A good or bad Touch Screen User Interface can make or break a touch screen kiosk. It is the point of access that allows the interaction between humans and machines and is made up of an operating system and software.

Kiosk software has several roles, a) it locks down the application in order to protect the kiosk from wandering users, b) it can offer remote monitoring to manage multiple kiosks from another location and c) it is the source that guides a user through the kiosk application. The operating system is the tool that runs the kiosk.

It has been reported a successful self service kiosk will attract customers and keep them engaged through its simplicity, functionality and content. Therefore, it is vital that you ensure your User Interface has been developed to maximise usage, popularity, accessibility, interaction and improve customer satisfaction.

So what are the crucial points of a Touch Screen User Interface?

- Make the home page and navigation clean and simple to understand by reducing the number of elements

on the screen such as icons, buttons, photos, etc. Various demographics must be able to use the unit; the elderly, children, disabled etc, without assistance.

- Use a limited number of colours, font types and font sizes in order to keep the screen clean, while retaining brand awareness and consistency. This is important for marketing usage to grab attention and for readability.

- Show content in stages by spreading it across screens and dividing it into steps. Displaying too much information in one space creates confusion and messiness whereas split up screens, topics and categories are easier to use and understand.

- The system and software need to ensure a successful integration between application, hardware and your back office system and arm you with a secure kiosk network delivering tailored content 24/7.

Ultimately, by paying attention to the specific needs of the customer and developing seamless interaction between hardware, software and user, you can safeguard your kiosk and develop a success application.

Check out the kiosk software on offer at Protouch today.

These days everyone is talking about what the customer wants, what the customer needs, how to improve customer service; however has everyone forgotten about the staff?

Your staff members are essential to keep your business going and if they are happy and receiving the top quality treatment they deserve then they will work hard for your business in turn keeping your customers happy.

There are a wide range of ways you can keep your staff member’s happy one being through the use of innovative technology such as an employee self service kiosk. You might be thinking this is a strange feature to offer staff members; however it can benefit your team in a variety of different ways and we at Protouch are here to explain how.

With a human resources kiosks,the direct savings you can make as a business are never ending. Through a HR kiosk you could potentially:

• Reduce HR staffing
• Reduce printing costs
• Reduce distribution costs
• Fewer resources needed for processing new staff members and other administration costs

On top of this, there are a variety of features and benefits to a human resources kiosks which include:

• The ability for staff members to access the kiosk when there are no desktop computers around or available.
• The deployment of kiosks outside of your offices gives your staff member’s the flexibility to access information or contact the team when they have no access to the Internet or a mobile phone.
• 24×7 access with a kiosk systems without the need for human contact. This will further reduce the costs and increases the convenience for employees who are supported with their workload and can further concentrate on other things.
• Online forms and pay stub printing through the kiosk reduces the amount of paper printed, distribution costs and administration costs.
• Introducing factory floor kiosks for staff members is a great tool for offering employee training, scheduling and other managerial functions.
• Using kiosks for pre screening and processing of applicant data makes the whole process a lot quicker and reduces common administrative delays.
• Touch screen interfaces are the perfect solution for computer illiterate people in your company to access digital information and data.
• A wide range of applications can feature on a kiosk system including, employee holiday application forms, medical forms, letter heads, enquiry and contact details etc which allows your staff members to be proactive in the company and locate the correct information they need.

If you are seriously considering a kiosk system for your staff members, why not contact Protouch today, the leading distributor and manufacturer or touch screen equipment across Europe. The team have designed and developed a wide range of kiosk systems for a plethora of industry sectors and can assist you in designing a bespoke kiosk system tailored to your needs and requirements.

Touch screen technology is everywhere and it’s just getting bigger by the day. The multimedia interactive technology offers consumers a modern platform which allows them to say good by to the keypad and hello to a innovative and compact technology products.

Although it may only seem that the touch screen interface has been around and about for the past few years, research suggests otherwise. Dating back to the 80s the touch screen was a new and exciting technological device that has been developed and improved over the years to mix into our every day world; and that development has proven to be a huge success with mobile phones, kiosk systems, computers and many more technology products adopting a touch screen interface.

So to give you an idea of the world of touch screen and how it all began, here are a few touch screen gadgets from years gone by.

The BBC’s Tomorrow’s World programme in 1982 featured a very early touch screen computer. Unfortunately the exact model is unknown.

In 1983 Hewlett Packard’s HP-150 was the first commercially available touch screen PC. The screen was fitted with a grid of infrared beams which were in place to detect finger movements across the screen; however the IR sensors often became clogged up with dust and dirt and required regular cleaning.

In 1993, Apple was still leading the way in handheld devices with its Newton PDA. With handwriting recognition it was years ahead of its time and even now the device is commonly found being sold on Internet auction sites for large prices.

The first ever Smartphone was launched in 1993 with the IBM’s Simon. It featured a calender, note pad and fax function. Users could put their phone numbers using the touch screen interface.

In 1996 the Palm took over the touch screen market for over ten years with its Pilot series. The company then expanded its products to Smartphone technology getting rid of its operating system in favour of Windows Mobile.

The year 2000 saw the launch of Microsoft handheld ‘tablet’ devices. Bill Gates, founder, saw the potential of the touch screen device and launched the product with the Windows XP Tablet edition in 2002. Not many people bought the tablet PC’s due to the high costs.

2004 saw the introduction or touch screen Smartphones which have grown in popularity over the years. Handsets such as Nokia’s Symbian handsets, Windows Mobile as well as the Sony Ericsson’s UIQ phones have all driven the touch screen technology forward.

The launch of the Apple iPhone in 2007 hit the touch screen industry by storm. There was a lot of work that needed to be done to the device for it to meet to people’s expectations however the sleek and sophisticated design proved to be an overall winner which left many other mobile phone manufacturers struggling to play catch up.

2008 saw the touch screen industry move for a more commercial than home use. The new Microsoft touch screen controlled table was launched prices at a whopping £8,500. The new interactive system adopted a multi touch surface which allowed many users to interact at the same time.

And as we arrive into 2010 the iPad landed on our doorstep. The new multi-functional facility has received massive interest worldwide with 1 million units sold within a month of its launch.