Design A Visitor And Tourist Information Center For Nashvill ✓ Solved

Design a visitor and tourist information center for Nashvill

Design a visitor and tourist information center for Nashville, Tennessee that includes both a public kiosk and a mobile-friendly website/app. The design must be user-friendly and accessible to people of all nationalities and abilities (ADA compliant). Include technical requirements (screen resolutions, input methods, peripherals, payment options), human interaction requirements for kiosk and mobile, interface design prototypes (describe screens and navigation), and a usability test plan with questionnaire. Produce deliverables: technical requirements, human interaction requirements, design prototypes description, and a usability test questionnaire. Support the design with references.

Paper For Above Instructions

Executive summary

This paper presents a complete design plan for a Nashville visitor and tourist information center composed of public kiosks and a mobile-friendly website/app. The design prioritizes accessibility (ADA and WCAG 2.1), multilingual support, simple navigation, and transactional capabilities (booking, payments, and printing/emailing maps). Technical specifications, human interaction requirements for both kiosks and mobile, screen and interaction prototypes, and a usability test plan with sample questionnaire are detailed below.

Technical requirements

Hardware and display: Kiosk displays should be touch-enabled with a minimum resolution of 1280×800, anti-glare finish, and adjustable text scaling controls (100%–200%) to meet visibility needs (Zebra, 2018). Mobile viewports should be designed for a baseline of 360×740 CSS pixels and responsive breakpoints to support larger phones and tablets (Weevers, 2011).

Input methods: Provide multi-modal inputs—touch, on-screen keyboard, voice control, and optional physical Braille keypad or tactile controls for users with vision impairments (Advanced Kiosks, 2018). Software must support speech-to-text and text-to-speech options and an accessible on-screen keyboard.

Peripherals and outputs: Integrate a secure payment terminal supporting EMV, NFC (contactless), and digital wallets (Apple Pay/Google Pay), plus PayPal and major credit/debit cards (Zebra, 2018). Include a laser printer for maps and receipts, a headphone jack or Bluetooth pairing for audio output, and an accessible VoIP handset option for assistance (Advanced Kiosks, 2018).

Software and standards: Conform to WCAG 2.1 AA, ADA Title III guidance, and ISO 9241 usability principles to ensure perceivable, operable, understandable, and robust interfaces (W3C, 2018; ADA, 2010; ISO, 1998). Implement secure HTTPS communications, PCI compliance for payments, and GDPR-friendly data handling for international visitors.

Human interaction requirements

Kiosk interaction model: The kiosk home screen should present a minimal set of primary categories across the top: Things to Do, Places to Stay, Food & Drink, Transportation, Events & Calendar, Maps & Directions, Help. Sub-categories open on the right pane with large touch targets (min 44×44 CSS pixels) and clear icons plus text labels (Nielsen, 2012). Contextual audio prompts and an optional guided tour mode should be available. Recovery and undo actions must be explicit and reversible.

Mobile interaction model: The mobile app or mobile website must reproduce the kiosk’s information architecture in a single-column responsive layout with an always-accessible hamburger or bottom navigation bar. Provide voice commands and simplified search with autocomplete and suggested recent searches. Minimize typing with quick filters, location-aware suggestions, and one-tap booking flows. All interactions must support screen readers and dynamic text scaling (W3C, 2018).

Interface design prototypes (descriptive)

Prototype 1 — Kiosk Home Screen: Full-bleed hero area with a rotating carousel of featured events; top persistent nav with 6 categories (icon + label); prominent language selector in the upper-left corner; a “Need Help” button linking to VoIP/assistant. Footer displays current time, weather, and accessibility settings.

Prototype 2 — Attraction Details: Left column shows high-quality images and a brief description; right column lists practical info (hours, address, phone, ticketing) with CTA buttons: Get Map, Buy Tickets, Add to Itinerary. Map can be printed or emailed via a short form.

Prototype 3 — Mobile Booking Flow: Step 1 select category → Step 2 choose option → Step 3 select time/rooms/seats → Step 4 payment (with saved-method option). The flow keeps progress indicators and allows editing before final confirmation.

Usability test plan

Goals: Validate discoverability of primary categories, ease of booking a hotel or restaurant, accessibility for users with vision/hearing mobility impairments, and overall satisfaction (Lewis, 1995). Use task-based moderated testing followed by SUS and qualitative interviews.

Participants: Recruit 12–18 participants representing diverse ages, languages, and disability types (screen-reader users, mobility-limited users), including tourists unfamiliar with Nashville and locals. Tests on both kiosk hardware and mobile devices.

Tasks (examples):

  • Locate and print a map to the Grand Ole Opry and email it to yourself.
  • Find a hotel with accessible rooms near downtown and book one night.
  • Reserve a table at a restaurant and select dietary filter options.
  • Use voice commands to find tonight’s major events and set a reminder.

Metrics: Task success rate, time-on-task, error rate, SUS score (Brooke, 1996), and qualitative satisfaction. Record screen and audio; observe for confusion points and accessibility barriers (Usability First, 2018).

Sample usability questionnaire

Include: demographics (age, language, disability), task-specific Likert items (usefulness, ease-of-use, satisfaction), SUS items, and open-ended feedback. Example scaled items: “The system helps me complete tasks quickly” (1–5), “I would recommend this system to another tourist.” For accessibility: “Were audio and text alternatives adequate?” and “Was the system usable without assistance?” (Lewis, 1995; Brooke, 1996).

Implementation and recommendations

Phased rollout: Pilot two kiosks at major visitor hubs (airport, downtown visitor center) and release a responsive mobile site first, followed by native apps with offline capability. Monitor analytics for search terms and drop-off points and iterate based on usability findings (Nielsen, 2012).

Localization and accessibility: Provide language packs for top visitor languages, allow easy toggling between languages, and maintain alt text, ARIA roles, and keyboard navigation for screen readers (W3C, 2018). Ensure customer support channels (live chat, VoIP) are staffed during peak hours.

Conclusion

A successful Nashville visitor information system combines clear architecture, multi-modal interaction, and strict accessibility and security standards. The design described above provides robust technical specifications, human interaction requirements, prototype concepts, and a practical usability plan that together support a welcoming, efficient experience for all visitors (Advanced Kiosks, 2018; Zebra, 2018).

References

  • ADA. (2010). Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) Standards for Accessible Design. U.S. Department of Justice. Retrieved from https://www.ada.gov/
  • W3C. (2018). Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) 2.1. World Wide Web Consortium. Retrieved from https://www.w3.org/TR/WCAG21/
  • Nielsen, J. (2012). Usability 101: Introduction to Usability. Nielsen Norman Group. Retrieved from https://www.nngroup.com/
  • ISO. (1998). ISO 9241 Ergonomics of human-system interaction. International Organization for Standardization.
  • Lewis, J. (1995). IBM computer usability satisfaction questionnaires: Psychometric evaluation. International Journal of Human-Computer Interaction, 7(1), 57–78.
  • Brooke, J. (1996). SUS: A “quick and dirty” usability scale. In P. W. Jordan, et al. (Eds.), Usability Evaluation in Industry. London: Taylor & Francis.
  • Zebra. (2018). Understanding Kiosk Requirements: Optimizing Design, Placement and Component Selection. Zebra Technologies.
  • Advanced Kiosks. (2018). ADA Compliant Interactive Kiosks – Accessible Solutions for All. AdvancedKiosks.com.
  • Weevers, I. (2011). App Design Guidelines for High-Performance Mobile User Experiences. Smashing Magazine.
  • Usability First. (2018). Methods – Usability Testing. UsabilityFirst.com.

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