About

In Taiwan, convenience stores are ubiquitous, and each of them features Self-service Multi Media Kiosks (MMKs). Whilst MMKs offer a growing range of services, such as payments, value-adding, and ticket booking, the main menu's excessive options often lead to user confusion and usability issues. This study addresses this problem by introducing shortcuts in the MMKs' main menu, allowing users to quickly access common or recommended tasks.

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The existing user interfaces of the majority of convenience stores in Taiwan

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The UI flow and shortcut for booking THSR (Taiwan High-Speed Rail) tickets in existing MMK of I-system and F-system convenience stores

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Pilot Study

To evaluate the usage rate of shortcut options in the existing Taiwanese MMK user interface, a pilot study was conducted in order to assess the effectiveness of shortcut settings.

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From the result, more than half of the participants completed tasks without using the existing shortcuts of THSR (Taiwan High-Speed Rail) in both MMK user interfaces. Specifically, the figure shows the usage of the existing shortcuts design was only 41.67% and 50% of two major existing MMK, which was not frequently used.

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Aim

This research aims to enhance the usability of self-service Multi Media Kiosks (MMKs) in Taiwan's convenience stores by implementing effective shortcuts in MMK's main menu. The study aims to validate the efficacy of these shortcuts, focusing on page layout and the number of selection keys, guided by visual search theories and the subitising effect. The research aims to improve user efficiency in reaching common or recommended tasks within the MMK's main menu, ultimately leading to a user-friendly and efficient MMK interface.

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Design Focus and the Value of Prototype

• Implemented progressive disclosure by placing popular selections on the first page for faster access, optimising element features to capture user attention and using grouping for streamlined interaction.
• Prioritised affordance with three-dimensional buttons in the prototype to improve clickability awareness.
• The prototype offers a fresh design foundation for convenience store multimedia kiosk main menus, addressing choice overload issues, reducing interaction costs, and enhancing the overall user experience.

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MMK Shortcut Wireframe‍

After conducting a test, it was found that only 50% (even less) of the existing shortcuts (left side of the image) with the existing MMK interface were being used.

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The new design is shown on the right side of the image. To improve the grouping effect, I have placed the shortcuts on the first page of the main menu separately and divided them into two groups, which are primary and secondary shortcuts. Each group has only four options left. The primary shortcuts have been emphasised by enlarging their size, lightening their colour, and aligning them to the left. The secondary shortcuts are more minor, aligned to the right and have lower brightness. I have used grouping to heighten visual differences between options, such as number, colour, size, and linear menus, to catch the user's attention. I have also applied the concept of multi-layers by dividing shortcuts and general options into two pages to create a prototype.

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Prototype

The prototype for the MMK user interface is based on the layout and colour scheme of the I-system's main menu. It features visual buttons that are easy to use. The first page of the interface contains eight recommended shortcut options, divided into two groups of four. The main menu content is also included, with the layout of the previous groups repeated for clarity. This layout is responsive, meaning that it adjusts to the user's device.

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Key Features

1. Implementing the concept of progressive disclosure, the prototype positioned popular selections on the main menu's first page, enhancing user efficiency by making shortcuts more prominent.
2. Element features such as position, size, and colour were bolstered to capture user attention, and grouping was utilised to enhance preattentive processing, reducing cognitive load.
3. Prioritising affordance in interface design, the prototype opted for three-dimensional buttons instead of flat designs, ensuring users are aware of the clickability of selections.

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Usability Evaluation

To assess the effectiveness of the proposed prototype, a usability evaluation was conducted through user experiments involving a diverse group of participants. The study involved six experts with backgrounds in UI/UX and seven general users.
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Task 1: Evaluation of Enhanced Features

Participants compared the usage rate of enhanced features shortcut options in the proposed prototype with those of the existing MMK user interface.

Task 2: Task Efficiency Assessment

The study also evaluated task efficiency for non-prevailing tasks in the proposed prototype compared to the existing MMK user interface. Participants completed assigned tasks, and their actions, errors, and task completion times were recorded for analysis.

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Usability Evaluation Key Findings

• Usage Rate Evaluation
  The result showed that the proposed prototype's enhanced features shortcut options, especially for High-Speed Rail ticketing, achieved an outstanding utility rate of 100%. On the other hand, two major existing MMK interfaces' shortcut options were utilised by only 41.67% and 50% of participants, indicating a significant improvement in user recognition and adoption in the proposed prototype.
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• No-Action Situation
  The proposed prototype's enhanced features shortcut options task had an average operation time of 1.92 seconds, with no observed error operations. In contrast, the corresponding situations in the two existing MMK systems were 33% and 67%, respectively, while only two participants (15% of the participants) experienced a 3-second no-action situation in the proposed prototype. This indicates that the proposed prototype effectively minimised user hesitation and inactivity.
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• Task Operation Time
  The average operation time for expert participants was 2.16 seconds, slightly longer than that of general user participants (1.71 seconds). Nonetheless, the proposed prototype's average operation time (1.92 seconds) was approximately 5.7 times shorter than that of the two existing MMK systems, which had an average operation time of 11 seconds. This demonstrates that the proposed prototype successfully balanced the usability requirements of both experts and general users, resulting in significantly improved task efficiency.

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Key Takeaway

1. Effective Shortcuts
   Our study emphasises the importance of well-crafted shortcuts, especially for commonly used functions. We achieved a 100% usage rate for these shortcuts, emphasising their role in enhancing user experiences.
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2. Enhanced Visual Search
   The research emphasises the significance of shortcut design, layout, and the number of keys in simplifying users' search efforts. Our prototype's improvements in elements such as colour and size made shortcuts more accessible and efficient.
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3. Optimal Menu Layout
   Our innovative menu layout, featuring quaternary groupings for both shortcuts and main menu options, improved users' ability to identify and interact with menu items. This approach significantly increased utility rates and addressed issues related to menu overload.
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4. Efficient Task Completion
   ‍Surprisingly, even for less frequently used tasks, the introduction of a dedicated shortcut page did not compromise task efficiency. This suggests that the benefits of improved visibility and organisation outweigh any minor layout challenges.