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There are many things to consider when creating a software interface for an electronic kiosk. One of the areas that needs a particularly vested interest is the interaction design of the kiosk software. Three important aspects of kiosk software interaction design are branding, speed and sound.

Branding is an important component of any kiosk user interface. If you are designing a kiosk for use in a retail location, you should take care to incorporate a brand image or logo into the interface. This can be beneficial to both the interaction experience of the user for your kiosk and also for the branding of your company.

Logo branding is most effective on screens that are not part of a task process in your software. Because of this, the best screens to show off a logo are those that are displayed when the kiosk booth is idle, and also at the beginning and end of a task. For instance when the user first interacts with the kiosk, it should show a brand image along with a list of tasks. Another opportunity comes when the user has finished a task with the kiosk, a completion screen accompanied by the brand can have a great impact.

The speed of software for a kiosk is something that should be taken into account when considering the interaction experience of a kiosk user. You want to make sure that they do not get held up between screens of a particular task or you may risk losing the user’s interest in completing a task sequence. An example of this would be at a bookstore catalogue kiosk. If a user is searching for a particular author name, they will expect the search results display within a few seconds.

Before considering the use of sound in the interface for an electronic kiosk, there are a few things to consider. First, how will the location of the kiosk be affected by additional noise from the emplaced unit? Certain locations, especially in retail, are not fit additional noise from a machine.

If a particular unit is to be placed in an area tolerant of some additional noise, such as a large airport terminal, you must consider which particular actions are best suited for sound feedback from the kiosk. For instance, should the machine give a warning sound if the user attempts to enter invalid input? Studies show that a visual indication of error is sufficient indication of a mistake. Instead consider using a positive sound to reinforce task completion or correct data entry from the user. Adding credits, completing an order or successfully creating a print out are all candidates for positive reinforcement.

Branding, speed and sound are all important items for consideration in the design and placement of any electronic kiosk. By paying attention to the particular needs of users and current research about user interface, you can ensure the interaction between users and your kiosk’s software is successful.

Tom Samus is a retired legal clerk and writer for a retail information site. He also writes articles for the electronic kiosk information site Interactive Informational Kiosks. He is a father of two children and husband of Clara Parks.

Tags: branding, design, interaction, kiosk, logo, software, sound, speed, usability, user interacitionbranding, design, interaction, kiosk, logo, software, sound, speed, usability, user interacition

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Conjure up in your mind broad rolling meadows with runs of cattle or stock of some type, all discriminate by virtue of a registered brand. That’s a most common and accepted understanding of branding.

You have just now used your mind to develop a picture that promises easy recall. You may not yet be aware but there’s always a new secret marketing aid being developed and made available … nearly every day of the week.

I’d be one of many that could point out who the target group is for all of these hidden treasures and industrious salespeople. But if you’re reading this, then take a bow and a large step forward! You are in fact the “demand” component of the supply that’s being generated.

Now what happens when you also join the ranks of the industrious? It doesn’t take a whole deal of thinking to recognize that you can easily get lost in the traffic, especially if you are starting up a business of your own. Being known as an absolute is a very real way of defeating some of that traffic; not the only way but a very effective one.

Your general copy writing and headline creation tactics certainly help the cause but in a saturated market environment you need to embrace every advantage.

Exactly what then, can you do, to be noticed? Question well asked and the answer ….. consider branding yourself.

The reason branding works is that it gives individuality to the value you provide to those that come to your site. If they don’t come to your site then its through your e-mails, e-zines, blogs and advertisements.

It makes folk recall your Site and perhaps even prompts them to bookmark. Do it right and they might even opt to scan for forthcoming product that carries your brand name.

You’ll be far more noticeable if you can create something that settles on someone’s mind. Catch the imagination of your readers, use unique or quirky themes and make that difference that magnetizes your audience.

By way of example, let me relate a branding experience using a quick story…. tangent if you will.

There’s a huge red rock located in the middle of Australia that was at one time known
as Ayers Rock. More recently it has adopted the term Uluru.

The rock and the country around it belong to a group of Aboriginal people called Pitjantjatjara and Yankunytjatjara.

