1. MY (ENTIRE) DAY AT
A GOVERNMENT OFFICE
Leon Irigoyen (ENLIGHTMENTEAM)
(WHERE THEY DID NOT LET ME TAKE ANY PICTURES)
2. This is the story of my recent
trip to a government office...
NEED: I needed to renew my expired passport
PROCESS:
1. The first thing I did was to search online for the requirements
2. In the same page I requested for an appointment
3. After taking the needed photographs, paying the fee at a bank,
and photocopy my expired passport,I went to the passports office
3. When I get there...
The first thing I notice was that there weren’t parking spots
around the buildings. So I had to park a couple blocks away and
walk to the buildings, get some stairs and then walk to the office.
I didn’t have trouble finding the correct office, but some visual
helps could be very helpful. Then, at the inside...
The first thing that “welcomes” you is a couple of employees that
review your papers to see if all the requirements are correct.
4. Then...
After that, they give you a format you need to fill to apply for the
passport.
I didn’t get why you couldn’t download this format online,
and print it at home to fill the form.
These employees weren’t uniformed, but they were in charge
of organizing and informing the newly arrived people.
5. Finally...
You take a seat, or use one of the desks attached to the walls to
fill the forms. Some people were asking for black pens which is
the appropiate color to fill the form.
After you have all your papers ready, you wait for your
appointment time and they anounce that you can approach to the
counters where another employee will receive your application.
Then, they are suppose to call you by name to take another photo
and your fingerprints. When this is done, you can leave and
return in the afernoon for your new passport.
6. UX
So far nothing was very frustrating or confusing but the waiting
was terrible. I spent all morning in there, just waiting.
So I decided to use this experience in which I was also a user to
see what other people noticed and think about everything.
I was changing seats often so I could talk to different people all
morning with different approaches and questions.
7. Step 1. Empathy work.
While waiting there I started realizing that of the 120-150
people waiting had the same background, education and
experience with this kind of procedures.
There were people that came from out of town, senior citizens
and families. While I waited I notice a blind person and 2
persons on wheel chairs, even though attention to these people is
a priority, I don’t think is a very pleasant experience for them.
The questions and conversation were very different each time I
changed seats. In total I “interviewed” 3 couples and 4
individuals.
8. Step 2. Talk to people.
I intentionally started talking about what could be improved
about the place, the procedures and the office in general.
100% of the peopled interviewed agreed with my comments and
after those initial contacts I started asking questions like:
If you don´t pay the fee at the bank, where else can you do that?
Have you been waiting too long?
Do you know where are the restrooms?
I recorded the conversations in my smartphone and lasted 10
minutes on average.
9. Step 3. Empathy Map.
SAY:
“There should be a special counter for
disabled people”
“I don’t know why you make an appointment
if you need to wait, too!”
“I spent all day in here, my boss is going to get
really mad”
DO:
There were a lot of bored kids
in the aisles and in the floors.
There weren’t enough seats and the
standing people were always in the way.
“Companions must wait outside” sign
completly disregarded
THINK:
A better distribution of the space
could be very useful.
Some problems could be easily
solved with minor changes.
There should be less signs
and less confusing.
FEEL:
Frustrated
Bored
Missinformed
Confused
10. Step 4. Problem Statement.
“Any person that applies for a passport needs a way to obtain it
without stress and in a more efficient way, because the current
experience is very confusing and unpleasant”
STAKEHOLDER:
Busy, confused, with many activities,
with particular needs and sometimes inattentive.
NEED: Obtain a new passport.
INSIGHT: It’s a very confusing, unpleasant experience,
that needs to be more efficient and time saving.
