Top Tips For Creating A Great Computerized Kiosk

Interactive computerized kiosks have proliferated many aspects of our daily lives. Airports, department stores, art galleries, cinemas and hotels are just some of the places where kiosks are helping people purchase tickets, shop for products, learn information, and surf the internet. Still, although you might have seen lots of kiosks before, you might have done so unwittingly, as they come in various different guises.

Some kiosks are aimed purely at providing a service such as an ATM or a self-checkout machine. There is no need for these utilitarian kiosks to be anything more than a no-frills electronic service and as such are designed with a view to function over form. The reason behind this is that we will only use these machines when we need them and when we need them, we will actively seek them out. Sometimes, though, interactive kiosks need to be designed with some visual appeal.

A longstanding and famous rule in the advertising, marketing and sales industries is the seven second rule. What this means is that advertisements have a total of seven seconds to capture the attention and create intrigue with viewers before attention is lost and the advert becomes effectively useless. The advert could be on a billboard, in a magazine, on the internet or just on the street but unless you are able to gain the attention of passers-by or viewers within those crucial seven seconds, then the message of the advert will be lost. However, if you are successful in creating intrigue and generating interest then the chances are that your message will be communicated to the viewer.

The seven second rule is very applicable to the design of interactive computerized kiosks. A head turning design with a wow factor will engage those walking past the kiosk and will make them much more likely to want to use the kiosk. If it looks like an outdated, unfriendly piece of equipment then people will not give it a second look, especially if they are not very adept at using technology in general. So, a welcoming, fresh, modern look is essential. That applies both to the physical look of the kiosk and the software being used on it. The user interface design should make it instantly clear what the user has to do. The graphics on the screen should be attractive and easy to read. There should always be a clear option of what to do next and also how to go back a step.

The problem with this is that there is never one solution to the problem. Not all kiosks should be designed to the same specifications as not all will have the same functions and be aimed at the same target market audience. Some kiosks that need to be designed for use by elderly people need to incorporate different aspects than those designed to be used by children. In order to know exactly how to design an interactive kiosks to your needs then market research needs to be carried out. Kiosk manufacturers have a vast amount of knowledge and experience to call on with regards to designing specific kiosks for specific purposes.

To find out more, visit Kiosks (German Language) or http://www.protouch.co.uk/ (English Language)