Philadelphia-based International Business System Design Consultancy, Electronic Ink, Featured in Upcoming Exhibition at The Museum of Modern Art

PHILADELPHIA, July 12, 2011 /PRNewswire/ -- Electronic Ink, a Philadelphia-based international business system design consultancy, announced today that its award-winning 911 Command Center Radio Control Application design will be showcased in Talk to Me: Design and the Communication between People and Objects, an exhibition at The Museum of Modern Art (MoMA) in New York City, on view from July 24 through November 7, 2011. Organized by Paola Antonelli, Senior Curator, and Kate Carmody, Curatorial Assistant, in MoMA's Department of Architecture and Design, the exhibition features contributions from all over the world.

The groundbreaking interface addresses one of the biggest issues facing 911 dispatchers – communications interoperability, an easy way for police, fire, EMS, and others to communicate over radio. Cities across the United States have spent billions on technology upgrades only to receive systems that are confusing and complicated. The situation led the Government Accountability Office to conduct a study in 2007, researching and identifying significant measures necessary to improve first responders' communications interoperability (http://www.gao.gov/products/GAO-07-301).

By employing a design process that considers the dispatchers and their needs first and foremost, Electronic Ink designed a new interface that vastly improved inter-department communication.

Approaching interoperability from a design perspective solved many of the issues that public safety officials have struggled with for the last decade. Callers are now given screen prominence when actively talking. System-generated display gestures distinguish between officers, firefighters and medics and their availability or engagement. A dark color palette prevents eye strain that affects dispatchers commonly working in dark environments.

"Designers spot ways to make the technology work for the people using it," said Harold Hambrose, CEO and Founder of Electronic Ink and Author of Wrench in the System: What's sabotaging your business software and how you can release the power to innovate (John Wiley & Sons).  "We are very proud to showcase Philadelphia's leadership in improving safety through technology," Hambrose shared.

This design transformed dispatcher software by improving speed, clarity, and communication between emergency response teams. The application design was previously awarded "Design Distinction" by I.D.  Magazine's 2008 Annual Design Review.

About Electronic Ink

Electronic Ink is an international business system design consultancy dedicated to improving the way people interact with technology, environments and one another. With a team of thought leaders based in Europe and North America, Electronic Ink is the firm retained by some of the best-known organizations in the world.

For more than 20 years, Electronic Ink's solutions have earned superior results for the world's most notable brands in energy, financial services, health care, media and government. Across all categories, clients continue to select Electronic Ink for its proven ability to impact efficiency and maximize productivity. For more information about the company, visit www.electronicink.com.

SOURCE Electronic Ink