senior dining system service redesign · 2015. 9. 30. · co-design with senior and sta˚, and...

SENIOR DINING SYSTEM SERVICE REDESIGNFOR SHANGHAI STARCASTLE RETIREMENT COMMUNITY

Design School, Politecnico di Milano 10464395 Yuqing Cai

Supervisor: Davide Fassi

ABSTRACT

As aging problem becomes a big challenge for the society in China, especially in big cities like Shanghai, retirement community catches on in recent years. As one of most signi�cant service within the community, dining service can largely a�ect senior residents’ overall living experience and community’s brand image. The thesis applies service design methodology and analyzes related service cases abroad and at home to research on senior dining service system in China’s retirement communities and uses Shanghai Starcastle Community as a real design project to do �eld research and implement design strategies.The thesis starts from general service design theory and methodology and then applies it into dining service system of retirement community by rede�ning four categories that are : people , objects, environment and

both in the front stage and back stage.During design research and practice, a number of service design methods and tools are used such as co-design, system map, interaction storyboard, service blueprint, etc. to provide the overall design structure and direction, to help explore deep insights during �eld research, and to express more clearly the �nal design output.

Keywords: the elderly, retirement communi-ties, service design, food service system

process. In “people”, it discusses physical and psychologi-cal characteristics of the senior, analyzes their needs during dining activities, and explores other stakeholders’ demands and values. In “objects”, it focuses on design of food, menu, tableware and digital products that are used by the senior in their dining experience. In “environment”, it discusses design strategies of transportation �ows, seating settings, signs and information design, social space and space color. In “process”, it mainly researches on dining service experience, backstage work�ow and interaction models among di�erent stakeholders.In Shanghai Starcastle project, observation, interviews and co-design workshops are conducted, and then pre-ordering system, personal nutrition diet guide system, e�cient delivery work�ow and rich add-value services are introduced to enhance the dining experience

The thesis project is done by cooperating with following organizations and corporations.

CONTENTS

Take a quick view of current situation and challenges of dining service in China’s retirement community.

Get inspired by cases related to senior dining service in retirement community all over the world.

Set up the design framework for senior dining service system design in retirement community, which are: People, Objects, Environment, Process. Under each, there are strategies developed by literature review and analysis.

Observe and interview senior residents and sta� to better understand current problems and demands, and synthesizes research data by service blueprint, residents pro�les, etc.

Co-design with senior and sta�, and re-design the system by introducing pre-or-dering and personal nutrition diet guide system, upgrading delivery work�ow, enriching dining related experience, and providing other recommendations.

1

2

3

4

5

Dining Service in China’s Retirement Community

Case Studies and Analysis

Design Framework and Strategies

Field Research with Senior and Sta�

Service Co-designed and Redesigned

1Dining Service in China’s Retirement CommunityTake a quick view of current situation and challenges of dining service in China’s retirement community.

Take a quick view of current situation and challenges of dining service in China’s retirement community.

CHAPTER 1 OVERVIEW

CHAPTER 1 HIGHLIGHTS

The Rise of Retirement Community Status Quo of Senior Dining Service Intervention of Service Design

A B C

Introduce the concept of retirement community and its development in China’s aging society. Analysis of service o�ering, business model and future trends of retirement community in China.

Capture of senior dining service provided by serveral typical Chinese retirement community. Identify the problems that current senior dining service in retirement community are confronted with.

See what is Service Design and its characteristics, process, principles and how the intervention of Service Design can help improve the current situation of senior dining service in China’s retirement community.

Source: UN World Population Prospects, The 2012 Revision, Medium Fertility

Aging problem in China

THE RISE OF RETIREMENTCOMMUNITY

By year 2030, it is estimated that China will nearly double its senior population to 235 million. That’s more than 3 times the senior population of the United States.

Most seniors today live in their own home or in their children’s home, and are cared-for by their families. In China, sending seniors to a nursing home is viewed as shameful. With an average retirement fund of approxi-mately 500USD/month, the cost of nursing homes render it prohibitive.

CHAPTER 1 SECTION A

China’s senior population is the largest in the world. And the senior popu-lation is growing at an increasing pace.

97% of the Chinese senior live at home or with their family;3% stay in nursing home or assisted living.

“Retirement community” is originated from the United States where the senior are o�ered one-stop services in a community with tangible infrastructure and intangible daily services ranging from accommodation, dining, healthcare, cleaning to social activities.

Normally, retirement communities are located either in the city or in the countryside accoding to its market position. They are more expensivce compared with other senior care organizations due to the service scale and expertise it provides.

There are mainly three types of senior residents consider-ing their di�erent physical status. The majority of the residents live independently; the second group are provided with professional care from care workers; the last group need special care and assist 24/7.

On other aspects, residents in retirement community are not only choosing it for professional senior service but a kind of life style which is more open, experience-driven, health-oriented and psychologically rich than that in a traditional senior care organization. Many senior residents are well-educated and their children often live abroad or have quite busy jobs.

Most of retirement communities are established by three types of companies which are large insurance company, real estate company and government-run enterprises.

In most business practices, senior residents need to pay membership fee and monthly or annual rent in order to have accommodation and enjoy other daily services.

Some of the services like healthcare and dining services may be not directly provided by the community itself, but from third-party corporation for the expertise and e�ciency.

The �rst stage focuses on product design for the senior or inclusive design that make senior daily life more convenient and joyful, for example, showering facility for the senior, senior cellphone, etc.

