RE: Add separate initial instruction text file to VIBS

[Mark S Earley <meglobal@earthlink.net>]

For responses to Ken's post, see below. 

For latest work up of write-in script changes, see bottom. 

For an in-depth example using the VIBS write-in script with my latest
revisions see attached file. Note that the attached example brings out
some very confusing points at the acceptance phase of the write-in voting
section. Some possible solutions are given, but it may not be possible to
implement. These problems are to me the biggest problems with the
write-in portion of VIBS.

At 1/18/2002 07:16 PM, you
wrote:

From: owner-rcr@dieboldes.com [mailto:owner-rcr@dieboldes.com]On Behalf Of Mark S Earley

Sent: Friday, January 18, 2002 3:23 PM

 
In the future please follow up to the original posts, which were great.  We track change requests by subject, and "mods for Fl" isn't the subject of anything.

My mistake. I do understand why that is important.
My mental batteries were running low. If you want me to repost this with
a different subject, no problem.

 

VIBS Changes Required by the Florida Division of Elections

They are not required by any Forida statute.  Florida does not get to dictate the scripts.  In fact, these scripts can be customized by the counties.  We don't go back for certification if one of our customers wants to change some of the wording.  This needs to be acknolodged and addressed, or it is going to bite you in the ass later.

I guess we can sue them and try to force them to
certify us. I strongly stated these points to them many times on
Jan 11. And, BTW, my ass already feels raw.

 

 A. VIBS Welcome:

The 5 key has a raised feature to help the voter maintain orientation with the keypad.

None of my business, but I don't see a raised feature in the picture Ian posted today.

The keypad used in the certification eval had a
raised horizontal line along the bottom third of the 5 key. The line
"sagged" in the center so the pad of a finger would rest in the
sag. Rotate a close parenthesis ) 90 degrees clockwise and you will get
an idea of what the Division is expecting on the 5 Key. They are
expecting the production keypads to be essentially identical to the one
Jeff Hallmark sent in for certification. They will consider units
sold otherwise to not be certified.

B. VIBS Instructions

The main navigation keys are the 4, 5, and 6 keys. Pressing the 4 key moves you backward through the ballot to the previous candidate or race. Pressing the 5 key selects or unselects a candidate. Pressing the 6 key moves you forward through the ballot to the next candidate or race.

Okay, we have an issue here.  For states that allow voters to not have to listen to all candidates (everywhere but Florida), there is a GEMS flag to allow the 8 and 2 keys to jump directly to the next/prev race.  The instructions are fixed and have to work for both these cases.  Other flags will probably be added in the future as needs arise.  Its a generic problem.
 

Why wasn't this brought up back when I first posted
these changes on Jan 12? The response I got then was: Feel free to
make any modifications to the instructions that you feel are appropriate.
This offer has stood for a long time.
We are in no way wed to the current text.
I will be the first to admit that I do not know
anything about the underlying programming of VIBS nationwide, or really
in FL for that matter. Yet I am the one making the modifications. What
mechanism keeps that audio from playing in the Florida scripts? Also, the
only database I have here to experiment with is the Buena Vista VIBS from
Georgia. I hear no mention of 8 or 2 keys in that script. Perhaps
whatever mechanism prevents these script choices from playing on these
VIBS ballots can allow this modification of the VIBS Instructions (which
I have shown to everyone without objection until now) be used. 

> Since
> instructions are given to the voter on what each key does every
> candidate, I don't understand how putting them in the intro instructions
> helps.  Its just redundant, with no additional information given to
> the voter.  You can make a custom script for Florida certification
> if that is what it takes, but this can't be the stock audio that ships
> with GEMS.
>  

I agree 80% with this statement. The only problem,
and I saw it first hand, is that often the voter does not listen to the
instructions after each candidate, then they get into trouble. I am
trying to state at the outset the most basic navigation concepts so the
voter will hear them. Also, when the voter does get into a mess and
finally (hopefully) presses the 0 key for help, it would be good for this
info to be given again. As it stands now, the instruction, which repeats
as a help text upon voter pressing 0 key is:

Each race and candidate will present a list of keypad options to cast votes and navigate the ballot.  You do not have to listen to all keypad options before making your selection.  To replay these instructions at any time, press zero.

That script gives very little information to a
voter looking for help. It also encourages the voter to press keys
without fully listening to the instructions. Not a very good
approach for a person who might only use the VIBS ballot every two years
on average.

That said, I think the instructions as they stand now, without any of
"my" revisions, work well. I am only plunging into this mess
because I was sent to the "No Fail" demo held in FL on Jan
11.

Other keys will be explained if and when needed.

 
That sentence does not contain information.
 

Like the VIBS Instructions above, my version of
this sentence was present in my post of Jan 12 and elicited no negative
response. Conceptually, the sentence alerts voters that other options
will be available and that they should be listening carefully to later
instructions. The tendency of the voter to assume they "understand
it all" is one I am trying to combat. It leads to frequent erroneous
keystrokes by the voter, which gets them in trouble. Letting the voter
know in advance that more keystrokes will be available later on and that
they should be alert for them is, in my opinion, an important thing to
do. It also helps avoid a more detailed instruction set that some have
wanted to initiate, but which can get very wordy and complex. 
FWIW, my version was originally:

Other key options will be available and will be explained in certain situations.

B. VIBS Write-In Instructions:

To enter letters of the candidates name, press keys 2 through 9. For a space between names, press 1.  If you get confused during the write-in process, instructions will be repeated after a brief pause.

Two out of three of those sentences (16 out of
35 words) explains that this paragraph will be repeated.
 
Several points:

• One out of three explains the paragraph will repeat.
• See below for my latest stab at the write-in revisions.
• I am not averse to putting the sentence about the repetition of the paragraph in the VIBS WI Welcome file, but again, see below.
• The FL Div wants to have a separate help file for the Write-in section. Is this possible? I have not asked yet because I am trying not to introduce major changes to the script's programming.
• Without a help file, I would look at the entire list of prompts as the instruction set, thus the sentence about the repetition is only a small part of the overall instruction set that is stated throughout the write-in section. I am trying to again get the voter to slow down and listen to the prompts carefully. This seemed like a quick, yet oft repeated way to do so, without being overtly patronizing to the voter.

> Ken
>  

Latest Revisions to VIBS Write-In scripts

A. VIBS Write-In Welcome:

Please listen carefully to all instructions while voting the write-in ballot. For write-in candidate names, letters are assigned to the keys according to the standard telephone keypad.  Pressing a key multiple times will cycle through the letters assigned to that key.  If you are unsure of which key a letter is assigned to, press various keys until you get close to the letter you want, then press that key several times to locate the correct letter. When you have found the letter you want, pause for more instructions.

B. VIBS Write-In Instructions:

To enter letters of the candidate’s name, press keys 2 through 9. Pressing a key multiple times will cycle through the letters assigned to that key. For a space between names, press 1. These instructions will repeat.

C. VIBS Write-In Accept:

To accept your entries and vote for this write-in candidate, press 0.

I do understand that the sentence
"Pressing a key multiple times will cycle..." is repeated in
the Welcome and in the Instructions. I think it is a redundancy that is
minor and is maybe helpful. If people disagree, I would remove it from
the Welcome and leave it in the Instructions. Note also that the sentence
about repetition is shortened. The previous longer version is what was
suggested by Jim Kracht. I tried to use his suggestions whenever
possible to show good faith towards his input.

Please take the time to examine the attached file. Especially the
ending phase of the write-in section.

Mark

VIBS script example with revisions.doc