What kind of kiosk should we use?
In selecting a kiosk, there are a number of key choices...
Indoor or Outdoor?
An indoor kiosk will be much cheaper but will not survive long outside. An outdoor kiosk will need to be protected against the elements and against theft and malicious damage. This means a tougher housing that is bolted to the floor or to a wall. You will probably be asked to define the level of Ingress Protection you require. This is denoted by an IP number. For example, IP55 specifies protection from any dust likely to interfere with the internal equipment and from sprayed water.
Attended or Unattended?
Normally this means: will the kiosk be within the view of someone who is responsible for its security? A kiosk in a store, with staff close by, is usually deemed to be 'attended'. However, your bank may interpret this in a stricter sense if the kiosk has a Chip and PIN payment device attached to it. An 'unattended' kiosk may need additional protection from theft and malicious damage - especially if it holds cash.
Seated or Standing Use?
This should be determined by the kind of interaction you want your customers or users to have. If you expect the interaction to be quick, or you are concerned about queues building up, then do not offer a seat. A seat encourages users to dwell. And fix the height of the screen and other devices to suit a standing user. But don't forget about wheelchair users. If on the other hand you want users to spend time at the kiosk, then why not give them a seat. This has been found to be beneficial for digital photo kiosk users.
Keyboard, Touchscreen or Both?
This is a three-way choice. Many systems operate very well with just a touch screen. In fact it is good to keep the user interface so simple that a keyboard is unnecessary. If you want to capture textual input, then this can be done with a pop-up keyboard on the screen. An on-screen keyboard can be tailored to include special keys - like: .com. But if the user needs to input lots of text, then you should provide a real keyboard. That does not mean that you have to dispense with the touch screen though. There is a lot to be said for offering both a keyboard and touch screen. This means that the user can do simple things (like making choices) on the touchscreen, and enter text on the keyboard.
Transactional or Not?
Transactional kiosks take payment. They are usually more expensive because they have to be large and strong enough to hold cash, or they have to include a card payment device. Banks insist that card payment devices are protected to avoid them being stolen or tampered with. The constraints around this have caused some retailers to use kiosks simply to take orders. The customer then has to pay at the counter.
Normally this means: will the kiosk be within the view of someone who is responsible for its security? A kiosk in a store, with staff close by, is usually deemed to be 'attended'. However, your bank may interpret this in a stricter sense if the kiosk has a Chip and PIN payment device attached to it. An 'unattended' kiosk may need additional protection from theft and malicious damage - especially if it holds cash.
Seated or Standing Use?
This should be determined by the kind of interaction you want your customers or users to have. If you expect the interaction to be quick, or you are concerned about queues building up, then do not offer a seat. A seat encourages users to dwell. And fix the height of the screen and other devices to suit a standing user. But don't forget about wheelchair users. If on the other hand you want users to spend time at the kiosk, then why not give them a seat. This has been found to be beneficial for digital photo kiosk users.
Keyboard, Touchscreen or Both?
This is a three-way choice. Many systems operate very well with just a touch screen. In fact it is good to keep the user interface so simple that a keyboard is unnecessary. If you want to capture textual input, then this can be done with a pop-up keyboard on the screen. An on-screen keyboard can be tailored to include special keys - like: .com. But if the user needs to input lots of text, then you should provide a real keyboard. That does not mean that you have to dispense with the touch screen though. There is a lot to be said for offering both a keyboard and touch screen. This means that the user can do simple things (like making choices) on the touchscreen, and enter text on the keyboard.
Transactional or Not?
Transactional kiosks take payment. They are usually more expensive because they have to be large and strong enough to hold cash, or they have to include a card payment device. Banks insist that card payment devices are protected to avoid them being stolen or tampered with. The constraints around this have caused some retailers to use kiosks simply to take orders. The customer then has to pay at the counter.
Products Group 2010