Behaviour & Information Technology, 2015

Vol. 34, No. 1, 81–93, http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/0144929X.2014.937459

Eliciting positive user experiences with self-service kiosks: pursuing possibilities

Asli Günay∗ and Çiğdem Erbuğ
Industrial Design, Middle East Technical University, Ankara, Turkey
(Received 30 January 2014; accepted 12 June 2014 )

Although the prominent concept of the last decade – user experience – maintains its significance in diverse disciplines,
especially design, its focus has changed to eliciting positive user experiences by pursuing new possibilities for consumer
products rather than by solely seeking solutions to existing problems. Designers continue to aim for rich user experi-
ences with a variety of products, but have neglected self-service (interactive) kiosks. Hence, this paper, after giving a brief
overview of the positive psychology literature, demonstrates the dimensions of positive user experiences with self-service
kiosks through an empirical study conducted on coffee vending machines and automated tellers.
Keywords: self-service kiosks; user experience; positive user experiences; possibility-driven design

1. Introduction The above-noted studies share some commonalities, yet

It has been now more than a decade since the focus in they also differ in certain ways. Some research maintains
design literature shifted from product to user, and then to that the contrasting approaches towards the user experience
the overall experience of interacting with a product (Blythe stem from differences between the experimental psychol-
et al. 2007; Desmet and Hekkert 2007; Schifferstein and ogy and the phenomenological and pragmatist views (Law
Hekkert 2008). It is well accepted that to elicit pleasure et al. 2007). Phenomenological methods highlight the
during one’s interaction with a product, mere usability is singleness and situatedness of the user experience
not sufficient. Rather, a holistic approach, which acknowl- (Hassenzahl 2010), focusing on in-depth analyses and rich
edges the significance of hedonic experiences as much as insights, whereas approaches influenced by experimental
pragmatic ones, should be pursued (Jordan 1999, 2000; psychology divide the experience into single constituents,
Desmet 2003; Norman 2004; Hassenzahl and Tractinsky such as pleasure, fun, and even hatred (Kerkow 2007),
2006; Thüring and Mahlke 2007). Such an approach is seeking to generalise the principles and constituents, and
usually covered under the terms ‘user experience’, ‘prod- then bring about several sets of average experiences.
uct experience’, or ‘experience’, although the three terms Frameworks around the user experience include
can be used interchangeably or to refer to utterly distinct product-centred, user-centred, and interaction-centred
aspects of the experience. In this paper, we use the term frameworks (Forlizzi and Battarbee 2004). Product-
‘user experience’ for this holistic approach. centred approaches tend to elicit direct input by provid-
The ‘user experience’ has become a topic of inter- ing criteria to consider while designing a product (Alben
est in the academic and professional worlds alike, and 1996), and user-centred frameworks aim to understand
an immense literature has developed around the term’s a product’s users (Hassenzahl 2003). Interaction-centred
origins (Desmet and Hekkert 2007; Scapin et al. 2012), frameworks deal with the product and the user, but espe-
around different frameworks of the concept (Alben 1996; cially with the relation between them (Wright, McCarthy,
Hassenzahl 2003; Wright, McCarthy, and Meekison 2003; and Meekison 2003). In brief, the differences among the
Forlizzi, Mutlu, and DiSalvo 2004; Desmet and Hekkert frameworks relate mainly to the foci and approaches
2007), about diverse components and facets of the user towards the user experience. Other differences among user
experience (Hassenzahl and Tractinsky 2006; Thüring and experience studies include purpose, methods, domains, and
Mahlke 2007; Schifferstein and Hekkert 2008; Hekkert applications (Blythe et al. 2007).
and van Dijk 2011), and regarding the methods and tools The commonalities among user experience studies
that evaluate the user experience and its components, such are more important to this paper. Studies that highlight
as emotions and moods (Desmet 2003; Vastenburg et al. these factors primarily acknowledge the complex and
2011). multidimensional nature of the user experience and the

