This project was divided into two parts:
1) User Research: Heuristic Evaluation, Think-Alouds, Observations, Surveys, Ethnography (in-home interview + card sorting), applying Frameworks, framing the problem
2) studio cocoon bidding on a mock RFP: RFP provided by the instructor; studio cocoon is a design firm created by the team
Team members: Yong Hee Yoo, Takeshi Tanaka, Shenghui Gao
Time frame: Part 1 - 11 weeks; Part 2 - 3 weeks
My role: Researcher, ideator, designer, studio cocoon brand concept developer
Continue scrolling to see the process ↓
1) User Research
Secondary Research - Topline Memo
A secondary "discovery" background research that helped me get up to speed on our client, their business, and their users.
Heuristic Evaluation
An initial assessment Starbucks's digital experience ecosystem. Evaluating one of the main digital touch points - the Starbucks app
Evaluator: Sophie Chen
Date: Sept. 15, 2021
Device: iPhone
Date: Sept. 15, 2021
Device: iPhone
Browser: iOS
App version: 6.11 (latest version)
App version: 6.11 (latest version)
This heuristic evaluation identified some usability issues using the Nielson Norman Group's 10 Heuristics
Think-Alouds
After the initial heuristic evaluation, one of my main goals for the think-aloud is to find out if the research participants also faced similar struggles. I first designed a discussion guide with relevant tasks for the participants to go through. Then I conducted the think-alouds with them and analyzed the results.
Store Observations
Before conducting on-site observations, I made a list of assumptions and learning goals for the visit. Below are some observation frameworks (POEMS & AEIOU) used to help me structure my observations and some quick insights gathered from the site visit.
Quick and Dirty Survey
Supplementing qualitative research with quantitative research. Conducting a survey helped us get a quick and general understanding of how people think about the Starbucks brand and its products, services, and experiences. We mainly wanted to find out customer satisfaction, their attitudes and needs, and the demographic influences.
Contextual inquiry and Card-Sorting
An in-depth research on the users and their needs. This helped us get a holistic understanding on who the users are in their natural surrounding, as real people. It also helped us get closer to understanding who we are trying to solve problems for.
Card-sorting helps us understand the competitive environment Starbucks is in and the users' priorities when choosing a coffee shop.
Our team conducted a total of 3 at-home contextual inquiries and card-sorting activities. Below is a sample from one participant:
"The last best experience that anyone has anywhere, becomes the minimum expectation for the experience they want everywhere."
- Bridget van Kralingen
Click on the image above to see our full analysis and synthesis report (user research)
2) studio cocoon RFP
For this second part of our course work, we were tasked with creating a design agency to respond to an RFP sent out by Starbucks (created by our instructor). We developed a set of design philosophy and methodologies, inspired by the similarities that the design process has with a caterpillar transforming into a butterfly through incubating in a cocoon. Hence the name of our design agency, studio cocoon.
studio cocoon is a service and experience design agency based in Chicago. It was conceived based on our founders’ passion on truly understanding users and their needs. At studio cocoon we are made up of 19 professionals from 10 different countries, making our work and process fun and unique.
We are very proud of our diverse team. It is the different perspectives we bring to the table and our
interdisciplinary approach that have made our designs stand out and earn the trust of our clients.
interdisciplinary approach that have made our designs stand out and earn the trust of our clients.
We specialize in helping our clients find out what their customers really want and need by digging deeper and looking for the non-obvious insights. Studio cocoon has a track record of successfully re-designing and launching loyalty reward systems as well as re-creating captivating spaces based on rigorous user research.
Click below to see how we plan to apply our design methodologies to the RFP and our project deployment plan:
