We've all seen them: the lonely kiosk in the corner of a museum, screen displaying a "Touch to Begin" message that nobody's touched in hours. Digital kiosks have a bad reputation, and honestly? It's deserved.
But when they're done right, they can transform how people experience physical spaces. After building interactive installations for museums, retail environments, corporate spaces, and events, we've learned what separates the kiosks people love from the ones they ignore.
Why Most Kiosks Fail
Before we talk about what works, let's be honest about what doesn't:
- They solve for technology, not people. Someone decided "we need to be more digital" without asking what problem that solves.
- They ignore context. An interface that works on your laptop doesn't work on a 32" touchscreen in a noisy, crowded space.
- They assume attention. People in physical spaces are distracted, rushed, and often confused.
- They replace rather than enhance. Kiosks that duplicate what staff already do well just add friction.
- They're unmaintained. Content goes stale, software stops getting updates.
The best kiosk is the one that doesn't feel like a kiosk. It feels like a natural part of the experience.
Seven Principles for Kiosks That Work
1. Design for 3-Second Decisions
People walking by a kiosk will give it about three seconds of attention before deciding to engage or move on. In those three seconds, they need to understand what this thing does, whether it's relevant to them, and how to start.
2. Make Touch Targets Embarrassingly Large
Whatever size you think buttons should be, double it. We use a minimum of 60px for touch targets, and 80-100px for primary actions.
3. Design for Failure
What happens when someone walks away mid-interaction? When the network goes down? Every kiosk needs graceful timeouts and clear error states.
4. Audio is Usually a Mistake
Sound competes with the environment. Multiple kiosks create cacophony. We use audio sparingly - typically only for private headphone experiences.
5. Every Interaction Should End with Value
Don't let someone interact for five minutes and walk away with nothing. Give them something to take: an email, a photo, a saved favorite.
6. Plan for the Long Haul
We build every kiosk with a CMS that non-technical staff can use, remote monitoring, and a clear update pathway.
7. Test in Context, Not in the Lab
Designs that feel perfect in a conference room fall apart in the real environment. We insist on testing in the actual installation environment.
Museum vs. Retail: Different Rules
Museums: Depth Over Speed
Museum visitors are there to learn and explore. They have time. The kiosk's job is to provide context and layers that complement physical exhibits.
Retail: Speed Over Depth
Retail visitors are there to accomplish a task. They want to find products, check prices, or get help - fast. The kiosk's job is to reduce friction.
The Bottom Line
The best interactive installations don't feel like technology showcases. They feel like natural extensions of the physical space - tools that help people do something they actually want to do, in a way that's easier than the alternatives.
Start with the human experience. Let technology serve it, not the other way around.
Joe Malott
Founder, One Bad Goose
Joe helps organizations find the balance between emerging technology and data-driven decisions. He's been building digital products for over 15 years and still gets excited about a well-structured spreadsheet.
