Redefining the experience at Starbucks
From the archives, 2017

"
We went into a really fancy coffee shop and ordered espresso. That was the only coffee we had heard about. After just one sip we realised how bitter it was and absolutely hated it. It was a waste of money and a horrible experience.
"
Context
India is pre-dominantly a tea loving country. With the increase in cafes and coffee shops people are now open to try new blends of coffees. However, only a few are aware of the coffee blends available.
More people want to visit expensive coffee shops like Starbucks where they want to try and experiment. However, spending money on an expensive coffee and not being happy with the taste is going to be a disastrous experience.
Design brief
To assist the customers make their desired choice while ordering coffee by helping them understand the different blends of coffee.

The process
Survey
A survey was conducted to understand how well people know their coffee (104 replies)

75
18
7
75
18
7
7
7
49
26
24
18-30
>30
>18
Hardly
Once a month
Everyday
Once in 2 weeks
Once a weeks
A little
Yes
No
Age
How frequently do you visit a premium coffee shop?
Do you know about the different blends of coffee? (espresso, etc.)
Customer journey
The journey from entering the coffee shop to getting your coffee and leaving
Our process included going to different Starbucks in the city, talking to people, listening to what they had to say about their experience and observing them

"
The first time I came here, my friend told me about the different drinks on the menu and helped me choose. Since then, my order hasn't changed. I like the drink and I am not sure what else will suit my taste.
"
The final Design
An informative UI was created for the customers visiting Starbucks.

A space for everyone to make their own choice, without any hesitation and complete satisfaction for a better experience





Key take aways
This project is one of my personal favourites, mainly because even I have faced the dilemma of not knowing what to order and addressing this issue has been a fun journey.
Understanding what the customers needs, observing them during, talking to the stakeholders - and pulling out the insight was exciting me and the project piqued my interest in user research. ​​​
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Discussing with the local Starbucks employee about the need and the scope of such a interface