Project Overview
The Challenge
The City Improvement team was in the final stages of a renovation project on a historical walking mall in Minneapolis. The team wanted to ensure that visitors would be able to find, navigate and use the space as easily as possible despite all the changes and believed digital kiosks would be the ticket.
The Solution
Digital kiosks could work in the space if providing the details valued by two general types of visitors. A local vendor was also found who would best meet the City Improvement teams need for regular maintenance, budget, and accessibility requirements.
The Outcome
By the end of the renovation, the City Improvement team did not have the budget to implement the digital kiosks as planned. They did, however, recognize the ubiquitous need for highlighting public restrooms and have since placed sidewalk signage as to where visitors might locate these in the area.
My Role
User Researcher & Designer
Recruited participants
Scoped + curated study logistics including scripts, card sort artifacts, competitive analysis framework
Conducted all research
Data Analyst
Sketched future user flows
Designed interactive prototype
Presented research findings
My Process
Research ➔ Design ➔ Test (Pivot) ➔ Measure
Methods Used
Step 1: Research
Stakeholder Question: “Could we use digital kiosks in the mall?”
Question Re-Framed: “Who are the mall’s users and what do they need to best use the space?”
USER INTERVIEWS & SURVEY
Key findings included a common expectation that there would be added support in the mall area to direct visitors and give ideas for places to go. And responses indicated two main user groups for the Mall:
The Visiting Tourist - interested in points of interest, where to go and what to see.
The Local Worker - wanting to go out with coworkers after work and seeking close places to eat and drink.
BUSINESS INVENTORY
Key findings were that Google Maps was inconsistent in representing the most current businesses in the mall and a more localized solution would be better suited to support the turn-over and changes in the area - especially since many businesses are NOT present on the lower street-level.
Step 2: Ideate & Design
COGNITIVE WALKTHROUGH
To better understand the expectation surrounding a kiosk interface - I visited three other mall locations in the area and performed a similar cognitive walkthrough on each of their digital kiosks.
CARD SORTING
After familiarizing myself with kiosk interfaces through the cognitive walkthrough, I labeled index cards based on my experience of mall kiosks as well as info found at the Minneapolis Visitor’s Center. I then had people who fit either of the identified user types (Visiting Tourist and/or Local Worker) perform a card sort for the following scenarios:
“Imagine you are visiting a place from out of town. Please sort the cards based on what you would be thinking about on your visit.”
“Imagine it’s the end of your work day and you’re sticking around the area to spend time with coworkers. Please sort these cards based on what you’d be looking for as you leave work.”
Key Findings:
Both scenarios saw the clear importance of public restroom wayfinding
The Visiting Tourist - know key highlights worth checking out, not just shopping
The Local Worker - filter through restaurant options, especially happy hours.
DIGITAL PROTOTYPING
Based on the collected information above, I sketched wireframes and then designed an early prototype using Figma to show what the interface could look like for the two main types of users who would find value in the kiosk.
The Visiting Tourist - interested in points of interest, where to go and what to see.
The Local Worker - wanting to go out with coworkers after work and seeking close places to eat and drink.
Step 3: Test & Iterate Pivot
STAKEHOLDER PRESENTATION
Technically this could be considered a concept test - in showing the prototype to the stakeholders. It certainly sold the vision and value of the digital kiosks for their renovation project.
However, before moving forward in testing the designs with users, the stakeholders needed to sell the concept to their own stakeholders - thus requiring an understanding of the kiosk vending businesses available and what service contracts could be expected.
VENDOR COMPETITOR ANALYSIS
Referring to my notes from the resulting stakeholder interview and my personal knowledge of Minnesota - I formed a metric to compare common Kiosk Vendors. After calling representatives and reviewing their sites, I would recommend a vendor, “Express Image, Inc.” for the needs of Nicollet Mall.
Step 4: Measure
CURRENT OUTCOMES
By the end of the mall renovation project, the City Improvement team was not able to gain the budget for digital - or physical - kiosks. However, the need for wayfinding to Public Restrooms is now supported with large sidewalk paintings indicating the direction and distance a user should go from that point to locate the nearest restroom.
Image courtesy of Star Tribune, 2019.
What I Learned
➔ Projects can change mid-way through so it’s best to prioritize the problem over personal investment in design work
➔ Ideation can include an extension of research which in this case included experiencing other digital kiosks for a walkthrough
➔ Digital interfaces for items like kiosks or car consoles hold their own screen sizing and design best practices that would likely require more practice for optimal text sizing, navigation treatment and alignment, and other trade-specific knowledge