Meet Beth
Beth Loring
Founder and Principal Consultant
Beth is a Certified Human Factors Professional (CHFP) with over 30 years of experience in product design and usability. She is the founder and principal at Loring Human Factors, which she started in 2016.
Beth leads the team in conducting user research, leading usability studies, and advising device manufacturers on the human factors components of their FDA and CE Mark regulatory submissions.
Beth holds an MS in Engineering Design and a BS in Engineering Psychology from Tufts University. She is a member of the AAMI Human Factors Standards Committee and is on the editorial review boards for Ergonomics in Design, Journal of User Experience, and Journal of Human Factors in Healthcare. She is also co-author of the book Moderating Usability Tests: Principles and Practices for Interacting.
When she's not managing the company or leading research, you'll find Beth on Cape Cod, boating, cycling, gardening or hiking.
Areas of Expertise
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Medical device HF regulatory compliance
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User research
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User interface design
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Usability testing
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Ergonomics and anthropometrics
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Risk management
“There’s no excuse for bad design.”
~Beth Loring
Books
CO-AUTHOR
Moderating Usability Tests
Principles and Practices for Interacting
by Joe Dumas and Beth Loring
Available at
CONTRIBUTOR
Contextual Inquiry for Medical Device Design
by Mary Beth Privitera
Available at
Usability in Practice: How Companies Develop User-Friendly Products
by Michael E. Wiklund
Available at
Understanding Your Users
A Practical Guide to User Requirements
by Kathy Baxter & Catherine Courage
Available at
Publications & Presentations
Human Factors for Health Equity: A Case Study in Inclusive Medtech Design with Organizations in Low- and Middle-Income Countries (LMICs)
Johansen, E., and Loring, B. (2023)
Presented at the HFES 2023 International Symposium on Human Factors and Ergonomics in Health Care, Orlando, FL.
Conducting UX Interviews During a Clinical Trial
Loring, B. (2022)
Presented at the HFES 2022 International Symposium on Human Factors and Ergonomics in Health Care, New Orleans, LA.
Preventing Harm from Fluoroscopically Guided Interventional Procedures with a Risk-Based Analysis Approach
Justinvil, G. et al (2019)
Journal of the American College of Radiology; 2019:16-1144-1152, published by Elsevier.
Recruiting Patients with Rare Diseases and Their Caregivers
Loring, B. and Wan, J. (2017)
Presented at the HFES 2017 International Symposium on Human Factors and Ergonomics in Health Care, New Orleans, LA.
Healthcare Facility Access Challenges for Conducting User Research
Loring, B. et al. (2017)
Panel discussion moderated at the HFES 2017 International Symposium on Human Factors and Ergonomics in Health Care, New Orleans, LA.
The IRB Melee
Reed, L., Loring, B. & Privitera, M.B. (2014)
Panel discussion moderated at the IDSA Medical Design Conference, Tampa, FL.
Visualizing Surgical Procedures
Rudolph, J. and Loring, B. (2013)
Poster presented at the HFES 2013 International Symposium of Human Factors and Ergonomics in Health Care, Baltimore, MD.
Watch the Sterile Field – Conducting Research in the OR
Loring, B. and Rudolph, J. (2013)
Proceedings of the Boston UXPA Chapter, 12th Annual Conference, Boston, MA.
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Usability in Medical Product Development – Farm’s Approach
Loring, B (2011)
Presented at the seminar, “Use only the users and create useful products” Copenhagen, Denmark.
Conducting Research in the Operating Room
Loring, B and Rudolph, J. (2011)
Proceedings of the Usability Professionals Association 20th Annual Conference. UPA: Bloomingdale, IL.
Usability Testing for FDA Validation
Loring, B. (2010)
Proceedings of the Boston Usability Professionals Association Chapter, 9th Annual Conference, Waltham, MA.
User Research Improves Laparoscopic Instruments
Loring, B. and Lemieux, E. (2009)
Ergonomics in Design, Vol. 17, No. 4, Fall 2009. The Human Factors and Ergonomics Society, Santa Monica, CA.
How Research Informs Medical Device Design
Loring, B. and Anderson, R. (2009)
Proceedings of the Boston Usability Professionals Association Chapter, 8th Annual Conference, Waltham, MA.
Conducting Field Studies with Older Adults
Engdahl, K., Leclerc, K. and Loring, B. (2009)
User Experience, Vol. 8, Issue 1. UPA: Bloomingdale, IL.
Moderating Usability Tests: 10 Golden Rules
Dumas, J. and Loring, B. (2008)
Proceedings of the Boston Usability Professionals Association Chapter, 7th Annual Conference, Waltham, MA.
