Redesigning the self-scan checkouts of IKEA to make 'the many' visitors feel more autonomous, confident and satisfied.

Challenge

The goal of this project was to analyse the current existing User Interface (UI) and checkout process of the self-scan checkouts at IKEA Delft to identify Usability and User Experience issues. Ultimately leading to a redesign proposal that offers a solution to the identified issues, and that offers the many visitors of IKEA autonomy, confidence and satisfaction while checking out.

My role and impact

In this team project we worked in sprints and had weekly stand-up meetings. It was my main responsibility to keep an overview of the complete project and the corresponding tasks. In the design process I was responsible for preparing and guiding the weekly meetings, but often also meetings with the customer and tests with users. Next to that, I took the initiative of organizing brainstorm sessions.

Result

The result of this project is a self-scan checkout that offers a personal check-out area where customers can freely and autonomously complete their scanning process. The design guides customers in a natural way, by providing an efficient and intuitive system, while leaving room for customers' own preferences. The UI is specifically designed to be friendly and to only give positive feedback.

Final report awarded with 8.5 (out of 10).

Approach

The IKEA shopping experience

Through visiting the store and do some shoppings for ourselves and use the self-scan checkout, we were able to immerse ourselves in the strenghts and weaknesses of the current design.

Customer Journey Map

The findings of observations and interviews at the IKEA result in a
Customer Journey Map. This highlights their behavior,
experience and emotional curve at important touchpoints.

Storyboard indicating usability issues

We created a storyboard to indicate the important touchpoints where visitors encounter usability issues, and to provide IKEA with an immersive experience into the perspective of their customers checking out.

Usability Pilot

We tested three different concepts that resulted from brainstorming on the issues found. These were tested with the target group, but not on the actual location to keep the focus on the usage and to make clear these are 'only' quick prototypes.

Quick sketch of the new concept

After testing three concepts with quick prototypes, a new concept has been created to answer all usability and experience requirements found earlier.

Interactive Prototype

We built an interactive prototype to execute a qualitative User Test of our concept with real visitors (n=10) at the actual context; the checkout of IKEA Delft.

Usability issues and strengths of the concept

The results of the User Tests are carefully analyzed (using triangulation) and summarized in this visual, indicating what needs to be improved.

Implementing improvements

In order to propose a Final Redesign, the recommendations resulting from the User Tests are indicated in the first design.

Final Redesign "self-scan for the many"

After carefully analyzing Usability and Experience issues and strengths during the User Tests, a final redesign is proposed.

Physical and Digital (UI)

The redesign shows important improvements in both the Physical Interface as the Digital Interface.

Redesign proposal of the User Interface (UI)

Showing some of the many designed screens, highlighting it's unique points of improvement.