Macbook's
Touch Bar Usability Issue
1
OVERVIEW
Course: Usability and Universal Design
Semester: Fall 2024
Physical Product: Macbook
My Role: UX Researcher – I did the research process, from field observation, gather feedback to design recommendations.
Identify the issue
The physical issue I want to address in this pertains to the MacBook laptop’s Touch bar. Positioned above the keyboard, the Touch bar replaces the traditional function keys with a digital interface, and users primarily rely on hand gestures for interaction. That is why I decide Touch bar is still a physical device. While proving useful in certain scenarios, it presents significant usability issues with fundamental and essential features. The most notable problem I experienced is the need to visually locate and press the correct button when adjusting volume or screen brightness, which I find particularly inconvenient.
MacBook’s physical function key before…
… change to digital function keys (also known as Touch bar)
2
EPLANATION
On a traditional keyboard, adjustment buttons can typically be pressed quickly and efficiently without looking at it. In contrast, using the digital buttons on Touch bar requires more steps.
For example, to volume down, I must first look at the bar to locate the volume icon, then press on it, and finally slide the volume bar to the left to decrease sound. This process is notably more complex than the single- touch action on a physical keyboard. In some situations, such as needing to mute the sound immediately when someone suddenly calls you and you want to hear what they are asking, the operations are much more complicated and require more steps than you expect.
Volume slide shows up when you press on the sound icon
This is also one of the annoying things for MacBook users.
IDENTIFY USABILITY PRINCIPLES
The five attributes of usability (learnability, efficiency, memorability, errors, and satisfaction) are all affected by the issues related to the MacBook Touch bar. Under my consideration, this is how each attribute is impacted:
Learnability
Learnability means how easy it is for users to quickly understand and use a system or interface for the first time. Users who accustomed to physical buttons may find it more difficult to learn a new interaction style. With the MacBook Touch bar, they must rely on visual input and cannot operate the controls by feel, it takes longer to get used to this new input method.
Efficiency
Efficiency measures how quickly and easily users can perform tasks once they have learned the interface. The need to look at the Touch bar, combined with the lack of tactile feedback, reduces the efficiency of performing simple actions like adjusting the volume, skipping a track, or changing brightness.
Memorability
Memorability refers to how easily users can remember how to use an interface after a period of not using it. Lacking tactile cues, the Touch bar makes it more difficult for users to recall how to use it after a break from the device.
Errors
Users are more likely to press the wrong button or perform the wrong action, especially in low-light environments or when multitasking. For example, instead of muting the volume, users may accidentally turn volume louder or activate the Siri function (It happened in my case). These errors can cause frustration, and in some cases, have serious consequences (e.g., missing an important
announcement because the sound was not muted in time).
Satisfaction
Satisfaction means how enjoyable and pleasing the overall user experience is. With issues with the Touch Bar, including the need to look at it, lack of feedback, and frequent errors, can significantly reduce user satisfaction.
The mute button next to the Siri button causes me to press the wrong
button quite a few times.
3
CONCLUSION
Design Solution
Based on the above analysis and observations, I have a few solutions for the MacBook Touch bar that can be considered as follows:
First, improve visual hierarchy to increase learnability and efficiency. Important icons, such as mute, volume, or brightness, can be made larger or highlighted in different colors or distinct shapes. For example, the mute button can change the icon color from white to red to help users recognize this icon faster and operate more accurately.
From this...
...To this
Larger button or physical look-like design can reduce the chance of pressing the wrong option, especially when users are in a hurry. Improved design helps users find the right button quickly because their brains can distinguish colors
from specific functions.
Increase button responsiveness time: Important buttons may require a longer press and hold time than other buttons. This helps users reduce errors that occur when touching the wrong button. For example, the Siri button next to the mute button could require a press and 1-second hold to activate
instead of a single press.
Tactile overlays: One potential solution could be potential if there is a tactile overlay that fits over the Touch bar, creating physical ridges or grooves over certain functions (like the ridges on the letter F and J keys). This would reduce
errors and increase memorability by allowing users to feel where important buttons are, similar to traditional function keys.
In conclusion, each of these design solutions addresses usability issues with the Touch bar by improving feedback, reducing errors, increasing user control, and enhancing the overall user experience. These changes would make the Touch bar more satisfying to use, mitigating negative impacts associated with its current design.