CREATING A SIMPLE UI FOR AN INTERACTIVE KIOSK

Interactive Kiosks By Ronnie Pignato

Businesses often find themselves wishing to inform their fellow guests of various events and deals in a timely, yet efficient, manner. Suppose it is desired for your customers to acquire knowledge of specific advertisements as soon as they step through the door, what should their eyes focus to right away? The user interface of your kiosk should be able to catch their attention. The touch screen allows a person to dive directly into the features that interest them the most. As opposed to the traditional printed display, interactive kiosks come with an impressive customizable user interface in which the customer decides which information is important to them. We all know the difficulties of consistently updating those need-to-know advertisements as quickly and professionally as possible, however, with an interactive kiosk in place, any business is able to deliver a facilitated technique to do so. Listed below are the objectives attached to displaying a user interface and the ultimate goal of keeping it simple and easy to follow. Customer service has never been so stress-free.

User Interface Design:

• An Attractive First Impression: Anything touch screen is already appealing to the eye, but what makes them notice this kiosk in the first place? Is it a video playing showing all the options your kiosk has to offer or is it an appealing picture of your building? Movement is key to drawing attention to your kiosk.
• Minimize the Amount of Buttons: Starting with the main screen, make sure the user is not overwhelmed with options, but rather can easily decipher where to find their desired information. The purpose is to reduce confusion and increase a users’ ability to search without the help of a worker. By defining clear communication goals, you’ll be able to trim down the amount of buttons needed on the homepage.
• Page Speed: As you probably assume, no one has the patience for a slow pace, lagging technological item. You want to feel confident knowing when a user clicks on the preferred button, their patience won’t be tested. The information pops up in front of their faces at a rapid speed. Hard lining your kiosk will ensure that all pages load in a timely manner.
• Think like the User: Setup your user interface for your tech-savvy guests, but also those who may not understand a touch screen as easily. Sleek, uncomplicated designs appeal to both parties.

The number one goal behind the addition of an interactive kiosk is to limit the need for human assistance. Everything the guest desires is supported digitally. An interactive kiosk helps you steer clear of any hassles that could potentially occur in terms of trying to find specific information on, let’s say, an iPhone or computer. The pure intent of a user interface is to inform the user of various features of a business by presenting only the most practical yet minimal options as possible. With this in mind, the initial arrangement of the user interface is strategically taken into consideration when dealing with anticipated user engagement from the get-go. The touchscreen user interface can be altered as many times as need be. This flexibility supports the many reasons why millions of companies are switching from print to digital.

Interactive Kiosks Should Include: 

• Wayfinding: 3D map indicating all possible desired locations 
• Event Listings: Internal or local, upcoming events occurring near the location of the kiosk
• News Feeds/ Social Media Feeds: Up to date occurrences that scroll along the bottom of the UI
• Organizational Information: Products, services and other information
• Live Calendars: Online based calendars that update automatically on the kiosk
• Photo Galleries: Show off what your company has to offer with high-resolution imagery
• Sign-up Forms: Allow guest to conveniently participate in newsletters, events, etc.

Factors presented within the kiosk are designed to ease a customer into being as comfortable as possible when getting to know a business. The kiosk is intended to provide relevant information coordinating with the different elements held within each business. When stepping in front of an interactive kiosk, one should have a clear idea of where to begin and, most importantly, to do so without the need to ask questions.

When creating a personal, customized interactive kiosk for a business, it is important to keep things simple and that numerous users are not as qualified as you are when using the technology. With this being said, it is crucial to acknowledge this when figuring out how to personalize, not only the user interface, but everything that comes after it. Be sure to provide clear steps on how to locate items such as the Wayfinding option or the menu offered by a specific restaurant. Whatever it may be, the ultimate objective is to insist that the user is provided helpful direction.

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