A Better BART Kiosk Interface • Hacker News Board

Re: A Better BART Kiosk Interface

#11

Post by andr » Wed, May 06, 2009, 9:36 PM UTC

sobriquet wrote: post #9

tophat02 wrote: post #7

As someone not familiar with the Boston area, I found I really missed having a "you are here" indicator when it came time to select my destination. I became disoriented and worried about traveling too far, even though I "knew" I was just playing with a web mockup.

I didn't know BART went all the way to Boston!

It's still only a plan. They are collecting opinions from the community right now. :)

For the record, BART = Bay Area Rapid Transit and covers San Francisco and neighboring towns. MBTA is the Massachusetts Bay Transit Authority and covers Greater Boston subway and buses, as well as commuter rail throughout the state.

Re: A Better BART Kiosk Interface

#12

Post by anigbrowl » Wed, May 06, 2009, 10:01 PM UTC

misuba wrote: post #2

Despite being told it wasn't a touchscreen I tried to click on individual stations on the map multiple times. People are focused on the station they want to go to; if you show it to them, it's going to be staticky for them to figure out they have to focus on something else.

It sure beats stopping to find and then read the list of stations and fares printed in 8 point type on a sticker that is attached to a random spot on the front of the machine. Great work, but I'm not hopeful about it getting past the lardass bureaucrat brigade.

Re: A Better BART Kiosk Interface

#13

Post by anigbrowl » Wed, May 06, 2009, 10:04 PM UTC

aston wrote: post #8

I've always wondered whether it was an intentional feature of the BART machines that they focus on the cash value on a card rather than the trip cost. Underpaying isn't allowed--the gates at your destination won't let you leave--and overpaying puts petty change into the BART's coffers when you forget about/lose/toss the card.

Not to mention the need to add 5c to your ticket if you want it back at the end of the journey - say for expense or tax deduction purposes if you are making occasional but expensive long-distance trips for work assignments. I've spent >$300 on BART fares for a month-long project before, and if you exit the station with the exact fare on your ticket, there goes your receipt.

Re: A Better BART Kiosk Interface

#14

Post by triplefox » Wed, May 06, 2009, 10:08 PM UTC

Little-known fact: BART has been using 8-track technology for its ticketing since the system was created in the 1970's. You can see this when the kiosks need repairs.

Re: A Better BART Kiosk Interface

#15

Post by tophat02 » Wed, May 06, 2009, 10:10 PM UTC

sobriquet wrote: post #9

tophat02 wrote: post #7

As someone not familiar with the Boston area, I found I really missed having a "you are here" indicator when it came time to select my destination. I became disoriented and worried about traveling too far, even though I "knew" I was just playing with a web mockup.

I didn't know BART went all the way to Boston!

Oops! I told you I didn't know the area!

Re: A Better BART Kiosk Interface

#16

Post by dsil » Wed, May 06, 2009, 10:24 PM UTC

ynniv wrote: post #4

misuba wrote: post #2

Despite being told it wasn't a touchscreen I tried to click on individual stations on the map multiple times. People are focused on the station they want to go to; if you show it to them, it's going to be staticky for them to figure out they have to focus on something else.

The user interaction analysis on the page points out that people in transit stations don't have the same preconception about interface. In a noisy, dirty, worn out environment, people presented with a durable looking machine with shiny labeled buttons tend to use the buttons and not the screen.

I agree, using it on the internet I kept clicking on the "screen" instead of using the buttons.

Though, I do find myself occasionally futilely poking at ATM and gas-station screens that were made years before touch-screens became common.

Re: A Better BART Kiosk Interface

#17

Post by Oxryly » Wed, May 06, 2009, 10:37 PM UTC

Cool system. As someone else pointed out, the station select map should have some sort of "you are here" indication showing which station you're at.

I suppose one (potentially minor) ongoing expense with this setup would be that every kiosk would need to be in a its particular location's "mode"... currently every kiosk runs exactly the same way -- location agnostic.

Re: A Better BART Kiosk Interface

#18

Post by dangrover » Wed, May 06, 2009, 10:38 PM UTC

anigbrowl wrote: post #13

aston wrote: post #8

I've always wondered whether it was an intentional feature of the BART machines that they focus on the cash value on a card rather than the trip cost. Underpaying isn't allowed--the gates at your destination won't let you leave--and overpaying puts petty change into the BART's coffers when you forget about/lose/toss the card.

Not to mention the need to add 5c to your ticket if you want it back at the end of the journey - say for expense or tax deduction purposes if you are making occasional but expensive long-distance trips for work assignments. I've spent >$300 on BART fares for a month-long project before, and if you exit the station with the exact fare on your ticket, there goes your receipt.

Every time I've used BART, in addition to emitting a ticket, the machine emits a receipt out of the same orifice.

Re: A Better BART Kiosk Interface

#19

Post by ljuba » Wed, May 06, 2009, 10:47 PM UTC

Oxryly wrote: post #17

Cool system. As someone else pointed out, the station select map should have some sort of "you are here" indication showing which station you're at. I suppose one (potentially minor) ongoing expense with this setup would be that every kiosk would need to be in a its particular location's "mode"... currently every kiosk runs exactly the same way -- location agnostic.

As they are, the kiosks already know where they are. Each kiosk has the station name on-screen. Just FYI.

Re: A Better BART Kiosk Interface

#20

Post by mlinsey » Wed, May 06, 2009, 11:00 PM UTC

Looks nifty, but can anyone who is color-blind comment on the "select destination" page? I feel it may be difficult to tell which stop is in which region.