∗ Corresponding author. Email: [email protected]


c 2014 Taylor & Francis
82 A. Günay and Ç. Erbuğ

significance of the different components of that experience, or technological characteristics, such as functionality,
such as characteristics of the product, user, and context. It usability, or usefulness.) In accordance with technologi-
is commonly accepted that value for the user should not cal advances, and thus a shift in the nature of consumer
be sought through a product’s material characteristics but services, self-service technologies will continue to expand
through the experience it offers as a whole. This goal is (Davis, Spohrer, and Maglio 2011), and hence, contemplat-
achieved by emphasising products’ roles as creators, medi- ing user needs and expectations around SSKs cannot be
ators, and facilitators of meaningful experiences and by confined to pragmatic aspects. Furthermore, it is important
recognising that personal needs and expectations do not to consider not only current designs, but also the trajectory
comprise pragmatic and material goals alone (Hassenzahl of such products and systems and how they will be situ-
2010). Thus, while dealing with the entire experience and ated in the future. By detecting and deconstructing present
personally meaningful goals, the emotional experience has trends, it may be possible to design products and sys-
become prominent, as has motivation, perception, cog- tems according to future users’ needs and desires (Chavan
nition, and action. Aspects such as pleasure, fun, and 2011).
enchantment have gained as much validity as usability Recently, several attempts have been made to provide
(Blythe et al. 2003). novel and engaging experiences around public infor-
Recently, the most important objective in creating the mation displays for streets and tourist areas (Russell,
user experience is to elicit a positive and pleasurable Drews, and Sue 2002; Pous and Ceccaroni 2010). The
experience rather than focus on preventing a bad one range of SSKs, however, is much broader, encompass-
(Hassenzahl and Tractinsky 2006). In what can be referred ing automated teller machines (ATMs), snack vending
to as ‘positive design’, possibilities rather than problems machines, ticket vending machines, supermarket self-
are being considered as a starting point for creating experi- service checkouts, health-care kiosks (e.g. automated
ences that contribute to well-being and happiness (Desmet blood pressure machines, appointment booking machines,
and Hassenzahl 2012). This approach is not unique to the and patient self-check-in machines), and so on. Further-
design discipline. The ‘positive psychology’ or happiness more, any improvements to SSKs mainly focus on the
field, which focuses on what makes us happy rather than on products’ interfaces, that is, material rather than emotional
what makes us unhappy, began to emerge at the beginning experiences.
of the millennium; Seligman and Csikszentmihalyi (2000) In most cases, the research focuses on multimodal-
explain that because psychologists had always focused on ity (Lamel et al. 2002; Mäkinen, Patomäki, and Raisamo
life’s adverse aspects, they did not have sufficient knowl- 2002; Johnston and Bangalore 2004) and distributed
edge about the aspects that render life fulfilling. Similarly, interfaces (Cozzolongo, De Carolis, and Pizzutilo 2004;
Seligman (2008) proposes a discipline of ‘positive health’, Bergweiler, Deru, and Porta 2010; Hosio et al. 2010),
concentrating on health rather than disease. which can increase SSK functionality and decrease their
Many product designs have been thoroughly investi- limitations, such as the inability to fulfil users’ diver-
gated and exemplified regarding the user experience, but gent expectations. Multimodal information displays take
they mainly focus on smart or personal consumer prod- advantage of diverse types of input and output during inter-
ucts. For instance, mobile phones are mentioned several actions, such as touch, speech, sign language, and physiog-
times as mediating a certain experience or having a certain nomy, and hence these systems can provide rather flexible,
meaning to the user (Redström 2005; Desmet and Hekkert compelling, and advanced pragmatic experiences, but they
2007; Hassenzahl 2010; Wright and McCarthy 2010). still fall short in providing a positive emotional experience.
Also, mobile devices are studied regarding the social set- Studies regarding distributed interfaces show how tech-
ting and social interactions, as private and public contexts nological advances can combine the strongest aspects of
have different impacts on interactions regarding both phys- SSKs and mobile devices to enable data exchange, collab-
ical and psychological aspects (Howell, Love, and Turner oration, and access to various services in public places, but
2005). Stand-alone products such as self-service kiosks overall, SSKs fail to provide a positive holistic experience.
(SSKs) or terminals (e.g. automated teller machines or cof- It can be said that although SSKs are becoming pervasive
fee vending machines) have attracted much interest with and ubiquitous with these technological advances (Hagen
regard to vandalism (Tung and Tan 1998; Maguire 1999), and Sandnes 2010), disregarding such a holistic experience
user interface design (Maguire 1999), and accessibility and can hinder this progression.
universal design (Thatcher, Mahlangu, and Zimmerman The aforementioned studies are valuable for their infor-
2006; Hagen and Sandnes 2010), but studies are lacking on mation about SSKs’ diverse functionalities and relatively
the SSK user experience as a whole. SSKs deserve special new interaction styles, but there is a gap in the literature
attention because their design focuses heavily on usability around positive user experiences with such products. We
and functionality; most SSKs are still far from provid- thus conducted an empirical study with two types of SSKs:
ing novel, attractive, and pleasant interactions. (To clarify, the ATM and the coffee vending machine. We present
‘novel interactions’ now implies positive experiences; it no the details below after exploring the positive psychology
longer refers to products or systems with new instrumental approach and giving a brief review of the related literature.
 Behaviour & Information Technology 83

