Comments on: Update on German train ticket machines http://www.yes-no-cancel.co.uk/2008/01/29/update-on-german-train-ticket-machines/ Entrepreneurship, web technology and the user experience Thu, 04 Dec 2008 04:26:48 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.6.5 By: Johannes http://www.yes-no-cancel.co.uk/2008/01/29/update-on-german-train-ticket-machines/#comment-257 Johannes Fri, 01 Feb 2008 00:12:59 +0000 http://www.yes-no-cancel.co.uk/2008/01/29/update-on-german-train-ticket-machines/#comment-257 The new software, especially the user interface, is even worse than the old one. On the positive side, it doesn't bully you with every question on an extra screen as it did before ("Do you have BahnCard?" - "Do you have BahnCard 25% or 50%?" - "Is it BahnCard First Class or Second Class?" - "Do you want to travel First Class or Second Class?" No kidding!). Right now, it confronts you with a screen where there are a lot of buttons. Some of them are highlighted, some are not. For example, the "No BahnCard"-Button is highlighted by default, and if you want to use one, you have to press the "BahnCard"-Button next to it. Which still leaves open the question of class and deduction rate, but their multiple-choice-buttons are on the same page. The confusing thing now is: When is a button highlighted and when is it not? The activated one is in yellow with black writing on it and the deactivated one is in a slightly brighter yellow with the same black writing on it. The question of activation is hence decided by a slight brightness difference. Upon looking at it, which one is now active - the slightly brighter or the slightly darker one? Sometimes I wonder whether there is at least one single person who is thinking at their software company... http://www.bahn-spass.de/wp-content/myfotos/anzeigetafeln/putt.jpg http://www.bahn-spass.de/wp-content/myfotos/anzeigetafeln/boot.png The new software, especially the user interface, is even worse than the old one. On the positive side, it doesn’t bully you with every question on an extra screen as it did before (”Do you have BahnCard?” - “Do you have BahnCard 25% or 50%?” - “Is it BahnCard First Class or Second Class?” - “Do you want to travel First Class or Second Class?” No kidding!).

Right now, it confronts you with a screen where there are a lot of buttons. Some of them are highlighted, some are not. For example, the “No BahnCard”-Button is highlighted by default, and if you want to use one, you have to press the “BahnCard”-Button next to it. Which still leaves open the question of class and deduction rate, but their multiple-choice-buttons are on the same page.

The confusing thing now is: When is a button highlighted and when is it not? The activated one is in yellow with black writing on it and the deactivated one is in a slightly brighter yellow with the same black writing on it. The question of activation is hence decided by a slight brightness difference. Upon looking at it, which one is now active - the slightly brighter or the slightly darker one?

Sometimes I wonder whether there is at least one single person who is thinking at their software company…

http://www.bahn-spass.de/wp-content/myfotos/anzeigetafeln/putt.jpg
http://www.bahn-spass.de/wp-content/myfotos/anzeigetafeln/boot.png

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