Internet-Based Error Reporting Systems: Usability is Power

Abstract

Error reporting systems have been around for many decades, in domains such as aerospace, with great success. In contrast, domains such as health care have resisted broad-based systems, due in part to cultural issues and fear of litigation. A recurring issue in the development of all of these systems is usability. Usability affects the development, growth, usage, and sustainability of error-reporting systems in many ways. As these systems migrate to the Internet and become more broadly accessible, usability will become a dominant factor in system success. Whether the system is publicly accessible, Intranet-based behind a company firewall, or semi-private and managed through a government agency or non-governmental organization, some usability issues will apply to all systems and others will shift in importance. This paper applies an existing knowledge management model to the analysis of error reporting systems, highlighting the significant impact and necessity of usability on the success of error-reporting systems, using examples from a variety of domains.