Module manager: Ruth Evans
Email: r.p.evans@leeds.ac.uk
Taught: Semester 2 (Jan to Jun) View Timetable
Year running 2025/26
As per programme entry requirements
This module is not approved as an Elective
Behind any dataset and using any digital health system, are people. They are responsible for designing systems, for entering data, for interpreting it and acting on the information. This module uses concepts and research from a range of disciplines to show why data is never just numbers and that health data science needs to be about respecting limitations as well as making the most of opportunities. The module will explore safety and usability, as well as stakeholder involvement and behaviour change.
The purpose of the module is to:
- Introduce students to the key principles of human factors as applied to health care systems and health data science, and the varied roles of different stakeholders.
- Enable students to understand the connections between usability, safety and error in data and systems.
- Enable students to critically appraise behaviour change interventions and understand the function of processes and workarounds.
On successful completion of the module students will have demonstrated the following learning outcomes relevant to the subject:
1- Describe the various ways bias, gaps and errors may be introduced into data, and consider how these might be mitigated.
2- Articulate how designing for safety can mitigate errors in digital health systems; critically appraise how and why errors occur and how frameworks may be applied to aid understanding.
3- Describe how usability design concepts can affect the effective use of systems and data, and critically evaluate system design based on these principles.
4- Critically appraise interventions for behaviour change and the ways they may be evaluated.
5- Critically analyse pathways and workflow, including workarounds, and potential impact on care.
6- Explain how different stakeholders (e.g. patients, carers, clinical and non-clinical staff) may be included in the design and implementation of systems or interventions.
Skills Learning Outcomes
On successful completion of the module students will have demonstrated the following skills learning outcomes:
1- Demonstrate imaginative thinking and creative ideas for improvement, in the context of digital health implementation
2- Explain clearly how parts of a complex system interact in relation to health care delivery
3- Effectively communicate ideas to others through written explanation and graphical representation
Understanding context: modelling care processes, workarounds, the clinical user experience
Human-centred design, usability evaluation and understanding stakeholders
Errors and safety in complex systems
Behaviour change
Human factors implications for data provenance
| Delivery type | Number | Length hours | Student hours |
|---|---|---|---|
| Lecture | 18 | 1 | 18 |
| Practical | 1 | 2 | 2 |
| Seminar | 10 | 1 | 10 |
| Independent online learning hours | 4 | ||
| Private study hours | 116 | ||
| Total Contact hours | 30 | ||
| Total hours (100hr per 10 credits) | 150 | ||
Lectures and seminars will be interactive, including group discussion and problem-based exercises. There will be plenty of opportunity for rapid face-to-face feedback and clarification from the tutors during classes.
There will be a group presentation, prepared as a group learning task and delivered by students at the end of the teaching week. This will be based on a similar task to the summative report and provides an opportunity for verbal feedback from staff and peers.
A draft outline of the written coursework will be submitted for formative assessment, so students will gain individual feedback directly applicable to their preparation for the summative work.
| Assessment type | Notes | % of formal assessment |
|---|---|---|
| Coursework | Formative - Group presentation | 0 |
| Coursework | Formative - Draft outline of summative report (500 words) | 0 |
| Coursework | Summative - Summative report, based around reviewing a digital tool used in clinical practice (2,500 words, plus appropriate figures and diagrams) | 100 |
| Total percentage (Assessment Coursework) | 100 | |
Students who fail the first attempt at the summative coursework will be offered an opportunity to resubmit. The resubmission will take the same format as the first attempt.
The reading list is available from the Library website
Last updated: 08/05/2025
Errors, omissions, failed links etc should be notified to the Catalogue Team