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BRASS RING BAR + LOUNGEservice design: case study | fall 2010

+OVERVIEW//////////

Service design is a process that involves and reaches people, problems, and

artifacts through touch points. Integrating skills, methods, and tools to

intentionally create systems of interaction.

+ Different tools + techniques for understanding, interpreting, and trans-

lating data/information

+ There is a process, but it is flexible {based on time, people, and needs}

+ Gaining multiple tangible/intangible experiences

PEOPLE-CENTERED SERVICE DESIGN: designing within a service

UNDERSTANDING PEOPLE + CONTEXTS

Investigate/explore a selected service experience. For this project I focused

on the customers of the Brass Ring Bar + Lounge located on the southeast

side of Indianapolis, Indiana. Data was collected to find out how and what

the customers experience while they are within this service environment.

OBJECTIVE

02

AB

Cformulate the problem/opportunity

+PHASE A

Common Theme:

atmosphere, great service, music, friends

The context map is a rough outline of the flow and behaviors of the environment. It involves analyzing the environment, the people, and all factors that

impact the influence or experience of the service. Observation was key in this step along with short interviews with the customers. This helped to see

possible paths the customers take while they were in the Brass Ring and to get an idea of what kind of people sit in what designated areas.

CONTEXT MAP

The use of disposable cameras was one tool I used for

preliminary ethnographic research to figure out what

type of people sit in which sections. I designed bright

templates to go over the cameras that stated informa-

tion I would like to pull from the customers. Each cam-

era had three things I wanted from them being used:

01. Take a picture of your drink.

02. Take a self-portrait.

03. Take a picture of the people you are with or

who are sitting around you.

The cameras were strategically placed in each sec-

tion. This was a fun tool for myself, and the custom-

ers at the Brass Ring, something that was playful and

engaging. Once I developed the photos I was able to

spread them all out and distinguish common threads

between people, style, clothing, drinks, and personal-

ity. The photographs gave myself a glimpse in the users

shoes and exemplified who they were as a customer at

the Brass Ring. Several of the users fit their determined

group completely.

TOOLS

Initial Research and Observation:

How does seating arrangement define someone?

In Phase A of this project, I began by conducting participatory observations, interviews

and taking photographs at the Brass Ring. What I found was that certain types of people

sit in certain sections of the establishment. The more sociable, loud customers tend to

sit outside, while the more quiet customers find themselves sitting at the bar. Seeing this

as a trend, I created five determined groups: Socializers, Pairs, Reserved, Small

groups, and Regulars.

03

After collecting data based off interviews, observa-

tions, and photos I was able to create user profiles for

each determined group of socializers, pairs, reserved,

small groups, and regulars. This helped to gain the

knowledge of the different users within this environ-

ment and how they interact. I chose to create the user

profiles on coasters and focus primarily on socializers

and regulars.

Persona

define + communicate characteristics of individual groups; cultural background

VISUALIZING A SYSTEM OF ACTORSThe actors map shows two groups and how they are inter-

twined with each other. This shows specifically how the socializ-

ers and the regulars would interact with each other and how they

cross paths. All touchpoints throughout the service are shown

between the two and how they flow throughout the context map.

The socializers tend to have several paths versus the regulars

who stick to a direct route throughout their time spent there.

“Personas are archetypes built after a preceding exhaustive observation of

the potential users. Each persona is based on a fictional character whose profile

gathers up the features of an existing social group. In this way the personas assume

the attributes of the groups they represent: from their social and demographic

characteristics, to their own needs, desires, habits and cultural backgrounds.”

* servicedesigntools.org

formulate solution

+PHASE BAB

C

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The service blueprint indicates the process functions and line of visibility of the

customer showing all of the touch points within the experience. It specifically

focuses on the socializers and regulars within the touch points and

how they overlap. The socializers tend to come in larger groups thus taking up

more space, sometimes taking over the majority of the bar. Though this map was

focused on what would happen if it were an average Friday night, with the flow of

the socializers and how the regulars react. In the blueprint I have shown the esti-

mated time of how long they may be there, but I have also shown the users expec-

tation before they enter the bar. This is to show how things can change when the

two user groups cross paths. Seeing how the experience can be cut short for regu-

lars, I incorporated areas of opportunity within the space. Some opportunities for

the Brass Ring could be the use of reservations so that it will eliminate any issues

with others trying to find a seat. Another opportunity is providing extra chairs

on busy nights, like the do outside, so that seating is not an issue with any of the

groups. This is a useful tool when it comes to finding fail points and opportunities.

+ Service Blueprint +

Mapping out service process

Isolating fail points

Establish time frame

Sequence of events

Linear flow identifying actions, service,

and responses

The blueprint is an operational tool that describes the nature and the characteris-

tics of the service interaction in enough detail to verify, implement and maintain it.

It is based on a graphical technique that displays the process functions above and

below the line of visibility to the customer: all the touchpoints and the back-stage

processes are documented and aligned to the user experience.

* servicedesigntools.org

AB

Cimplement solution

+PHASE C