The second stage focuses on environment design including architecture, interior design of senior living space, not only ful�lling the fuctions of various senior activities but also paying attention to details to light up the space with love and emotion.

The third stage focuses on providing the senior with caring and professional intangible services in their daily life, for example, dining, healthcare, social activities, learning activities, etc.

The fourth stage put the senior and other stakeholders’ experience at the center of a system in which products, environment and services are all seen as components of a bigger picture. It o�ers a total solution for the senior to enjoy a healthy, green, entertaining and balanced life style.

What is retirement community? Who live in retirement community? How does the business work?

PRODUCT

ENVIRONMENT

SERVICE

SYSTEM

However, a country as big as China demands for senior care services of all levels and scales, which gave birth to a number of diverse senior care service providers. Among them stands out retirement community who provides the senior with one-stop senior care solutions.

The Birth of Retirement Community in China

Retirement community is developed in the four stages above and are now heading forward to become more diversi�ed in its service o�erings, service providers and cooperators, more professional in senior carers, community infrastructure and other service activities, and more sustain-able in in its focus on healthy and life stye and cohesion of the senior and community sta�.

Four Stages of Development of Retirement Community

1

2

3

4

Dining Service in Retirement Community

Status Quoof Senior Dining Service

CHAPTER 1 SECTION B

Major senior dining service o�erings in China’s retirement community are: public cateen, private kitchen, open kitchen, nutrition consultation, food delivery, eating-out party, etc.

Major senior dining service o�erings in China’s retirement community are: public cateen that provide three meals a day, private kitchen as infrastructure in every private apartment, open kitchen to share when holding commu-nity parties, nutrition consultation with professional nutritionist, food delivery to room especially for assisted living senior, eating-out parties, etc.

There are two types of practices regarding service provid-ers. One is directly provided by the community, and the other is managed by a third-party dining service compa-ny.

The self-owned dining service helps community make independent decisions, ensures the uniformity of dining service and other community services, and works more e�cient on administration level. The third-party dining service takes its advantage of expertise on senior care and food management and is a more �exible choice for the community.

What does it o�er?

Who are the service providers?

Source: Internet

The senior are the main service receiver of dining service system in retirement community. They and their family members are the ones who decide whether to choose the community and who pay for the annual/monthly fee that enables the whole system to operate.

Kitchen sta� are the real practitioners of preparing daily meals. They play a signi�cant role in ensuring the food to be safe, healthy, delicious and suitable for the senior.

Carers are the direct dining service provider to the senior. During dining activities, the senior have most of their human interactions with carers, for example, helping with ordering, food delivery, etc. So the behaviors, languages and attitudes of carers are viewed as key performance index when evaluating a dining service system in a retirement community.

Administrators manage the service system on a whole and cordinate all sta� including carers, kitchen sta� and nutritionist. They are responsible for propose require-ments and strategies to enhance the overall dining experience and make sure the team work e�ciently. Also they establish business relationship with third-parties like food supplier and external restaurants.

Nutritionist is responsible for designing healthy and nutritious diet. They also provide the senior with profes-sional knowledge and consultation on nutrition and health through lectures and other activities.

Major Stakeholder Analysis

Major stakeholders have contributed to the service system on di�erent aspects as di�erent roles. Their values and needs are more deeply explored later.

Current Problems

Research on current dining service in several large retirement community in China has shown three common problems in general.Senior Kitchen sta�

Carer

Administrator

Nutritionist

Source: Internet

Many community dining service o�ers only three meals a day, but not viewing the dining space as a place where most of the senior’s daily interactions take place, thus underestimating the value of dining activities which play a signi�cant role in a healthy and balanced life style.

Service details are not designed according to characteris-tics and special needs of the senior. For example, the kitchen are just preparing the food with normal methods, not fully considering the overuse of oil and sugar which may cause common senior diseases like diabetes and typertension.

Limited service o�erings Not tailored for the senior1 2

Many carers start to work in community only after short-term training, but are in fact lacking experience in taking care of the senior in dining service. For those residents who have problems with hearing, seeing or walking, etc., carers should have paid more attention and taken special methods and tools to help them.

Unprofessional carer2

— Stefan Moritz, 2005

Service Design

Interventionof Service Design

CHAPTER 1 SECTION C

“Service Design helps to innovate (create new) or improve (existing) services to make them more useful, usable, desirable for clients and e�cient as well as e�ective for organisations. It is a new holistic, multi-disciplinary, integrative �eld.”

An Iterative Process

Service design, like all other design process, is a iterative one. It mainly go through four stages which are explora-tion, creation, re�ection and implementation. However, each stage can go backwards to earlier stages in order to constantly upgrade the current service by using various service design methods and tools.

Source: This is service design thinking

Services should be experienced through the customer’s eyes.

All stkeholders should be included in the service design process.

The service should be visulaised as a sequence of interrelated actions.

Intangible services should be visualised in terms of physical artefacts.

The entire environmnet of a service should be considered.

There are plenty of service design methods and tools available in the toolbox. And designers can use them separately or in combina-tions, and in any stage of the design process as long as there are clear objectives to achieve. To name a few here:

5 Principles Numerous methods & tools

Principles + Methods & Tools

5 principles distinguish service design from other design disciplines and numerous methods and tools can be applied to di�erent stages of the iterative process.

How can service design intervene?

In the context of senior dining service system in China’s retirement com-munity, service design can actually play a signi�cant role in exploring painpoints and needs of the senior and stakeholders, enhancing the exist-ing dining experience and even educating the community with a service design mindset for future improvements.

