Assignment "PAYING ATTENTION" for course A crash of creativity at Stanford University

1. MY EXPERIENCE OF
“PAYING ATTENTION”
Paulina Humeres
Universidad Católica de
Chile

2. How I decided to show my experience?
I used a scheme using "smart art" of Power Point, with 5
arrows, each one represent one of the itens of the assignment,
If the arrow is big, the iten was considered interested, good,
and if it looks small, it means that it has been considered
unsatisfactory
Normal Unsatisfactory
Interested,
Good

3. The environment wasn't too bad, but
it was very impersonal, without a OUTDOORS SPORT STORE
personality. They could has selling
kids clothes or outdoors sports
clothes, it wouldn't be different. The
light wasn't good, no music, too full
of many products
That’s why the sign is smaller than
the others
Before
enter the Environment Personnel Products Costomers
store
The personnel was the best. The guy
really knew about the theme we are
talking about. He was gentle but
without pressing. Gave me several
options of the clothes that I was
asking for. His appearance was as a
"outdoors guy", I didn't buy
anything and didn't look bother
him. Good for him.
That why this is the biggest sign of
all

4. It was a very
impersonal and boring SHOE STORE
store and definitely the The personnel war the worst part
entrance was trying to of my visit. There were only two
people trying hard not to sleep;
say: "go away, there is
They never cared about me or the
nothing interesting other customers. They kept
you can find here. talking between each other and I
Don't say after that I though, if an earthquake would
started that moment, they would
didn't warn you" never be aware about it.
Before enter Environment
the store Personnel Products Costumers
Of course there were only a
few customers inside the
store. Almost of them only
browsing trying on some
shoes, accompanied with a
relative or friend (I
suppose). Because the
personnel were like
zombie, nobody was paying
attention of what
costumers need for. I
observed only women with
a curious taste in shoes
beauty

5. The store has some charm inviting you BOOK STORE
to draw you in. It has an open door, a
very illuminated look, seems like it is
modern, fashion but without losing that
atmosphere that inspire an intellectual
store. They have a display window
showing opportunities like books with
low prices, best sellers, etc.. I know that
maybe I am not been so obcjetive in my
description, because I love "to fool
around" inside a book store
Before enter the store Environment Personnel Products Costumers
Products were an item that caused me a strange
feeling. Somehow it is beautiful see all those
books, with a lot of colors, sizes, mixed with wood
shelves and enchanting light. In the other hand,
seems a hard work to decide I could started. If you
are just browsing, maybe that is not a problem, but
if you are looking for something, you must need a
personnel help and may be a obstacle to enter to
the store. "If the guy thinks I am an ignorant
person, whatever was your fear, I think the store
may could have some kind of help without needing
asking for help. There was some kind of order with
books, for areas of knowledge, best sellers, Chilean
writers, etc.. There is a final comment: if you start
to look the books at the shelves, some of them you
could read in one orientation, but others you
needed to change your eyes for the opposite
direction. That make you feel a little bit dizzy,
changing your pattern of reading.

6. OFFICE SUPPLY STORE
Before
enter the Environment Personnel Products Costumers
store
Personnel was the worst point of this Customers were specially mothers
store. Maybe the reason was the with her kids looking for school
"psychedelic music" they had to hear stuff, architect students, men and
all day. I never heard them saying hello women who go to buy something
to the customer at the moment he specific. There were a lot of
entered. However, they were aware to
movement of people entering and
help everyone who asked something.
There were a balance number between leaving. Because the products
personnel and customers. They were were ordered in a way you could
dressed uniforms, nothing very fashion, touch them, customers decided
but neither ugly. Just practical. and chose their buying by
themselves

7. The entrance of the shop was with a CLOTHING WOMEN AND MEN The first products I saw were related with
stylish display window showing that SHOP the new season; in a central table. They
was a exclusive shop where sales were ordered by color and almost all of the
men and women clothing. The door clothes hanging on clothespins were of very
was open and invited you to go small sizes. If you wanted one medium or
inside. One of the things that I didn't large sizes it was necessary to desarm the
clothes that were gently folded with a soft
like, although it is typical of all the paper. It looked elegant, but unconfortable
women clothing shops nowadays, because you felt like you were destroying
was that the clothes that the display the order of the store. It was difficult to
window showed looks like only very find the products were on sale. They were
thin women were allowed to buy at the end of the store, maybe because the
there customers weren't exactly the kind of
people looking low prices
Before
enter the Environment Personnel Products Costumers
store

8. BAKERY STORE
Customers were various, there were
no rule about gender, age or if they
went inside alone, with a relative or
friends. i didn't see anybody went out
the store without some product. This
bakery, although the problems I think
they have with their personnel, have
some kind of fidelity between the
store and the customers.
Before enter
the store
Environment Personnel Products Costumers
Products were almost all of them very
good, unfortunately to all customers
that wanted to keep their shape now
that the sun start to ask us to use less
clothes. Although this good quality, it
was strange that you found just a little
sample of all they usually have for sale
.It was difficult to know what was the
variety and the prices. I think they were
making a huge mistake, very common
when a brand start to have some
prestige. They neglect this kind of
aspect; years ago they had much more
information to their customers about
their products.

9. SOME QUESTIONS AFTER DOING MY ASSIGNMENT
It was so interesting did this assignment, because it forced me to be more
diligent in my observation capacity. I went to some stores with my husband, so
we could exchange our points of view. It was fun.
However, I start to have more questions, than answers about this exercise:
For whom I am observing? How I can evaluate a store, although I had a
scheme of points to observe, without my personal likes, preferences. If that is
valid, what I should do with all this information? How can I know if my
opinions are extrapolated to other people.
I was wondering if the goal of all this was just learning to observed better, or
if was to observe without the distortion of personal feelings.
Whatever the intention of teacher was, It is a fact that observe is more than
just see.
PS: apologize for my mistakes in English. But I tried to do my best in the domain that I have