2.744 Human Use Analysis
Self-Service Car Wash
by Florence Yip
Introduction || Users & Functions || Procedure || Overall Experience || Solutions
From the user experience analysis above, it appears that the main issue with self-service car wash is that it is not well-designed for different use conditions (light/ heavy cleaning, type of user and vehicles), as well as a lack of understanding of how users’ habits (how they use/ handle the equipment). Thus, the below design is proposed to improve on the current self-service car wash set-up.
By including a raised platform, it allows users to wash the top of their vehicles without holding the hose high for a long time, making the process less tiring. The users could also check on the cleaniness of their cars better. The guard rail is included to prevent users from falling over. This would mostly impact shorter drivers (like me), or owners of larger vehicles.
Making the hose retractable would allow users to hold the pressure washer in a less awkward position, as they won't have to hold the hose to keep from getting into the way of cleaning the car. This would also reduce the tangling of the hose, and allow users to brush and spray water on the car simultaneously!
While it is difficult to completely prevent overspraying or water splashing, better drainage would reduce the water puddles on the ground, and thus lower the chances that users would step on water and get their feet wet.
The figure above shows another minor improvement to the self-service car wash - by including information on the estimated time needed to clean different types of vehicles and a video intercom, inexperienced users could have a better idea of how much money to pay up front, and thus make the car-washing more seamless as they won't have to go back and forth to put more time in. Including a video intercom would also allow customers to get help quicker when needed.