Service Model Analysis
A changing industry requires a new service model

As McDonald's Corporation continues to suffer from the negative perceptions of critics and customers, they look to create a new service model that will communicate quality and ease while remaining true to the McDonald's brand.

Problem

For three months in the summer of 2006, I was part of the McDonald's Experience Design Group at their Worldwide Innovation Lab. A group of five designers—working with architects, engineers and operations—was charged with re-imagining the in-store experience. The key to succes lied in providing an experience that was recognizable as McDonald's, yet also dramatically different than the current model which had fallen behind the state of the art that it had once represented.

Process

The project started with in-depth primary research, consisting of user observation of both McDonald's and their competitors, user ride-alongs, user and employee interviews, and even three days as a McDonald's employee. The current experience was also scored against design criteria to establish brand fit.

Several experience stories were created, each tested for brand and operational fit. Full scale prototypes were constructed for user walk-thrus and operational proofs. The final result was a wholly new experience based on a new service model. The new experience is slated for worldwide roll-out by 2010.

*For confidentiality reasons, only the research and analysis of the existing model is presented here.

Download the full report: [PDF, 860 KB]

fig 1. Current line structure

fig 2. Pick-up step of process

fig 3. Experience criteria scoring

fig 4. Dual-point model concept illustration

  • Date: Summer 06
  • Timeframe: 12 weeks
  • Credits: Clinton Barth, Kiyotoshi Yamauchi, David McGaw, Melody Roberts, Denis Weil, et al