Parking Meter

Usability Study

by Taylor Roan

User Needs

Not only are there several needs to be addressed regarding parking metering, there are also several users that must be considered. The most important users are:

• The "Customer" or individual who parks a car in the metered parking space
• The "Meter Maid" or enforcing officer
• The "Meter Crew" who performs maintenance and collection

The Customer

The Customer has many needs which can be separated into these three general categories:

1. Know whether or not parking is permitted
2. Be able to pay the meter
3. Know the amount of parking time remaining

The Meter Maid

The usability requirements for the Meter Maid listed in approximate order of priority are:

1. Show whether the time on the parking meter has expired
2. Show whether the meter is functioning or not
3. Show the time since meter expiration

While the first two needs are obvious, the third could use some explanation. Displaying the time since expiration on the meter reduces the degree of conflict that the Meter Maid experiences from those who return to their vehicles while he is writing a ticket. Often those receiving tickets claim that the meter just expired or accuse the enforcing officer of waiting until the meter expires to write a ticket. With overdue time available, the officer can dispel false accusations.

The Meter Crew

The Meter Crew needs meters with:

1. Secure yet convenient access to meter revenues
2. Robust yet accessible and maintainable meter components

Most of the needs of the Customer, the Meter Maid, and the Meter Crew have been addressed in some shape or form in the design of existing parking meters.