Best & Worst Service Designs

Best: Metrocard Vending Machine

Traveling throughout the city means you need to have a metro card on you at all times. In order to purchase one, you can either buy one from a booth where a person will be able to assist you or from a metro card machine. However not all subway stations have a booth available so interacting with the machine is required. For me personally, I think the metro card machine is extremely fast and efficient. I remember the first time I ever used one, I read whatever was on the screen carefully and use my finger to pick my options. As I began to use the machine more frequently, I realized how fast and useful it really is. it is a perfect example of service design because it is a machine that forces you to interact with it. it is a form of communication design.

The machine is made out of steel and other materials; the interface used is a combination of director, photoshop, illustrator, and visual basic software. Its dimensions are approximately 6' 7 7/8" x 41 11/16" x 26" (203 x 106 x 66 cm). The MTA's vending machine leads customers through the process of buying metrocards in a manner that is efficient and no-nonsense, in a very New York spirit, suggesting colorful, never-boring transit ahead: the buttons on the screen are large and the purchasing choices are clear; the machine itself is done up in bright, almost toy-like primary colors and, with its enamel-coated steel, it is both graffiti- and scratch-proof.

 

The metrocard vending machine is a successful service design because it gets the job done in an effective manner. No matter where you are in the city, every subway station has the same exact machine with the same exact instructions for use. Once you have mastered its process, you will never have to relearn it again, the experience you share with this machine will be exactly the same at any subway station. I admit that for first time users it may be a bit complicated, however for people who are not fluent in English, there interaction can be made easier by choosing the option to proceed in a different language. There are four language options on the machine; English, Espanol, Italian and Deutsch. Picking a different language can help some people but for others just reading whatever comes up on your screen can automatically help you get your metro card.

The advancement in technology is what makes the metrocard vending machine so efficient. In the reading, Service design: Practical Access to an Evolving Field by Stefan Moritz, the relationship between service design and technology is discussed. Technology is a main component of rising service designs; Moritz states, “Technology has changed the relationships between clients and service providers. Therefore technology represents new possibilities as well as challenges.” I encounter many service designs throughout the day, for example going to the atm etc. the only draw back I find with these other machines is that they are always different wherever I go. Atms in particular can be hard to adjust to and are not nearly as quick as the metrocard vending machine.

• Check it out: Video Tutorial

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Worst: Self-Checkout Machines

Standing on line to purchase an item can take some time. Inventors believed that in order to speed this dreaded process up, self-check out machines should be built and put into various stores including super markets, department stores and so on. I for one am not a huge fan of these self-checkout machines. The first time I ever used one was at my local grocery store. I found myself going extremely slow and making sure the prices the machine rung up were correct. There were many items I was buying, for example fruit that did not have a price tag on it and had to be weighted in order to determine a price. To do that, I had to call over an employee to assist me. By the time that was all done, my entire checkout procedure took twice as long as it normally does. I did not fancy this concept at all.

The few variables that I think made this service design a fail was that for stores with this much variety, it is hard to program every last detail into one machine. First off, the software was not extremely fast, which is fine but the faster the better. The second obstacle was that some items would not ring up properly so you would have to go back and retry (wasting time) and putting in your store card number was an entire procedure on its own. Lastly, whenever there was a problem with the self-check out, you had to contact a person who worked there to come over and help you. That itself, ruins the entire concept of a self-checkout.

In order for a service design to be successful, it cannot be for something too complicated. In other words, the machine should be able to do exactly what you need it to without any human assistance at all. In the Mager Service Design reading, the purpose of service design is stated, “Service designers visualize, formulate, and choreograph solutions to problems that do not necessarily exist today; they ob- serve and interpret requirements and behavioral patterns and transform them into possible future services.” Successful service designs should also provide people with the same exact experience every time they use it (no matter where there location is.) I think that is what truly makes the metrocard vending machine a true victory. I understand that for people who are in a hurry and do not have many items that the self checkout is actually efficient for them, however I would rather wait the extra minute on line in guarantee that I will have no problems dealing with the machine. Nowadays, there are express lines in most grocery stores anyway. I think that self-checkouts can definitely be successful, however only in certain types of environments. 

