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Microwave Challenge

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🗣 Design Callouts

1. Step By Step Process

Showing only what is needed at certain steps of the flow gives users an easy idea of what they should do, presenting all the options to them at the start can be overwhelming, for example, the heat or cool buttons being the only ones presented. This is also shown when the “Start” button becomes a “+30 second” button since there is no use for the “start” button after it is already started.

2. Knob

8 out of 10 people I asked preferred having a knob to turn compared to pressing numbers because it was a quicker and easier tactile element to use. However, this poses a tradeoff that I write about next.

🔃 Tradeoffs

1. Accessibility

While a knob is easier for most - people who lack vision or are blind may not be able to see the time or power they are setting, this is a problem I would tackle if I had more time. However, by making the majority of the buttons imprinted, users who are visually disabled will be able to tactically feel what each button represents.

2. Food Buttons

Many microwaves have buttons for popcorn, chicken, vegetables, etc. but after finding that 9 out of 10 of my participants did not use them, I did not integrate them into the design. Not including these buttons improves the user experience because it does not overwhelm them with options and lets them focus on more important tasks such as setting the time and power.

⏱ If I Had More Time

1. Voice Control

To not even use the interface, the microwave could include voice control for a quicker experience. This would benefit users who have visual or motor disabilities as well as users who are in a hurry.

2. Knob Markers

To make the knob more accessible to users who are visually disabled there could be imprinted markings around it to represent certain times and power levels. This would allow users to feel the markings and understand what time and power they represent.

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