I know being fashionable in Japan is a big part of their culture…but this is just down right scary.

Ever wonder what makes you… well you?? Check out this personality test based on the Jung – Myers-Briggs typological approach. I’m a ENFP. If you want to know what that means thou will take-ith the test.

This technology has brought new meaning to shopping frustration….

While attending college, I worked for Home Depot as a kitchen designer. My previous Depot occupation was commander of the Self-Check out registers, which quickly became a very interesting social experiment. I got the pleasure of watching people of all ages and backgrounds, physically abuse this technology.

Self-Check out is designed to make getting in and getting out of a high traffic store much faster. This is just not the case. Self-Check Out turned into a big nightmare about 75 percent of the time. The interface is designed with a bed scanner, weighing machine, and LCD screen. The idea here is for the customer to be able to check out their own purchases. For people who are at a technological disadvantage, operating these machines is just not possible. I have seen people swear, slam their purchases, and even scream at this device. It was quiet humorous for me.

The biggest problem here is most people that tried the technology were technologically challenged. Sometimes I wondered if they used the machines just so they could complain. Besides challenging the challenged, the machines did have some quirky problems. After each item is scanned it is to be placed in the bagging area where it is to be weighed. The weight of the product is stored in the memory of the CPU inside. If there are too many bags in the bagging area, or the self-absorbed suburban house wife places her purse on it, the weight will be thrown off and you will be prohibited from continuing. This was the most common problem. Another popular frustration was ringing up items that had no UPC code. The interface is set up to locate non-UPC items with the GUI. It is organized with pictures that coordinate with the alphabet. Sounds easy right? It wasn’t unless you worked with the machines.

I could go on and on about the design and operation problems with Self-Check Out but I am sure most of you have experienced some of it. Furthermore, this technology probably won’t be upgraded or made more efficient anytime soon. The developers designed it with the self sufficient in mind. There really is no need to invest anymore money into it since it does work when the user is familiar with it. I think they expect people to adapt to it over time. If given sometime this might be the case but I doubt it.

What you should expect here is anything but the norm. The foundation of the discussions that take place are to be challenged by persuasive intellects that share the same common goal; creation. To create gives us the freedom to dream and the inspiration to live that dream; always remembering that the most important thing that we create is ourselves.

“Life isn’t about finding yourself. Life is about creating yourself.” – George Bernard Shaw

…dreamsndigital

Do not go where the path may lead, go instead where there is no path and leave a trail.

~ Ralph Waldo Emerson