deskdash GR1 Analysis

Student Desk Worker

Professional Worker

Security Guard

observations

• works only in one dorm
• typical hours are evening 4-10pm
• mainly checks out items
• many clicks to do simple tasks

• writes sticky notes to pass on non-standard info to other workers
• text fields don't auto populate
• lots of clicks to find the status of an item (checked in/out)
  

• does not check out packages
• does not check out spare keys, or movies, or anything else
• mostly in charge of keeping suspicious people out
• lets students without MIT IDs into the dorm if their name is in the dorm rolodex and they have some form of ID or can recite their home address
• does not use guest lists---non-residents must have a resident come get them from desk
• if a student is locked out of their room they look them up in the dorm rolodex to confirm their identity and then use a master key to let them in

wishes

• perform repetitive tasks faster
• find all desk related information in one place
• have a "digest" of all info relating to a student in one place (personal info, packages, items, keys, mailbox #)

• leave virtual sticky notes
• allow residents to view the status of an item (checked in/out) without visiting desk
• look up guests on a guest list
• look at a calendar of when different desk workers are working
• view a list of items that have been checked out

• easier/faster way to look up guests

dislikes (for
current system)

• very inefficient workflow for tasks she does often
• no batch operations
• slow performance
• no auto-correct or auto-suggest for text box search
• no online key audits/check-in/check-out

• no timestamp for when residents pick up packages
• checking a separate website to determine whether a room is reserved
• package scanner isn't wireless--she has to move all the packages after scanning them
• items are not categorized--spare room keys are mixed in with other items
• it's difficult to find frequently loaned items in database (ex: media room key)
• all 4 pool sticks are listed together as one item but people check out one at a time

•  paper rolodex---not very efficient

likes (for 
current system)

• is fully featured - most tasks are possible with system, no need for paperwork

• ability to look up the date/time a package is registered and by whom
• the database of keys includes each key's ID number
• ability to look up a resident's history--what and when they got things from desk
• item pages display the name of the person who last checked out the item

•  simple