2. Towards more positive experiences users’ experiences, and these are better retrieved by hear-
For decades, psychologists, doctors, and researchers have ing people’s stories about a product. Because stories might
focused heavily on the negative conditions and aspects of also include experiences that users wish to achieve, such
human health, such as distressing experiences and physi- accounts can provide valuable information about possibil-
cal and mental illnesses. While this approach has yielded ities for a design in addition to problems with a design
an extensive knowledge about pathology, healing, and (Wright and McCarthy 2010). By studying stories and
ameliorating and curing diversified diseases, it has hin- their underlying values and meanings, designers can better
dered the understanding of the significance of the positive empathise with users.
aspects of the human condition: happiness, well-being, The negative-to-positive shift can also be observed in
and other factors making life worth living (Seligman and the industrial design, human–computer interaction (HCI),
Csikszentmihalyi 2000; Wallis 2004). Until the 1950s, and interaction design disciplines (Desmet and Hassenzahl
two of the three major objectives of psychology were 2012). To elicit more satisfactory, pleasurable, and novel
neglected: enabling better lives and fostering genius, design solutions, possibility-driven design, which empha-
because psychologists focused mainly on curing (Seligman sises a product’s potential merits, has been presented as
and Csikszentmihalyi 2000). We have now come to under- an alternative to the problem-driven perspective. However,
stand that averting the bad does not guarantee acquiring or such an approach in the design and HCI disciplines is
developing the good. In other words, preventing bad con- new and needs further exploration. For this reason, and
ditions or diseases does not necessarily bring happiness because SSKs require special attention given their distinct
or a healthy outlook; but building on certain virtues and method of interaction in the public context, we conducted
human strengths, such as optimism and flow capacity (full a story-based empirical study to understand positive user
absorption in an activity and experience; Nakamura and experiences with and potential for improvement in these
Csikszentmihalyi 2009) can not only play a role in preven- products.
tion, but also in achieving a happier and more satisfactory
life (Wallis 2004).
This shift paved the way for the emergence of pos- 3. The study
itive psychology. Another shift has also been observed: Aiming at unveiling positive user experiences with SSKs,
from who to why and when. Subjective well-being (SWB) we conducted a qualitative inquiry comprising semi-
research, which is a specific realm in positive psychol- structured interviews with the purpose of eliciting stories
ogy about how individuals assess their lives, has begun to about the self-service coffee experience and the self-service
explore why and when people are happy and what affects banking experience and related user needs and expec-
their SWB, rather than concentrating on who is considered tations. We focused on gathering information about the
to be happy (Diener 2000). possibilities for SSK interaction rather than the problems,
Positive psychology deals with positive institutions, because the latter would elicit limited information about
conditions, emotions, and characteristics (Seligman et al. expected needs and values.
2005). Seligman and Csikszentmihalyi (2000) divide posi-
tive psychology studies into three categories, according to
their focus: positive experiences, positive personality, and 3.1. Sample
social context. The authors then group the categories into We interviewed 30 participants (16 female, 14 male) rang-
those exploring evolutionary perspectives, personal traits, ing in age between 22 and 36 years (M = 26.67, SD =
mental and physical health implications, and excellence 3.25). The participants were chosen from undergraduate
fostering. students, graduate students, and employees of different uni-
Several studies explore understanding and fostering versities and institutes in Ankara, Turkey according to
daily positive experiences (Adams et al. 2000; Diener availability sampling – either by approaching people at a
2000; Csikszentmihalyi and Hunter 2003; Kahneman et al. kiosk or asking them whether they were using the selected
2004; Seligman et al. 2005) and discuss methods to assess kiosks. All participants were experienced users of public
SWB. Such methods include the Experience Sampling coffee vending machines and ATMs because such people
Method (Diener 2000; Csikszentmihalyi and Hunter 2003; were more likely to be able to provide detailed infor-
Wallis 2004), the Satisfaction with Life Scale (Diener et al. mation about these products. As a token of appreciation,
1985), and the Positive and Negative Affect Scale (Watson, participants received a cup of coffee.
Clark, and Tellegen 1988), as well as other memory and
reaction-time assessments, informant reports, and physio-
logical evaluations (Diener 2000). While informative for 3.2. Method
other disciplines, these methods are not usually tailored to We chose the semi-structured interview method because of
the design discipline or to design research; they mostly pro- its flexibility in gathering details of the user experience. As
vide quantitative and shallow insights about users’ expe- users told their stories about their experiences with SSKs,
riences. Designers need an in-depth understanding about we could focus on certain aspects, raise new questions,
84 A. Günay and Ç. Erbuğ

