Previously entered data can be retrieved and displayed on an electronic display. Multiple entries viewed simultaneously provide visual summation of data and data associations.

Description

GRAPHICAL INTERFACE FOR REPETITIVE DATA ENTRY AND

DATA VISUALIZATION

Cross-reference to Related Applications

This application claims priority from United States provisional application no. 60/619,956 filed October 20, 2004, which is pending.

Technical Field

This invention relates generally to data entry interfaces and methods for capturing and reviewing data. More specifically, the invention describes a graphical user interface on paper or displayed on or by an electronic device, which is appropriate for frequent, rapid entry of enumerated data and review of the data captured.

Background

The widespread adoption of electronic records has highlighted the bottleneck in data entry, especially in situations where time efficiency is a goal.

Traditional data entry methods use drop down menus, default values and radio buttons for enumerated entry fields. Data entry remains tedious, time consuming and potentially error prone. Default fields may not be confirmed by users and data fields maybe omitted, creating inaccurate and incomplete data sets. Users who are experienced and very familiar with the data elements in their domain can use more demanding interfaces in exchange for added value of feedback about the data which they have entered.

In domain specific applications, data entered often falls within a con- strained set of observations from an event. Users are experienced and highly familiar with the process of entry and the data elements in the domain. What is required is a user interface that provides a tool for frequent, rapid entry of constrained, enumerated observations which avoids defaults and ensures that all data elements are entered and offers useful feedback about the event to the user. The foregoing examples of the related art and limitations related thereto are intended to be illustrative and not exclusive. Other limitations of the related art will become apparent to those of skill in the art upon a reading of the specification and a study of the drawings.

Summary

The following embodiments and aspects thereof are described and illustrated in conjunction with systems, tools and methods which are meant to be exemplary and illustrative, not limiting in scope. In various embodiments, one or more of the above-described problems have been reduced or eliminated, while other embodiments are directed to other improvements.

The invention therefore provides a system and method for a user to enter data pertaining to a domain, comprising: a) providing a graphical interface comprising a plurality of discrete, linearly aligned rows of spatial elements, each spatial element marked to represent a data option, the data options within each linearly aligned row being mutually exclusive, wherein each row is aligned parallel to a first axis; b) the user selecting a set of data options by continuously passing over individual spatial elements in each successive row to thereby select the set of data options thereby moving over successive rows in a direction having a component perpendicular to the first axis; wherein selection of a data option results in a spatial element being visually indicated, the selection of data options thereby creating a graphical pattern on the interface. According to one aspect the rows are shifted such that the data option which is the statistical mode of each row is located on a common axis perpendicular to the first axis. The data options may be ordered qualitatively within each said row with respect to a domain-specific criterion. The first axis may horizontal. The graphical interface may be a sheet of paper or an electronic interface such as a computer screen.

The invention described herein pertains to a data entry process, which is efficient for the frequent entry of constrained observations and review of data by experienced users who are domain experts. In one embodiment a user interface with rows of horizontally arranged data elements is described. The flow of the work process for the user is supported by enumerating all options for a data element in a horizontal row, with the set of horizontal data elements tiled vertically down a page. The data options are ordered qualitatively within the row with respect to a domain-specific criterion along the horizontal axis. Horizontal rows are shifted such that the option that is the statistical mode of each row is placed a on a vertical axis common to all displayed rows.

A user can select options by continuously moving down the page, passing through a single option for each data element. Alternatively, individual options may be selected independently, in an additive or exclusive manner as determined by element properties.

A leading cursor can be used to visually assist the user to read down the vertical expanse of the page.

In the graphical interface, a method is presented such that upon a continuous entry process, feedback is obtained as data is entered. The sequence of data elements selected creates a pattern. A selection of all the most common data options will according to one embodiment create a pattern that is a single vertical line down the page. The selection pattern gives a visual overview of the qualitative property of the pattern as defined by the horizontal axis. The selection pattern also gives a visual indication of the commonality of the pattern by the deviation from the vertical axis. A data set may be retrieved from storage and have its pattern displayed on the interface. Multiple patterns may be overlaid on a single interface to provide both quantitative and qualitative comparisons.

In addition to the exemplary aspects and embodiments described above, further aspects and embodiments will become apparent by reference to the drawings and by study of the following detailed descriptions.

