IB Design Technology Topic 7.2 Usability Questionbank…

A city council has commissioned a new self-service ticketing kiosk for a busy transport hub. The kiosk must support commuters buying single and return tickets, tourists purchasing day passes, and passengers who need step-free route information.

The first prototype includes:

a $12$ -inch touchscreen with small text and icons
an on-screen keyboard for entering destinations
contactless payment only
a receipt printer positioned low on the right-hand side
a help button that opens a long FAQ page

During a short pilot, staff observed queues building at peak times and frequent errors when users selected the wrong ticket type. Some users tried to tap their cards multiple times, and several left without completing the purchase.

A designer produced a sketch to summarise the current layout, see Figure 1.

Sketch of a standing ticket kiosk: large touchscreen at eye level showing dense menu lists; small help icon in the top corner; contactless reader to the left of the screen; receipt slot low on the right; no physical buttons; a nearby sign says "No cash".

Figure 1: Early kiosk layout used in the pilot

The council wants the next iteration to be demonstrably usable, inclusive, and safe to deploy across multiple stations with different lighting and noise levels.

one reason why usability is important to the success of this kiosk in the transport hub environment.

one reason why efficiency is an important usability objective for this kiosk.

one reason why error tolerance is important for this kiosk.

how the kiosk interface could be redesigned using guidance to make it more usable for a wide range of passengers.

The Natural Brush, see Figure 1, is a toothbrush based on sustainable design. The handle is made from 100 % biodegradable bamboo and the bristles are made of Nylon 6 which the manufacturers claim is the most biodegradable nylon in the world.

Figure 1: The Natural Brush

[Photo by Sara Groblechner on Unsplash]

two ways in which the Natural Brush is an example of sustainable .

how the Natural Brush can be seen as an example of ethical consumerism.

HeatSmart has developed a range of thermostats for smart homes that are used to manage the temperature of a room. For example, the temperature of a room can be set to 20 °C at midday every day.

HeatSmart have recently introduced their Intelligent Thermostat that automatically sets the temperature of the room based on the preferences of its users. This can lead to a saving of energy and is indicated by the green HeatSmart globe icon that appears on the screen.

The temperature for the room can be increased by rotating the dial clockwise, see Figure 1. Or it can be decreased by rotating the dial anti-clockwise, see Figure 2.

one way that the Intelligent Thermostat’s team would have considered population stereotypes.

Figure 1 shows a USB cable which can only fit into a computer in one way.

Figure 1: A USB cable

Which characteristic of a good user interface does this demonstrate?

how the team could improve the kiosk’s usability using a user-centred approach, making reference to at least three usability principles and appropriate guidance.

one pricing consideration and how it would stimulate sales of the Natural Brush.

how the Natural Brush balances material, health and usability considerations.

how the of the Intelligent Thermostat’s user interface provides clear feedback and has a low memory burden for its users.

two user-centred (UCD) principles the Intelligent Thermostat’s team may have followed.

IB Design Technology 7.2 Usability Questionbank

IB Design Technology 7.2 Usability Questionbank

IB Design Technology 7.2 Usability Questionbank

IB Design Technology 7.2 Usability Questionbank

IB Design Technology (DT) Topic 7.2 Usability Questionbank