By using service design research tools, such as in-depth interview, observation, shadowing and cultural probe, designers explore the underlying needs of the senior and other stakeholders, get the real picture of the current dining service, and discover the painpoints to position future design focuses.

By co-designing with the senior and stakeholders using methods like brainstorming, scenario, role play, etc., designers generate new ideas of enhancing the overal dining experience of both service frontstage and backstage, thus make the service useful, usable and desirable.

Explore Enhance1 2

By applying service methodology and philosophy into real practice with community members and sta�, design-ers are at the meantime educating them with a service design mindset— always put users at the centre, solve problems in a holistic perspective, etc.

Educate2

Source: This is service design thinking

· User-centred

· Co-creative

· Sequencing

· Evidencing

· Holistic

· Service blueprint

· Stakeholder map

· Service o�ering map

· Service system map

· Customer journey map

· 3D walkthough

· Shadowing

· Contextual interview

· The �ve whys

· Scenarios

· Interaction storyboards

· Service prototype

· Co-design

· Storytelling

· Business model canvas

· Customer lifecycle map

· Service roleplay

…

2Get inspired by cases related to senior dining service in retirement community all over the world.

Case Studies and Analysis

Get inspired by cases related to senior dining service in retirement community all over the world.

CHAPTER 2 OVERVIEW


Case Study Framework Cases and Analysis

A B

The information of each case is kept within a uniform framework to make further analysis and comparison easier and more e�cient. Also screening criteria are established to ensure the quality and relevance of the cases.

Both cases from abroad and at home are gathered and analyzed one by one to get inspirations from each case card.

Case StudyFramework

CHAPTER 2 SECTION A

The case study framework consists six parts including a project name, its launch time, country and organization, descriptions of the project, inspirations taken from it, a clear picture and source.

The Framework

Cases are searched not restricted to senior dining service in retirement community only, but around several keywords including senior care, senior dining, community restaurant, retirement community, thus allowing more possible solutions or inspirations to co be extracted.

The Criteria

Criteria and Framework

CASE1: CIRCLE Senior Community

Cases and Analysis

CHAPTER 2 SECTION B

http://www.circlecentral.com

2009 | U.K. | Southwark

CIRCLE Senior Community

InspirationsDescriptions

CIRCLE senior community is a virtual community based on membership. It aims to provide the senior with social activities, healthcare service, daily life assistance and personal learning service. It has both professional carers and volunteers in the commu-nity to help each other on various aspects, thus creating social encounters and making the community more energet-ic and lively.

· Turn passive role of the senior into active by giving them opportunity of helping each other

· Change senior care system that is based on money into one based on relationship

· Flexible and duplicatable to apply it in di�erent communi-ties and regions

· Initially born by co-designing with stakeholders so as to fully consider the needs on all sides

CASE STUDY 1


The project aims to promote healthy diet in retirement com-munity by educating the senior on food and disease in stead of just designing a healthy menu. They handed out brochures on common diseases and food suggestions, held lectures and outings every month on the monthly theme (e.g. go to supermarket and teach them how to read food tags; holding cooking lecture that teaches therapic cooking for hypertension), and providing su�cient informa-tion on daily menu to help the senior make the right decision.

· Begin with disease to truly dig out the senior’s motivation to help them form healthy diet habits

· Various activities that put knowledge into real practice as a way of edutainment

· Pay attention to details in menu to help the senior make wise decisions

CASE STUDY

http://www.foodservicedirector.com/articles/serving-seniors

2008 | U.S.A. | Senior Lifestyle

Dining for WellnessSFUSD School Lunch Redesign


The project aims to enhance the school lunch experience by service design. IDEO did research with 1367 stakehold-ers and proposed di�erent solutions to primary, middle and high school lunch services. For example, they introduced “table captain” self-manage-ment system in primary school, put mobile food carts and let students decorate dining space in middle school, and introduced smart and person-alized meal system in high school.

· Design for various groups of users according to their unique demands

· Explore new ways of gaining pro�ts, e.g. home meal to go

· Encourage students’ participa-tion to get them a sense of accomplishment

· Actively search for external coorperations

· Pre-ordering system to work more e�ciently and reduce food waste

· Introduce smart technology into daily meal services

CASE STUDY

http://www.ideo.com/stories/a-cafeteria-designed-for-me/book_final.pdf

2012 | U.S.A. | SFUSD+IDEO

Pop-up Restaurant Experience


The project aims to add more fun and joy to the routine three meals a day in communi-ty cateen by inviting third-par-ty catering service into the dining space and hold pop-up banquet every month. Each month has a di�erent theme and every detail from music, decoration, menu to service style is designed in a way to �t the theme. The program is part of “Dine around the world” project which has already trav-elled its way from Italy to Japan.

· O�ers more food choices and brings brand new dining expe-rience

· Unique experience is not only gained through food, but also from the whole atmosphere like music, decoration, etc.

· Take advantage of external resources and organizations to o�er the senior more profes-sional and fresh dining service

CASE STUDY

2013 | U.S.A. | St.Andrews Retirement Community+ACTS

http://food-management.com/healthcare/ccrc-turns-pop-restaurants-enhance-mealtime-experience


The project rede�ned the concept of “local produce” by establishing a community farm and get the senior growing and harvesting their own vegetables. These locally produced vegetables are more attractive to them for the freshness and a sense of achievement by teamwork. AHome Grown Club is set up by volunteers to take care of the farm. Members and com-munity sta� work together and learn from each other, forming a friendly and open relation-shop within the communtiy.