Patterns of Use: Washington Square Park

Washington Square Park is one of the most popular parks in New York City. Its constant flow attracts people from all cultural backgrounds to come together and enjoy this public park. The park has a variety of different people that come and utilize the park daily. Students, artists, office workers and musicians and so on can all be found in this one area. The beauty of the park also attracts many tourists and its simplicity does not become intimidating. The park is surrounded by New York University’s campus and has an arch and beautiful fountain in the middle that goes off in the summer. 

Observation:

1. Thursday: 9pm-10pm

• Weather: Slight rain/drizzle
• People: None

-Thursday night is usually when the weekend starts for most students. Since Washington Square Park is almost always filled with students, on a night like this is was completely empty. It was raining on and off as well, however I believe that even if the weather was decent, the park would still be pretty empty. In one corner of the park was a homeless man with boxes around him for protection. People were walking in and out of the park but not as frequently as they do earlier in the day.

2. Sunday: 5pm-6pm

• Weather: Nice/sunny
• People: Good amount, started to leave once the sun went down

-Sundays are a day spent with family and friends; this was the exact case in the park. The park was filled with people of all ages enjoying the weather and just relaxing. A group of college students were rehearsing for an upcoming play in the middle of the park. The park is the perfect place for them to practice because of all of the open space it has to offer and no real noise constraints. People near by were enjoying this mock performance. There were little kids running around the empty fountain playing with one another. There were people sitting on the benches; reading books, sitting with their dogs and so on. Throughout the day people would be walking in an out of the park ever so often. However once the sun started to go down, people began to leave. The first people to leave were the families that were there with their children. After the families cleared out, the park wasn’t as loud, the little kids yelling slowly faded away and people one by one started to leave. By the end of the hour, it was dark and the park was almost completely empty besides the theater students who were still rehearsing.

3. Monday: 12pm-1pm

• Weather: nice sunny
• People: a lot of people, on benches, in empty fountain, people taking pictures with and of the arch etc.

-Mondays are always a rush for people throughout the city. It’s the first day of the week and everyone has somewhere to go. Since Washington Square Park is in the heart of NYUs campus, the park was filled with students. People were constantly walking in and out of the park, rushing to go where they needed to be. The park from all angles was full as well. People were sitting along the benches as well as inside the fountain. Near the arch, many tourists would come and take pictures of the arch and NYUs campus. Students would be as a group or just sit by themselves and do their work. The fast passed environment kept the park alive. A man was playing the saxophone at one end of the park and another had a food cart selling hotdogs and nuts. Many people were seen walking their dogs in and out of the park. There is a small dog area within the park that most of the dogs would all be. Throughout the hour, the density of people remained constant. Since it was a Monday afternoon, the hype would probably not die down till later on at night. 

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As I observed the park I noticed some few features that reflected was I watched in the video, The Social Life of Small Urban Space by William Whyte. In the video, Whyte discussed how certain people gathered at certain ends of public areas for reasons that could not really be determined; for example, people in love or romantically involved would almost always sit by the fountain area and display their affection. I noticed that the same thing happened in Washington Square Park. When I was observing on Sunday, the fountain was filled with kids and couples were more along the benches, however on Monday, there were no kids in the fountain and many people sitting in the fountain that looked like a couple. The video also talked about how studied showed where there was an open space with chairs, people would move the chairs to accommodate their needs but by the end of the day, the chairs would be exactly where they started out. Since there was nothing in the park that is tangible, I could not relate this exact characteristic yet the same thing applied for types of people. The dog lovers were all near the dog park, students were constantly in and out of the park as well as alongside the fountain, tourists are always by the arch taking pictures and everyone else is on the benches just enjoying what the park has to offer.

Being in the park reminded me of what Jane Jacobs talks about in her book. Washington Square Park is one of the liveliest parks in Manhattan and that probably has to do with the elements Jacobs’s talks about to keep a city alive. Jacob talks about what she thinks keeps the city going, however some of the factors apply to what keep the park going. Jacobs says that high density promotes the welfare of the environment; the park would not be a park unless it had people come and enjoy it. Even when people walk in and out of the park, it still counts as interacting with it. Another aspect Jacob discusses is keeping small businesses alive; by being in the heart of NYUs campus, the park is filled with all kinds of people and talent. It is very easy to strike up a conversation with somewhere there and realize you may have something in common. This desire to keep these businesses alive instead of letting corporations dominate makes it easier for people to interact with one another and adds to the diversity of the park as a whole.

