Kiosk Experience Designer

Steps

To begin configuring Kiosk mode, administrators can go to the Android MDM Policy within the IBM® MaaS360® Portal. Under Android Enterprise Settings, select Kiosk Experience Designer.

An intuitive interface is displayed that separates essential configurations into Enablement, Basic, and Advanced, along with a visual design preview - Designer tab that enables real-time validation of changes.

Enablement

The Enablement tab enables administrators to configure and set up devices in either Single app mode or Multiple apps mode directly. This flexibility helps organizations customize the device experience based on their needs.

Single app mode

This mode is for focused devices like check-in kiosks or data terminals. Administrators can select a single application to auto-launch when Kiosk mode is enabled, while the app is installed on the device.

Multiple apps mode

This mode is for cases where the users need access to multiple approved apps. It creates a controlled environment and maintains the level of security and restrictions.

The new Kiosk Policy interface uses clearly defined sections to guide administrators through each stage of configuration without overwhelming them. The configurations section is split into three main categories: Basic, Designer, and Advanced. This setup ensures that the essential configurations are simpler to find, while advanced options are available for administrators who need more control.

Designer

A key feature of the new Kiosk Policy experience is the Designer tab, a visually rich, interactive canvas that brings your configuration to life. In the past, configuring a Kiosk policy meant that administrators had to imagine how changes might look on a device, deploy them to a test device, and verify results. This trial-and-error process leads to inefficiencies and longer testing times. With the introduction of the Designer tab, those challenges are outdated.

Key Functions in the Designer tab

• Multi-App Configuration - Select and arrange multiple apps for the Kiosk home screen.
• Wallpaper selection - Choose and apply backgrounds for a cohesive and visually appealing interface.
• Resize controls - This option enables the administrator to control the app size to be displayed on the preview screen.
• Custom Logos - Upload a company logo, adjust its size, position, ability to hide or show the Logo, and make sure that the Kiosk reflects your organization’s identity.
• Text and Color customization - Change app text colors to align with branding or enhance readability.
• Allow Apps from Catalog - Enables administrators to include and manage applications directly from the IBM® MaaS360® App Catalog, making it simpler to deploy approved apps within the Kiosk environment.
• Widgets - This option enables the Widget tab for the user to add useful tools like clocks, weather updates, or company-specific apps to improve Kiosk experience on the device.
• Allow User to Rearrange Icons - This option enables users to organize app icons on the home screen based on their preferences.
• Allow Auto-Rotate - This option enables the device to automatically adjust screen orientation for a smoother user experience.
• App Badges - This option enables notification badges on app icons, helping users stay informed of important updates.
• System Bar - This option provides visibility to the standard Android system bar for direct navigation when required.
• Custom System Bar - This option offers flexibility to design or limit system bar features, balancing usability with security needs.

The Preview section empowers administrators to easily organize apps through a simple drag-and-drop interface. Users can group apps into a single folder or create multiple folders based on usage, much like the familiar android experience. This flexibility helps design a clean, intuitive layout that aligns with how users interact with their devices.

Every change in the Designer view offers an immediate preview to make sure that the design appears exactly as intended by the administrators.

In the Designer Preview screen, administrators can seamlessly switch between different device views from mobile to tablet, or even to a 10-inch tablet, making sure that the configurations are optimized for various screen sizes. Also, the Designer Preview screen supports orientation changes between Portrait and Landscape modes, along with a customizable zoom level (%), allowing administrators to fine-tune and visualize their Kiosk layout with precision before deployment.

Basic

The Basic tab provides administrators with quick access to the most frequently used configuration options. It is organized into four intuitive sections for simple navigation and setup as follows.

• Apps
• User Permissions
• Visual Preferences
• General Settings

For more information, see Kiosk Experience Designer - Basic.

Advanced

For organizations that aim to unlock the full potential of their Kiosk setup, the Advanced tab delivers powerful customization and control options as follows.

• Manufacturer Settings
• Custom Launch Options
• Additional Attributes

For more information, see Kiosk Experience Designer - Advanced.

This level of control enables administrators to create a truly tailored Kiosk experience, one that aligns seamlessly with enterprise goals and diverse device environments. The clear separation between Basic and Advanced settings helps ensure a focused, intuitive configuration process, allowing administrators to manage essential and complex options with equal ease.

New Kiosk Launcher behavior

With the policy allow users to rearrange icons - end users get the capability to drag and drop apps on the device launcher based on their preference. 

Launcher rules

• The user-modified app icon positions are preserved. User-modified positions take precedence over admin defined positions.
• If the user has not moved apps, the policy-defined ordering is applied.
  • For newly installed apps, the policy position is followed if untouched by the user.
  • Else, the first available empty slot is filled.
• Uninstalled apps do not leave gaps and the icons shift appropriately.
• Admin folder changes apply correctly without leaving gaps.

Folder rules

• If the user has not changed the ordering, the folder follows the policy's order.
• If the user has changed the ordering, their layout is preserved.
• New apps from the policy are appended to the end.
• Removing an app shifts the remaining items to fill the gap.
• The user-added apps remain in their chosen positions.
• The user-removed apps stay removed.

Policy Settings in the Kiosk Experience Designer

The following table is helpful to existing administrators to understand which parameter has moved into which section in the new interface.