observe. question. design

Observe. Question. Design.Yang’s assignment in Major Studio

12年9月5日星期三

Self Check-out System

1.The store I observed: CVS


Self Check-out SystemI saw about 8 or 9 self check-out machines,

they were in 2 lines in store. Plastic bags were

offered next to machine. It also had some

snacks and cigarette just like the normal

check-out place. Few people checked-out by

using these machine(It also had the cashier

check-out line.From my observation, more

people tended to choose that. ). Two staffs

walked around for helping people who had

problem with self check-out system.



I bought a bottle of gum and jam.



Firstly, I saw language choosing interface.

English and Spanish were available for

customers. The interface was very clear to

understand. So I chose English easily.


Self Check-out System Secondly, it went into check-out process. The

automatic voice from system reminded me

should scan my CVS card first. I think the

interface here was a little bit unreasonable

because the section of “scan card” was

behind the section of “scan item”. It would

mislead people to they should scanned the

card after finishing all items. For me, I would

definitely scan my item at first without the

promote voice. So there, I scanned my

membership card.


Self Check-out SystemThirdly, time for items! Machine read barcode

and then information about this item

(name,price, discount tax and so on)was

shown on screen. The next step was confused

me. Every time I wanted to scan the other item

I must chose “Skip Bagging”, or I could not

continue. Besides, according to the promote

on screen. I should placed items in bag and

shouldn’t removed bags. I didn’t put my

items in the bag immediately while it seemed

that nothing happened. So I was a little bit

confused in there.12年9月5日星期三

Self Check-out SystemFourthly, when I finished all of my items. I tap

“Finish and Pay”. Then I went to a new

interface, which had several ways for paying.

(Debit/Credit card, Cash, CVS card and so

on) I chose “Debit Card”.


Self Check-out System Finally, with promotion given by system, I used

POS machine to make payment. Then put stuff

I bought into bag and gone.


Self Check-out System I saw about 4 interfaces.( Language, Check-

out, Payment, Thanks&Welcome) Actually,

customers controlled machine mainly by

taping screen. As what Don Norman said,

touch can be seen as a kind of natural

gesture. So the self check-out interfaces in

CVS were natural.


Self Check-out SystemMaybe we can design a barcode scanner

application for smart phone. In this way, when

we hang around in store, we scan the product

we want to buy directly by that app. At the

end of shopping, we just need scan our phone.

All information will be sent to machine and

then make payment. I think it can solve the

problem that people are sometimes not

familiar with the process of self check- out

system. Because people constantly know their

own phone better.


Self Check-out System For the place where we set the bag. I think

it’s unpractical if the self check-out line has the same way with cashier check-out line.

Because in self check-out line, customers need pay attention to both their product and

the process of scan and payment. For this reason, maybe we can re-design it and make

the place to put the bag more convenience.


Self Check-out System For the interface, I suppose we have

opportunity to make it more clear and more easy to understand. Like be flexible for

different people who has divers preference

for checking. It can be remembered by

membership card and make feel it’s more humanized.


“Public”observationOne day I saw a girl in Arnhold Hall. She wore a marvelous dress and looked very graceful. While she got in stuck in front of entrance guard because she couldn’t find her student ID. About 30 seconds later, she turned over her bag but still not to be able to got. She was a little bit embarrassed and finally, security just letted her go.

I’m thinking that something we always use like student ID, MTA card stay with something we not constantly use because we don’t have appropriate pocket in our clothing. So why not we design a kind of pocket to avoid the trouble that girl meets.

To design it, where the users may feel comfortable to take stuff around them need to be known.


“Public”observationI saw a mother push stroller on the street. It was raining. So mother used her umbrella, and stroller was covered by a plastic bag. I think it was offered by stroller itself for the size was really match.

It seemed quite individualized because baby was too small to holding their own umbrella. With this plastic bag, baby wouldn’t get wet. But I’m worry about this kind of material because plastic is not ventilated. I’m afraid of baby may feel uncomfortable with breath. So I think that’s the point we should re-rethink about.

To make better design for it. Changing the material is a good way. We need to know what baby’s feeling when they stay under different material shelter. Since they can’t describe things accurate. We can get the information by recording their heart beat，pulse and so on.


“Public”observationThis observation is about babies too. One day I went back to home by taking 4 line. There was a father got on tube with his little daughter. She smiled to everybody. Everything was fine when suddenly, little girl started to cry.

It reminded me that little kids alway cry in the closed public area without any reason. Like in tube, train or airplane. It needs to be solved for not only babies feel comfortable, but also a lot of noise is generated.

Actually, in Japan, they have special car of a train for women, which prevent female from harassment by male. So I’m thinking that why can’t we design such kind of space for kids?

In order to achieve that, we need to know what makes little kids feel bad. Dead air in closed place? Adults stand and seat too close to kids? Or people are too big to blocking their view? And then, according to what they like and what they dislike, we can create room for babies.


Question my daily life

Can we design a kind of

alarm clock that wakes up

people in a gentle but

effective way?


Question my daily lifeHow to transform my

handwriting data(words

but not drawing) into my

computer directly

without typing or scanning

(maybe just like

digital memorial pen)?


Question my daily lifeWhen people use laptop,

their bracelet always rubs

with the laptop, which not

only bad to bracelet, but

also generate a lot of

noise. How to re-design the

surface of laptop to void

this problem?



How to make the

computer screen protect

our eyesight rather than

just damage it?



When I swipe my MTA

card. The machine

always asks me “please

swipe again”, which is

time-wasting. How to

solve this problem?


Thank you !Yang Feng

MFA D+T

[email protected]


mailto:[email protected]

mailto:[email protected]

observe. question. design

Business