Snackomat - A Vending Machine To Create Positive Experiences By Bringing People In Contact And Initiating Small Talk In
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Snackomat - A Vending Machine To Create Positive Experiences By Bringing People In Contact And Initiating Small Talk In Waiting Situations Michael Burmester 1 & Magdalena Laib 1 & Ralph Tille 1 Accepted: 31 March 2020/ # The Author(s) 2020
Abstract The “Snackomat” is a vending machine offering snacks for free, installed in waiting situations, and is designed to initiate small talk and therewith to create a positive experience. Here, we experimentally compare the effect on user experience of the Snackomat to the effect of a coffee machine as control condition with 58 participants. Participants’ behaviour was observed in waiting situations where observers were blind to the study’s objective. The two experimental conditions were compared with an analysis of covariance. The alpha levels were Bonferroni corrected. Significant results with strong effect size indicate that the Snackomat was more effective in creating positive experiences than a coffee machine in a control condition. However, the experimental setting most likely attenuated differences between the two conditions. Future studies should thus replicate the findings in a natural setting. Nevertheless the Snackomat is a promising application example of designing for positive experiences. Keywords User studies . Laboratory experiments . Positive design . User experience .
Small talk
* Magdalena Laib laib@hdm–stuttgart.de Michael Burmester [email protected] Ralph Tille [email protected]
1
Information Experience and Design Research Group, Stuttgart Media University, Nobelstraße 10, 70569 Stuttgart, Germany
International Journal of Applied Positive Psychology
1 Theory 1.1 Introduction Imagine the following situation: You are sitting at the gate of the airport waiting for boarding, but no activity can be seen at the gate desk. Suddenly the person next to you is asking you for the time and a conversation develops. You talk about interesting topics, occasionally your counterpart makes you laugh out loud. You do not realize how fast time has passed until it is time for boarding. At home you tell your partner what a nice conversation you had. Two weeks later you are at the post office to collect your new passport. You get in line and realize that you have to wait for some time. You look around and see several other people waiting as well. Some are lost in their smartphones some are looking around. You remember your surprise encounter at the gate and wish you would have the heart to speak to one of the others waiting. Even though you had such a pleasant experience you feel too shy and hope for an incident that brings you in contact with somebody … Every situation has an inherent potential to produce positive emotions. As we just saw even a situation as awkward as waiting can evoke agreeable emotions if the constellation promotes it. This implies that every situation has the potential to be detected and harnessed. The present article addresses the question whether technology can facilitate situations which do not appear positive at first
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