Ethnographic Study- UX of Spaces
I decided to observe a Starbucks near my house, which is located in a busy suburb near Denver. It is next door to an Einstein’s Bagels and within walking distance of several retail shops and a few neighborhoods.
I chose Starbucks for a few reasons. I knew they had designed the space with intent and wanted to see if I could pick up on those decisions as well as evaluate how well their design was working. I also have a bit of a caffeine addiction and love any excuse to fit an extra cup of coffee into my day. It was a win-win situation. I visited on Tuesday Morning, Friday Afternoon and Sunday evening.
On Tuesday morning, I arrived around 8:30 AM. It was packed. This location does not have a drive-through, but they do have a few spots at the front marked as mobile-order spots to help alleviate the line. I noticed several parents with school-aged children in tow as well as people who appeared to be on their way to work.
I got in line and ordered my coffee and then took a seat near the front- which was one of the only open spots. It was really hard to work because the spot was next to a window and the light created a glare on my laptop. It also was noisy and felt frantic. I only stayed for about half an hour because of this.
On Friday afternoon, it was less crowded. I sat at the high-top table in the center of the store. There are no outlets here- which was annoying to work with- but it gave me a good view of the store to observe.
One thing I noticed was how conversational employees and customers were. The way the counter was designed made this easy. It’s height allowed people to comfortably rest their elbows while watching baristas make their drinks. When the store was less busy- people seemed to enjoy this. My guess is that being able to watch the drink being put together makes it feel a little more personal and less “assembly line.” The lights and festive pumpkin decor also made the line feel homey and inviting.
One thing that seemed more prominent in this location was the display of merchandise. It served as a barrier between the store and the line but also felt a little cluttered. I didn’t see anybody look at the merchandise on the tower display the entire time I was there. There was also merchandise on the sides on the store, but nobody seemed to look there either- possibly because they were covered by boxes.
Sunday evening around I arrived around 4:30. I noticed more groups of people. Again, they seemed to cluster where the sun would be less of a problem. The crowd seemed to skew much younger on Sunday.
Design Intent:
This Starbucks was designed to be comfortable and social. The lack of outlets makes me think it is less of a business or academic hub and more of a “grab-and-go” type location, or somewhere to have a quick sit down with a friend. This was also evidenced by the huge array of lunches and on-the-go snacks available. I noticed several middle-aged women appeared to be using this Starbucks as a break from running errands or shopping around.
What Worked:
- The feel was less corporate and felt inviting, decor was festive
- Some of the windows did have covers for shade
- The counter provoked conversation and allowed customers to watch their drinks being made
What Didn’t Work:
- The sun made several seats unworkable for patrons on a computer
- Many seats were not within reach of outlets
- Merchandise made the center of the store feel cluttered/ nobody bought any of it
- Boxes felt cluttered and made the path to the bathroom difficult
Solutions:
My first solution would be to add shades to the front windows similar to the ones on the side windows. Boxes should be stored in the back, and I would replace the current merchandise towers with either tower that are half the size ( so they don’t obstruct the view and feel overwhelming) or some sort of display at the front. Maybe by doing this, they could utilize the sunny space in the windows for shopping and have more tables where glare is not an issue.
I also would recommend either extension cords or tables with outlets inside them for those who want to work on their laptops or charge their phones.
Beyond this, I would consider an option where people can have their drinks brought out to their cars (unless this already exists and I didn’t notice it.) This would help alleviate the traffic during rushes that a store with a drive-through might not experience.
