Optimization of User Interfaces in the Digitization of Paper-Based Processes: A Case Study of a Mobile Aviation Application

Many companies across several industries have made the switch from paper to electronic documentation with the goals of improving efficiency, lowering costs, and providing employees with ways to easily access important information all at their fingertips. In the aviation industry, Electronic Flight Bags (EFBs) have transformed all required inflight, paper documentation into digital formats that are easily accessible to pilots on the flight deck. Unfortunately, in the development of first generation EFB documentation applications, and many other document-rich applications in industry, little attention has been paid to human factors design principles, resulting in applications that are inefficient and can burden user performance. This paper describes a usability analysis that was performed on a current EFB application used by a major U.S. air carrier, and provides redesign recommendations to increase usability of the EFB and streamline pilot performance. These results provide insight into potential problems to avoid in future flight deck application design, as well as for applications that serve to digitize paper-based process. Additionally, the results provide guidelines to help ensure effective and efficient user interfaces.