Ozobot out of box experience

The good bits:

• Ozobot doesn’t require an app, Internet connection or account to be fully functional.  All the materials a new user needs to get started are available out of the box. They can use one of the included game paths or draw one of their own.
• Ozobot embodies the “Interact, don’t tell principle.” Manual-like instruction is lightweight (the Quick Start guide is just a two-sided card). The included game sheet with pre-drawn Ozobot paths serves as a playthrough tutorial.  By including the primary color codes that Ozobot reacts to, the playthrough game teaches new users core skills in an authentic context before they begin experimenting with their own designs.
• In the playthrough tutorial, labels and icons appear next to certain color code segments to indicate the behaviors they cause.  These inline cues provide guidance in context and reduce how often new user has to refer to the symbol key.
• Ozobot uses its iPad app and site to gradually engage new users with more involved features.  They can create and share games with others, or use the iPad app to draw more complex paths and try new color patterns/behaviors that weren’t disclosed in the product box.  Again, neither the site or the app require new users to have an account.

To be improved:

• From a physical design standpoint, it was not immediately clear how the capsule connected with the bot.
• Ozobots require the new user to calibrate the light sensors by using a calibration pattern.  However, the calibration pattern is on the opposite side of a card that has calibration instructions, making it difficult to remember the order of steps while using the calibration pattern. New users have to stop calibrating and turn over the card if they need to troubleshoot.
• The playthrough sheet labelled some color patterns with icons, but not others, making it necessary for new users to refer to the separate legend card. Since this is the first game new users will see, all labels should be included on the same sheet to make it a consistent source of education.
• The new user can use any dark marker to define a path. However, it’s not clear if the user has to draw rounded color codes exactly as they are shown in the guide.
• The iPad app lacks a clear next step for new users who land on its home screen. It makes the secondary actions at the bottom of the home screen seem more prominent than the more hidden “Draw” action at the top. Additionally, the free draw UI could use more inline guidance instead of relying on an upfront modal used to explain how it works. For example, it isn’t clear that the color codes control togglesto different options if the label is tapped.