Retail Design Paradigm Shift.

The philosophies of Kuhn and IDEO applied to Retail Environments.

MA Dissertation – Piet Zwart Institute – Willem de Kooning Academy Rotterdam

August 2009 – Peter Hoetmer

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 Thinking outside the box (PH)

Every customer (N) is unique, and is looking for a unique experience, N=1.
To be able to offer unique experiences to all, you need a worldwide network of suppliers.
Resources (R) are Global. R=G.

Thus N=1, R=G

“The new age of Innovation” by C.K.Prahalad, McGraw-Hill, 2008.

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 Cartoon/self-portrait (PH)

Special thanks to Katelijn Quartier, Hilde Roothart and Ron Cijs, who kept me focused
and on track, and to Bibi, Tatum, Zoë and Aerin who had to endure a preoccupied
husband/ father for the last two years.

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Contents

1. Abstract

2. Introduction

3. Theory

- The origin of retail

- Philosophy of science
- Thomas S. Kuhn
- IDEO’s Design Thinking

4. Hypothesis

- Retail Design Paradigm Shift

5. Method

- Literature search
- Specsavers (general information)
- Additional information
- Optician Akkerman Rotterdam
- Conventions in optician retail
- Points of interest
- Possible angles of approach
- Analysis current Specsavers retail concept
- Briefing
- Design Process
- Design Argumentation
- Comparison current situation/new concept

6. Discussion / Future projection

7. Reflection

8. References

9. Appendices

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Shop window Akkerman (PH)
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Abstract

Inspired by Philosophy of Science; not quite an opening you would expect in a Retail
Interior Design MA dissertation. But in this specific case, the work of scientific
philosopher Thomas Kuhn has started the search for the differences between linear
development and innovations. Is there a common factor to be pointed out?

Kuhn explains there has to be a crisis (problem) that can’t be fixed while thinking within
the boundaries of the current conventions, there has to be a change of mindset to come
to a solution. In his words; a Paradigm Shift. Proceeding in the same fashion as your
predecessors; upgrading while only making use of new technologies and insights
concerning consumer behaviour, does not create innovations. For this you have to
abandon conventions and take a fresh approach. Begin at the beginning.

This translated to the design world set me on track of the IDEO philosophy of Design
Thinking, in which they also state you have to start at the beginning, and have to be
aware of conventions.

Breaking with conventions isn’t new, it has been done and will be done. To get a clear
picture of what the effects could be; which, if any, innovations could be expected, the
choice has been made to take a closer look at a conventional kind of retail: the optician.
This is an area of expertise with many conventions, and some real problems which can’t
be solved while thinking linear.

The biggest problem encountered is the fact people fitting new frames can’t judge
properly how it looks on them because of their impaired vision. A solution to this problem
isn’t viable in the current mindset. Another upcoming problem is the fact there is no
possibility to personalize the frames, a new trend, which, when successfully
implemented, will create a strong following, since there are currently no competitors with
this offering.

To be able to make a proper comparison with the current situation, there is an analysis of
the retail interior design as it is, and a new concept design which solves the two for
mentioned problems.

The paper starts truly at the beginning, with an overview of retail history, highlighting the
paradigm shifts that have taken place in the past. Next to that, an explanation of scientific
history and its paradigm shifts will further underline the importance of non linear thinking.
Kuhn’s findings will be explained, as well as the Design Thinking of IDEO.

To get a clear picture of the current situation in optician retailing, an analysis has been
made of both the retail interior and the existing conventions, and possible angles for
future projection. Looking at the current trends and technological possibilities, the new
design will solve the for mentioned problems, while, at the same time, catching up with
more innovative participants in retail in general. Needless to say, this exercise is not
meant to just throw away conventions, but to determine whether or not there are
conventions that can be broken, or even new conventions to be written.

