Mobile Ordering a Lot (Latte)
Interaction Design
When it comes to your mobile device, applications that serve a purpose for everyday activities efficiently is extremely helpful. As you can imagine, coffee is an important part of getting through your everyday life. Starbucks is not just known for there “upper-lower class” coffee and atmosphere, but the integration of their mobile app. Part of what has made this app a must have for consumers for the last four years has been the overall interaction design and user experience, to such an extent that a new streamlined store experience for mobile pickup only is coming soon.
The launch of the Starbucks Card mobile payment was delivered strategically in connection with the Rewards Program in 2009 with The Chairman Howard Schultz returning as chief executive officer. This transformation of the company through the mobile orders and pay strategy has increased revenues each year. An article from PYMENTS, stated that enrolment in mobile users hit 16.3 M, topping analysts’ estimates. This result was driven by leveraging the increased digital reach and connections (PYMNTS, 2019).
What inspired mobile-ordering/what is it based on?
Prior to any sort of mobile transaction, takeout was the initial method of growing a larger customer base. Food delivery has been a popular idea for centuries now but has actually existed for thousands of years. The notion of takeout can be dated to ancient Rome with the creation of a thermopolium, a cook shop, literally “a place where something hot is sold”, was a commercial establishment where it was possible to purchase ready to eat food (wiki).
In relation to a more modern style of delivery, during WW11, a system was set up for food to be delivered to families that had lost their homes. This idea was then adopted in the United States and the rise of food delivery started. At the same time, families were adamant to stay and home to watch new television and make their own food. This meant that the restaurant industry had to provide advertisements and delivery services. “The success of this idea led to the modern day, where food can be ordered from practically any restaurant with phone apps” (Harvey, 2019).
In what ways does Starbucks Mobile Order relate to the readings this week?
In part 2 of Chapter 1 What is Interaction Design, from Interaction Design: Beyond Human-Computer Interaction, the usability goals are a primary tool to establish the quality of the user experience. The end goal is to ensure that the product or service is easy to learn, effective to use, and enjoyable from the user’s perspective. By answering questions, designers can be more aware of problems that users might have.
The following usability goals are simplified:
- Effective to use
- Efficient to use
- Safe to use
- Have good utility
- Easy to learn
- Easy to remember how to use
In this case, questioning “how long will it take a user to figure out where the Starbucks store is located for pick up is and what is the range of errors possible when ordering a drink and what measures are there to recover from them? — will ultimately support the way people communicate and interact with the app.
As a former barista who worked for Starbucks, dealing with mobile orders often, I have noticed that volumes have increased over the last two years and as much as the app in itself is efficient, the labour of making things accurate and produced to quality has decreased. Furthermore, from discussing concerns with customers, it has been brought to my attention that updates are frequent and losing card information is not unlikely. However, usability wise, the app is an effective way to skip the line, easy to use with featured, previous and favourite transactions and is easy to learn. With the help of saving an order, it allows even less time to search through the app. In addition to the app having an easy navigation, questions and concerns can be easily answered at the pick-up location for future reference.
What can we learn from this particular service? What are the potential design implications and opportunities?
From analyzing the approach of mobile services, the need for chains to converge digital and physical is immediate. People interact with digital interfaces when they buy groceries, follow directions in a car, take a train or buy a cup of coffee. This means technology needs to be more than smart. The next era of restaurant tech may just be an addition to dining in. Providing a table side tablet to allow addition orders to be placed, bill information and splitting, or just surfing the web.
Discussion Questions:
What are your thoughts about a store for the sole purpose of mobile orders? Would you still consider it a coffee shop?
Sources:
Preece, Rogers, and Sharp. 2015. Interaction Design: Beyond Human-Computer Interaction. West Sussex, UK: Wiley.
