What are some rules of thumb for a good touchscreen kiosk design?

A touchscreen kiosk must be free of clutter and feature a simple interface. It must also respond immediately to user input, avoid ambiguous instructions and function in a variety of lighting conditions. Kiosks should also be placed in prominent locations to attract users.

When designing the user interface for a touchscreen kiosk, avoid unnecessary images and text. Too much information confuses users and causes them to become impatient. Make sure touchable areas are obvious, phrase on-screen instructions as clearly as possible and use a textured background to distract customers from reflections and fingerprints. The most successful kiosks are limited to a specific function.