Self Checkout Terminal

1996-1997
NCR Retail Division - Human Factors
I was the Human Factors Global Release Team Leader responsible for the design of all visible and interactive components of SCOT, which included the physical checkstand, software UI, and security system’s behavior. Our challenge was creating a physical checkstand design using an unmodified NCR scanner and ATM.

NCR self checkout today

GOALS:

  • Use existing NCR products, unmodified: ATM + Scanner
  • Walk-up and use simplicity
  • Rely on consumer familiarity with checkout experience and ATM usage
  • Minimal check-stand footprint

ACTIONS:

  • Competitive analysis
  • Explored physical check-stand, UI, and security concepts
  • Prototyped multiple check-stand configurations and UI models
  • Usability tested touch-screen GUI and physical check-stand for approachability, ergonomics, task-flow, etc.
  • I steered the team toward a counter-intuitive layout that optimized task flow over perceived reliance on UI screen feedback: put the bagwells between the scanner and the ATM and provide audio feedback to relieve the need to “see” scanned items on screen, freeing users to scan and bag more efficiently

RESULTS:

  • Created one of the industry’s first viable self checkout solutions
  • Recommended a Scan-Bag-Pay physical layout
  • Created and patented new passive security mechanisms (i.e. no/minimal change of user behavior)
  • Solution was usable but confirmed suspicions that consumers would never be faster than a trained cashier
  • Recommended a “hybrid” unit that easily switched modes from cashier checkout to self checkout