After finishing each experiment course, we interviewed each subject individually. Structured questions were asked, for the purpose to assess and compare our prototype with purchasing from clerk and vending machine and for specific purpose we mention before. We used voice recorder to record the conversations during interviews. Questions for emotional feeling were emphasized.
First we typed down all important dialogues and made notes from voice recording play back. Than we split all dialogues into 7 categories, including (a) approaching, (b) during payment, (c) delivery and getting beverage, (d) leave, (e) associate experience, (f) estimate as a whole (g) expectation and suggestion (see in appendix ). In each category, they may include different or same comments from subjects. The times of replicate comments were recorded so we can easily see what is much preferred or paid attention to.
Finally, opinions (original quotations may be seen in appendix) and finds were classified into four categories: (1) being approached, (2) charging, (3) delivering beverage, (4) ending. These categories were classified base on prototype’s four reactions.
a. Being approached
When subjects approached to the prototype, many subjects ignored the waving stick unwittingly even they clearly saw it waves; but all of them can easily told what may be its purpose. Three of them consider the waving
stick as “waving at them for them to come” when approaching, but taken as impolite behavior for the reason that
“nodding is much polite for an unfamiliar relationship” said two subjects. “Waving at them for them to come”
seems to force them to buy something. One subject considered it a happy dog waving its tail quickly for welcome. Contrary to designer’s expectation for “saying hello enthusiastically”, only one can feel the psychological purpose. Other subjects seemed to show no appreciation on it, and the attraction is low. Another reason is mentioned by subject that the position was too high to be noticed.
b. Charging
After choosing which to buy and pressing the button, the slit plate lifted up. Five subjects said that it is a clear implication for informing charge, mainly due to affordance of the slit and the order of prototype’s reaction after they order a beverage. Two of the subjects think that the way slit plate lifted up for charge and then receded back after subjects drop money is similar with the way a clerk would do. Partly because of the position is located in an appropriate place for subject’s hands to take things, and where subjects pay for is just under their hands. One subject smiled when she found the slit plate lifted up for the reason that she considered it as a cute pet coming for asking money. There is one other thing worth mentioning, another described this similarity as “parallel” and “face to face”. Three of the subjects mentioned the word “active”, one of them said this active of charge is just like a pet intimately coming for charging; another would have more expectation due to the initiative action. One considered the “slow speed” of the lifting and receding action as a courteous behavior.
c. Delivering Beverage
Four subjects felt the prototype had done this process in an active and automatic way, which lead them to relate the process done by a clerk. The delivery process is considered important because of following reasons: (1) Reliability – seeing is believing, showing procedure can make people feel explicit, (2) Certainty – they can clearly see what they buy is the “right one”: what they want on the shelf, instead of getting the “same kind of beverage”. (3) Real purchase experience – buying a beverage from a contemporary vending machine is like
“exchange” things, but showing the delivery process seems like it replicates the situation of buying things from a store. “The motion of moving beverage down from the shelf and then showing up on the slit plate is just like a clerk takes things for you and then hands it to you.” moreover,their rights have been guarantied, feel at ease and think prototype as credible instead of being cheated. The movement of lifting beverage to people is clearly recognized by all subjects as a mean of presenting things respectfully to people. One even mentioned about the similarity with “holding things by clerk in both hands”. In conclusion, this presentation is considered polite because the beverage was lifted up, which the position changes from bottom to top, even though the slit plate does not look like a hand at all (there is no formal implication).
d. Ending
After operating the prototype, most subjects left immediately after they got their beverage. Few noticed about the waving stick would wave again at the same time when they leave. Two subjects who noticed it knew that it presents meaning of “farewell”, one of them considered it like a waving gesture of “saying goodbye”.
In addition, we summed up how many times the subjects used keywords (table 5.1). Adjective words were used toward different features or opinions. First, subjects think the added motion features make our prototype perform better than contemporary vending machines. According to the interviews, we found that “high performance” usually grouped with “breakable” and “complex”, and some may also link with high-tech. It seems that in some people’s experience, the more powerful machine can be the more breakable they are.
“High-tech” and “high performance” tend to give people a breakable impression due to “complexity”.
Table 5. 1 Score of Adjective words toward Prototype
Narrative words score Affective Words score
Breakable 4 Bewilder 3
High performance 5 Bore 0
Easy to use 5 Delight 6
Require Efforts 1 Disappoint 0
Simple performance 1 Entertain 4
Durable 0 Understandable 5
- Other words -
Newfangled 3 Interesting 3
Active 4 Reliable 2
Complex 4 convenient 3
High-tech 2 sincerity 2
vivid 2
considerate 2
friendly 2
Further, “easy to use” usually comes with both “understandable” and “complex” in our experiment, while
“complex” is used toward the added motion features. It shows that even the hints from reactive motion are complex, if they can correspond to people’s experience and then guide them will, operation problem will be solvable.
All subjects feel delighted during interaction; some of them also feel entertained. No one feel bored or disappointed. At the first glance to the prototype, people are most bewildered by the paying slit because they had trouble finding it, as this prototype is told to be a vending machine. Subjects said that they have already got used to search the slit first when using a vending machine. But after they push the button to order a beverage, the slit lifted and confusion disappeared. They feel surprised and appreciative of the functionality.
Summary of Interviews
Intention of greeting by waving stick was clearly perceived, but interpreted in different ways with
different associations.
5 subjects paid no more than a glance at the waving stick.
All subjects could easily tell the intention of the lifted up slit plate but have different associations.
The slow motion of the lifted slit plate was considered as being polite.
The motion of delivering beverage was related with real purchase experience by all subjects in
different.
The motion of lifting beverage from bottom to top was easily associated with “a clerk hand out
beverage to them”.
The lifting up motion was considered as holding beverage in both hands respectfully.
“Active performance” and “doing things for them” let subjects feel of being served.
The prototype was considered as easy to use and understood by 5 subjects though it was also
considered as complex, and also link with high performance.
Positive opinions were given mostly on emotion descriptions, including “delightful”,
“entertaining”, ”interesting” and “vivid”. Three psychological descriptions also appeared: “reliable”,
“considerate” and “friendly”.
In conclusion, applying social cues by motion feedbacks is as cues of our prototype, and which are considered to be active, guiding people what to do next and reduce people’s work to make subjects feel like being served. “Watching machine preparing/working for us or being occupied may let us feel delighted and bring an experience of pleasure”, said one subject. Two subjects also feel reliable toward our prototype. They
think it is much powerful in function and competitive to other contemporary vending machines. The augment in active “service” – receiving money and delivering beverage, induced subjects to have more expectation on service from it. It is also worth mentioning that two female subjects consider our prototype a pet. However, these additional motion attributes are still not enough for. Subjects pointed out the need of voice cues may give a more complete interaction.