User evaluation of internet kiosks in university setting

Abstract

METU kiosks are established at common points of METU campus to meet the immediate internet needs of students however they are not used at expected level. In this study, usability of METU kiosks is evaluated to identify design problems that may discourage users from using kiosks. For the evaluation, series of user trials were conducted based on some common tasks. Evaluation results show that there are critical usability problems with the design of input devices mounted on kiosk. Users generally had problems while typing with keyboard, while moving pointer using trackball mouse and while clicking using touch screen. In addition, no significant difference is observed between inexperienced and experienced users in terms of their overall success during trials. Specific examples for these usability problems and related recommendations are provided in this paper. © 2011 Springer-Verlag.