· ”Local produce” o�ers healthy, green and safe food ingredi-ents to the senior both physi-cally and psychologically

· Encourages senior participa-tion and gives them a sense of achievement

· Tight teamwork among the senior and community sta� good for community cohesion · An innovative example of sustainable practice

CASE STUDY

Green Thumb Community Farm

http://www.foodservicedirector.com/ideas-innovation/going-green/articles/green-thumbs

2009 | U.S.A. | The Bridges Retirement Community

Momtown Community Restaurant


Momtown community restau-rant is a unique restaurant that not only provides residents with delicacy but also serves as a o�ine social platform where customers are more like the owners of the restaurant. The most attractive space in the restaurant is a little stage in the center where music lovers can hit with a great song or perfor-mance, MMTalk (like the com-munity version of TED) can be held and anyone who has some knowledge or skills to teach can give a lecture. Part of the pro�ts earned are donated to children in poor regions.

· Turn single service o�ering into diverse dining experience

· Role of customers changed to both service receiver and service provider by sharing and giving value to others

· Takes on social responisbility by philanthropy and makes the community members more closely linked

CASE STUDY

2009 | China | Meiyu Food Management Corporation

http://hicape.com/2014/08/mmtown-restaurant

3Design Frameworksand Strategies Set up the design framework for senior dining service system design in retirement community, which are: People, Objects, Environment, Process. Under each, there are strategies developed by literature review and analysis.

Set up the design framework for senior dining service system design in retirement community, which are: People, Objects, Environment, Process. Under each, there are strategies developed by literature review and analysis.

CHAPTER 3 OVERVIEW


The Design Framework

“ENVIRONMENT” “PROCESS”

A

D E

The framework is developed under four major elements in the senior dining service system in retirement communi-ty, which are people, product, environmnet and process.

It gathers design guidelines and strategies on space planning, seating, signs and information design, social space and color choice in dining environment.

It mainly focuses on developing design strategies to enhance senior dining experience �ow and make backstage work�ow more e�cient.

“PEOPLE” “PRODUCT”

B C

It analyzes the physical and psychological characteristics of the senior and needs of both the senior and other stakeholders in dining activities.

It discusses four “product” design which are food design, menu design, tableware design and digital product design in the context of senior dining service.

The framework is developed under four major elements in the senior dining service system in retirement community, which are people, prod-uct, environmnet and process.

The Framework

THE DESIGNFRAMEWORK

CHAPTER 3 SECTION A

SENIOR DINING SERVICE REDESIGN

“PEOPLE” “PRODUCT” “ENVIRONMENT” “PROCESS”

Dining experience �ow

Backstage work�ow

Physical& mental changes

Demand of the senior

Demand of stakeholders

Seating setting

Space planning

Signs and information

Social space

Color choice

Food design

Menu design

Tableware design

Digital product design

It analyzes the physical and psychological characteristics of the senior and needs of both the senior and other stakeholders in dining activities.

“PEOPLE”

“PEOPLE”

CHAPTER 3 SECTION B

The senior experience many physical and mental changes when they are growing old. They have poor eye sight, color recognition ability, hearing system, gustation and sense of touch. Their body is more vulnerable and need rest now and then. To some actions or gesture, their body and hands may become sti� or trembling. They are more easily to get a disease due to changes of the surrounding. On mental changes, they may �nd themselves easily forgetting things and feel lost, scared or lonely when they don’t get enought support and love from family and friend or when they think they can no longer make contrbutions to the society or give values to others.

By applying Maslow’s need theory into the context of senior dining activities, a new pyramid of senior’s need during dining activities are established. There are three levels of needs. The basic or lowest need is to have access to safe and healthy food; the second-level need is to experience love and belonging from the interactions with family and friends during dining time. The highest-level need is to realize one’s values to others, to community or to the society by giving the senior opportunities to share, to self-manage, etc.

Most of the sta� in the community including kitchen sta�, carers, managers and nutritionist demand for good wages and bene�ts, promising career path, e�cient work�ow, nice working environment and friendly relationship with colleague and the senior.On administration level, decision-makers in the commu-nity may have something more to achieve, for example, better corporation image of the community, better user experience, more residents and pro�ts, etc.External organizations, such as food supplier or other restaurants, wish to establish long-term relationship with the community and always seek more pro�ts and brand recognition.

Physical & mental changes The need pyramid Demand of stakeholders

“PRODUCT”

CHAPTER 3 SECTION C

Menu should contain su�cient information to help the senior make right decisions according to their own physical conditions and preferences. Normally it will include a clear and attractive name for each dish, ingredi-ent information, nutrition suggestions, cooking method.As for visual desgin, due to the physical changes of the senior, they are less sensitive with colors and cannot distinguish colors in cold tone. And texts should be larger than usual with clear and easy-to-read fonts. Pictures are eye-catcher that can express by themselves.

Tablewares which include bowls, plates, chopsticks, etc. should be designed or selected with care. Round shapes with ergonomic considerations, colors that stimulate appetite, light materials with good heat insulation are preferred.

Digital products may be used in ordering, digital menu, health system, etc. in dining related activities. When it comes to the senior, focused functions, simple informa-tion structure, imagery illustration, easy operating gestures, larger texts and distinguishable color combina-tions are better choice.

