Observation: Using Technology
I was asked to conduct some observations of New Yorkers interfacing with technology. Initially, I just needed to “hang-out” and watch people using some sort of kiosk. Well, I thought, I could just copout and monitor a set of pay phones at 48th and Broadway over webcam. Interesting but not very fruitful. Mostly people checking for returned change and an assortment of other suspicious transactions. The next day, I made the trip of to Tower Records and found a smallish line gathered at the “scan and listen stations.” These kiosks are advertised all over the store. The idea is that you can just pick up any CD in the store and then stroll over to a station, scan it with the bar code reader and preview the album. Brilliant. The problem is: this is a particularly terrible implementation. To be sure, these machines produced a lot of interest – when someone else was using them. I scanned a few of my own CD selections and found several people looking over my shoulder studying my every move. Perhaps they had tried to use the machine before and failed. As it turned out, the first machine I used was broken (or at least I declared it so and moved on). The next machine I tried did eventually work. The combination of a convoluted, busy and blinking interface and a finicky bar code reader presented a challenge. Again, people were watching – So I listened to my selections (staying well within the 10 minute time limit) and moved back to observe. Slowly and carefully people would creep up (with or without an actual disc to scan). Some would just study the machine, some would push a few buttons, and some would just grab a random CD from the selection in front of the machine. Some users managed to call up the CD and listen; others struggled, gave-up and resumed their isle browsing. Those who had a positive experience would often return with more CDs with a new found confidence in themselves and what could be a rather useful selection tool.
Human meets technology (stages)
- Observe other human using
- Envy human; want technology
- Approach
- Play, pretend, experiment
- Discovery
- Operate
Other common consumer electronics I observed over the course of a day:
Mobile Phones and PDA
100s - Razors(23), Blackberries (5), Sidekicks (2): It’s not a revelation that they’re everywhere. If you pause and try to count them all you won’t be able to. Or rather, you’ll stand and count indefinitely. Unfortunately, they are not transparent to us as most people seem to have trouble even walking while in use – especially text messaging. I believe text messagers have become the scourge of the sidewalk; followed by the people counting them.
Phone and PDA users are:
- Stupid. Make stupid faces at their device – like babies drooling.
- Walk slow
- Are separate from this plane of reality (even when walking with someone else)
- Talk loudly
Music Players
Also 100s (14 users) (31 confirmed IPODs) – A lot of people have something in their ears (myself included). They were almost as numerous as the people with phones. Eventually, I tried to count only the people that I actually saw interfacing with their player. Most activity was quick and seemingly fruitful. People rarely actually remove their devices from its bag, pocket, or holster to use it. Next song.
Mobile Music Mavens are:
- Smart
- Scheming
- Walk fast
- Talk to themselves (or sing)
- Look around a lot – people watch
- Think different
ATMs
There were 8 people who came into the bank (Citibank) while I was there. All of them going about their transactions privately; almost ignoring the fact that other people were in the room. Deliberate. I’d say most of them had been there before and knew what they were doing.
Bank Patrons Are:
- Wealthy
- Private
- Deliberate
- Practiced
Computers (Laptops)
28 (24 Apple) - All over the ITP floor. Easily half the floor has their face in one at any moment. Also at the coffee shops. Starbucks patrons seem especially fond of their laptops and expensive coffee beverages.
Other Stuff
Cameras (14)
Video Cameras (3)