Wednesday, April 9, 2008
Not-so-useful large information displays in a university building
My experiences with most large screen displays, as I've mentioned previously on this blog, are nowhere near the interaction I see in my dreams. If we are going to move forward with our emerging technologies, we have to be able to do the no-tech/lower tech things better!
In the following two video clips, you'll see that even with a variety of large screen displays, it is difficult to find your way around a university building. Floor levels are not clearly defined, the framed map of the building is difficult to understand, and the rooms and offices are numbered in an illogical order. From looking at the numbers on the elevator, it is difficult to determine what floor you are standing on.
With all of the talk about "engaging user experiences", "user-centered design", and "usability", I've been hoping for much more, even from a university building. There is no way for an infrequent visitor to know of all the creativity and collaboration that takes place within the walls of Woodward Hall.
This gentleman was frustrated trying to find his way around the building:
This next video shows a bit more of the problem, including some confusing content on large-screen displays:
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