Menu Tableware

Digital product

On food preparation, the community should take into consideration of ingredient selection, nutrition structure, food paring and diet therapy. There is an o�cial food tower instructions especially designed for Chinese elderly by Nutrition Association of China, which can be a reliable reference. Also, special attention should be paid to senior diseases like diabetes and hypertension. As for cooking methods, steaming and boiling are more healty compared with frying and stirring. While maintaining the best �avor of the dish, the kitchen should control the use of oil and seasoning and make it soft and in small pieces to �t the senior’s need

Food

“ENVIRONMENT”

CHAPTER 3 SECTION D

“PROCESS”

CHAPTER 3 SECTION E

The dining space usually includes seating area, assisted seating area, heating area, seasoning area, tea spot, paying area and rest area. For di�erent communities, it will vary. A carefully designed space arrangement can not only make dining activities convenient and accessible but also make servers work more e�ciently. Dimensions of passage should take into consideration of wheelchairs and food delivery process.

Color can play a signi�cant role in one’s perceiving of a space by its unique in�uence of emotions. Research has shown that color of the food and space can a�ect people’s food in-take. Warm colors like red, orange and yellow are more likely to stimulate people’s appetite. Also by applying these warm colors in the space, there will be a kind of home-like feeling.

Space arrangement

Signs in the dining space includes space signs to distinguish di�erent functional space and instructions on using some equipment such as microwave oven. When it comes to the senior, signs should be designed visually suitable for them to see clearly and understand easily by right color choice, sign sizes, friendly tone of voice, uniform style of sign system.

Signs and information

gather and chat before or after dinner.Or some space are just by itself social space like open kitchen or community farm where residents are most likely to cook or work together and become friends.

Sometimes people just need a small conversation trigger

Social space

Number of seating should be calculated according to China’s architecture design standards for senior which is 60-70% of total residents with each person occupying 2 squaremeters.Tables and chairs should be selected with ergonomic concerns, easy for the senior to stand up and support

them on their back and waist with delicate bending desgree. Also, it’s better to have modular table and chairs to use in di�erent combinations for di�erent occasions.

Seatings

Color of space

The dining experience should be usable, useful and desirable. Since the senior are comparativelly slow in learnng, understanding, memorizing and reacting, the dining experience �ow need to be go on smoothly from reading menu, ordering, waiting, dining, chatting to leaving, paying and evaluting... Each step need motiva-tions and uniform service quality.Emotions may be stimulated from some of the dining related activities and are likely to shape residents’ opinion about the service and increase total satisfaction rate.

The backstage service work�ow includes procurement, food preparation, order collection, food delivery, table service, cleaning... In order to make the process work more e�ciently, one strategy is to reduce the time in some of the middle steps, for example, to buy food ingredient from local farmers or even grow them in community farm, or to redesign the food delivery work�ow to reduce residents’ waiting time. Another strategy focuses on e�cient communication among sta� of di�erent roles and with senior residents. Introducing a

digital system may be a good solution though it will need residents to learn the new system and it takes time to get everything on board. But in the long run, it will be solve the problem e�ectively and save the community large amount of time and money.

Senior dining experience �ow Backstage service work�ow

4Field Research withSenior and Sta�Observe and interview senior residents and sta� to better understand current problems and demands, and synthesizes research data by service blueprint, residents pro�les, etc.

Observe and interview senior residents and sta� to better understand current problems and demands, and synthesizes research data by service blueprint, residents pro�les, etc.

CHAPTER 4 OVERVIEW


Starcastle Retirement Community

Resident Pro�les

A

C

It introduces Starcastle community and its current dining service system.

Residents are categorized into four types according to their personality and attitude towards health in dining activities.

Observation & Interviews

Service Blueprint

B

D

By observation and interviews with the senior and sta�, insights are gathered to help �gure out future design opportunities.

It describes the overall dining experience and backstage work�ow and points out design opportunities positioned throughout the journey.

Starcastle Retirement Community

StarcastleRetirement Community

CHAPTER 4 SECTION A

”Mission — to improve the life style of Chinese senior“”Vision — to become the leader of senior care service in China“

Community overview

Starcastle is a top retirement community located in Shanghai city center. There are 189 apartments and 30 rooms for assisted living. It provides the senior residents with 24/7 healthcare and security, nutritious and delicious meals cooked by 5-star chef and designed by professional nutritionist, and various social activities and learning opportunities.

Dining in Starcastle

Dining service in Starcastle includes private kitchen infrastructure in residents’ own apartment, daily meals o�ered in dining hall at 7:00-9:00, 11:00-13:00, 17:00-19:00, assisted dining and delivery service for assisted living residents, open kitchen for small cooking events, weekly eating-out party, and nutrition consulta-tion.

The dining hall is where many social interactions among residents take place. The dining experience is similar to that in an external restaurant where the senior choose a seat, write the order by themselves, hand it over to the waitress and get their meal delivered to their table.

Source: Internet

Residents are categorized into four types according to their personality and attitude towards health in dining activities.

It describes the overall dining experience and backstage work�ow and points out design opportunities positioned throughout the journey.

Observation

OBSERVATION& INTERVIEWS

CHAPTER 4 SECTION B

Passive observation is conducted both in the service frontstage which is in dining hall and in backstage kitchen from dinner preparation to cleaning -up. It aims to catch some insights from the current situation.

