USABILITY TEST FOR THE KYOCERA MULTI-USER COPIER ADMINISTRATIVE FUNCTIONS, INCLUDING:

 

A. THE PROCESS FOR INSPECTING HOW MANY COPIES A USER HAS LEFT IN HIS OR HER ACCOUNT.

 

B. THE PROCESS FOR ADDING COPIES TO A USER ACCOUNT.

 

By: Robert Brammer

 

 

 

NAVIGATION:

 

Design Analysis

 

Prototype

 

Evaluation

 

 

 

INTRODUCTION:

 

The Kyocera Multi-User Copier in my library has caused no end of problems for our organization. Specifically, the process for inspecting how many copies a user has left in their account, and the process of adding copies to a user account, has resulted in work stoppages, extraordinary frustration on the part of staff and patrons, and has resulted in two costly service calls. I believe the problem is the result of a poorly designed user interface that could easily be redesigned to alleviate this issue. 

 

The Kyocera does not accept money directly. Patrons must pay the librarian, and the librarian assigns the patron a four digit copy code that tracks the number of copies the patron has made. The method of entering the copy credits is a menu driven process. Let me begin by illustrating the counter-intuitive manner by which the Kyocera separates the process of tracking a patron's copy account.

 EX. 1/101

The counter, represented by the "1," shows how many copies a patron has made. The second number, the "101," represents the output limit, or the total number of copies a patron can make. So, the numbers, taken together, are telling the administrator that this patron has 100 copies left. In order to properly update a patron's account, the administrator must use the lcd, menu driven screen to both clear the patron's counter limit, and then update the output limit. In order to properly update the patron's output limit, the administrator must figure out how many copies the patron had left on their account (subtracting the counter limit from the output limit), and then adding any additional copies the patron has purchased to the output limit. The process of doing this is can be laborious and confusing

First, you have to find and push a very plain looking button labeled "job accounting," then a menu comes up on the lcd screen. You must use an up and down arrow key to scroll down through this menu until you come to "job accounting." Then you enter an administrative code. Afterwards, you must scroll down through several settings until you come to choices labeled "edit job accounting, along side edit job accountingtl." The first thing you want to do is "edit job accountingtl," then scroll to "individual limit in use." Now you see a list of copy codes displayed and a number beside them. If you highlight the code, and select it, you can now clear that patron's counter to zero. But that's not the end of your task, now you must edit the output limit to reflect the total number of copies the patron may make. This is done by returning to the prior screen, and choosing "edit job accounting." Now you scroll highlight the user's account, choose change output limit, and then enter the total number of copies a patron may make by using the numerical key pad.  After that, you to exit the system and return to the default screen, by selecting "end" over and over again on each menu screen, because there is no effective "exit" menu button that will just immediately take you out of it, and back to the default screen.

 

Last update:

10/27/08. Email – rmb08f@fsu.edu