and/or exclude existing questions, thus better eliciting the structure of the study, involved questions, and received
possibilities inherent in these products. answers were translated into English.
To gather diverse perspectives on the SSK user expe- We began the interviews by asking about participants’
rience, we chose kiosks offering two different services, general experiences around one of the SSKs. In this stage,
and we chose ATM and coffee vending kiosks because the the focus was not on the kiosk itself, but on the broader
natures of these experiences are entirely different from each experience to understand the general physical and non-
other. For instance, the coffee experience can be viewed physical interactions. Next, we narrowed the focus to a
as leisure oriented, whereas the ATM experience can be specific kiosk. We first showed the participants a poster
viewed as task/work oriented; these contrasting concepts containing diverse images and contexts of the related SSK
may affect how a user perceives the experience. Thus, to provoke memories and call forth previous experiences
related user needs and interactions are also distinct. For (Sleeswijk Visser et al. 2005). Then, for each of the pre-
instance, a user may want a serious and trustful interac- use, use, and post-use stages for each type of kiosk, we
tion from an ATM; whereas, pleasure and socialisation can queried participants’ expectations of the experience con-
be more important regarding a coffee vending kiosk. sidering happiness and pleasure, answers to which would
After a brief introduction, the interviews incorporated help us separate problems from possibilities, and so, pos-
two parts, each involving four stages: general, pre-use, use, itive user experiences from the negative ones. After con-
and post-use experiences. To clarify, we did not want par- cluding the interview for one experience, we repeated the
ticipants to use the products; rather we asked questions process for the second experience. We changed the sub-
about all different stages related to the interaction. Ask- ject order of the interviews (first coffee, then banking, and
ing people directly at the kiosks and asking them to recall vice versa) for half of the participants to eliminate the
interactions would yield different results. So, we preferred unintended impact of order of asking. Each session (two
the latter one as the focus was not merely on few problems experiences with one participant) lasted approximately
and dimensions that would be specific to the fresh expe- 45 min. The entire interview was audio recorded, with the
riences, but on entire insights and possibilities. We used participant’s consent.
the laddering technique (Reynolds and Gutman 1988) dur- After the interview process was completed, all inter-
ing these stages to explore experiences, personal values, views were transcribed. Then, we performed content anal-
and the meanings attached to them. Figure 1 depicts the ysis (see Jupp and Norris 1993) by identifying recurring
structure of the study. patterns, converting meaningful segments into keyword
The language of the interviews was Turkish. For con- levels (codes), and then grouping them into several cate-
veying information through an international platform, the gories (themes), such as participants’ expectations, related

Figure 1. The main structure of the study.

