Introduction
MIT students are always hard at work doing pset after pset, studying for tests, reading for a HASS, or writing long essays. Often times these same students find that they need to use a printer. This could be to print their homework, essays, readings, or maybe a practice test. Either way, many MIT students will sometimes print up to 50 pages when they end up using the printer. Conveniently, MIT students are able to print wirelessly to any on-campus printer that uses a system called Pharos. These printers are available throughout MIT, at many useful and handy locations, including in the infinite hallway, Stratton student center, and in resident halls.
From the MIT Pharos website, Pharos is described as "a software package that provides "hold-and-release" printing. Normally, when you print a job, it is sent directly to the printer. Under a hold-and-release system, when you print a job, it goes into a queue where it is held until retrieved by you at a "release station"." Anyone who has an MIT Kerberos account is able to print to these printers, either through an Athena computer or their own computer using downloaded software. There is, however, no solution to printing from mobile devices.*
The main function of this system is to print various documents for MIT students reliably and from various locations.
*http://kb.mit.edu/confluence/display/istcontrib/MIT+Pharos+Printing+Landing+Page
User Experience
User Thoughts
Below are quotes from many users on their experience using the Pharos printing system.
The Good:
"I like that I can print anywhere on campus, that's really helpful."
"I like the ability to print to anyone's ID, then my friends can pick up prints for me."
"I like it; I like it a lot."
"It's a pretty great system. You are able to print anything from anywhere."
The Bad:
"Last night when I was trying to print a pset it just didn't work, sometimes it does but sometimes it just doesn't and it's really annoying."
"Your stuff doesn't stay in the queue for that long and I'll go to print later and everything will be gone." -Multiple users have this problem
"There's no way to type in an ID number instead of swiping your card, like if you didn't have your ID on you."
"Wish you could adjust print settings on screen to check settings right before print."
"I think they're fine, sometimes they just don't work and it's annoying. It's very frustrating when you walk all the way to the printer and your print isn't there."
"It's annoying when the network is down and the printer isn't. So you know the printer could print but you can't."
"The printers are very good but they'll have connection issues."
"I wish I could preview my print on the screen before I print."
"They just don't work sometimes. You can't say undo and get the document back."
"Why can't you just tap your card like the card readings to get into the dorms."
"They are unreliable sometimes."
"I wish you could abort a print after it's been sent, I was printing an answer key for a test and it wasn't working so I had to sit and wait forever for it to print."
"I have to swipe my card multiple times to get them to work. I wish you could type in your ID."
Improvements
What are common problems that users have?
1.The printers are often unreliable.
2.Cannot print if the system is down.
3.Printers may be down for extended periods of time.
4.The card reader does not always work. And you cannot enter an ID number.
5.The queue period for a document is too short.
6.Cannot abort prints after they have been sent to the printer.
7.You cannot change print settings with the system.
How can these problems be solved?
The Unreliability
In order to improve the reliability, the system should be updated with new software that is up to date and less prone to crashes.
If the system is down, users should have the ability to connect their computer directly to the printer via USB and thus still be able to print.
Implementing a better system for notifying those who manage the Pharos system when printers are down and for the notifying of people to repair said printers will help to keep the down time of printers to a minimum
Including the ability to print from a smart phone allows user to print when they do not have their computer on them. Thus if they reach the printer without their computer, and realize they printed the wrong thing, they can re-print with their phone.
The Printing Device
Instead of having a card reader, having a card tapper allows users to easily tap their card. This is quicker and more reliable. Also, on the screen, would be an option to enter an ID number in the case the user forgot their ID, or are printing for I friend using their ID.
Increasing the queue time to over 48 hours gives user the freedom to print when they are able to. Also integrated would be the ability to view past prints up to 48 hours so that, in the case the printer malfunctions and nothing prints, like a paper jam, the document may be recovered in the system and printed again once the problem with the printer has been resolved.
Increasing the options available to users on the device will greatly improve the user experience. Beyond having only delete, print and print all buttons, there will also be a settings button where users can change settings such as how many copies to print and two sided or not. Also available would be the ability to preview the print on the screen to ensure that the right paper is being printed. Lastly the ability to abort any print so no sensitive information is accidently printed would be available.