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Introduction

The goal of this dissertation will be to determine whether or not a Paradigm Shift in Retail
Design will be feasible and advisable. Taking into consideration the current market is
under the influence of technological developments and implementation of these at a rate
not encountered before. Plus the fact society is changing in its needs and wishes, asking
more and more for a sustainable and ecological sound offering.

Next to that, the experience economy is moving towards a change from material want
towards a meaning want. The consumer is looking for a fulfillment of HIS needs, and
doesn’t appreciate uniformity in offerings anymore. It has to be personalized, catered to
our personal needs.

To get a better understanding of the current situation, this dissertation starts at the
history of retail, with a focus on the major shifts in its development. Followed by a review
of science philosophies and the major shifts in science as such. In both cases we can
speak of Paradigm Shifts, since these developments were not linear, but moved in leaps.
New observations or experiments created insights which would not fit into the existing
conventional way of thinking, and created their own Paradigm. The fact these shifts are
noticeable in both retail history and science gave the inspiration to delve deeper into
other common factors and have led to the following paper.

To be able to make a worthwhile comparison at the end of this dissertation and the
included design project, the choice has been made for a retail environment with strong
conventions; an optician. The comparison of the analysis of the current situation with the
finished design using the new insights gotten from research will help explain the
consequences of for mentioned application of these new insights.

The theoretical groundwork has been done by literature research, interviews, a

questionnaire and analysis of the current retail design at an optician.

To be able to judge the true implications, the design has been based on the current
location, but now without the existing conventions as guidelines. A briefing has been set
up for the design, and the design will be made using the philosophies of both Kuhn and
IDEO. The comparison with the analysis will clarify the effects of this unconventional way
of thinking and designing.

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Theory - The origin of retail.
Before going into detail, a listing of the most important developments in retail history to
give a general impression, so if needed one can skip this chapter and continue
immediately at the second part of the theoretical groundwork, the science philosophies.

Important developments in retail history:

1. Changing surplus goods for other items – first trade.

2. Trading surplus goods for an item of high regard - the introduction of the
monetary system. ( Paradigm Shift )
3. Trading with the intent of profit – introduction of retail. (Cretans and Phoenicians)
4. Returning trade events – introduction of markets. (Forum Romanum for instance)
Paradigm Shift- trade comes to consumer.
5. Peddlers settle & Markets stay – the first shops. (Tabernae, Basilica’s)
6. Mercati Traianerei (Rome) – the first shopping centre in European History.
7. Long distance trade with Far East, Byzantium and Asia after the crusades.
8. Craft guilds create highly specialized trade.
9. Industrial development creates a modern market economy – eventually evolving
into capitalism.
10. 1744 – Introduction of Mail order. Paradigm Shift – no brick and mortar shop
needed
11. General stores grow in size and develop into warehouses by taking on a wider
product range.
12. The first warehouse Winkel van Sinkel in Amsterdam (1821)
13. The first covered shopping centre Galeries Royaux Saint Hubert in Brussels
(1846)
14. 1893 – “Merkenwet” – Registration of brand names regulated by law. Paradigm
Shift – consistent quality and pricing.
15. Introduction of concept of Self Service (1906) Paradigm Shift – first in the
Netherlands in 1948, Gebr. Van Woerkom, Nijmegen.
16. Demand for “One stop shopping” creates large scale Shopping Centers. (1920’s)
17. First inside facing shopping centre (Dallas, 1938).
18. Nighttime shopping introduced in US (1940’s).
19. Post WWII suburban development creates need for more convenient retail
shopping.
20. 1952 – Invention of Bar code, first commercial introduction in 1974 in Marsh's
supermarket in Troy, Ohio. The first product to have a bar code included was a
packet of Wrigley's Gum.
21. Integration of amusement in shopping centers. ( Paradigm Shift )
22. First, new style, fully enclosed shopping centre (1956).
23. Super Mall concept (1980’s)
24. Factory outlet centers (1990’s)
25. Digital revolution – Internet – Online shopping introduction. ( Paradigm Shift )
26. Integration Wireless Communications in many retail concepts.
27. Transition from material wants to meaning want, experience economy.

