Introduction
Developing observation skills is crucial for a business analyst. It allows a professional to evaluate the chosen strategy, advise on further changes, and fix the problems that may limit the income. To properly gather the data about the establishment, an assessor should focus on the main elements that provide essential information: activities, environments, interactions, objects, and users (Fitzpatrick, 2018).
All of these are noted by Fitzpatrick (2018) as the key features of a business. An example of a coffee boutique I visited some time ago may be analyzed to practice observation skills. The primary aspects that form people’s impressions of the place are activities, interactions, environments, and objects, while units are secondary.
Discussion
Activities and interactions are heuristic categories that show what goals people may have in the place and what they do to achieve them, with the most notable example being ordering coffee. The establishment that I visited had a simple system of placing an order: the barista asked the customer about their preferences, asked for their name, and received the payment. This created an accessible protocol that allowed the visitors to get the product, and the employees set the goal for coffee-making people.
In addition to drinking beverages, socializing was essential to coffee boutique activities. The customers often came in groups to spend quality time talking to each other. This instantly associated the establishment with friendships, business meetings, or romantic relationships, as these interactions could be observed there. The most notable feature of all these activities was quietness, except when the orders were ready. Thus, all interactions and activities had a social side and required some level of communication if the customer chose to stay to drink their coffee.
The environments comprise the setting and the overall ambiance of the place. According to information by Fitzpatrick (2018), this category partially affects the behavior of visitors. As mentioned in the interactions, noise was not an element of any activity. The design choices and the background music reinforced this. The design elements included the wooden furniture, walls, and floors. This made the setting more welcoming and emotionally comforting. As my visit happened later in the day, the dimmed, warm lighting created a relaxing atmosphere.
The decorative plants separated individual tables and accented the security that the people could feel. The smells of wood and coffee added to the cozy ambiance and stimulated the appetite for desserts available to order. The overall setting of this place motivated the customers to communicate quietly and spend more time at the boutique. As a result, the place’s environment promoted more purchases and provided a place for social interaction, which increased the business’s popularity among groups of friends and couples.
Objects are physical parts of the establishments that form the business’s essence, for example, coffee and money. The customers exchanged their payment for quality beverages. The coffee boutique I visited had various coffee beans of different origins and processing methods. This conveyed a professional approach to making caffeinated drinks and showed that the business owners knew the relation between the used resources and the quality of the final product. At the same time, people not used to drinking a specific type of coffee may be overwhelmed by this abundance of variants, harming their experience visiting the boutique.
As for the role of money in the establishment, the preferred transaction method was using a credit card. This distanced the business from physical cash, making the purchases seem less expensive. This made money out of focus for the customers as the only mentions of monetary transactions were in the receipts and during the payment. Therefore, coffee was the only notable object that formed the perception of the business.
The unit group, including baristas and other customers, did not affect the business substantially. While the cashiers were friendly and quick, that may be considered an industry standard and did not separate this particular boutique from other coffee shops. The other visitors were not noticeable as the tables were separated by décor elements such as plants, chairs with high backs, and bookshelves.
This environment made my individual experience more private and could affect a group of friends or a couple in a positive way. The borders between customers and the lack of communication with other units added to the atmosphere and allowed the coffee drinkers to focus on their beverages. Therefore, the boutique’s unique feature was the option to get personal space separated from other tables.
Conclusion
To summarize, using a set of heuristic categories helps cohesively format the observations and conclusions. As for the business, a coffee boutique had some features essential to its success. The activities and interactions were intuitive for customers and created a welcoming experience for all visitors. The environment generated a pleasant atmosphere and motivated the people to spend more time and money at the establishment.
The objects were focused on the products and not the monetary side of the exchange, which was a significant factor in the business’s success. Finally, the possibility to separate a table by décor elements and background music guaranteed personal space and made the boutique the perfect place to visit with friends and other people. As a result, this combination of small details was essential to make the establishment effective in attracting and keeping clients.
References
Fitzpatrick, D. (2018). AEIOU Observation Framework. Open Practice Library. Web.
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