Push for Cheese: A Metaphor for Software Usability
Nicole Radziwill, Amy L. Shelton · 2005
At the National Radio Astronomy Observatory’s (NRAO) Science Center in Green Bank, W. Va., visitors curious about radio astronomy and the observatory’s history and operations will discover an educational, entertaining experience. Employees also visit the science center, but their thoughts are more on afternoon snacks rather than distant galaxies. The employees of NRAO’s Software Development Division in Green Bank have gained tremendous insight on the topic of software usability from many visits to the Science Center Cafe by pontificating upon the wisdom inherent in the design and use of the liquid cheese dispenser there. The cheese dispenser is used to coat nacho chips in the familiar orange-tinted, viscous plasma prior to the addition of jalapeno peppers (or other toppers), intended to enhance the consumer’s experience of the food product. The user interface is clear and unambiguous, with a single, large, bright yellow button labeled Push for Cheese. When the button is depressed, a stream of hot liquid cheese is expelled from the machine and onto whatever lies below. The cheese is remarkably consistent in its appearance, texture, and temperature.