 Behaviour & Information Technology 85

Table 1. A coding example.

Participant’s Experience/ Main Sub

statement order categories categories Element

It can give a coffee cup holders which can eliminate the Coffee Emotional Service Given product
ready and cheap coffee image. Of course it might be experience contentment conformity (coffee cup
less environmentally-friendly then, but it can be (2) holder) –
applied in a way to ensure recyling. This holder’s presentation
colours can be suitable to the coffee type I will buy
and can be changed after certain periods. Cup holders
give me a warm feeling and coffee feeling. It can also
offer diverse patterns
As coffee machines moved the people away from the Coffee Trust Visual Product (coffee
coffee pleasure, they should eliminate the quick, experience conformity machine) –
ready, and low-quality coffee feeling. Instead of the (2) appearance
feeling of buying coffee from a vague box, it can give
a feeling of buying coffee from a specific place with
the help of visuals and more detailed explanations. I
can choose my coffee accordingly.

Table 2. Main categories of expectations regarding a positive user experience around coffee
vending machines and ATMs.

requirements, and factors affecting these aspects. From convenience, sociability, functionality, hygiene, visibility
the keywords that emerged we can map and comprehend of the process, guidance, and technical issues. A coding
diverse dimensions in and relationships with positive expe- example is given in Table 1 and these main categories and
riences around SSKs. To achieve inter-coder reliability, sub-categories are explained in Tables 2 and 3.
each author coded and thematised the data (Krippendorff Due to differences between the products and services
2004). provided by the kiosks, some expectations and require-
ments did not apply to both types of experiences. For
example, privacy was not as much of a concern with
3.3. Results the coffee kiosk, and taste conformity, sociability, and
We gathered 268 statements about the coffee experience visibility of the process did not apply to the banking kiosk.
and 243 statements about the banking experience. Hereby, All categories, whether hedonic or pragmatic, are desir-
a statement refers to each comment of a participant. able properties through which to ensure positive user expe-
Regarding a positive user experience around coffee vend- riences with SSKs. In the subsequent parts of the paper,
ing machines and ATMs, five main categories (themes) we explore all properties to provide a general picture
of expectations emerged: emotional contentment, usabil- about positive user experiences. Then, we shift the focus
ity, usefulness, trust, and privacy. Each of these categories to our main category of emotional contentment, which
embodies diverse sub-categories (codes) that elaborate includes participants’ diverse stories of their experiences
on the requirements for realising the main categories: with SSKs through which we can determine different possi-
personalisation, taste conformity, service conformity, bilities for these products. Stories facilitate comprehending
visual conformity, clarity of information, attractiveness, and communicating user experiences in general (Wright
86 A. Günay and Ç. Erbuğ

Table 3. Aspects affecting positive user experiences with coffee vending machines and ATMs.

and McCarthy 2010), hence, they are valuable means to representing a multidimensional structure. Pink represents
understand positive user experiences with SSKs. the main categories and blue represents the sub-categories.
We ascertained the main determinants of positive user The lines represent the relationships; the thick lines indi-
experiences and their relationships to each other from the cate that the corresponding relation was mentioned more
results of the content analysis (see Table 1) and by util- frequently. The dashed lines show relationships that were
ising the Node XL open source network analysis and mentioned indirectly by participants or that we determined
demonstration tool (Smith et al. 2010). In order to clar- after analysing all the statements. The circle size correlates
ify, Node XL is an add-in tool to Microsoft Excel, which with the frequency of statements in related categories, that
appears as a template and which does not require any spe- is, circle sizes reflect relative/comparative relationships.
cific skills, such as programming language. Themes and Comparing the two figures reveals commonalities and
related codes, i.e. main categories and sub-categories, were differences, which we discuss below.
entered into the worksheet in two different columns as
much as they had been stated. Then, the Node XL con- • With both types of kiosks, the main categories of
verted the entered data into a graph in which the frequency emotional contentment, usability, usefulness, and
and strength of the data and the relationships between trust were deemed important for a positive user
them were shown by different sizes and thicknesses of cir- experience. Privacy was noted as important only in
cles and lines. Figures 2 and 3 demonstrate participants’ the banking experience, which could be accepted
expectations for each SSK and the relationships between because of the security issues involved with money.
them. It is crucial to note that the categories in the fig- The dominance of emotional contentment in the
ures are not entirely separate from each other. As Desmet coffee experience could also make sense, given its
and Hassenzahl (2012) state, one aspect alone is not suf- associations with leisure time, the coffee-drinking
ficient to make a person happy in an interaction. Rather, routine, and sociability. Yet, the difference between
all aspects of the main and sub-categories are interrelated, the emotional contentment aspect and aspects such
 Behaviour & Information Technology 87