With the different amenities the park has to offer, there is always going to be a constant flow and life that not other park in the city can have. Washington Square Park has always been a monumental park and will always be a monumental park.

Dohne Court

I have been living in my parent’s home on Long Island my entire life. The only time we ever moved was when I was only a few months home. My house is one of three in a court that has a long alley just before you actually see the houses. When I open my front door, I can see our neighbor’s house on my right and my other neighbor’s house across from mine. The court is extremely wide and has a grayish/black concrete pavement.

Growing up, there were a few disadvantages about living in a court. First off, my bus refused to come inside my court to pick me up so I had to walk down the end alley, near the cross street, every morning and evening. This would have been fine but winter on long island is just months of ice-cold weather and inches of snow. The second drawback was that I could never go trick or treating around my own house. Since we only had two houses next to us, I was always driven to a friends or cousins house so that we can trick or treat safely around their development. I had houses on the cross street, but my mom preferred me staying in a colony to keep safe. The last hitch was that I did not like riding my bike in circles; this was before I was allowed to ride on the street. Prior to that, I would have to remain in my court so that my mom could keep an eye on me from the house. After riding around in circles ten times, it gets pretty boring and dizzy.

Because I live in the suburbs, I believe my court was designed in a way that resembles the accomplishments of Bob Moses. Bob Moses believed and created “private” housing developments. He was the dominant of Stuyvesant Town and Peter Cooper Village in eastern New York City. Moses believed in having privacy and creating an environment that is safe and creates a community. He helped build around 777 playgrounds and brought life to parks such as adding zoos and skating rinks throughout the entire city. Moses style of creating a relaxed atmosphere is almost exactly what the suburbs are like. To take a break from the fast paced life of the city, the suburbs are extremely quiet and family oriented. My court especially would be valued in Moses’ eyes because of all the free land there is. He would have loved to work with so much free space that is not available in the city.

An interesting fact about the history of my court is that it was named after our neighbor Bob Dohne that owned the entire land. Years ago my court used to be a nursery, Bob Dohne then bought the nursery and then with all that land, transformed it into a court. He built three I identical houses and at the end of the court, a house for him and his family. After completing his project, he decided to trademark his creation by naming it Dohne Court.

Sharon Zukin discusses the concept of “Manhattanization” which signifies; “Everything in a city that is not thought to be authentic: high-rise buildings that grow taller every year, dense crowds where no one knows your name, high prices for inferior living conditions, and intense competition to be in style.” Zukins statement can be true to identify what is authentic on long island as well. Since long island is almost nothing like the city, there are not any demanding or intimidating buildings and everything is very generously priced. Walking distance from my court is my town that is filled with stores, restaurants and bars that keep my town alive.

Over the years, my town has only advanced in expanding and opening up more restaurants, stores etc. By having this low-key yet lively kind of atmosphere, I don’t think my court has lost its soul.

The fact that I have a lively town nearby, can consider my court to be safe according to Jane Jacobs. Jane Jacobs believes that, “a well-used city street is apt to be a safe street. A deserted city street is apt to be unsafe.”  She believes that the three components that make up a safe street are:

1. Clear distinction of public and private space
2. Must be eyes upon the street, eyes belonging to those we might call the natural proprietors of the street
3. Sidewalk must have user on it fairly continuously both to ass to the number of effective eyes on the street and induce the people in buildings along the street to watch the sidewalks in sufficient numbers. 

Even though I do not live on a block, I still consider my court to be safe regardless of Jacobs’s beliefs. Jacobs believes the more active a block is the safer it is, but I think that since my court is closed off from the main road, it is safer because it is further away from any sort of crime. It may not have stores or bars on the same block but they are still extremely close by and add soul to the entire town.

The future of my court will probably stay the same. There is enough land to make another house however it would be a little cramped. I think it is the perfect place to live and grow up as with a family.

The City Museum of New York

The City Museum of New York is a modest museum that holds various contributions to people and places throughout the year. The Greatest Grid is a current exhibition that highlights the structure and layout of the city of New York in the 1800s. The presentation has handmade and professional maps and blueprints of the city. As you walk around, the cities layout is broken down in different sections; each major neighborhood has its own dedicated area in the exhibition. The neighborhoods were divided by their geographic location so it made it easier to connect and understand each blueprint. I liked that I could walk around and examine how these neighborhoods have evolved throughout the years. There were so many attributes that changed over time but also stayed exactly the same. The city was urbanized step by step and created a new dynamic for the residents of Manhattan.