So, the people also have been renamed and are now referred to as “Anangu” because it’s easier.

These people have a history rich in story and in this case they identify the various faces of the rock using that approach.

One saga goes something like this….. A long, long time ago, in the time of the Tjukurpa, which the Aborigines call the dreamtime, the animals gave shape to a rock.

There was a young woma python, or Kuniya, that was passing by and was surprised by a group of Liru, which are venomous snakes. Kuniya, not being from that area, was affronted by the Liru who threw spears at the python and killed him.

So hard did they throw their spears that the points made holes in the rock.

The Pythons ancestor, also a Kuniya, was so angered by this that he killed one of the Liru with a stick.

So, on the west face of the rock there are holes that are said to be from the points of the Lirus’ spears and on the south face of the rock, Kuniya the woma python can still be seen as a dark wavy line on Uluru.

Now the story in itself doesn’t mean a whole lot but if you are ever able to visit Uluru, you will happen to find a south and a west side of the rock that now has individuality because it’s been branded.

To any one else this is simply a rock but to you, you now know there exists Western and Southern rock walls that hold special understandings. These are unique and remembered even if not in the original light.

Get yourself branded and stand out from the rocks that exist in your niche marketplace.

Start with your ads, an article or two and build from that into your website. Regardless of what appearance might do to enhance any efforts, it’s generally how you stick in a customer’s mind that produces results.

Dave Jones, is a business promoter hoping to encourage new starters into improving their financial futures http://www.work-at-home-create-opportunities.com is his latest project to help other people make a full-time living doing part-time work from home. For more info, you can visit or contact Dave at livesupport@work-from-home-affiliate-options.com

Tags: brand, notice, recall, valuebrand, notice, recall, value

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The one thing that everyone has in common is that we are all consumers; we all buy. Every day, from daily small purchases, like your morning coffee and newspaper, to big monthly or yearly purchases, like a television or a car. But what influences your decision on what and where to buy. Surely, you have tastes and preferences but with all the competition for your purchasing power it is often small differences in the product that ultimately influence your decision.

Let’s say you walk into a grocery store to buy a soda. Although there may be dozens of sodas to choose from you’ll most likely reach for a familiar brand such as Coca-Cola or Pepsi. The reason? You are familiar with these brands and trust them. You recognize the company name and logo and you choose these products based on your familiarity.

With that in mind, here are some suggestions for a new company trying to build a brand, a company name, and a logo:

1. Choose a company name that is easily remembered, short, and pronouncable. You want to make it as easy as possible for people to remeber you. A long name such as “Industrial Widget Manufacturing and Distribution Company” isn’t as memorable as memorable as a short and snappy company name such as “Widget Enterprises.” When people remember you they become familiar with you and will likely choose you over a competitor.

2. Be different with your logo. Don’t use the same unimaginative symbols that almost everybody else uses. For example, if your logo is a globe be assured that you won’t be remembered. There are thousands, if not millions, of companies that use an image of a globe in their logo. Try something different. Try using animals, such as monkeys. If you look at my business website, www.trade-pals.com, you’ll see that my logo is two monkeys in business suits. This image stands out and is memorable. And I’m not competing with other businesses for a memorable logo because there are no other business websites that use images of monkeys in their logos.

3. Don’t use a hard to spell name. This is the easiest way for people searching for your business not to be able to find you. For example, “Wojtiecz & Boerschevsky Insurance” would be an example of a North American insurance brokerage with two principals using their European last names in their company name. North American won’t be able to look up your company because they won’t be able to spell it. Instead, how about something like, “Insurance Hub of Chicago”? This won’t be misspelled and anybody searching for you will find you.

Be creative, be memorable, and be recognizable and you will be on your way to creating a great brand for your business.

Tino Buntic is the creator of the TradePals business networking site. His unique love of monkeys drove him to create a logo with two monkeys in business suits in his company logo.

Tags: branding, company logo, company recognition, craetive branding, increase sales, logo, sales, symbols, widgetbranding, company logo, company recognition, craetive branding, increase sales, logo, sales, symbols, widget

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