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How to improve the kiosk's user experience

By following a series of simple tips, deployers can enhance the usability experience for kiosk users.

February 21, 2002

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Jackie Huffman and Sally Cohen are independent usability consultants specializing in kiosk design and usability. They collectively have over 20 years experience and have been working in the kiosk arena for the past seven years.

Here are two questions that every kiosk deployer should ask themselves before launching a new project: How you ever used a Web site that was difficult, took too many steps to do a task, or was just plain frustrating? Did you want to use that site again after that experience?

Think about this for a moment, because many of your customers have had the same reaction after using your kiosks. Unfortunately, kiosk systems are much more expensive to build and maintain than an Internet site, so the cost of having customers walk away and not use the kiosk again is even more significant.

Designing user friendly kiosks is no simple task. It requires a focus on usability from the start of development. That focus must include both the hardware and software. It requires testing the system with actual end users early in the design and development phase, not during pilot testing. Kiosk development consists of making trade offs between time, budget, quality, and usability.

Here are some examples of ways to improve the usability of your kiosk based on learning from others:

Label the hardware components

People feel embarrassed as they try to insert their check into the cash dispenser of a bill payment kiosk. We have also seen someone try to scan a barcode with a signature capture pen on a self-checkout kiosk.

Newer versions of ATMs are doing a great job of labeling the various input/output areas. There is usually both text and a graphic to indicate where to insert your card, where to get your receipt, and where to insert the deposit envelope.

You can really help users be successful with different peripherals simply be clearly labeling it. Using both a graphic and text helps to ensure you reach different learning modalities. Do not make the users guess what is what; just make it very clear so that everyone is successful and full of confidence when using your kiosk.

Answer my questions before I begin

During a recent airport visit, one of us used a self-service check-in kiosk to obtain a boarding pass and request a first-class upgrade using frequent-flyer miles. However, the first screen of the kiosk only explained how to get started by swiping a frequent-flyer card or entering an ID. The dilemma was that if the process began and it did not allow an upgrade request, a long line would await anyway, defeating the purpose of the kiosk. There was no attract loop that indicated what the steps were or available options once the process began.

Using an attract loop or even an informational screen that clearly explains what functions are available would have been a great help. Perhaps something as simple as a "Frequently Asked Questions" button on the start screen would have helped answer the question at the beginning.

Do not tell me I am stupid

Say you are using an e-commerce site or a kiosk to order a product. You complete your transaction by filling out a form with information such as a billing address. In filling out the form, you miss a required field. When you submit the information, what happens? You get a big, red error message notifying you of your grievous error.

How do you feel when you see this message in a public place where others are watching you?

Error messages make people feel stupid. Of course that is not the designer's intention. The designer is really trying to be helpful, but error messages are not perceived as assistance. Unfortunately, too many kiosk designers do not put themselves in their customer's shoes.

Rather than provide big, bold error messages on kiosk screens, prevent the error in the first place by clearly marking the required fields. Remove the submission button until all required fields have been filled. Do not allow a customer to fill out information in the wrong format. We have seen kiosks that give error messages because a user put a dash in heir phone number. Either mask the field (put the dash in for the user so they do not have to) or better yet, accept a variety of formats so the user cannot make a mistake.

Make each screen simple

A common misconception in kiosk design is that fewer screens are better. This simply is not true. There is nothing more confusing to your customers than seeing a kiosk screen packed with information and options. We have seen customers stand and stare at a screen simply because they can not figure out what to do next.

It is better to have simple screens with one task per screen. Make the user's options on that screen clear and concise. They just make a selection and go on to the next screen. Even if you quadruple the number of screens by simplifying each screen, your users will perceive the task as being simpler and quicker by making the process easier for them.

In summary, you can ensure your customers come back to use your kiosk again by:

1. Clearly labeling the hardware components with both text and graphics;

2. Providing information on your kiosk's functionality in an attract loop;

3. Helping your customers prevent errors instead of showing error messages; and

4. Simplifying your screen design.

With these easy tricks-of-the-trade, you are certain to improve the kiosk user's experience, increasing the possibility they will return again.