Photocopiers and user perception: Monsters with a soft heart

Photocopiers and user perception: Monsters with a soft heart

Yesterday I had to take copies of my pay-slip; I was applying for a loan. I went to the pantry where the copier is located and I started looking for the guy that helps you take copies; he is one of the office boys that doubles up as a 'copier assistant'. I HAD TO take the copies immediately. So I decided to do it myself. My first reaction was 'gee how am I gonna make this work? What should I do first?' and 'I know I need to put this pay slip after I lift this lid-like thing... but which way? which corner?' And then I started reading the instructions and the labels. Please make note of this point. As it turned it was a pretty easy task. I don't think I'll ever have a problem taking normal A4 copies again. I have seen so many people in my office hand out the documents to the 'assistant' and that guy would do take copies for them. Abundance of labour probably is one of the reasons why we Indians never try to learn and do things by ourselves. Make note of this point. Now here's my take:

1. The instructions - no matter how detailed and easy they were - were not visible. By that I mean when I approached the copier machine the instructions should have caught my eye; bold letters against a contrasting bacground or something like 'copies in three easy steps 1) do this 2) do this 3) take your copies and beat it! (actually some humor in technical documentation is long over due)
2. Manufacturers need to understand the impact a culture has on a product's use. American do everything by themselves - right from building/repairing cars to making copies- Indians don't. Think about it, a domestic help in USA would cost you nothing less than 500 dollars per month. In India you can get it for 10. So Indians are not 'do-it-myselfers'. Product manufacturers need to think about before releasing a product into a huge market like India.
3. User perception management: What looked like a monster was actually a life-size teddy bear; I am talking about the copier... they needn't make copiers look like super computers you know? It freaks people out. A better way to manage perception would be make them 'accomodative' and attractive.

What do you think? write to me: suman at sumankumar dot com

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