The Challenge:

For this case study, our group was challenged to improve Service Design in a restaurant environment. What does Service Design consist of?

“5 principles of Service Design” by Meghan Lazier, published on DesignLab

 

 

Observations:

Service was slow and inefficient due to how space was designed. Food came out in a weird order (example: drinks came after we finished 2 appetizers). The menu placement wasn’t standard which made it awkward to order or refer to. Waiting too long for finding someone to refill your drink or getting the to-go box. Had to wait 20 minutes regardless of having made a reservation in advance. A basket was supposed to contain menus for people to look at while they wait in line, but the menus were all out.

 

 

After reviewing our pain points and discussing our observations, our group came up with an ideal blueprint for an improved service design for a restaurant.  This blueprint shows the flow of interactions from customer actions, touchpoints, front stage staff, backstage staff, and system & processes.

 

 

Story Board:

Based on our blueprint, these sketches were created to show the customer experience from before they even stepped into the restaurant to the customer walking out satisfied. The customer should be able to easily make a reservation in various ways, get an alert to confirm the reservation with the host, receive superior customer service from either their assigned server or a self-service tablet, receive food promptly, and lastly, the customer should be able to pay for their meal easily and quickly.

 

 

Testing:

Many sketches, discussions, and iterations later, it was time to test what we thought were the best design solutions. We wanted to make sure that we were recruiting the right participants for this moderated usability testing so each participant had to pass our Participant Screener survey to be considered. We wanted the participants to feel relaxed and comfortable to get them to be more honest with their thoughts. We came up with questions that encouraged more of a conversation rather than just ‘yes’ and ‘no’ and we had them perform a series of tasks to validate our work.

 

 

 

 

Service Patterns:

Reserve table at restaurant -> Make reservations

I want to make a reservation.

The restaurant will take reservations on the phone or online.

Arrival at restaurant -> Check-in with Hostess

I want to let the restaurant know I am here.

The restaurant will have clear signage that leads to the Hostess stand and the Hostess will check in the customer.

Find menu -> Get menu

I am looking for a menu while I wait for my table.

There is a menu box in the waiting area for customers who’d like to view the menu before getting seated.

Notified to get seated -> Text message notification

I want to get notified when my table is ready so I don’t have to wait in line the entire time.

The restaurant will send a text message notification once the table is ready and the customer is ready to be seated.

Order food -> Place an order with the waiter

I’m ready to place my food order.

The waiter is available to answer any questions about the menu and enter orders into the tablet at the table. 

Order food by myself -> Place an order with a tablet

I’m ready to place my food order.

There is a tablet available on every table to order food. If help is needed, the customer can reach out to the waiters.

Find waiter -> Call waiter

I’m looking for my waiter.

The waiter will be easily identified by their uniform.

Get a to-go box -> Retrieve to-go box from the service area 

I have leftover food that I can take home and eat for lunch tomorrow. 

There is a service area in the restaurant that is visible to customers where there are extra napkins, lids, containers, and to-go boxes.

Pay restaurant for meal -> Make a payment 

I am finished with my food and am ready to pay for my meal. 

Restaurant set up tablets on the table for customers to retrieve checks and pay for the meal. 

Order online for pick up -> Place an order online via website or app and make payment

I want to order dinner for pick up.

The restaurant has a website and app for customers to view menus, select their options, make customizations, and make a payment before they pick up the order. 

Order via phone for pick up -> Place a phone order

I want to talk to someone at the restaurant before I place an order for my lunch.

The restaurant has a phone number for customers to call for any inquiries. Staff is available to answer any questions and enter in food orders for customers to pick up.

Get to-go order -> Pick up a to-go order

I want to pick up my to-go order.

There will be clear signage that leads to the to-go window where the customer can notify the worker that they are there to pick up their order and receive their food.

 

 

 

Solution:

 

 

Our Team:

Xin Ma • Wendy Taing • Heidi Jung • Jennifer Wong • Ali Hoss • Joshua Hillmer

 

My Role:

– UX/UI designer

– Motion Graphics Designer

– Storyboard Artist