Frontstage

· Sometimes forget to write table number and name· Not enought information (how it is prepared, ingredi ents, etc. ) on menu· Hands tembling when holding soup bowl or adding seasonings· Bring scissors to cut vegetables into small pieces· Di�cult to distinguish vinegar and soysauce · Occupy seats before dining time and cause argument· Sometimes cannot �nd menu and pencil on table· Wait for too long before food is ready

Backstage

· Sometimes carers chat while working which reduces overall speed· Kitchen get wrong dishes or carers deliver to wrong table· Passage between tables is a little narrow for service· Slippery kitchen �oor without safety sign· Orders are collected and gathered in disorder· The senior sometimes go directly into kitchen to hand in orders or check whether the food is ready

Interviews

”I don’t see the value of nutritionist. Lecutures are not that useful.”“Sometimes they put too much oil which may cause fatty liver.”“There should be menu designed specially for diabetes, because nearly one third of residents su�er from it.”

“Maybe we can pre-order the meals for the next day, thus reducing food waste.”“I’m quite concerned about the safety of food ingredients, the hygiene problem of kitchen, but they don’t provide any information of that.”“In fact, I have some healthy home recipes that I can teach the chef and other residents.”

Community overview


“Often we sit with same friends every day. We’re used to it.”“Sometimes we arrive here early and we would chat or go to the information wall to see news and notices of the commu-nity.”

In-depth interviews are then conducted to dig out complaints, motivations and expectations of 5 senior and 4 dining service sta� including kitchen sta�, carer (waitress), nutritionist, manager.

“Maybe we can pre-order the meals for the next day, thus reducing food waste.”“I’m quite concerned about the safety of food ingredients, the hygiene problem of kitchen, but they don’t provide any information of that.”“In fact, I have some healthy home recipes that I can teach the chef and other residents.”

“Often we sit with same friends every day. We’re used to it.”“Sometimes we arrive here early and we would chat or go to the information wall to see news and notices of the commu-nity.”

“The plates and bowls are heavy and some of them already broken. This has made delivery more tiring and time-con-suming.”“Sometimes they would ask for dishes that are not on the menu which needs special preparation.”

“Some residents ask me about information like cooking methods and food ingredients of a dish which they don’t see on the menu.”“We have a new chef, but still he need time to get used to residents’ �avors and preferences.”“It’s impossible that we can prepare one dish that �ts everyone’s �avor.”

“In fact, we establish long-term business relationship with reliable food supplier and we have hygiene certi�cate.”“We receive many complains about food getting cold when food delivery is late.”

Community overview


“Many residents choose dishes not according to their own physical conditions.”“Sometimes they order more food that they can eat and waste it.”

4 Types of Residents

RESIDENTPROFILES

CHAPTER 4 SECTION C

Residents are categorized into four types according to their personality and attitude towards health in dining activities. Di�erent types will have their dining experience di�erently in the upgraded servcie system.

How are they categorized?

It is found that senior behaviors in dining activities are largely in�uenced by two signi�cant elements which are their attitude toward health (health-oriented/plea-sure-oriented) and their personality (soical/individual). Then four main types of personas are developed accord-ingly to help better understand various needs of di�erent service users. In each persona it describes his/her basic information, attitude towards food and health, daily dining rituals and expectation on community dining service.

“The plates and bowls are heavy and some of them already broken. This has made delivery more tiring and time-con-suming.”“Sometimes they would ask for dishes that are not on the menu which needs special preparation.”

“In fact, we establish long-term business relationship with reliable food supplier and we have hygiene certi�cate.”“We receive many complains about food getting cold when food delivery is late.”

The framework is developed under four major elements in the senior dining service system in retirement community, which are people, prod-uct, environmnet and process.

The Blueprint

SERVICE BLUEPRINT & DESIGN FOCUS

CHAPTER 4 SECTION D

From the design opportunites positioned at the bottom of the map, we discuss with community manager and brainstormed among designers to �nally decide to focus on the following four areas in this project.

Design FocusService blueprint demonstrates the activities of both main service user (senior residents) and backstage service providers. The three service phases include: service setting that shows preparation from all sides made before main service activity ranging from menu design to food preparation; service performance begins from the moment that the senior enter dining space and ends with the moment they �nish their meal and leave the space; service added-value mainly involves events and activities like weekly nutrition class. Down below list opportunity areas which are based on problems found in current dining service system.

What does it show?

Introduce a pre-ordering system that can reduce waiting time before dinner, reduce food waste and make the system operate more e�ciently and e�ectively.

Introduce a system or add-value service that the senior can get personalized nutrition and diet guide from professionals.

Find out the way that food can be prepared, packed and delivered more e�ciently.

Enrich experience by add-value service and events related to dining.

Pre-ordering System

Personal Nutrition Guide

Backstage Work�ow

Enrich Dining Experience

1

2

3

4

5Service Co-designedand RedesignedCo-design with senior and sta�, and re-design the system by introducing pre-or-dering and personal nutrition diet guide system, upgrading delivery work�ow, enriching dining related experience, and providing other recommendations.

Co-design with senior and sta�, and re-design the system by introducing pre-ordering and personal nutrition diet guide system, upgrading delivery work�ow, enriching dining related experience, and providing other recommenda-tions.

CHAPTER 5 OVERVIEW


Co-design Session

A

Co-design workshop aims to design with the senior and sta� on menu, pre-ordering system and food delivery work�ow using service design methods and tools.

The Digital System

B C

The digital system that combines pre-ordering system and personal nutrition and diet guide are introduced.

Service Redesigned

It shows the service o�erings, interaction storyboard, system map of the redesigned service system.

Other Recommendations

E

For other aspects regarding senior dining service in Starcastle, recommendations are provided for its future improvement.