Brief Description of Drawings Exemplary embodiments are illustrated in referenced figures of the drawings. It is intended that the embodiments and figures disclosed herein are to be considered illustrative rather than restrictive

FIG. 1 shows an exemplary interface in the form of a sheet of paper for data entry in a vision rehabilitation domain.

FIG. 2 shows an illustration of the data entry process for selecting a sequence of data elements in accordance with an embodiment of the invention displayed on a computer screen.

FIG.3 and 4 are views of computer screens as shown in Fig.2 illustrating different data sets each of which would provide feedback during data entry and summary after data has been entered.

FIG. 5 shows a summary of multiple data sets in accordance with the embodi¬ ment of the invention as shown in Fig. 2.

FIG. 6 shows a summary of many data sets using an intensity map.

Description

Reference will now be made in detail to a preferred embodiment of the invention. An example of the preferred embodiment is illustrated in the accompa- ny ing drawings . Well known elements may not have been shown or described in detail to avoid unnecessarily obscuring the disclosure. Accordingly, the description and drawings are to be regarded in an illustrative, rather than a restrictive, sense. While the invention will be described in conjunction with a preferred embodiment, it will be understood that it is not intended to limit the invention to one preferred embodiment. To the contrary, it is intended to cover alternatives, modifications, and equivalents as may be included within the scope of the invention as defined by the appended claims. With the rapid advancement in the ability to capture data, domains such as healthcare have great advantage to be realized by holding accurate and complete data, which can be reviewed to assess and direct interventions. Obtaining feedback as data is being entered empowers the user to create new knowledge and this can direct subsequent formal data mining. Therefore the invention described herein is well suited for providing an efficient and value added user interface for entering repetitive data elements.

In one embodiment, shown in Fig. 1, a strategically ordered graphical user interface on a sheet of paper 100 is provided that facilitates a user data entry procedure. The user can group and organize data elements in two dimensions. In this embodiment, each data element is presented as a horizontal row of options, for example, the top line of Fig. 1 is a data string of patient age (101). Data elements are grouped such that each grouping is composed of mutually exclusive options, so that only one selection is made per group. The vertical axis is used for sequencing of entry and the horizontal axis is used to qualitatively indicate medical wellness, decreasing from left to right. In Fig. 1 , for example, the visual acuity row (102) has 6/6 on the left, which is normal vision and NLP representing no-light- perception on the right, which is the poorest visual function. Furthermore, each horizontal row has the modally common element placed centrally. For example, A on the diagnosis row (103) represents age related macular degeneration which is the most common diagnosis and therefore, is centered in the diagnosis row. The most common data set that occurs on the interface is a series of selections straight down the center horizontal axis (see line 201 in Fig. 2).

In the embodiment shown in Fig. 1 , the organized data elements are printed by the application onto a standard sheet of paper 100. The same data elements may be presented in the same layout as the computer screen application in Fig. 2, however positional calibration and identification marks 104 are added. Data options can now be selected by crossing the descriptor with a visible marking implement like a pencil which passes over the option such that the mark starts at the top and continues to the bottom of a data option 105. One can sequentially pass over several data choices, therefore the entire sheet can be completed (one selection per grouping) with a single drawn line. Should an incorrect option be marked, the selection can be nullified by marking the option across the horizontal (106), and selecting another option in the grouping with a vertical mark (107). The marked sheet is then scanned and captured in digital form. The digital image is then automatically evaluated with the assistance of the printed calibration marks (104) and the data set is exported to a database.

In a second embodiment the interface is presented electronically (Fig. 2) on an electronic screen 200 or touch screen and exported to a database as required. In this particular embodiment, a continuous movement selects data in all fields to represent a portion of the work process such as one portion of the medical exam. A leading cursor 301 (Fig. 3), 'speed reading cursor' or other graphical prompt may be used to assist and encourage the user to continuously read down the center of the screen. The user input device is typically a mouse or a stylus. The path of the mouse or stylus leaves the image of a line, such as 201 or 403 (Fig. 4), on the screen display. Data options which are not selected (401) are differentiated from those selected (402), for example, by highlighting the selected data option. Entering all data creates a graphical image which is a summary of the data set and apparent with visual appraisal of selected data elements and/or a line 403 drawn through all of the selected data options.. This view of the graphical interface allows for both specific quantitative checks on single data options 402 as well as overall qualitative data impressions indicated by the path of the inclusive line 403. In the electronic embodiment of the invention, a subset only of the groupings may be displayed, based on the selection of the user.

