Personas & Storyboarding
Self Checkout Station
Context & Background
Self service stations at grocery stores may seem like a good alternative to checkout customers while employees focus on non-automated tasks….but these systems can be challenging to use if they are not user-friendly or if customers are not used to technology.
Below is the process and persona construction of the self checkout station at my local supermarket.
Part 1: Preparations
The groery store self checkout station is a perfect example of an accessible interface in public view to conduct contextual inquiry. In particular, the self checkout station at my local supermarket has no cameras and does not accept cash or coupons.
Description of Interface
This interface lets customers scan their items, bag their items as they scan them, and pay for their purchases, all without the assistance from employees.
This is executed using the combination of a touchscreen, scanner, baggging area, PIN pad, and a receipt dispenser.
Part 2: Recording Observations
Three users were observed when interacting with the self checkout system. These individuals were interviewed afterwards.
Observation Notes
User 1
Had to swift barcode over scanner a few times for scanner to register item
Moved item from the bag to another in the bagging area midway through the scanning process which caused system to display error message
Requested help from an employee to override the error message
Spent a lot of time navigating the screen before choosing a button to click on
User 2
Was fast inputting items with barcode
Clicked on touchscreen buttons without having to read label
Only purchased a few small items and clicked the “Skip Bagging” option
Used tap to pay with phone to complete the PIN pad transaction very quickly
User 3
Had a difficult time weighing items
Noticed that the system did not update the price for a discounted product
Entered in wrong item and had to ask for employee assistence to revert actions
Had a coupon but realized machine had no way of reading it
Interview Questions
- Do you prefer self checkout or going to the cashier?
- What are some reasons you prefer one over the other?
- What do you like about the self checkout station?
- What do you dislike about the self checkout station?
- How likely are you to use the self checkout station compared to going to the cashier?
- How would you describe the self checkout system you just used in one or more words?
- Were there any challenging or confusing parts of the interface?
- Are there any features you would like to add or change about the interface of the self checkout machine?
- How does this self checkout station compare to other self checkout stations you have used?
Summaries of Interview Responses
User 1
Prefers self checkout because the lines are usually shorter
feels that there are too many buttons
Depicts that the interface does not allow sufficient time to scan and bag a product before moving on to the next item
States that the scanner is not sensitive enough when reading in barcodes
Feels that "Please wait for assistance" errors defeat its purpose of self checkout
User 2
Describes that self checkout is pretty fast and great when buying a small number of items on the go or in a hurry
Notes that they are extremely familiar with the interface and do not have to think too much when interacting with it
Thinks that the scanning proccess is easy except when there are loose items because they have to search through a bunch of items that look similar
User 3
Uses self checkout more often because they like that little socializing is needed and that the interface gives a sense of control in the order of how items are scanned and bagged
Notes that the interface was less up to date when compared to other self checkout machines
States that the interface is error prone when working in conjunction with the scanner and bagging area
Feels that a coupon reader should be implemented
Part 3: Personas
Empathy Maps & Descriptions
From the observations and interview responses, two empathy maps were created to embody different personas.
Part 4: Storyboard
When Confused Carol uses the self chekout station at the supermarket, she struggles to scan, bag, and purchase her groceries, requesting repeated help from the employees.
Lessons Learned & Afterthoughts
Conducting behavioral observations, interviewing users, and actively creating personas helped pinpoint users' general thoughts and feelings when using the self checkout station at the supermarket. While many users seem to prefer this checkout option, there are still issues that they face (such as inputting items without barcodes). Much of self checkout designs still need to be improved in the future to accommodate for a larger range of users.