Other Touchpoints

D

Other touchpoints such as the information wall, heating area and seasoning area are designed to better �t senior’s demand and expectation.

Co-design workshop aims to design with the senior and sta� on menu, pre-ordering system and food delivery work�ow using service design methods and tools.

Co-design Workshop

C O-DESIGNSESSION

CHAPTER 5 SECTION A

Under the help of designers, participants decided what information should be included in the menu and how it should be presented. Table numbers should be shown on the menu clearly for the convenience of food delivery by carers. Special marks may appear on certain dishes to give mild suggestions for those su�ered by common diseases such as diabetes.

Menu1

SERVICE REDESIGNED

CHAPTER 5 SECTION B

Senior preorder the food for the following day in advance. Sta� will collect the orders for the next day and calculate food amount. If online reservation system is introduced, then the calculation will be done by the systme automatically. Then the result will be sent to the kitchen for foodingredients purchase plan. The next day,

the senior arrive at dining hall and tell the sta� which table they would like to take. The sta� enters the table number into the system, successfully match it with the order, and print it. When she has more than 10 orders printed, she will send them to the kitchen to prepare the food.

Pre-ordering Work�ow2

By co-designing with manager, kitchen sta� and waitress as well as role play game with designers, I found the food delivery work�ow above is more e�cient and e�ective. In the kitchen, there are four kitchen sta� preparing meals. Two are responsible for dishing up, one in A area and the

other in B area. The other two are responsible for putting the right dishes into the tray according to the order on it, one in A area and the other in B area. Waitress will take away ready meals and send them to the right table according to the order on the tray.

Food Delivery Work�ow3

Upgraded Service

Service system map shows how di�erent players of the game are connected with each other through three kinds of �ows: material �ow, �nancial �ow and information �ow.

Service System Map

The upgraded service serves the senior in �ve main areas. Daily food experience o�ers residents healthy, convenient and joyful dining experience. Personalized nutrition guide provides residents with an online system that records, analyzes and gives suggestions on personal food intake and nutrition management. Community planting experience is gained through working together with community sta� in the garden to plant vegetables and bring the harvest to table. Cooking sharing events are held among residents, chefs and nutritionist to learn, share and enjoy cooking and eating all together. Close connection with family and friends are achieved by the online platform and other environment elements in physical world as conversation triggers.

Service O�ering Map

Service system map shows how di�erent players of the game are connected with each other through three kinds of �ows: material �ow, �nancial �ow and information �ow.

Interaction Storyboard

The personal food and nutrition management system has three main functions: (1) personal nutrition guide; (2) pre-ordering system;(3) recipe pool.

3 Functional Modulars

THE DIGITALSYSTEM

CHAPTER 5 SECTION C

In this modular, user can see food intake history according to personal dining records and get system's visual reports of nutrition-related indicators (sugar, oil, calorie intake, nutrition balance, etc.). Besides, it will also give dining suggestions or warnings according to your current conditions. By one-click sharing function, senior residents are able to share the reports to family and friends.

Personal Nutrition Guide1

The online reservation system enables residents to order food for the following day in advance, thus improving dining service e�ciency and avoiding food waste. By clicking the button under each dish, one can put the dish into one's food tray. The food are catogerized into meat, vegetables, staple food& soup, and fruit& yogurt. The dishes with stars ahead are recommended by the system according to one's food and nutrition records. By clicking

on the dish, one can see details such as food ingredients and therapical functions, preparation methods, etc.. The signs on the right indicate special attention when it comes to certain diseases like diabetes and hypertension. The four signs are ▲low purine, ■low salt, ●low fat, ★ low sugar.

Pre-ordering System2

In this modular, the system automatically recommends recipes according to one's health conditions and food preference. Also one can upload his/her own recipe with detailed preparation methods and therapical function information. The most popular recipes may be selected by the kitchen and added to daily menu.

Recipe Pool3

OTHERTOUCHPOINTS

CHAPTER 5 SECTION D

The order which carer prints from the system when the senior enter the dining space and tell her the table number is designed in black and white with information of di�erent categories of dishes. Table number and resident name is in big size for easier recognition during food packing and delivery.

Order 1

Heating area provides with instructions on the wall and a pair of gloves to prevent senior residents from scalding. Empty bowls and dishes are put in the lower space in case they need new ones.

Heating Area3

Add on seasoning bottles non-slip rubber and design the sign with big size. Colors are also used to help residents distinguish di�erent kinds of seasoning.

Seasoning Area2The information wall in the corridor of the dining hall is a great space prop to catch people’s eyes and trigger social interactions. According to co-design results, it is further designed as the following page with weather and news, community activity notice, photo gallery, nutrition knowledge sharing, recipe sharing, daily food introduc-tion and chef information, and evaluation of dishes.

