In those days, display photos can be a pain!?
Digital photo frame

Background of the research

One of the home electric appliances that recently attract attention is "digital photo frame". In general merchandise store for electronic home appliances, "digital photo frame" is taking a large selling space, which shows us how it draws increasing attention to the customers.

This product is use to display the stored photo images in sequence on the screen of the frame by inserting the memory card to it. There are various products available in the market, with some of those that can play music, wireless LAN, infrared data communication or send the image via email.

Characteristically, people will purchase this product not only for themselves, but to send it to their parents or relatives with their children’s photos in it, or to give as gift for weddings or happy events. I actually have received a digital photo frame as a gift from my friend for the birth of my child.

I immediately place photos of my child, and am enjoying it, but by assuming how much my parents would enjoy having this, so that they can see their grandchild at anytime, I have purchased the same thing, and given to them.

Although I enjoy using my digital photo frame at home to save photos and update them anytime, since my parents know very little in machine operation, I have to update the photos every time when I go to their house, and it is becoming a trouble. There may be unexpectedly many people who may have troubles like this.

And so for this month’s HI report, by assuming the scene where user uses the product received by someone as a gift, I have asked to the participant to use the actual product to see what kind of issues will generate.

Research method

We have asked a person who have never used a digital photo frame to participate in this study, and use the product with the following points.

• A participant and a moderator are in the room, and the participant will use the product by himself by receiving tasks from the moderator.
• As a general rule, moderator will not tell participant how to operate the product. However, the moderator will give a hand only when the participant comes to a deadlock.
• Observe and record the participant’s behavior while he operates the product.
• Analyze issues and their factors of product by observing the participant’s behavior, as well as from his comments, and find out the direction of improvement.

A participant who participates in this test is the following person:

• 69 years old male.
• Has never used digital photo frame before, but has heard about it, and knows what kind of product it is.
• Takes photos often with digital camera.
• Use PC often.
• Has interest in digital photo frame (wants to put and look at his grand-child's photo in the frame).

We ask the participant to use the product under the following assumption:

• Participant has children who are married and living far from him.
• Your children have given you a digital photo frame with his grandchild’s photos in it, to commemorate the birth of the grandchild.
• You wish to download the photos you have taken during your trip, into the frame.

The tasks we have given to the participant are the followings:

• [Task 1] Display slide show of photo image saved in the digital photo frame.
• [Task 2] Get optional photo image still and display.
• [Task 3] Check the photo image saved in the digital photo frame from the list.
• [Task 4] Save the photo image in the memory card into the photo frame, and display the slide show.
• [Task 5] Delete 4 unwanted photo images from the newly added saved image.

• *A couple dozens photos of children are stored in the digital photo frame.
• *In task 4, the participant will save the photos taken with digital camera during the trip.
• *Participant will perform the task without instruction manual.
• *The digital photo frame can be operated with either buttons on the machine or remote control, but we ask to operate only with remote control for this test.

Task result

From 5 tasks performed this time, I would like to pick up "task 4" and analyze the generated issues, as well as their facts, from observing the behavior participant has actually taken during the task.

(1) The actual behavior which participant has taken

The diagram below shows the correct procedure to get to the goal for task 4 (left column), and the actual behavior which participant has taken during the task (right column). Yellow box in the participant’s behavior shows the parts where he gets stuck, while his behavior and comments on unsolved issue during the procedure are written in red. Also the grey box shows the parts where moderator has given advices (help in operation).

[Task 4: Save the photo image in the memory card into the photo frame, and display the slide show]

So, what do think? Compare to the primary procedure, you should be able to see the fact where he has been stuck few times down to goal of this task.

(2) Cause and the direction of improvement

There are 2 parts in the procedure which participant has not been able to solve on one's own. I have analyzed the issues generated at these procedures and the fact, as well as the direction of improvement.

There is possibility that digital photo frame will handle with both image stored in the memory card, as well as in the digital photo frame itself, so it is very important to know which image is displaying at this moment. If you misjudge, you may loose very important image you want to remain stored in the memory card.

However, it seems not a very smart way to show the stored location in the slide show. Can we think of a better idea to solve this issue?

By seeing the issue of not being able to find the downloaded image immediately in the list, if it is difficult to check cannot the work result instantly, the user will have qualms of doing, and may cause misunderstanding. None the less, it can say that the issue will need improvement.

Impression

Because this participant was familiar with PC, and had interest and knowledge about digital consumer electronics, I in fact, had a feeling that there would be less issue, however, he did get stuck for unexpected number times also in other than those I introduced in this report. Since in reality, it is assumable that much older age users or users with less knowledge will use them, I have a feeling that more issues are generating.

Since my parents have never used memory card before, nor have knowledge of it, they are enjoying the image stored in the photo frame beforehand. However, I do wish they could at least enjoy different photos by taking in to and out the memory card from the photo frame. I am thinking about giving those tasks to my parents.

Created in 2009.07.31