System Analysis----Consider an artifact of your choice and the ways in which it is used. You should select an object, which can be redesigned to involve new computational functionality.
NYC MTA Select Bus Service MetroCard Fare Collector
Image Source: http://itp.nyu.edu/~bl1236/blog/2011/10/observations-on-mtas-select-bus-service-machines/
Purpose
Select Buses attempt to cover routes in NYC where optimally train service should be available.
Make a limited number of stops.
To speed up the boarding of the bus tickets are purchased from these machines before boarding select buses.
Image Source: www.mta.info/nyct/sbs/sbs_payBx12.htm
Process
Press Start Button
Insert MetroCard
Get Proof of Payment / Your Ticket
Image Source: http://blogs.villagevoice.com/runninscared/2010/10/yesterday_the_h.php
Experience
Users who appear to be interacting with the vending machine for the first time:
Touch screen in different ways to turn it on.
Press buttons improperly to try and get it to work.
Spend time looking at the machine.
Users who appear to have experience interacting with the machine:
Press start button.
Remove Proof of Payment.
Other Observations
Experienced users do not use the machines language feature even if they seem to speak another language.
If users make a mistake they often give up and move to the neighboring vending machine.
New users do not spend time reading the instructions that are provided.
Interactions
Riders use the machine as an excuse to board the bus without paying for the ticket.
The machine is slow and at times there is not enough time to purchase a ticket and avoid missing the bus.
Cannot get the machine to work in time to avoid risking to miss the bus.
Difficulties
Hard to quickly record what was happening during periods of heavy use.
Difficult to pick which machine to observe.
Difficult to stay near machine during peak times.
Judgments
Observation only.
There was no intended verbal or non- verbal communication made with subjects.