             In 1811 the concept of avenues were introduced and in the 1830s, developer Samuel B. Ruggles initiated the effort to expand avenues. By creating these broad roads, the city built its foundation of a grid. The grid design of the city made it much easier for cars and people to navigate throughout the city. All avenues are parallel to one another (from east to west) and the same thing goes for roads; this added a flow to Manhattan. Everything is evenly spaced out and the beauty of the city is that no matter where you are, the blocks and avenues will always be the same. (Towards the very east or west side of the city the grid can be slanted.) The museum also showed how numbering streets where enforced in order to make it convenient for cars and people to make their way around.

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Since the 1800s the gird has already gone through many advancements. Subway maps have changed drastically creating many new train routes; there was a specific picture on display at the museum that had a subway map from the 1800s. It was extremely different because it was very simple and did not have as many train routes as it does today. Today this grid can act as a tool of education by being able to access its entire layout off the Internet (via google maps etc.) The future of the gird is known as the "unfinished grids." Cartographers are constantly redesigning and educating themselves on any changes made. 

Design Review: Essie Nail polish

Doing my nails is probably one of my favorite hobbies. Throughout the years of wearing nail polish, I have learned many things about different brands and the quality of each. The brand Essie is extremely well known and one of my personal beloved brands. Essie nail polish has become second hand to; me because of how often how I use it. Taking a second look at the design there are many components that develop the design of a product such as: form, scale, material, color and qualitative aspects such as: context, lifecycle, use, etc.

Materials used to construct a bottle of Essie nail polish are a variety of different items. The bottle is made of out glass and has intents in it to form the word “essie” on two of the four sides. The top of the bottle or the handle is made out of plastic and inside it has a plastic wand attached to it that then turns into a brush. The plastic handle also has an “e” embedded into it on the top. On the bottom on the bottle, there is a circular sticker stuck to the bottom that has writing on it. The writing states the specific details of that color. Essie nail polishes are made and distributed in the United States. Distribution is in Astoria, New York where the polishes are then packed and shipped and then sold for wholesale and retail.

The function of nail polish is pretty simple: once there is no polish left in your bottle, the product is thrown out. Depending on how often you wear nail polish and how often you use that specific color, determines how long the polish will last. The life span of nail polishes is generous. There is no way to generalize how long your nail polish will last since there are so many factors to take into consideration. However, since Essie is a well-known and well-made brand, there polishes are guaranteed to last longer than local brands. For instance, if you were to purchase an unknown brands nail polish, use it once and then seven months later want to use it again, chances are the polish got thick making it hard to use or the color of the polish isn’t as accurate. Although since Essie is a brand name company, you can buy an Essie nail polish, use it once, then seven months later go back to it and it will be exactly the same as how it was the first time you used it. 

Design Reading: A Table Made of Secret Compartments

http://www.thisiscolossal.com/2012/01/a-table-made-of-secret-compartments/

Usually, tables have one sole function: to be able to place items on it and or use it as a flat top workspace etc. however what happens when a table can take on more than just the one typical function? The result is the Kai Table that was designed by Naoki Hirakoso and Takmitsu Kitahara. The table they created is a wooden rectangular table that sits on the floor. Meaning there are no legs of it holding it up and what not. The table is craved by wood and from the looks of it, seems like a normal table with some discrete lining detail. That lining detail is not just a design; in fact, those lines are not even lines. The illusion of lines is actually the outlines of mini drawers. Throughout the entire table are mini drawers that can be pulled out, opened up, slide across and so on. These drawers make room for small compartments that have room to store different items. What looks like an ordinary table, has been transformed into a tiny puzzle.

            The wooden puzzle table is a very intellectual design. Creating new functions by still keeping old ones in tact is an extremely creative way to be innovative. I think this table has a good design idea, however I am not sure how effective this table can actually be. It really just comes down to preference; some people might like having the option to store things and use it as a table, others might want to keep the two separated. I personally think I prefer this idea. Giving consumers the option of doing something always makes them more inclined to like something. The only flaw I would find myself encountering is forgetting what is in what compartment. Since there are so many, it might get tricky remembering what’s where. Although overall, the idea of adding these mini compartments is a great concept. 

