Building a Self-Service Kiosk UI from a Video Interaction

TL;DR: Replay enables developers to rapidly prototype a self-service kiosk UI by analyzing a video recording of the desired user interaction and generating working code, complete with logic and styling.

The dream of rapidly prototyping complex user interfaces is closer than ever. Imagine capturing a simple video of someone interacting with a self-service kiosk – choosing options, navigating menus, and completing a transaction – and then, almost magically, having working code that mirrors that interaction. That's the power of behavior-driven reconstruction, and that's what Replay brings to the table. We're moving beyond static screenshot-to-code solutions to a world where user behavior directly informs UI generation.

From Video to Kiosk: A Behavior-Driven Approach#

Building a self-service kiosk UI from scratch is traditionally a time-consuming process. You need to design the interface, implement the navigation logic, handle user input, and integrate with backend systems. Each step requires careful planning and meticulous coding. Replay offers a radically different approach: capture the desired user flow in a video, and let the engine handle the heavy lifting.

The Limitations of Screenshot-to-Code#

While screenshot-to-code tools offer a quick way to generate UI elements, they fall short when it comes to capturing the dynamic behavior of a self-service kiosk. They can reproduce the visual appearance of a single screen, but they don't understand the underlying logic or the user's intent.

Consider this comparison:

Replay excels because it analyzes the video of the kiosk interaction, not just static screenshots. This allows it to understand the flow of the application, the user's intent, and the relationships between different UI elements.

💡 Pro Tip: When recording your video, focus on clear, deliberate interactions. This helps Replay accurately capture the intended behavior.

Implementing a Kiosk UI with Replay: A Step-by-Step Guide#

Let's walk through the process of building a simplified self-service kiosk UI using Replay. For this example, we'll imagine a kiosk for ordering coffee.

Step 1: Recording the Interaction#

First, record a video of someone interacting with a mockup of your kiosk interface. This can be a simple prototype built with basic HTML and CSS, or even a whiteboard sketch. The key is to clearly demonstrate the desired user flow:

1. •User approaches the kiosk.
2. •User selects a coffee type (e.g., Latte, Cappuccino, Americano).
3. •User chooses size (e.g., Small, Medium, Large).
4. •User adds any extras (e.g., Sugar, Cream).
5. •User confirms the order and proceeds to payment.

Step 2: Uploading and Processing the Video#

Upload the video to Replay. The engine will analyze the video and begin reconstructing the UI based on the observed behavior. This process involves:

• •Object Detection: Identifying UI elements like buttons, text fields, and images.
• •Action Recognition: Understanding user actions like clicks, taps, and swipes.
• •State Management: Tracking the state of the UI as the user interacts with it.
• •Code Generation: Generating the necessary HTML, CSS, and JavaScript code to replicate the observed behavior.

Step 3: Reviewing and Refining the Generated Code#

Once the processing is complete, Replay will present you with the generated code. You can review the code, make any necessary adjustments, and download it for use in your project.

📝 Note: Replay supports style injection. You can add your own CSS to customize the look and feel of the generated UI.

Step 4: Integrating with Supabase (Optional)#

For a real-world kiosk application, you'll likely need to integrate with a backend database to store product information, order details, and other data. Replay offers seamless integration with Supabase, a popular open-source alternative to Firebase.

typescript
// Example: Fetching coffee menu from Supabase
import { createClient } from '@supabase/supabase-js'

const supabaseUrl = 'YOUR_SUPABASE_URL'
const supabaseKey = 'YOUR_SUPABASE_ANON_KEY'
const supabase = createClient(supabaseUrl, supabaseKey)

const getCoffeeMenu = async () => {
  const { data, error } = await supabase
    .from('coffee_menu')
    .select('*')

  if (error) {
    console.error('Error fetching coffee menu:', error)
    return []
  }

  return data
}

// Example: Submitting an order to Supabase
const submitOrder = async (orderData) => {
  const { data, error } = await supabase
    .from('orders')
    .insert([orderData])

  if (error) {
    console.error('Error submitting order:', error)
    return false
  }

  return true
}

This code snippet demonstrates how to fetch data from a Supabase database and submit an order. You can easily integrate this code into the UI generated by Replay to create a fully functional kiosk application.

Step 5: Enhancing the UI with Additional Features#

Replay generates a functional base, but you'll likely want to add additional features to enhance the user experience. This could include:

• •Animations and Transitions: Adding visual effects to make the UI more engaging.
• •Error Handling: Implementing robust error handling to gracefully handle unexpected situations.
• •Accessibility: Ensuring that the UI is accessible to users with disabilities.

The Benefits of Behavior-Driven Reconstruction#

Using Replay to build a self-service kiosk UI offers several key benefits:

• •Rapid Prototyping: Quickly create working prototypes based on real user behavior.
• •Reduced Development Time: Automate the generation of UI code, freeing up developers to focus on more complex tasks.
• •Improved User Experience: Ensure that the UI is intuitive and user-friendly by basing it on actual user interactions.
• •Simplified Maintenance: Easily update the UI by recording new videos of desired behavior.

⚠️ Warning: While Replay automates much of the UI generation process, it's essential to review and refine the generated code to ensure quality and maintainability.

Product Flow Maps: Visualizing the User Journey#

Replay's product flow maps provide a visual representation of the user's journey through the kiosk interface. This allows you to easily identify potential bottlenecks and areas for improvement. The flow map is generated automatically based on the video analysis, providing valuable insights into user behavior.

Frequently Asked Questions#

Is Replay free to use?#

Replay offers a free tier with limited features and usage. Paid plans are available for more extensive use and access to advanced features.

How is Replay different from v0.dev?#

While both aim to accelerate UI development, Replay focuses on behavior-driven reconstruction from video, understanding user intent and generating dynamic UI elements. v0.dev primarily uses AI to generate code from text prompts, which may not always capture the nuances of user interaction. Replay uses VIDEO as the source of truth.

What types of videos work best with Replay?#

Videos with clear, deliberate user interactions tend to produce the best results. Avoid shaky footage and ensure that the UI elements are clearly visible.

What frameworks and libraries does Replay support?#

Replay generates standard HTML, CSS, and JavaScript code, which can be easily integrated into any framework or library.

Does Replay handle complex state management?#

Yes, Replay analyzes the video to understand the state of the UI at different points in the interaction and generates code to manage that state accordingly.

---

Ready to try behavior-driven code generation? Get started with Replay - transform any video into working code in seconds.