Fig. 3 and 4 present contrasting data. Fig. 3 presents data from a patient with better visual functioning and the summary line 302 passing to the left side of the graphical interface, while Figure 4 presents a summary line passing to the right side representing poorer visual functioning. Furthermore, multiple data sets can be consecutively superimposed on a single interface, each with their respective lines, or retrieved from memory in the electronic embodiment onto a single interface, allowing the user to gain knowledge from past data entries.

Various methods can be used by the user to display historical data to reflect the method by which the data was entered and preserve the visual advantages of the described data entry method. Figure 5 illustrates display of two data sets on a single electronic interface. In this embodiment, two visits of the same patient are displayed, the initial consult displayed by a path 501 in a first color such as red, and the one year follow up by a path 502 in a second color such as blue. Options present in both paths are marked with a blending of path colors, in this case purple, at 503. The blue path 502 is generally to the right of the red path, visually indicating that this patient's medical well-being has decreased over time, as defined by the qualitative horizontal axis. In another embodiment, the interface could be used to filter the displayed data sets by selecting a particular option. Multiple selections from the same data option would be considered as Boolean OR filters whereas selections in separate options would be considered as Boolean AND filters. Thus, for example, a user may determine the number of times a particular data option has been selected in the course of multiple data entries.

While the display of multiple data sets as in Fig. 5 can be extended to more than two data sets, the information can become difficult to read if displayed in that way, in which case a further method of display using intensity mapping as illustrated in Fig. 6 maybe used. Fig. 6 illustrates display of multiple data sets on a single electronic interface. In this embodiment, a large number of data sets are accessed, and display is filtered by selection of a single option, in this case whether the patient has fallen as marked by option 601, which could be colored purple for example. That is, the user can select only the data sets in which option 601 has been selected by selecting that option. Other data options are then color coded as to how many of the selected data sets also include them. Data options 602 that appear in many of the filtered data sets (e.g. >10) may be indicated by a color such as red. Data options 603 that appear in some of the filtered data sets (e.g. 5 -10) may be indicated in a color such as orange, and data options 604 that appear in a few of the filtered data sets (e.g. 1-4) may be indicated in a color such as green. Data options 605 that appear in none of the filtered data sets may be indicated in a default color such as cream.

Thus data is entered by selecting data options and data options may be selected or unselected by goal crossing. Multiple data options may be selected continuously by crossing multiple goals. All the options selected in an interface compose a single data set.

Data entered electronically in this way may be displayed at a location to personnel other than the person who entered the data and may be displayed on a different user interface than the one on which the data was entered. The data is thus stored and retrieved to be reviewed on the interface described above, which thus allows the viewing party to select desired data composites and quickly interpret the data using to the visual clues described above.

Thus the data entry process provides feedback while entering, creates an image for review or summation, and then can either allow the data map to be scanned from the paper format or in the electronic format allow data options to be exported as desired. By tracing a path through selected options in an interface, the path creates a composite visual summary of the selected options in relation to the axial properties. Thus the graphical interface presents enumerated groupings of data options for interaction, wherein the organization of data options is by multiple axes. The axial distance of an option conveys additional information about the option.

According to either embodiment of the invention, a row of data options is not required to be labeled, or fully described in words. Single syllable data labels facilitate 'reading' quickly down the central vertical corridor as in speed reading techniques. Also, a data option may be represented by a user- recognized abbreviation or pictogram rather than a full textual description. The organization of the data elements on any axis can be altered, but the organization of the data elements on any axis is preferably determined by evaluating the property being measured on that axis. When required or desired, review of past data selections can be utilized to improve the arrangement of data elements.

The electronic interface described above can be displayed on a tablet computing device and data selection process can be conducted with a pen based selector, or on a computer with a pointing device such as a mouse. The same interface and data selection process can be conducted with a touch sensitive display using a finger to make selections. The same interface and data selection process can be conducted with the interface printed to paper, marked with pen, and later captured by scanning technology. The same interface and data selection process can be conducted with a projected screen, in a heads-up or surface projection format, with selection made by a remote pointing or gyroscopic gesturing device.

