July 12, 2009 at 12:56 Usability of ATMs and Express Payment Terminals
Often you have to "communicate" with ATMs of various organizations. Cash withdrawal, payment of loans, etc. And in your own skin you have to feel all those inconveniences that are embedded in the interface of the programs installed in ATMs. I am a fairly advanced user, so it’s not difficult for me to understand the structure of the menu in a couple of minutes, and also to determine the sequence of actions. But, for example, such ATMs simply put my mom on a stupor.
Now, actually, about the ATM itself. As an example, take the ATM of Sberbank of Russia (unfortunately there are no photos).
The first unsuccessful solution is the simultaneous use of a touch screen and a physical numeric keypad. Some actions have to be performed using the screen, and some (for example, entering the account number), using the physical keyboard.
Now the keyboard itself. For some reason, most ATMs have keyboards whose key travel is very small, which makes it difficult for the user to understand whether the button was pressed or not. On this particular keyboard there are two buttons - cancel and reset. The first one cancels one character, and the second a complete reset of the entered numbers. Everything would be fine, but the “Cancel” button says “Cancel”, and the “<” arrow is drawn on the “Reset” button. As a result, the user needs to determine (often negatively empirically) which button is intended for what.
Now the program structure itself. Schematically, it looks something like this:
1. A menu item is selected (for example, “Credit Payment”). Ok, everything is clear here. Selected on the touch screen.
2. You must enter an account number. Ok, everything is clear here too. By the way, at this stage, troubles with the keyboard begin. Here you need to click the "Pay" (!) Button.
3. After clicking on the “Pay” button, a new screen opens, where you need to specify the deposit amount (!). Enter the amount, click on the “Continue” button (it’s strange why not “Pay”, hmmm).
4. We get to a new screen where the details of the account holder are displayed (ingenious! If I made a mistake when entering the account number, then I will only find out after two (!) Screens). Click "Continue."
5. Hallelujah! We went through 2 circles of hell, but this does not end there. At this stage, the video shows that you need to put money in one of the three holes in the ATM. The funny thing is that the ATM in the video does not coincide with what the person is facing.
6. We begin to look for that slot where you need to put money. There are three of them in the ATM - for the card, for the check and, in fact, for cash. The slots for the card and for the check are on the same level (only one on the left, the other on the right). The slot for cash is very low (separate from everything) and, in fact, is not highlighted by anything, there is only a sticker.
Actually, that’s all. The saga of paying a loan ends here.
On average, it takes me about 5 minutes to pay the loan, because I already know all the underwater boulders of this ATM. And for mom and aunt I had to write instructions.
So I want to turn to the manufacturers of such ATMs and terminals with a request not to slander, but to spend a certain amount on a usability specialist who will make a convenient and friendly interface.
_____________________________
Dear Khabravchians, if you are minus, then, plz, write for what.
Now, actually, about the ATM itself. As an example, take the ATM of Sberbank of Russia (unfortunately there are no photos).
The first unsuccessful solution is the simultaneous use of a touch screen and a physical numeric keypad. Some actions have to be performed using the screen, and some (for example, entering the account number), using the physical keyboard.
Now the keyboard itself. For some reason, most ATMs have keyboards whose key travel is very small, which makes it difficult for the user to understand whether the button was pressed or not. On this particular keyboard there are two buttons - cancel and reset. The first one cancels one character, and the second a complete reset of the entered numbers. Everything would be fine, but the “Cancel” button says “Cancel”, and the “<” arrow is drawn on the “Reset” button. As a result, the user needs to determine (often negatively empirically) which button is intended for what.
Now the program structure itself. Schematically, it looks something like this:
1. A menu item is selected (for example, “Credit Payment”). Ok, everything is clear here. Selected on the touch screen.
2. You must enter an account number. Ok, everything is clear here too. By the way, at this stage, troubles with the keyboard begin. Here you need to click the "Pay" (!) Button.
3. After clicking on the “Pay” button, a new screen opens, where you need to specify the deposit amount (!). Enter the amount, click on the “Continue” button (it’s strange why not “Pay”, hmmm).
4. We get to a new screen where the details of the account holder are displayed (ingenious! If I made a mistake when entering the account number, then I will only find out after two (!) Screens). Click "Continue."
5. Hallelujah! We went through 2 circles of hell, but this does not end there. At this stage, the video shows that you need to put money in one of the three holes in the ATM. The funny thing is that the ATM in the video does not coincide with what the person is facing.
6. We begin to look for that slot where you need to put money. There are three of them in the ATM - for the card, for the check and, in fact, for cash. The slots for the card and for the check are on the same level (only one on the left, the other on the right). The slot for cash is very low (separate from everything) and, in fact, is not highlighted by anything, there is only a sticker.
Actually, that’s all. The saga of paying a loan ends here.
On average, it takes me about 5 minutes to pay the loan, because I already know all the underwater boulders of this ATM. And for mom and aunt I had to write instructions.
So I want to turn to the manufacturers of such ATMs and terminals with a request not to slander, but to spend a certain amount on a usability specialist who will make a convenient and friendly interface.
_____________________________
Dear Khabravchians, if you are minus, then, plz, write for what.