Interactive Technology Observation: Coca-Cola Freestyle

             Coca-Cola Freestyle is an interactive touch screen soda fountain that has been added to numerous restaurants since its debut in 2009. It offers the customer more drink options (over 125)  than the previous 6-8 option beverage dispenser and takes up less room with its built in ice dispenser.

               It is used when people order a drink at fast-food restaurants. A customer gets their drink from a cashier and walks to the device. They first push their cup against the lever to dispense the ice. Then they sit the cup down and use the touch screen to choose the “base” drink and additional flavors. When they are satisfied with the drink and flavor, they push the "pour" button until the cup is full.

                When observing people using it, I noticed that some skip the ice part entirely. I also noticed that during peak hours, a long line forms because the machine can only serve one person at a time. Some people choose to just have the basic drink choices such as water, coke, and sprite. Others want all the customization of cherry-vanilla flavored Pibb Xtra or orange-vanilla Hi-C. Many times people had trouble with the soda overflowing the cup. I also saw that people wanted to try new combinations and took a lot of time choosing an option, tasting it, pouring it out, and starting over, bothering others waiting behind.

                The whole transaction takes about 30 seconds if the user knows what they want and about a minute if they are trying to decide. Getting the ice takes the least amount of time. To speed up the process, there could be a sign above the machine with all of the “base” drinks and then the additional flavors to choose from. This way people waiting in line can decide what they want before it is their turn, making the process faster.

                For Norman and Crawford, to interact well, both sides must listen, think, and speak well with each other.  Lacking in one of these areas will result in low interaction. The Coca-cola Freestyle has a high degree of interaction. The user tells the machine what it wants (touches the drink they want), the machine “listens” to what the user told it, “thinks” about the selection, and “speaks” by dispensing the drink. The user listens to the machine, thinks about what the machine will do, and “speaks” by putting their cup in the right place so the machine can give the soda.