The electronic interface described above can also be used to retrieve from memory and passively display previously entered data on any suitable electronic display, including computer screen, personal digital assistant, cell-phone, projector, or a heads-up display, to permit individuals to subsequently view stored data sets in the same advantageous way. For example, an emergency room physician can wear a heads-up display, and he is able to view a display of patients' data which has been previously entered on the interface as described above to thereby quickly understand the significance of the previously-entered data, without any need to enter data himself.

While a number of exemplary aspects and embodiments have been discussed above, those of skill in the art will recognize certain modifications, permutations, additions and sub-combinations thereof. It is therefore intended that the following appended claims and claims hereafter introduced are interpreted to include all such modifications, permutations, additions and sub-combinations as are within their scope.

Claims

WHAT IS CLAIMED IS:

1. A method for a user to enter data pertaining to a domain, comprising: a) providing a graphical interface comprising a plurality of discrete, linearly aligned rows of spatial elements, each spatial element marked to represent a data option, said data options within each linearly aligned row being mutually exclusive, wherein each row is aligned parallel to a first axis; b) said user selecting a set of data options by continuously passing over individual spatial elements in each successive row to thereby select said set of data options thereby moving over successive rows in a direction having a component perpendicular to said first axis; wherein selection of a data option results in a spatial element being visually indicated, said selection of data options thereby creating a graphical pattern on said interface.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein rows are shifted such that the data option which is the statistical mode of each row is located on a common axis perpendicular to said first axis.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein data options are ordered qualitatively within each said row with respect to a domain-specific criterion.

4. The method of claim 1 wherein said first axis is horizontal.

5. The method of claim 1 wherein said graphical interface is a sheet of paper.

6. The method of claim 1 wherein a spatial element is visually indicated by marking with a device for marking paper.

7. The method of claim 1 wherein said graphical interface is an electronic display.

8. The method of claim 7 wherein said data options are selected by move¬ ment of a cursor.

9. The method of claim 7 wherein said data options are selected by move¬ ment of a computer mouse.

10. The method of claim 7 wherein said electronic display is a heads-up display.

11. A system for a user to enter data pertaining to a domain comprising a display comprising a plurality of discrete, linearly aligned rows of spatial elements, each spatial element marked to represent a data option, said data options within each linearly aligned row being mutually exclusive, wherein each row is aligned parallel to a first axis; whereby said user selects a set of data options by continuously passing over individual spatial elements in each successive row to thereby select said set of data options thereby moving over successive rows in a direction having a component perpendicular to said first axis; and wherein selection of a data option results in a spatial element being visually indicated, said selection of data options thereby creating a graphical pattern on said interface.

12. The system of claim 11 wherein rows are shifted such that the data option which is the statistical mode of each row is located on a common axis perpendicular to said first axis.

13. The system of claim 11 wherein data options are ordered qualitatively within each said row with respect to a domain-specific criterion.

14. The system of claim 11 wherein said first axis is horizontal.

15. The system of claim 11 wherein said graphical interface is a sheet of paper.

16. The system of claim 11 wherein a spatial element is visually indicated by marking with a device for marking paper.

17. The system of claim 11 wherein said graphical interface is an electronic display.

18. The system of claim 17 wherein said data options are selected by movement of a cursor.

19. The system of claim 17 wherein said data options are selected by movement of a computer mouse.

20. The system of claim 17 wherein said electronic display is a heads-up display.

21. An electronic display for displaying data pertaining to a domain comprising aplurality of discrete, linearly aligned rows of spatial elements, each spatial element marked to represent a data option, said data options within each linearly aligned row being mutually exclusive, wherein each row is aligned parallel to a first axis; wherein selected data options are indicated by the associated spatial element being visually indicated, said selection of data options thereby creating a graphical pattern on said interface, and wherein rows are shifted such that the data option which is the statistical mode of each row is located on a common axis perpendicular to said first axis and data options are ordered qualitatively within each said row with respect to a domain- specific criterion.

22. The electronic display of claim 21 wherein said first axis is horizontal.

23. The electronic display of claim 21 wherein said electronic display is a heads-up display.