since i came to china i have faced many usability mistakes i would never have recognized back in germany. it is interesting to see how small things can limit your ability to work, eat, shop or sleep.
self service checkout
the best example is the self-service checkout in the supermarket. i had seen a similar system before in sweden but never such a sophisticated one as they have over here. the consumer just has to choose the language, afterwards s/he can start scanning the items. then s/he pays by putting the octopus card (see former post) onto the checkout.
unfortunately some items have to be added to the machine manually, even if they have a bar code; especially “weighed” items like vegetables and sausages. i guess it has to do with the interaction between weighing- and checkout machine.
of course i did not know and went to the self-service checkout, clicked on english and tried to scan the bar code of my tomatoes over and over again. the error message that occurred was in chinese – and of course i had no idea what it said. lost in translation, again. luckily there is always service personal at every self-service checkout that “told” me to go to the normal checkout (…do not ask why there is service personal at the self-service checkout, they even have three elevator advisors that show you which one of the eight elevators is available. that’s china)
i made a checkout machine photo story. the service lady desperately tried to show me the way to the normal checkout and clicked the error-message away all the time. after scanning the item the fourth time she let me take my pictures and was happy to get rid of me afterwards.
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- self service checkout
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- change to english…
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- start process…
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- scan item…
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- get lost in translation!