Figure 2. Dimensions of positive user experiences with coffee vending machines.

Figure 3. Dimensions of positive user experiences with ATMs.

as usability, usefulness, and trust, is noteworthy. From these results it can be inferred that emotional
Interestingly, the importance of emotional content- contentment is one of the users’ highest expecta-
ment in the banking experience was mentioned tions for SSKs, regardless of the type of task being
almost as frequently as usefulness and usability. performed.
88 A. Günay and Ç. Erbuğ

Figure 4. Importance of different categories in the coffee and banking experiences.

• In the sub-categories, personalisation, such as pre- the dispenser. They wanted the ATM to release the
senting a specific menu on the interface for different money softly, rather than noisily thrusting it at them.
users or recognising users’ previous choices, is also From such comments, it can be concluded that users
prominent in both figures. This category is related to look for ‘respectful’ SSKs, and service conformity is
all the main categories, but it was noted consider- an important way to realise this demand.
ably more often in the banking experience (also see • Functionality, guidance, and technical issues
Figure 4). Hence, it seems that personalisation would received almost similar emphasis in both experi-
contribute to positive user experiences for both types ences (Figure 4). However, it can be seen from
of kiosks, but it appears most desirable in the more Figures 2 and 3 that these aspects are not as impor-
serious, task-oriented kiosk (ATM). tant as service conformity. This result implies that
• Service conformity is the second most important functionality, appropriate guidance, and lack of tech-
sub-category in both experiences (Figure 4). It is nical problems are considered by users of both SSKs,
related to usability and emotional contentment for but are somewhat taken for granted; these mostly
coffee vending machines, and to privacy, trust, and pragmatic properties are not a priority for achieving
emotional contentment for ATMs. Participants indi- a positive user experience.
cated that being given a lid, tray, and spoon during • Visual conformity, attraction, hygiene, clarity of
the process would make them happier. They also information, and convenience (Figure 4) had dif-
wanted additional space on or around the machine to ferent weights in a positive user experience. The
place items such as a bag or the coffee cup while at first three were mentioned more frequently with the
the kiosk. For the ATM, participants wanted appro- coffee vending machine, and the last two were men-
priate – unscattered – presentation of the money tioned more frequently with the ATM. Because the
so they could put it in their wallet or purse more coffee vending machine is related more to leisure
quickly, thus reducing insecurity and increasing trust time, attraction and visual conformity may be more
in the product. In both experiences, participants important. Further, because the machine serves a
wanted ‘kinder’ product presentations. For exam- beverage, it could be understood that hygiene be
ple, they would have preferred the coffee machine to critical. Because an ATM is less related to leisure
present the coffee gently, as if it was offering some- time, it makes sense that convenience and clarity of
thing, rather than having the cup drop roughly from information would be more crucial.
 Behaviour & Information Technology 89

Figure 5. Underlying needs and related features.

