Vending Machine

Vending Machine 

Type: Snack Machine 

Location: the DOF in severance 

Think about how the user interact with the machine: 

• How does the machine present its capabilities to the user?
  The machine shows the snacks provided by having them on display behind a sheet of glass. Each snack has a price and assigned letter-number combination below it.  Next to this display is a keypad with numbers and letters that correspond to the combination under the snacks. it can be inferred that the user must insert the correct number of money into the money slots located under the keypad and punch in the right combination to get the snack desired. 
• What can the user do?
  The user can do the following: enter number-letter combinations on the key pad, insert money (paper and coins) into the provided slots, receive a snack, receive change, and read the display on top of the keypad.
• What affordances does the machine present?
  The machine has several buttons and two ports that you push to open. However, both of the ports are extremely close to the ground and do not open sufficiently. Someone tall and/or with large hand would have trouble. On the other side, the buttons are very high up, so children and short adults will also have trouble.  
• How does the user know what to do first?
  Along with the human concept of exchanging monetary value with goods, there is also a drawing and instructions above the money slot. 
• What kind of feedback does the machine give to tell the user about the state?
  There is an electric display above the keypad that states the condition of the machine. If it is in correct working order is reads, "READY." 

The Good: 

• You get your snack relatively easily if you are of average height
• The machine is convenient
• A variation of snacks 
• Relatively inexpensive   

The Bad: 

• The design is not universal. Someone who is tall will have trouble reaching the ports. As well, the the port used to get the snack itself does not open fully. Meaning someone with large hand will be unable to get their snack. The keypad is very high up, so children, short people, and people in wheelchairs will have difficulty. As well, you need to be able to read to make sure the machine is working, so a child under the age of six will have issues.
• Some of the affordances are not clear cut. Signs and drawing had to be put up in order for users to interact with the machine properly. 
• The mapping for delivery of the snack is not always accurate. The snacks will sometimes get stuck between the wire holding the other food and the glass panel. This makes it impossible for the user to get their food.Other times, the user will get twice the amount of food wanted. 

Improvements: 

1. I think the keypad and the coin port should be closer to the middle so people of all heights can use it easily.
2. Make the dollar port less finicky.
3. Also, make the key pad less complicated. For example, use something more modern so that it is smaller (e.g touch screen that you slide to the left for letter and to the right for numbers)
4. Use a better latch on the food port so that it opens more that one and a half inches
5. Although I cannot think of a solution , but if there could be a better system for receiving the food than the coils then I would change that as well. The food gets stuck far to often for it to be efficient.