Office Telephone

The Problem

Have you ever lost an important caller when you tried to transfer him? Do you have to consult the manual or get help every time you set up a conference call? Transferring and conferencing are standard business tasks, yet few phones help users complete them with confidence and ease.

Cooper Solution The Cooper Office Phone applies Goal-Directed methodology to touch-screen capabilities along with voice recognition technology to make all telephone operations clear and simple. This concept project offers Cooper's example of a better telephone. Conference Calls On the Office Phone, setting up a conference call does not require special skills; the user can easily create both planned and spontaneous conference calls. To eliminate confusion, the call display area shows a clear representation of the conference call being created and lists all the callers present on the call. Voicemail Listening to voicemail is quick and flexible on the Office Phone. Instead of just listening to each message in order, the user sees a list of messages, including the caller's name and the time the message was received. The user can touch any important message to listen to it first (rather than all messages in order), and can then take action on the message by touching the "Call Back, "Forward," or "Delete" buttons in the message listing. Office Directory Calling a coworker's extension doesn't require a paper phone list. The user merely opens the directory and flips through it using a scroll wheel, just like a Rolodex. The user connects to the coworker by simply touching his or her name. Transferring Calls The Office Phone always provides a final transfer confirmation that includes the name of the person who ultimately received the call. The user never wonders if the call was dropped or lost. User Benefits Because the Office Phone is so easy to use and the LCD display gives clear feedback about what actions the phone is taking, the user never becomes confused. Users know when transfers are successful and always feel confident enough to make a conference call. Instead of a frustrating obstruction to business discussions, the Office Phone seamlessly accomplishes the user's communication goals.