Pictures courtesy www.grootmoederstijd.nl

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Chronological
In order to come to a clear understanding of the current situation of retail environments,
it’s necessary to take a closer look at the history and origin of the retail trade in general.
Which developments gave rise to the current situation with its mega shopping malls and
the great variety of highly specialized retail environments we in the modern world all take
for granted.

Using various sources1 we can come to a generalized timeline. Although on specifics the
sources vary in their conclusions, for this paper the general idea will be adequate, since
the outline is important to come to an understanding of the beginnings of retail.

Retail found its origin almost at the same time as people started settling and cultivating
the land. These early beginnings of farming sometimes resulted in a surplus of goods,
and once the needs of family and the local community were met, trading this surplus for
products the farmer couldn’t produce or gather for himself became a possibility.

When the required item wasn’t readably available, it was possible to make arrangements
to receive goods at a later date, or swap goods for a general item of high regard, so the
needed item could be gotten at the moment it was available. In this way the concept of
money entered the stage. The first Paradigm Shift. Some producers would have seen the
value of deliberately over-producing in order to profit from trading these surplus goods.
Merchants started appearing, buying goods and selling them with profit while travelling
from settlement to settlement. These early efforts at trade soon evolved into more regular
and structured gatherings, and resulted in the concept of the “market”. A Paradigm Shift
again. Eventually markets would become more permanent, and shops arose around the
12th century. These shops, together with the logistics required to get the goods to them,
were the start of the retail trade as we know it.

The Cretans, who sailed the Mediterranean and flourished for over two centuries, were
probably the first real traders in the Western world. They didn’t produce themselves, but
made good use of supply and demand from others. They were succeeded by the
Phoenicians, who introduced the concept of distribution.

1
http://www.aboutretail.net/history/beginnings_of_retail_trade.htm (27-02-2009)
http://retailreflexionz.wordpress.com/2008/09/19/tutorial-retail-history/ (27-02-2009)
http://grootmoederstijd.nl (17-07-2009), Lectures Marc Dubois at Piet Zwart Institute (2007)
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The form and concept of retailing closest to what we know in our society, is a Roman
concept. A large variety of small shops set up to trade goods, and ruins indicate they
even were the first to set up a department store. With the fall of the Roman Empire,
retailing fell back to its market concept.
While 2200 years ago China had its first retail chain, owned by a trader called Lo Kass,
Australian Aboriginals were hunter-gatherers until settlers from Europe arrived, and in
both North and South America, as well as in Africa, we see a very different timeline
altogether, even varying from region to region.
In this paper the focus will be limited to the history of retail in the Western world, to be
able to show developments as in logical a sequence as possible.

Mediaeval Times

Western civilization in Mediaeval Times develops from the fusion of Greco Roman
(Classical: man and reason), Judeo-Christian (God and Faith), and Germanic (literature,
language and politics) traditions. (Gabriel, 2008)

Because of the ongoing struggle for power, this period is dominated by the decline of
economy, culture and urban population.

A small revival is noticeable during the Carolingian period and with the coronation of
Charlemagne. The 9th and 10th century see a decline of monarchies and the rise of great
nobles, feudalism and manorialism.
Invaders from the North devastate Europe and bring a decline almost as severe as after
the fall of the Roman Empire. At the end of the 10th century some invaders settle in
Normandy, England and Ireland, and the decline is halted, even reversed.
11th Century shows an agricultural revolution. Clearing and cultivating of new land,
introduction of the three fold rotating system, technological innovations like the heavy
plow, horse collar and water- and wind mills for power.
This results in a dramatic increase in the supply of food, dramatic population growth,
revival of trade and rebirth of towns. Economic prosperity results in numerous political,
social and intellectual advances.
We notice a trade revival after 1050. Because of surplus grain and products from small
industries and the start of long distance trade (especially in textiles, luxury items and
wine). Italian cities took a leading role after defeating the Muslim raiders, and started
trading with the Byzantium Empire.