Sociability, visibility of the process, and taste confor- kiosk to make the user feel included or considered. Mak-
mity were important only for the coffee vending machine ing users feel special and connected to others can be
(Figure 4). Therefore, to increase the number of self- achieved via personalised communication with their on-
service coffee kiosk users, designers should focus on body products.
improving these aspects rather than focusing on the most Automated teller machine users indicated that engage-
efficient way to provide the user with a cup of coffee. ment and feeling special would make them feel more
Examining the broader picture of positive experiences positive about the ATM experience. Engagement could
around coffee vending machines and ATMs (see Figures 2 be attained through information or advertisements pre-
and 3) provides insight into the general patterns and dimen- sented in the space (either on a screen or in the form
sions of these experiences with SSKs. However, for this of posters) and through a more personalised interface on
study, we focus on emotional contentment rather than the kiosks. As with the coffee experience, on-body prod-
explaining each main and sub-category individually. ucts can assist with making users feel special through
personalised communication and demonstrations.
Participants’ suggestions and examples can inform
design; thus, when they suggested certain experiences and
3.3.1. Emotional contentment leads to positive made suggestions, these were categorised during analysis,
experiences as well. We organised them into a chart (see Figure 6)
Emotional contentment with SSKs is achieved through divided by feature (spatial, on product, on-body product,
realising certain needs. When participants mentioned about given product).
their needs and corresponding product and service fea- Spatial features were mentioned mostly by coffee vend-
tures, these were categorised as underlying needs. Figure 5 ing machines users. A suitable atmosphere (e.g. deco-
presents the needs apparent in participants’ experiences rations, floor coverings, climate, other people) was also
with SSKs and incorporates the specific features that play noted as desirable. Below we present some user comments
a role in meeting them. These features are related to the (translated into English and edited for clarity).
space around the kiosk (spatial features), the kiosk itself A warm atmosphere would make it special. Or a fitted carpet
(the product), additional products that the kiosk may inter- would be good. Also, bistro tables where I can put my coffee
act with (e.g. an on-body product such as a smart phone), would create a café feeling and eventually make me happy. (P2)
and the products/services provided by the kiosk (given The place where a coffee vending machine stands and the area
product). surrounding the machine are important. To illustrate, the context
Figure 5 shows that users of coffee vending machines can be bad, but that might also make it good because it would
want to feel connected to others in addition to feel- provide a reason to chat. This is the important thing; I do not like
to drink my coffee alone. (P17)
ing engaged and feeling special. Engagement can be
achieved by tangible rewards (e.g. a free cup of cof- Seating areas were considered highly desirable in the coffee
fee after the 10th visit) and by appealing to the senses experience.
through smells, sounds, and visuals pertaining to the given A seating place, which would be special to the related coffee brand
products/services. Engagement can also be achieved by and the coffee vending machine, could be created near the cof-
context, for example, by designing the space around the fee vending machine. It would not need to be a large area, yet
90 A. Günay and Ç. Erbuğ

Figure 6. Features and related suggestions.

it should reflect the warmth of the coffee vending machine. . . It atmosphere by the machine’s appearance rather than reflecting a
would provide me a context within which to enjoy my coffee fast and hurried experience. (P2)
experience. (P8)
If there were different coffee cup options, I could choose the most
Spatial features were also mentioned regarding the ATMs. appropriate cup type for my coffee. It would be enjoyable. (P13)
Especially while waiting in a queue, participants wanted to Comments regarding on-body product features were
watch demonstrations, videos, or films and receive benefi- mainly about personalised communication. For the coffee
cial or enjoyable information from different media (rather experience, participants wanted the opportunity to inter-
than solely the ATM) in the environment. act with the vending machines via on-body products. For
example, a user would input coffee type, sweetener, and/or
If there is a queue, there could be entertaining things. On pay-
days there are usually long queues. Especially on those days, there
milk choices before going to the vending machine; on
could be short films and advertisements. (P3) arrival he or she would only need to press one button to
receive the beverage.
A number of on-product features were also mentioned as
If I always used the same coffee vending machine, my settings
desirable. Participants wanted to see personalised informa- would be recognized. This could be achieved by my mobile phone.
tion on the ATM while using it. I could pre-order my coffee before going to the machine and my
coffee would be ready when I got there. (P1)
ATMs can be standard, but I should be able to determine what I
want to see on the screen. So, basically all ATMs could be used in On-body products would also provide the opportunity to
the same way, but I would organize the content. (P30) communicate with other people who use coffee vending
machines.
That a coffee machine is appealing to diverse senses
was important, for example, through visuals, colour, form, If I see from my mobile phone that my friend is going to buy a
coffee from the machine, I would go as well, despite my plan to
smell, and/or sound (music). go ten minutes later. I love socializing while drinking coffee. (P7)
If I smell the coffee during preparation or see the preparation On-body products could also be a crucial aspect of the
process, I will desire the coffee and feel pleasure. (P6) banking experience, with people receiving personalised
Definitely, the appearance of the coffee vending machine regard-
information and feedback about their accounts.
ing its colors and design should be appropriate to the coffee con- I would receive messages about my transaction summary or things
cept. Since coffee is related to pleasure, it should reflect the café I forgot to do. (P2)
 Behaviour & Information Technology 91

