Last week, we began a discussion around interactive kiosk usability, because although they are experiencing massive growth across multiple industries, there are still plenty of kiosk programs that ultimately fail. And those failures are generally related to poor UX. As we said previously, there are some key factors that are universal to designing a best-in-class experience for end-users. This week, we continue to expand upon our list of considerations for creating self-service kiosk usability that translates into successful deployment in the field.
- 99% of the time, the goal of a self-serve kiosk is to eliminate the need for human assistance with the transaction -- so you absolutely must ensure that this is true in the kiosk’s real-world use environment. Let me say it one more time: Make it almost impossible that a human will be required to assist a user with a self-service kiosk. There is an entire generation out there that prefers their interactions with other humans to be kept to a minimum, at least when it comes to transactional operations. If it turns out they still need to find someone to help them, they will most likely cancel the transaction rather than seeking help, and just never use that kiosk again. They are at the same time quite likely to let the world know about their dissatisfaction via every social media platform available to them and to possibly anybody else who will listen to them.
- Kiosk capabilities should be immediately and abundantly clear. At the very least, everything the kiosk can do should be listed on the start or home screen. Depending on the use case, it could also mean that these capabilities are also listed on custom enclosure wraps on the unit itself. Users do not want to guess about what transactions are possible and if you make them, they won’t bother giving your kiosk a backward glance as they walk away to the first available manned customer service counter or cashier.
- The kiosk’s interface should be intuitive, linear and uncomplicated -- these are crucial considerations when developing the underlying software. No matter how complex the transaction may be, kiosks absolutely must not give the outward appearance of being difficult or requiring assistance to use. Operations must be linear; directions crystal clear, including illustrations whenever possible; and all written language incorporated easy to understand at any reading level.
Check back next week for our final kiosk UX blog installment. In the meantime, if your business is ready to enter the brave new world of interactive kiosks now, RedyRef, an end-to-end manufacturer of vertically integrated kiosk solutions, works with companies of all sizes to ensure the success of their self-service kiosk programs. Submit a request for proposal online or call (800) 628-3603 today for more information.