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This revival laid the foundations for the development of a modern market economy,
which eventually evolved in capitalism.
Merchants gathered along trade routes, near places of security like castles, and close to
monastery sponsored fairs. As a result, towns flourished.
Some cities were Roman in origin, like Paris, London and Florence, others were newly
built. These cities introduced a new social class, the bourgeoisie, which had no place in
the mediaeval system. They were master artisans, craftsmen, merchants and their
families, who took control over their fate by individual initiatives. Merchant and craft
guilds developed, organizations of local artisans and businessmen with the purpose to
control, protect and promote specific economic activities by ensuring a stable market.

The crusades opened the Old Middle East and Asia to the West, stimulating a demand
for Asian luxuries and turning Venice and Genoa into important trade centers.
After the famine of 1306 and the ensuing unrest, the Black Death, swept in on vessels
from Asia, resulting in casualties numbering over 25% of the European population, and
a schism in the church resulted in the Protestant Reformation. Despite the severity of
these crises, European civilization did not descend into a new dark age. Rather, there
was a revival of culture, known as the Renaissance, beginning in Italy in the 14th century,
and spreading to Northern Europe in the 15th century.
Where civilization and thus retail flourished, we notice retail trade is rooted in 2 groups,
the peddlers and producers. Peddlers (merchants, traders, retailers) buy and sell goods
in order to make a profit, whereas producers are interested in selling the goods they
produced themselves.

19th Century and onwards

This division continues to this day with specialized shops in specific areas, reflecting their
origin as outlets for producers, while others provide a wide choice, the general store.
Over time, the general store has taken on more specialized products, brought on by
consumer demand for more convenience. As the general store grows in popularity, so
does its size.
Combined with the advent of self service in 1906 by the opening of VONS in Los Angeles
by Charles von der Ahe this led to the emergence of Supermarkets. He pioneered "cash
and carry" as an alternative to "charge and delivery". A Paradigm Shift, caused by the
reversal of roles in shopping behaviour. His formula proved so successful that by 1928
Vons had expanded to 87 stores.

In the early days customers had to ask the shopkeeper for their goods, he had to get it,
weigh it, price it, pack it and finally bill them and receive payment. A labour-intensive
exercise, but with a very personal one-on-one relationship between shopkeeper and
consumer.
These shopkeepers however noticed the time and effort it took to help the consumers,
and realized the cost reduction by efficiency when consumers would be able to gather
the required items for themselves, where the staff only needed to total up the bill at the
end, transfer the goods and receive payment. Many consumers preferred this efficient
way of shopping.
Personal service stores remain to this day, but the concept of self service stores saw a
rapid growth. First and foremost in the United States, but there has been a steady rise in
the number of self service stores worldwide ever since.

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Industrialization is another aspect responsible for a change in retail. More and more
products have become available and affordable because of mass production. Besides,
since industrialization is responsible for the employment of many workers, they also
create their own market. The factories give people time to spare when compared with
pre-industrialized society, the steady income generates wealth for the workers, and they
now have both time and money to spend. Mass produced items are affordable for many,
and shops have to change in size, function and appearance in order to cater to the
needs of these new consumers.

2
Warehouses start operating at the end of the 19th century, and still function more or less
the same to the present day. Larger in scale, offering more products, but essentially with
the same approach and function as when they started. Warehouses still offer a wide
variety of products, catering to the need of “one stop shopping”. However, the staff
requirements are very different in these warehouses. The staff is more of a host then a
specialist on the product he/she sells. This ensures the livelihood of the specialized
retailer, since many consumers demand or requires the advice and experience of a
specialist.

