Triton Print at the UCSD Bookstore
App and Systems DesignTriton Print provides the UC San Diego campus with a variety of on-demand and self-service printing services. At The Bookstore @ UCSD, there is a Triton Print counter which provides pick-up and information on print orders.
We employed cognitive ethnography research methods to best determine weaknesses in the current ordering process, including a lack of accessible information and overreliance on communication through email with already overwhelmed staff members.
To provide more accessible information through both online and in-person avenues and lessen the burden on staff members simultaneously printing, packing and managing orders, and providing information to customers, we proposed a redesigned procedure and accompanying app and digital screen for the Triton Print counter.
Skills
Product Management
User Interviews & Research
Cognitive Ethnography Research
Wireframing
Sequence Modeling
Storyboarding
Prototyping
Tools
Figma
condens.io (User Interview Analysis)
Google Sheets (Task Tracker)
Google Docs (Meeting Minutes)
COGS 102C: Cognitive Design Studio Final Project
User Interviews & Observation
Before we began designing, we first needed to identify an existing problem. To do so, we made use of careful observation using the lens of cognitive ethnography at our desired fieldsite - The Bookstore @ UCSD.
We analyzed the behavior of visitors at the bookstore by breaking down actors and their activity into identifiable categories, as well as identifying what resources they used as they engaged in cognitive activities such as shopping, comparing items, checking out, and navigating around the store.
Sample fieldnotes taken onsite.
After conducting our initial observations, we broadly categorized actors and their corresponding activities by their goals.
Goal focused actors have a specific product they intend to purchase before entering the bookstore. These can be already scheduled online orders (textbooks and print products), specific items (often school supplies), and general items (often for gifts or for personal use). The last group is more likely to spend time deliberating and comparing items before making their purchase.
Meanwhile, some actors entered the Bookstore without a specific goal or without the intention to purchase anything. When actors entered alone without a specific intention, they often perused products for entertainment, by flipping through books or examining any item that caught their attention. When entering as a small group (actors often traveled as pairs), actors relied heavily on talk and referenced products in their conversation.
We conducted four contextual user interviews, randomly approaching bookstore customers and asking them to walk us through their cognitive process. We analyzed each interview using condens.io, tagging and highlighting as patterns emerged. Once each interview was analyzed, we sorted interview clips in a large affinity map to observe the patterns that emerged.
A sample of an annotated interview.
The clothing section of the bookstore, photographed during observation.
All interview clips, categorized into broader themes.
Finally, after conducting an interview with a staff member at the Triton Print counter, we solidified our problem statement, as supported by our user interviews.
There is a lack of information when it comes to how to use the printing service. While the process involves emailing the department about certain deliverables (e.g. type, size, quantity, etc.), it is difficult to find information on available options. Users have to directly interact with the department (in person or over email) to ask about the service and then backtrack to emailing to start the process.
It is also difficult to track the status of a current order, with users relying only on a sometimes delayed email notification.
One interview revealed uncertainty in the printing process:
Unsure how to place an order, and instructed to ask questions through email
Still unsure after asking if the order was submitted properly or if the desk was the right place to pick up the order
Unsure whether the order was completed, having to approach the desk physically to ask the day after ordering
The interview with a Triton Printing Service employee revealed difficulties working at the counter, especially due to a lack of staff:
Printing itself is fast, but sometimes there are long lines that are hard to manage
Need to identify, confirm, (sometimes pack), and conduct payment of pickup orders
Need to communicate available services to those looking for guidance on how to order
People often contact the counter asking about the status of their order
Call, email, visit counter
Some orders are more urgent
VIS 41 (a beginner graphic design class) classes print many large black and white posters, have coordinated with the professor
Often asks, “Are you picking up for VIS 41?”
Final Design & Prototype
We proposed to design a mobile application to provide information about order options and allow for online order submission. We also proposed repurposing the large digital screen in the Triton Printing area in the Bookstore to display order and pickup information to reduce the burden on Triton Printing staff and allow for a clearer order status, especially during busy times.
Our solution mitigated or improved several aspects of the previous ordering process that caused frictions or breakdowns. Our design transforms the printing system from unclear communication through email and in person interactions into a more self-guided system through the mobile app and giant screen in the Triton Printing area. Users can place the order on the app instead of emailing employee to get information, which may be incomplete or delayed.
Finally, we created a prototype in Figma, including kiosk UI making use of a large digital screen near the counter, and a mobile app.
The kiosk allows customers at the bookstore to see the status of all orders, as well as providing order instructions to first-time customers. The highly visible, interactive screen is an improvement over the current signage at the counter, which is cluttered, small, and difficult to notice and scan (pictured below).
A sequence diagram demonstrating the improved user experience after implementing our design. Improvements include:
No longer needing to wait in line just to ask a question
Avoiding a tedious back-and-forth email conversation
Having the ability to know the price of an order immediately
Being able to track an order status in real time, without having to physically be at the bookstore
Reduced burden on Triton Printing staff, especially during busy hours
The mobile app provides the following improvements:
Transparency: provides clear information about printing options, order status, and pickup progress throughout the printing process
Convenience: places print orders though the app, view printer locations, estimated costs, and check pick-up times.
Efficiency: streamlines the printing workflow by enabling users to manage ordering, payment, and pickup entirely on their mobile devices.