MIT Media Lab Touchscreen Voting

Free instructions and downloadable materials

This activity is offered free of charge for your use in educational settings or World Usability Day events.

On this page: Activity Summary | Learning Goals | Preparation | Setup | Moderating

Activity Summary

Description:

Staff and students from the MIT Media Lab demonstrate current and improved touchscreen voting systems for use in national elections. This activity is based upon extensive research and MIT collaboration with the U.S. Federal Election Commission. Visitors try out each voting system and provide feedback on the enhanced design. Hands-on exploration of a frontline issue in American politics.

Activity type:

Table-based activity

Good for:

Individuals or groups of all ages

Requires:

Space, touchscreen voting machines, MIT Media Lab personnel

Minimum activity time:

5 minutes

Docents/Moderators:

One or two

Equipment:

• Two touchscreen voting machines

Signage:

• Download the Activity Signage (478K PDF)

Learning goals

To illustrate the difficulties inherent in designing a touchscreen voting system and ensuring its usability by persons of differing ability, language proficiency, and manual dexterity.

Activity Preparation

1. n/a

Activity Setup

1. n/a

Activity Moderation

Group participation

1. Individuals are encouraged to cast a vote on each of two touchsreen voting machines. One a current model in use during elections and another based upon the MIT Media Lab's research into ideal touchscreen mechanisms.
2. Moderators facilitate discussion among visitors about the difficulties of casting a proper vote, interacting with the system, and how well the system supported their abilty to interact in an efficient, informed, and satisfying manner.

Enhancements/Variations

• n/a

Tips & Tricks

• n/a

Found a Better Way? Question? Comment?

If you have a variant, enhancement, or comment on this activity, send an email to: volunteer@upaboston.org.