CS 346 CTU Online User Interface Discussion
For this project I will be focusing on tourism in Denver, Colorado. Denver has many attractions for tourist and boasts an immense amount of outdoor activities for people look to vacation in the Rocky Mountains in summer or winter seasons.While tackling this project we will be sticking to two important golden rules for interface design, striving for consistency and reducing short-term memory load. By following these to important golden rules we can ensure that our platforms will be effective and useful to tourists in the Denver area.
Certain tourist attractions that will be advertised to tourists at a kiosk and on the mobile app will be an extensive list with a range of diverse options that will cater to all types of travelers. Main attractions include the Denver Art Museum, the Denver Zoo, the Downtown Aquarium, Denver Museum of Nature and Science, Expeditions into the Rocky Mountains, Estes Park, Ski and Snowboard resorts in the Colorado Ski Valley, the many concert halls, and some of the world class restaurants in the heart of downtown Denver.
This will be an extensive list catering to all types of travelers so that our services are diverse as possible. In order to structure our kiosk and mobile application in a way that makes sense and is organized we can categorize the attractions. For example, all the outdoor and mountainous attractions can be grouped together to serve their niche, while the museums and art centers will be grouped together for the travelers looking for more of the artsy attractions. Grouping attractions together will ensure that we stick to one of the most important golden rules of interface design, consistency.
Major Categories for Attractions
• Recreational
o Rocky Mountains
o Ski Valley Area
o Estes Park
• Educational
o Denver Zoo
o Denver Art Museum
o Denver Museum of Nature and Science
• Culinary
o Downtown restaurants
o Local Breweries
• Music & Sports
o Local Events and Concert Halls
o Red Rocks amphitheater
o Local Professional Sport Teams and Events
User Interface Technical Requirements
There are certain requirements our services and locations need to adhere to for our services to be able to be utilized by all tourists in need of them.
Kiosk Requirements
The kiosk will have to be simple to use and understand to follow our guidelines of the two golden rules of interface design, consistency and reducing short-term memory load. For these reasons we will implement kiosks with a front screen throughout the city with a big enough screen to fit information without being cramped into a small screen. A standard 4ft tall by 2 feet wide touch screen will be enough for this. The touch screens will need to be 4k to have a good presentation so they can clearly be viewed by tourists.
Mobile Application Requirements
The mobile application will resemble what is at the kiosk almost completely. The mobile application will need to be compatible with all types of mobile devices, be compatible with touch screens and allow users to access the information from various places, while also not taking up a lot of storage space.
Disability Services
For those with disabilities we will need to equip the kiosks and mobile application with audio so people who are blind are able to use the system, and we will also need to make sure that people with hearing disabilities are able to understand what they are seeing on the screens and utilize subtitles. To cater to those with physical disabilities we need to make sure the kiosks are in handicapped friendly areas, as well as ensuring their simplicity of use.
User Interface Human Interaction Requirements
Tourists interacting with our platforms is the most important aspect of the project so we need to make sure that all the necessary things are present so that users have a good experience without systems and that they get the information they are looking for easily. To make sure we are sticking to our golden rule of reducing short-term memory load we need to make sure our services do not overwhelm users with too much information. Sticking to basic information and providing contact information for each attraction will be enough information.
User Interaction with Kiosk
Interacting with our kiosk platform will a be a remote experience for users, each kiosk needs to be up to date with the same information to that they are reliable. Users will first start by pressing the screen to let the kiosk know they are there, then they will choose a category of attractions they are looking for from the list of categories provided.
From there a list of attractions in their area will appear with basic information of each attraction as well as some common prices and contact information for that attraction. For certain types of events like concerts or something that would require a ticket, the kiosks should be able to sell a ticket to the user at the kiosk for convenience.
If the user doesn’t find what they are looking for they will be able to go back to the categories screen and select a different category, so they have easy access to all the information on the kiosk.
User Interaction with Mobile Application
Interacting with the mobile application needs to be a convenient and easy process. The user can select a specific category of attractions they are looking for, just like on the kiosk, and then they will be provided with some basic information about each attraction, as well as prices, contact information, and showtimes etc.
The mobile application should also be able to sell tickets to venues that require them, all in the name of convenience. To make sure that our services are consistent, and we stick to our golden rule of being consistent, the mobile application and kiosk should mirror each other in the appearance of their interfaces and the information they are providing.
User Interface Design Prototypes
Prototype 1
Prototype 1 has a simplistic design and an easy to navigate menu allowing users to easily get the information they are looking for while also not presenting them with too much information at once.
The top image is the kiosk interface, it has an appealing look to it, giving the user a feel for Denver’s downtown area as well as the recreation feel with the Rocky Mountains.
The image to the right is of the mobile app interface, which resembles the kiosk interface almost completely, the biggest difference is the size of the canvas. But the mobile app gives the user a feel for the Rocky Mountain atmosphere around Denver.
Prototype 2
Prototype 2 also displays a simple easy to navigate interface while displaying the beauty of the Rocky Mountains to the user as well as the Denver skyline.
The kiosk design above implements buttons for the user to press to navigate to different areas of the interface.
The mobile application interface to the right resembles the kiosk interface by implementing buttons and displaying the beauty of the area to the user.
Prototype 3
Prototype 3 also has a simple a simple design incorporating a picture of the Denver skyline, and showing a view of the Rocky Mountains.
The kiosk interface on the top allows users to easily navigate the interface and gives an appealing look.
The mobile application interface to the right resembles the kiosk interface.
Usability Test Questionnaire
Usability Test for Information Kiosk and Mobile App Interface
Purpose: To determine the efficiency of interface and overall performance.
Instructions: Please answer the following questions to the best of your abilities. Each question must be answered. Please also leave additional comments at the end of the questionnaire.
User Demographic Information
Please enter the information about yourself.
1) How old are you?
a. 18 – 29 years old
b. 30 – 45 years old
c. 46 – 60 years old
d. 60+ years old
2) Gender?
a. Male
b. Female
3) Ethnicity?
a. Caucasian
b. African American
c. Native American
d. Latino or Latina
e. European
f. Asian
4) Marital Status?
a. Single
b. Married
c. Divorced
5) Household Income?
a. Under $20,000/year
b. $20,000 - $50,000/year
c. $50,000 - $100,000/year
d. $100,000+/year
6) How often do you travel?
a. 0 times per year
b. 1-2 times per year
c. 3-5 times per year
d. 6+ times per year
Usability Questions
1) What is your initial opinion of the interface?
2) How did the interface appeal to you traveling to Denver?
3) Was the page easy to navigate?
4) What stood out most to you?
5) Were you able to find something specific you were looking for?
6) How does the interface compare to other, similar, designs you have used?
7) Would you use this interface to find travel information?
8) Would you recommend using this service to friends and family?
9) Does the background make you want to travel?
10) Does the service cover all categories of travel?
11) What is your overall experience or opinion of the interface?
12) Was there anything missing that you would expect to be included in this type of interface?
Application Function Specific Questions
1) Did the application work correctly?
2) Where there any problems with the functioning of the application?
3) Would you consider the application to be quick and efficient?
4) Did the application, at any point, glitch or do something weird?
5) Was the application easy to use?
Comment Section
Please enter any comments, suggestions or concerns you have regarding the application. We greatly appreciate all feedback from this section!
Usability Test Instruction Guide