Design Analysis: Give 1 Get 1 Program: One Laptop per Child

The Give 1 Get 1 Program: One laptop per Child, founded by Nicholas Negroponte, is a program that sold and donated XO laptops. The Complete analysis of the program goes as follows:

History:           

•       Computers were sold for $399.00

•       On November 12, 2007 OLPC started the Give 1Get 1 Program

•       In total 83,500 people participated

•       Eventually, the program ended before a full year went through and was over by April 19, 2008

•       FAILS: Order fulfillment and shipment issue delays

•       TRYING AGAIN: On December 31, 2008, OLPC restarted the G1G1 Program through Amazon (amazon.com) and amazon.co.uk for the United Kingdom

•       Computers were still sold for the same price of $399.00

• •        In total 12,500 laptops were sold for a total of ~ $2.5 million 

Current Context:

•       The creators started this generous company on their own, despite the margin of failing

• •        And despite the failure, OLPC is continuing to study what went wrong in their G1G1 Program & to pursuit different methods of fundraising

Predecessors:

• •       Company was founded on their own with the aid of investors of companies and organizations such as eBay, Google, Marvell, and News Corporation.
• •       No other organizations provided this kind of service with laptops, however some clothing and show companies such as Toms do follow the Give 1 Get 1 program.

Future:

•       The concept of G1G1 and the program in general no longer exists

• •       OLPC plans to focus on fundraising as a company now

Function and use:

•       To aid those who are globally underprivileged 

o   Educational tool

o   Exposing students to technology that they would normally not see

•       Concept of giving and taking

o   Buy a computer 

o   Send one to a child in need

• •  Computers are distributed to students in school during class

Design Reading: The Log Chop Bench

http://everydaydesign.ca/logchopbench/the-making-of/

            In 2011 the Log Chop Bench was created and inspired by the Practice of Everyday Design. This bench is a reflected of process based designs. The article explains how designers of this bench were inspired by logger sports that then created the platform for the bench. The log was specifically and artistically cut out so that seats for the benches can easily be adjusted. The seats are made out of hand-sewn motorcycle saddle maker creating its own futuristic style.

            The Log Chop Bench grasps a very unique style. The combination of log as the main fundamental and the modern looking seating create a very sustainable design. Benches typically all follow the same design format so to see something completely different is very eye catching. The log used in the bench build the sense of familiarity that people see in ordinary benches. Usually benches are created entirely of wood, so to incorporate the same sense of material is a great way to get people comfortable with the design change.

            Benches are an everyday design that people unconsciously use. To create a new dynamic to this design will not only advance the look of the overall bench, but also the invitation to use it. In other words, by having a design that is intriguing and essentially more comfortable, people will be more inclined to use it and enjoy it in a more appreciated way.

            I think this design for a bench is awesome. I like how it can look both vintage and modern at the same time. Each material components work off each other to create that desired look. By having more benches like these, I believe the use of benches will increase as well as the demand. The only critique I have of the benches is the uneven seating styles. All three of the seats are drastically different that can create a different atmosphere for the people that use them. With seating arrangements like these, I believe this bench can be used outside of bus stops or waiting areas where the people who sit on them don’t really know one another. I don’t see a bench like this in a park; the seat design is not very inviting. It seems like each seat is an individual seat that does not necessarily have to be communal with others. 

The Empathetic Civilization

http://www.ted.com/talks/lang/en/jeremy_rifkin_on_the_empathic_civilization.html

The video “The Empathetic Civilization” by Jermey Rifkin is an informative lecture that discusses empathy in everyday life. Rifkin points out firsthand characteristics that humans encounter to empathize with others. He goes on to explain that humans are able to communicate and undergo the same emotions as somebody else without actually having to experience it. Rifkin refers to this ability as the mirror neurons we all have. Mirror neurons are a form of communication. It is the ability to share the same reaction and emotions as another human or primate, without actually encountering their specific situation.  The experiment that trigged the on sight of mirror neurons was when a monkey was being observed under an mri brain scanning machine. The experimenter was testing the monkey’s neurons while it attempted to open up a nut. Just then a human came in and tried to open up the nut as well. The result was that the human’s neurons and monkey’s neurons replicated the same response. Our sense of empathy is when we try to understand someone else’s feelings. Mirror neurons are the way we empathize with others by experiencing the exact emotions as someone else.