Web 2.0: Developments in User Experience, Brand Strategy, and Rich Internet Applications
Loring, B. (2007)
Proceedings of the Boston Usability Professionals Association Chapter, 6th Annual Conference, Waltham, MA.
Perfecting Your Participant Interaction Skills
Dumas, J. and Loring, B. (2006)
Tutorial presented at the Usability Professionals Association 15th Annual Conference. UPA: Bloomingdale, IL.
Usability and Marketing: How the Convergence is Affecting Us
Loring, B. and Dmitrieva, L. (2006)
Proceedings of the Boston Usability Professionals Association Chapter, 5th Annual Conference, Framingham, MA.
Loring, B. (2006)
Proceedings of the Boston Usability Professionals Association Chapter, 5th Annual Conference, Framingham, MA.
User-Centered Design of Lifeline Systems’ Documentation
Loring, B. and Prenovitz, W. (2005)
Proceedings of the Aging by Design 2nd Annual Conference, Bentley College, Waltham, MA.
Designing an Intelligent Intranet Search
Loring, B. and Lynch, K. (2005)
Proceedings of Usability Professionals Association, 14th Annual Conference, Montreal, Quebec, Canada. UPA: Bloomington, IN.
Perfecting Your Participant Interaction Skills
Dumas, J. and Loring, B. (2005)
Tutorial presented at the Usability Professionals Association 14th Annual Conference. UPA: Bloomington, IN.
Our Responsibility to the User
Loring, B. (2004)
Presented at the Industrial Design Society of America’s Northeast Regional Conference. IDSA: Boston, MA.
Usability Engineering in the Product Design Process
Choi, S. and Loring, B. (2002)
DesignNet Magazine, Vol. 63, Seoul, South Korea.
Usability of Emergency Medical Devices: Assessment and Design Implications
Fisher, J. and Loring, B. (2002)
Proceedings of the Human Factors Society, 46th Annual Meeting. The Human Factors Society, Santa Monica, CA.
Conducting Bilingual User Research
Loring, B. (2002)
Proceedings of Usability Professionals Association, 2002 Annual Conference, Orlando, FL. UPA: Dallas, TX.
Selecting Cities for Usability Research
Loring, B. (2001)
Proceedings of the Human Factors Society, 45th Annual Meeting. The Human Factors Society, Santa Monica, CA.
Handling Awkward Usability Testing Situations
Loring, B. and Patel, M. (2001)
Proceedings of the Human Factors Society, 45th Annual Meeting. The Human Factors Society, Santa Monica, CA.
Looking and Seeing: The Market and the Individual
Loring, B. and Marsh, M. (1997)
Proceedings of Usability Professionals Association. 1997 Conference, Monterey, CA. UPA: Dallas, TX.
Design of a Touch Screen Microwave Oven for Older Consumers
Loring, B. (1995)
Proceedings of the Human Factors Society, 39th Annual Meeting. The Human Factors Society, Santa Monica, CA.
Usability Engineering at Dun & Bradstreet Software
Wilson, C., Loring, B., Conte, L., and Stanley, K. (1994)
Chapter in Usability in Practice: How Companies Develop User-Friendly Products, M. Wiklund (Ed.). Cambridge, MA: The Academic Press.
Survey on Older Consumers and Home Electronics: Trends and Usability Issues
Loring, B. (1993)
Proceedings of INTERFACE '93. The Human Factors Society, Santa Monica, CA.
Multiple Formats for the Presentation of Route Guidance Information
Wiklund, M., Loring, B., Marcus, A., Galle, G., and Letz, G. (1993)
Proceedings of INTERFACE '93. The Human Factors Society, Santa Monica, CA.
Menu System Suited to Novice and Experienced Users of an Automobile Navigation System
Loring, B., Wiklund, M., and Smith, C. (1992)
Proceedings of the Human Factors Society, 36th Annual Meeting. The Human Factors Society, Santa Monica, CA.
User Performance on Typing Tasks Involving Reduced-size, Touch Screen Keyboards
Coleman, M., Loring, B., and Wiklund, M. (1991)
Proceedings of VNIS '91. IEEE, Piscataway, NJ.
Human Factors Design of an AIDS Prevention Pamphlet
Wiklund, M. and Loring, B. (1990)
Proceedings of the Human Factors Society, 34th Annual Meeting. The Human Factors Society, Santa Monica, CA.
Developing a New Voluntary Safety Standard for Step Stools
Loring, B. (1989)
Proceedings of the Human Factors Society, 33rd Annual Meeting. The Human Factors Society, Santa Monica, CA.
Improving Swimming Pool Warning Signs
Loring, B. and Wiklund, M. (1988)
Proceedings of the Human Factors Society, 32nd Annual Meeting. The Human Factors Society, Santa Monica, CA.