Using testing techniques to classify user interface designs

Number entry systems in medical devices such as infusion pumps are used to input drug doses that will be administered to patients. They are safety critical since if the drug dose is too high or too low, this may cause harm to patients. Previous work shows that number entry systems with the same hardware layout can have software that is implemented in different ways. This means that devices with the same hardware layout may lead to different results after the same keystrokes are pressed. Previous work also shows that choosing the best software implementation over the worst can reduce the likelihood of human error eight-fold in directional number entry systems. Determining whether a software implementation abides by the requirements is a time consuming task for regulatory bodies and hospital procurement departments. In this paper we show how software testing techniques can be used to classify various software implementations in order to determine whether the given number entry system satisfies specifications.