            This video spoke to designers in an intellectual way as well. The idea of being able to build empathy by design was something that was questioned by many designers. In my opinion, I believe that empathy can be build by design. Design is a way for people to interact by expressing their feelings, expressions, thoughts, opinions etc through different mediums. All designs can give out a message, or be created to give out a message that people can relate to. Anytime you see something for the first time your mind automatically can relate it to a memory or experience that you have encountered. Through these feelings or reminisces, empathy can be built and you can share a personal or general connection to that specific item or artwork.

Use/Behaviors

When discussing the use and behavior of product or object it ascetically comes down to two various: function versus style. In other words, what or how something works versus the technique used to accomplish that. when observing two random couples from as a third party perspective, there are many aspects of use and behavior you can visually see in peoples interactions and body language with one another. 

            The first couple I observed were what looked like to be two college students. They were sitting across one an other in a Starbucks having a conversation. The first 20 actions I picked up were:

1. The guy rested his elbows in the table and put his hands around his neck
2. The girl started using her hands as gestures as she was speaking
3. The guy then puts his hands down on to the table
4. He then shrugs
5. He then puts his hands on his tighs
6. Crossed his legs
7. The girl begins to play with her left earring
8. He guy shakes his head from side to side
9. Girl starts waving her foot
10. Guy begins to use his hands as he speaks
11. Girl begins listing things by using her fingers
12. She then uses her hand to shrug
13. The girl twists her watch
14. The girl used quotation marks
15. Guy has hid hand on his face listening to the girl as she talks
16. He then checks his phone
17. The girl then reaches to her bag on the floor and checks her phone was well
18. Guy looks at his clock
19. The girl begins to play with her earring again
20. The girl begins to laugh as she makes a point/statement

After listing these twenty items I started predicting some conclusions. I think these two people are students and they are friends who are discussing or brainstorming an idea for either a class project of some sort. They way they were interacting with each other gave off a very formal vibe which led me to the assumption that they are not very well acquainted. Even though there was no laptops or papers on the table, just by the way they interacted and their body language towards one another, I could tell there was a little sense of awkwardness between them.

The second couple I observed where a guy and a girl that were definitely friends or becoming friends at least. They were also spotted in Starbucks however they were sitting next to each other. The details that I thought were significant were as follows:

1. The guy has been shaking his foot ever since the girl sat down next to him
2. There faces are close together (closer than usual when you are sitting next to somebody)
3. The guy remains steady eye contact as the girl is speaking
4. As she’s speaking, he leans in closer and laughs
5. The guy beings to dance in his chair as the girl continues talking
6. The girl begins to laugh and casually touches his arm
7. The girl tilts her head and watches the guy as he speaks
8. The guy starts to fidget with his hat but still remains eye contact
9. They both nod their heads together
10. The girl touches the guys arm again
11. She then touches the guys watch
12. The guy leans closer to show her his watch
13. First time the guy uses his hands to talk
14. Both raise their eyebrows together
15. Followed by simultaneous laughter
16. Their hands are on the table and get closer (almost touching)
17. Guy puts his head down for a minute and girl rubs his back
18. Their elbows begin to touch and remain touching
19. The girl fixes her hair (ties it up again)
20. Girl touches the guys arm for the third time

As I watched this couple converse I picked up the actions that I thought had a deeper meaning to them. The way they kept remaining steady eye contact really spoke a lot about them. There were no distractions from the outside world; they were conversing with one another in their own little bubble. They took turns speaking; it was a happy conversation because there was laughter and smiling. They were probably even flirting. I think they were at the point where they are getting to know each other or they can be old friends that were catching up after a while. The reason why I think there is some sort of romantic component involved was because of how they were acting towards one another. The guy was shaking his foot the entire time; that could be he was nervous-she made him nervous. The girl touched his arm several times without even realizing or making it seem wrong. She also fixed her hair even though it was perfectly fine. As a girl, I can tell you first hand that that definitely meant that she cared what she looked like in front of him. It was really nice observing them and picking up on the small gestures that have the biggest meanings.