How to explore a new human user interface, for the sighted individuals.
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Find it's interaction points: We tend to be "tricked" by visual configurations as to where we draw our attention first. In the case of an example farm machine, dangerous and important buttons and levers would be big, red and solid. Less important functions are usually hidden in a panel somewhere under/over a dashboard of other functions. Make a thorough observation of these interaction points, looking beyond their visual representation.
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Determine the central area of operation: In a website, this would be where the main content should be. On a lawnmower this would be the area where the grass cutting is done. Also notice any visual guides around that are meant to help you focus towards this area.
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Understand the purpose of the whole: Sometimes, advertisements will make it really impossible to even come close to grasping what the whole is about, not just on websites. Even worse, some human interfaces only reveal themselves when you start interacting with them. This should not come as a suprise, because you have already established this in step 1 and have a pretty good idea where not to stand, sit, or click. Even more so if you followed step 2. Which leads to step 4.
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Decide how you will interact: If you couldn't accomplish any one of the steps including this one, it's a safe bet to simply not interact with the interface. If you're successful on all of them, then you pretty much know what you're doing with it. In any case where you decide to move forward, remember that at any point in the future, new human interface elements might reveal themselves to you, prompting you to re-evaluate parts of the interface starting at step 1.
Nota Bene: This is not a guide as to "how humans discover human interfaces", the title specifically says "how to".