From spreadsheets to interfaces: redesigning clinical variable definition through interactive workflows

Abstract

Spreadsheets remain a common but fragile foundation for clinical data management, often leading to errors and inefficiencies in defining and collecting structured variables. This paper presents a user-centered redesign of the variable definition workflow in a platform for managing structured clinical data and medical images. The proposed solution replaces manual spreadsheet-based schema creation with an interactive web interface that enables users to define, categorize, and reuse variables more effectively. It also introduces automated generation of validated spreadsheet templates based on the platform’s internal schema, reducing the likelihood of formatting and semantic errors during data entry. A revised workflow illustrates the improved process, and the system addresses key usability issues previously identified through heuristic evaluations. Remaining limitations, such as continued reliance on offline data entry, are discussed, along with future work directions that include usability validation and AI-assisted variable generation.