Touch Screen Technology - Case Study Example

Those using a Starwood Hotel would benefit in numerous ways from the input of touchscreen technology. Not only would it allow menus and cinema times (as well as countless other pieces of information) to be displayed all on one screen, it would allow the user to browse these in a way that would already be familiar to them. It would allow them to order room service without worrying about a lost menu, and items that were unavailable could be updated in real-time. There may be disruptions in inputting this device because it would need to be put in every room as well as be linked to a central mainframe service.

This would be of considerable economic expense also. It may also cause the loss of several jobs in the area. Other disruptions would come later when the central server may be down or the technology is updated.The quote by Bill Buxton is interesting because it suggests that the touch screen technology of today will replace the more traditional WIMP systems. It would probably take a lot for this to occur because the WIMP system is already fairly intuitive and ingrained into the collective mentality of users.

Touch screen technology is not completely intuitive either, because in reality we do not drag two fingers apart to see something more closely, but we simply walk closer. It would be interesting to see this level of intuitiveness involved in the market, and it may be this all-encompassing type of computer usage that gives us the replacement for the WIMP system. Touch technology also has issues when it comes to sensitivity and size, as some users and interfaces are difficult to use in that they are too responsive or not responsive enough, and the size may be wrong for young or very large users.

It will take some work on perfecting this before we see a complete replacement of the WIMP model.It is interesting to consider the cases within this article. Some of the things suggested do seem like they are creating a problem just for touchscreen technology to solve. For example, is there really a problem with calling down to room service or asking whether there are any shows on that evening? Smartphone technology means that anyone can find out this information by themselves, not necessarily using touchscreen technology.

However, these things may make our lives easier and be more intuitive, and answer a problem that we didn't know yet that we had, something that is quite a separate issue. For example, touchscreen technology will allow busy parents to complete the shopping with their feet, as seen in the grocery store scenario. This would help them to hold or comfort their children whilst carrying out chores. Whilst this may not be a problem for many parents now, it could and would make their lives as they are now easier.

It may also dispense of the need for stressed waitresses, who have to explain that a certain dish is not available. Touch screen tables could update in real-time allowing the chef to scroll through and see what exactly needed to be cooked and how much of the raw ingredient they have. This is not a problem now, as restaurants today do deal without this technology, but it could make life easier and more interesting.In conclusion, the case answers many questions about touchscreen technology, such as who and how it could affect and in what ways it would be useful.

However, many more questions are brought to mind by the article, as we are not sure whether these technologies would overcome or create problems in the real world. Safe to say, the WIMP model does not currently have a competitor in the interface market as yet, although with adaptations and changes to the model this might change and touchscreen may become the technology du jour. It will be interesting to see how this market develops, particularly on the large scales discussed in the article, because as of now there are many touchscreen options for personal users but they are more difficult to find in grocery stores or restaurants, for example.