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Field Notes: Microwaveability QMB Staff Lounge Observations

March 11, 2010

The Queen Mother Building. The staff lounge balcony is where the banner reading 2008 is hanging.

On Thursday from 12 pm to 1:30 pm, I observed various individuals interacting with the microwave in the staff lounge in the Queen Mother Building on the University of Dundee campus.

The staff lounge is a bright room with a southern exposure on the third floor of the Queen Mother building. The southern wall, composed of windows, is curved like the outside of the building; a pair of double doors open out onto a balcony where tables and chairs are stacked, presumably unused, for the winter. Two white coffee mugs sit on the stack of tables to the east of the door.

There are two doors into the staff lounge of the QMB, both on the north wall of the room. Along the north walls between the two doors there is a kitchenette, with (from west to east, or left to right when facing the kitchenette), there is a microwave, a water dispenser, an espresso machine, a hot water kettle, and a sink. Underneath the countertop (again from left to right) is a refrigerator, and then drawers and cabinets.

Microwave in the QMB Staff Lounge at the University of Dundee

The Microwave in Question

Read the rest of this entry »

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Prototype Iteration II

March 8, 2010



Second lovely prototype, with a couple of extra features. On this one, the entire front panel of the microwave functions as a door, and the screen doubles as a display surface.

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reddit forum conversation about microwaves

February 27, 2010

This is a link to a forum discussion on reddit about microwave ovens .

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Links to possible sources

February 9, 2010

Usability page and microwave exercise

Evaluating microwave interfaces and design before purchase discussion

SmartWave–Intelligent Meal Preparation System to Help Older People Live …

A Study on the Cultural Effects on User-
Interface Design
With the Emphasis on the Cross-cultural Usability Testing through World Wide Web

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Iowa State Microwave Redesign

February 9, 2010
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2. Project idea (What will the system do? What are the usability requirements?)

February 4, 2010

In addition to its obvious/general purpose of heating food, our microwave aims at making the user’s life as easy as possible and minimizing user frustration. A second goal is to design the microwave’s user interface in a way that makes it intuitive on a global scale.

Taking the different user groups into consideration, our microwave is going to have the following features:

- recognition of buttons by touch/sound

- clear/simple interface, not overloaded with unnecessary buttons

- “ready” sound alternative for deaf people –> button flashing?

- larger + fewer buttons for users with dexterity/memory issues

- new door opening meachanism –> slide/pop-open on touch door?

- start = one tap / stop = two taps??

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Ethics

February 4, 2010
  • about School of Computing Ethics Committee - http://www.computing.dundee.ac.uk/internal/ethics.asp
  • The Ethics Code of Practice –  http://www.computing.dundee.ac.uk/staff/awaller/ethics/Code_of_Practice.pdf – main – there are also some examples and application form
  • FAQ - http://www.computing.dundee.ac.uk/staff/awaller/ethics/FAQs.pdf
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What has been done before?

February 4, 2010

Talking microwave

touch screen interfaces

dial knobs for power and time

number keypads

symbols: defrost = snowflake etc. 

lights indicating on

ding sound when done

intuitive oven interface: http://www.gizmag.com/go/7029/

dial pad versus old style knob: http://www.codinghorror.com/blog/archives/000975.html

general busy-ness: http://www.epinions.com/review/GE_JES1384SF_Stainless_Steel_Microwave_Oven/content_298727083652

There are a plethora of places to look for information on what has been done before including consumer review websites, appliance manufacturers, microwave forums, 

also look here for the first principles of interaction design in reference to microwaves: http://www.asktog.com/basics/firstPrinciples.html

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Problem Area

February 4, 2010

Project Background

Problem Area:

The world of kitchen appliances is fraught with peril. Terrible interfaces used to operate devices that could burn or maim you. Food preparation is a difficult enough task without all the button mashing and dial turning that modern kitchen appliances add to the process. Brilliant appliance engineers have injected feature upon feature into these modern conveniences all in an attempt to attract customers to their products. The microwave began to enter the kitchen scene in 1947 but it wasn’t until 1975 that microwave sales outgrew the sales of gas ranges. The popularity of this appliance grew quickly and today it is estimated that 90% of American kitchens have a microwave not to mention how many of the devices exist in all the kitchens through out the world. 

For an appliance that is so ubiquitous and useful, its usability still leaves much to be desired from many users. Microwave interfaces vary as much as the faces of the human race. Keypads, buttons, touch screens, dials, lights, beeps, and bells microwaves’ interfaces are all over the place. From one brand to the next they vary drastically in features and button configurations. Yet if you ask your friends and neighbors about their microwave and how easy it is to use, you will surely get some critical commentary. 

This project focuses on the problem area of designing a universally usable microwave oven, particularly without reliance on language.

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February 4, 2010

here are some articles about MWs
hope this will be useful :)

http://wiki.answers.com/Q/Are_microwaves_harmful

http://www.physlink.com/Education/AskExperts/ae379.cfm?CFID=25280914&CFTOKEN=67c7d209568f6eb9-8DB6DD4F-15C5-EE01-B9C91123DA37188F

http://www.physlink.com/Education/AskExperts/ae379.cfm?CFID=25280914&CFTOKEN=67c7d209568f6eb9-8DB6DD4F-15C5-EE01-B9C91123DA37188F

first post with images so sorry if it looks strange ))

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