Transmitting relevant news and recent opportunities would From the results of this study, it is apparent that
also be beneficial. although users of SSKs want social and ‘gentle’ experi-
ences, existing kiosks are still far from providing these
It might present opportunities or investment strategies from which
I can profit. (P7) encounters. Designers should acknowledge that focusing
merely on the kiosk itself and/or the problems it may have
Given product features were only applied to the coffee will hinder achieving positive user experiences. Because
experience. Participants wanted to receive free coffees or SSKs do not belong to users and are situated in public
other incentives as a reward for using a specific brand’s places, they are not like private and mobile consumer prod-
machine. Novice users and frequent users would benefit ucts; hence, treating them individually and isolating them
from this opportunity. from their contexts limits creating fulfilling user experi-
ences. Only when possibilities are explored through users’
There could be pleasant surprises. It could be a small present such
stories can one gather information from diverse dimensions
as chocolate stick. Or if I am a frequent user of the machine,
it could give a different coffee cup instead of the classic plastic about how to make SSK experiences more positive. This
cup. (P17) approach would also yield more diversified, pervasive, and
ubiquitous SSK solutions, encompassing kiosks and their
I want to test different tastes in small amounts. It can be pleasing contexts, services, and mediated interactions. Continuing
to have a coffee shot before deciding on the coffee. (P7)
with the problem-focused approach will only propagate
Personalised equipment, more specifically, personal mugs, static and indifferent products. As evident from our results,
could increase enjoyment of the coffee vending experience. our story-based findings are fruitful; they demonstrate
the possibilities for designing kinder, gentler, more novel
I prefer my own mug instead of disgusting plastic coffee cups. (P4) SSKs, and ultimately a more positive SSK experience.

4. Conclusion 5. Discussion
Because of the different tasks conducted with different Although the findings of the study point out and assure the
types of SSKs, variations occur in users’ expectations and significance of pursuing a novel approach for the design of
related requirements. Nonetheless, emotional contentment SSKs, it had certain limitations besides the strengths.
is a prominent expectation for all tasks. Pragmatic aspects As aforementioned, the study was exploratory and
are also important, but they are mentioned in conjunc- aimed at understanding the possibilities rather than the
tion with added values (see Figures 2 and 3) to achieve problems; thus, a qualitative inquiry was appropriate. Par-
emotional contentment overall. Because emotional con- ticularly, user stories were advantageous for providing
tentment is so important to a positive user experience, detailed insights and exploration. Moreover, during the
designers must seriously consider this aspect of the SSK analysis phase, the coding process did not drift apart from
experience regardless of the task being conducted. these user stories. Great attention was paid to maintaining
Certain user needs must be fulfilled to achieve emo- links between the user stories and the results, making sense
tional contentment. Engagement and feeling special are of data, and so creating meaningful relationships among
significant desires for users of ATMs and coffee vending the data.
machines. Feeling connected to others is also important Nevertheless, the study sample consisted mostly of
during coffee vending machine experiences. Diverse SSK- young people from the university environment, which was
related features must be considered to satisfy the aforemen- not representative of all people using SSKs and which was
tioned needs. In other words, focusing only on kiosk design the limitation of the study. So, it can be said that though
itself is not sufficient to elicit the most fulfilling user expe- various expectations and possibilities were retrieved, a
riences. The context within which SSKs are situated, the further study with a more diversified sample would pro-
products/services received from them, and other techno- vide a clearer and more general picture of positive user
logical products that could be used to interact with them experiences with SSKs.
should also be considered (Figure 7).

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