Information Wall4

2014/12/16 星期四午餐

10306李丽华

荤菜

萝卜炖牛肉

清蒸多宝鱼

米饭（2）

排骨玉米汤苹果

酸奶

南瓜百合

刀豆土豆

上汤娃娃菜

素菜

主食/汤

备注

水果/酸奶

2

3

1

2

2

3

4

2015年02月10日

星期五

阴有阵雨 6-10℃

今日空气质量较差，

叔叔阿姨减少户外活动时间哦！

重大新闻

·台湾一架飞机坠落河道，伤亡惨重；

·国家出台养老保障新法规。

近期活动自发活动

本地新闻

·上海65岁胃癌老汉出版小说一夜成名；

·辰山植物园梅花6成盛开。

星堡新闻

·星堡来了新的西点大厨！

“赏梅花”

—— 赏花、拍照！

发起人：201房王华

时间：周六(2.11) 上午9点

地点：植物园，先于大厅

集合

“健康蔬果汁派对”—— 榨蔬果汁清清肠！发起人：602房李丽时间：周六(2.11) 下午4点地点：3楼公共厨房

·菜园番茄丰收季，一起来收菜吧

周日(2.12)上午10点，社区菜园

今日大厨我的私房菜养生小知识

食材信息

星堡的食材来自崇明,采用有机栽

培技术、精细培养，全程控制农药残

留，经无公害农产品认证。

冬季，老年人易得口干症，

尤其要注意口腔卫生，三餐以后

适当饮水，服用B族维生素药物

，增加蛋白质饮食，可以改善唾

液分泌，减少口干。睡前泡一杯

枸杞茶并慢慢嚼服。

太咸啦，油有些多

很好吃！又营养！

美食点评团

鸡多宝鱼

胡萝卜莲藕蘑菇

洋葱西瓜桃子

香肠

王师傅特三级厨师

李师傅一级厨师山药羊肉汤

204 刘芬

青椒蘑菇洋葱藕片

清蒸多宝鱼刀豆土豆

古法蒸蜡肠白灼芥蓝

照烧鸡腿清炒三丝

·将羊肉切成小块，胡萝卜切滚刀块，山

药切滚刀块；

·将羊肉入冷水锅中，焯水后捞出；

·另起砂锅加入开水，下入焯过的羊肉和

葱段、姜片、料酒及花椒，大火烧开后小

火慢煲1小时左右；

·加入山药、胡萝卜和适量盐，继续煲

20分钟；

·最后撒上少许胡椒粉。

照片墙

Due to project scale and time limits, other aspects regarding senior dining service in Starcastle are not designed in details but are provided with recommendations for its future improvement.

Recommendations

OTHERRECOMMEN-DATIONS

CHAPTER 5 SECTION E

Segment residents according to the data collected from the digital system about health and dining preference and seek further personalized service accordingly.

Use online platform or other props (e.g. online sta� evalution system, community activities) to trigger conver-sations between the senior and carers, kitchen sta�, nutritionist.

“PEOPLE”

“PRODUCT”

“ENVIRONMENT”

“PROCESS”

1

2

3

4

· Segmentation and Personalization

· Transparent and Friendly Communication

Dishes should be cooked with less oil and sugar (try use substitute) in small pieces. Steaming and boiling are more preferred than frying and stirring while in the meantime still maintaining the �avor, color and smell.

Change the old tablewares which are heavy, easily-broken and heat-conducted by those designed especially for the senior which are made of light materials with good insulation.

· On Food

· On Tableware

Hold mothly dining events with one theme to bring residents rich and fresh experience from delicacy, decora-tions, activities. May involve cooperations with third-party if necessary.

Turn boring nutrition class into edutainment by using interactive learning props or organizing interesting events.

· Diverse and Changing Experience

· Edutainment In Nutrition Class

Get residents be part of the space designers and contrib-ute their ideas and e�orts to make the dining environ-ment feel more like home.

Add signs for slippery �oor and sterile area. Separate di�erent functional modulars in the kitchen and give each of them a sign, thus making work more e�cient and getting more trust from the residents.

· Resident Participation

· Kitchen More Professional

BIBLIOGRAPHY

[1] Bleicher, Steven. Contemporary colour: Theory & use. New York: Delmar. 2005. [2] Don Kumaragamage, Y. Design manual Vol. 1. 2011.[3] Manzini, E. Small, local, open and connected. Design research topics in the age of networks and sustainability.[4] Go�man, E. Behavior in public places. 1963.[5] Gehl, J. Life between buildings. Nostrand Reinhold Company Inc. 1987.[6] Kahneman, D. Thinking, fast and slow. 2011.[7] Koelling, D. Dining for wellness. Food Service Director. Vol. 21, Issue 12, p37. 2008.[8] Meroni, A. and Sangiorgi, D. Design for services. 2011.[9] Stickdorn, M. and Schneider, J. This is service design thinking. 2010.[10] Thackara J. In the bubble: designing in a complex world. 2005.[11] Moggridge, B. Designing interactions. MIT Press, 2007.[12] Jennifer, P., Rogers, Y. and Sharp, H. Interaction design�Beyond human-computer interaction, 2002.[13] Durrett, C. and Thomas, W. and Adams, P. The senior cohousing handbook: A communi-ty approach to independent living. New society publishers. 2009.[14] Traweek, V. Continuing care retirement communities: An insider tells all. Amazon digital services, Inc.. 2012.[15] Anderzhon, J., Hughes, D., Judd, S., Kiyota, E. and Wijnties, M. Design for Aging: Interna-tional Case Studies of Building and Program (Wiley Series in Healthcare and Senior Living Design). Wiley. 2012.[16] Nussbaumer, L. Inclusive design: A universal need. Fairchild books. 2011. [17] Payne-Palacio, J. and Theis, M. Foodservice management: Principles and practices. Prentice hall. 2011.[18] Nelson, A. Senior care is booming: Owning a pro�table senior home care company. Createspace independent publishing platform. 2013.[19] Solie, D. How to say it to seniors: Closing the communication gap with our elders. Prentice hall press. 2004.[20] Shafer, S. Diabetes Type 2: Complete food management program. Harmony. 2001.

senior dining system service redesign · 2015. 9. 30. · co-design with senior and sta˚, and...

Documents