usability testing
An iterative approach to customer experience
As an industry , how can we significantly improve the way all customers experience kiosks ?
By Laura Boniello Miller , Business Development & Marketing , Kioware – www . kioware . com
From manufacturers to kiosk application designers , we must consider the customer experience early and often throughout the development , design , and deployment of a kiosk project . When a customer interacts with a kiosk , what do they experience ? Does their experience align with their expectations ? Is the customer happy with their experience ? Further , how many kiosk deployers build in time for usability testing of the kiosk application and hardware prior to rollout ?
For a bit of outside perspective , interviews were conducted with a few user experience experts ; individuals who spend their careers focusing on improving application and website user experiences by conducting research and leveraging an iterative design process .
The benefits of user testing Libby Safford , Senior UX Designer at Tank Design advocates that testing with real users is necessary before a product is released into the world . Safford states , “ An easy way to do this is to identify the main task or tasks you want kiosk users to be able to accomplish , find some real customers , and observe if , or how well , they are able to complete the tasks .”
Testing the application Kiosk applications can be tested in absence of kiosk hardware – on a traditional computer or tablet – to start . Testing can be conducted in person or remotely , with such tools as :
• usertesting . com
• trymyui . com
• usabilityhub . com
The iterative portion comes in after analysing the results of your test and updating the application to solve problems identified in the testing . According to Safford , “ User testing can be eye-opening . Being armed with insights from testing will save more work in the long run . This is also the type of quick testing you can continue to do even after you ’ ve deployed your application for regular optimisation .” Some recommendations Safford makes , specific to creating user-friendly kiosk and self-service experiences , include :
1 . Keep it simple with an uncluttered interface , using large and clickable buttons with plain language
2 . Provide users with a clear path to exit or back up , or to undo any errors
3 . Take the environment into account , whether it ’ s loud or busy if there ’ s servicing staff available
4 . Consider accessibility concerns , including the height of the kiosk , the colour contrast of the interface , the legibility of text
5 . Iterate and iterate some more . The beauty of applications is that they ’ re changeable and can – and should – be continually updated
Testing the application remotely is one method for understanding what customers experience .
Contextual testing Researching the broader customer experience and gaining a better understanding of the situational kiosk environment is another aspect of research that should be conducted . If you ’ re redesigning a subway system ticket kiosk , for instance , it may be helpful to observe and question customers buying tickets during rush hour . Conducting observational and ethnographic research on location provides information about how customers behave which can then influence kiosk placement , application
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