SWOT Analysis

A SWOT analysis was performed on the WTMS restaurant. The personas were used, with service and user research, to create empathy with the user whilst generating ideas and completing the analysis.   

I also plan to run a stakeholder workshop to get customers involved in generating ideas and co-creating the service. 

User Journey

A user journey was created from the output of 22 completed questionnaires and 3 user interviews. 

The user journey helped me to identify the positive customer experiences and friction points along with their corresponding touch points. The customers emotive experience was mapped out and this helped to visualise the customers experience over time. Aspects of the service that had not been considered such as its social presence became apparent as weak links in the service. 

Summary of the Service Friction Points

Queues & waiting times during peak times prevent some customers using the service 

Problems with the menu

- There are too many options which confuses customers

- Mixed menu with meat and vegetarian dishes makes it difficult to order

- The online menu only shows daily specials

Potential customers are not aware of what the restaurant has to offer. The restaurant website and general internet presence are not promoting the restaurant and its positive features such as use of local produce and sustainable practices - both are important to the professional customers but many are not aware of this.

The walk to the restaurant is seen as a negative experience for some as it adds to the waiting/queue times.

Although feedback can be left on the Facebook page it is not encouraged/rewarded enough.

Storytelling as a Communication Tool

Some thought on the paper Spicing up public journeys – storytelling as a design strategy

As the title suggests, this paper is about the use of storytelling in service design and, more specifically, designing urban public experiences. 2 uses for storytelling are described; gathering and creating stories, and for creating concept ideas. 

An example explains how the Ritz hotel chain use storytelling to communicate the brand philosophy and culture to all of their hotels through an engaging story. The stories are not specific to different hotels, rather they convey the brand identity and allow interpretation by the individual hotels based on their own environment and context. The stories were communicated by photograph workbooks. This is an example of creating a story to visually demonstrate to internal staff what the organisation is about and the image and culture which it wants the user to experience. The staff are the vehicle for delivering the service and hence play an important role in the users service experience.

The author explains 3 reasons to use storytelling in design:

1. Collecting stories from the user to gather information and to inspire.
2. Using story telling methods such as story boarding to prototype often intangible services.
3. Designing touch-points to create user experiences.

Visualising plays a big part in service design. This is probably because services can be intangible and often there is no physical product or artifact included in the service. So capturing user experiences by illustrating them makes the service feel tangible and evokes emotion which is why storytelling is a great way to prototype services and design user experiences. 

An Opportunity at Last!

I discovered through interviewing the general manager for WTMS and a Skypark manager that the WTMS restaurant will be leaving the Skypark and going back to the main GSA campus in December 2013 when the GSA move into a new building. 

This presents a real opportunity to create a new or improved restaurant service for the Skypark, aimed at professionals rather than students (as WTMS is) and involving stakeholders in the design process. 

Skypark management are considering buying out the restaurant to keep it on sight. Whether the restaurant is bought out or a completely new service designed, the service will be aimed at professionals. 

Through analysing the existing WTMS service from the users (Skypark professionals) point of view the positive user experiences can be identified and retained in the new service and the negative user experiences, friction points, can be improved by co-creating new service features or solutions with the stakeholders.

Personas & Insights

Personas were created after the initial questionnaire to capture some of the main user needs and insights and for empathising with the service users throughout the design process.

The personas were used to identify potential opportunities based on the questionnaire results, and to show their possible responses to new services to make them feel more tangible. 

Research Questionnaire & Analysis

I think work community campuses, such as the Skypark in Glasgow, would be the ideal place for introducing a new co-created service.  They currently provide a host of services for resident employees including massage days, beauty days, site social evenings, car valet service and prescriptions deliveries to name a few.  

Skypark does seem to be missing one service though; a healthy, sustainable and convenient food service. And I also think that there is scope for additional entertainment services. 

I invited Skypark residents to complete a questionnaire to get an idea of what people currently do for lunch, gauge interest in a new healthy food service and to ask for their ideas on any new services that they would like to see in the future.

A sample of the online questionnaire

I asked Skypark residents:

What they currently do for lunch

Are they satisfied with available food service options

Would they use a healthy, sustainable and convenient food service

Are there any services that they would like to see at the Skypark

Analysis of Results

What they currently do for lunch

• Over 60% of people who completed the questionnaire either take packed lunch or heat food in their company kitchenette
• 20% use the Glasgow School of Arts temporary restaurant 'Where The Monkey Sleeps' which will be moving from the Skypark at the end of 2013

Are they satisfied with available food service options

• Two thirds of participants are satisfied with current food service options
• Unless bringing in healthy packed lunch, most other options are not healthy

Would they use a healthy, sustainable and convenient food service

• Almost 80% of participants would use a healthy food service at least once or twice a week
• 42% would use the service most days

Are there any services that they would like to see at the Skypark

• Food trucks like in the US and London
• Wrap bar/station with salads and fillings
• Sofas to relax on at lunch time and more activities,  "an excuse to leave my desk"
• A vending machine

Overall a good response to creating a new healthy food service for Skypark residents. I like the idea of giving people the opportunity to leave the desk - and office - during their lunch break. Getting away from the computer for 30 minutes and having a break from thinking about work must be a good thing!