Snackomat - A Vending Machine To Create Positive Experiences By Bringing People In Contact And Initiating Small Talk In Waiting Situations

Abstract

The “Snackomat” is a vending machine offering snacks for free, installed in waiting situations, and is designed to initiate small talk and therewith to create a positive experience. Here, we experimentally compare the effect on user experience of the Snackomat to the effect of a coffee machine as control condition with 58 participants. Participants’ behaviour was observed in waiting situations where observers were blind to the study’s objective. The two experimental conditions were compared with an analysis of covariance. The alpha levels were Bonferroni corrected. Significant results with strong effect size indicate that the Snackomat was more effective in creating positive experiences than a coffee machine in a control condition. However, the experimental setting most likely attenuated differences between the two conditions. Future studies should thus replicate the findings in a natural setting. Nevertheless the Snackomat is a promising application example of designing for positive experiences.