2
Images from www.theselvedgeyard.wordpress.com
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http://www.co-operative.coop/Master%20Brand/Photographs/1942_full.jpg
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History of American Shopping Centers3 in brief.

Shopping centers have existed in some form for more than 1,000 years as ancient
market squares, bazaars and seaport commercial districts. The modern shopping center,
which includes everything from small suburban strip centers to the million square-foot
malls, started in the 1920s. The concept of developing a shopping district away from a
downtown is generally attributed to J.C. Nichols of Kansas City. His Country Club Plaza,
which opened in 1922, featured unified architecture, paved and lighted parking lots, and
was managed and operated as a single unit.
In the later half of the 1920s, as automobiles became more commonly owned, small strip
centers were built on the outskirts. The typical design was a straight line of stores with
space for parking in front. Many experts consider Highland Park Shopping Village in
Dallas (1931), to be the first planned shopping center. Like Country Club Plaza, its stores
were built with a unified image and managed under the control of a single owner, but
Highland Park occupied a single site and was not bisected by public streets. And its
storefronts faced inward, away from the streets, a revolutionary design.

In the 1930s and 1940s, Sears Roebuck & Co. and Montgomery Ward set up large,
freestanding stores with on-site parking, away from the centers of big cities, and
nighttime shopping was introduced. The early 1950s marked the opening of the first two
shopping centers anchored by full-line branches of downtown department stores.
Northgate in Seattle, (two strip centers face-to-face with a pedestrian walkway in
between) opened in 1950, and Shoppers World in Framingham, (the first two-level
center), debuted the following year. The concept was improved upon in 1954 when they
introduced a “cluster layout” with a single department store at the center and a ring of
stores around it, with a parking lot completely surrounding the center.

The first modern regional Mall.

In 1956, Southdale Center in Edina opened as the first fully enclosed mall with a two-
level design. It had central air-conditioning and heating, a comfortable common area and,
more importantly, it had two competitive department stores as anchors. Southdale is
considered by most industry professionals to be the first modern regional mall. 4

3
http://www.icsc.org/srch/about/impactofshoppingcenters/briefhistory.html (07-06-2009)
http://inventors.about.com/library/inventors/blshopping.htm (27-02-2009)
4
Pictures Southdale Mall 1956 and 2007 from http://gizmodo.com
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Image: www.i.ehow.com- Rockefeller Center
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Suburban development and population growth after World War II created the need for
more housing and more convenient retail shopping. Most of the centers built in the 1950s
and 1960s were strip centers serving new housing developments.

By 1972 the number of shopping centers had doubled to 13,174. Regional malls like
Southdale and The Galleria in Houston, had become a fixture in many larger markets,
and Americans began to enjoy the convenience and pleasure of mall shopping. During
the 1970s, a number of new formats and shopping center types evolved.

New developments.

In 1976 The Rouse Co. developed Faneuil Hall Marketplace in Boston, which was the
first of the “festival marketplaces” built in the United States. The project, which revived a
troubled downtown market, was centered on food and retail specialty items. Similar
projects were built in Baltimore, New York and Miami, and have been emulated in a
number of urban areas. The Bicentennial year also marked the debut of the country’s
first urban vertical mall, Water Tower Place, which opened in Chicago. To many experts,
Water Tower Place with its stores, hotel, offices, condominiums and parking garage,
remains the preeminent mixed-use project in the United States. With the opening of
Water Tower Place and Faneuil Hall, the shopping center industry had returned to its
urban roots.

The 1980s saw an unparalleled period of growth in the shopping center industry, with
more than 16,000 centers built between 1980 and 1990. This was also the period when
superregional centers (malls larger than 800,000 square feet) became increasingly
popular with shoppers. In 1990, a Gallup poll found that people shopped most frequently
at superregional malls and neighborhood centers.

One of the newer retail formats that has become increasingly popular in the United
States is the power center, which loosely defined is a center between 250,000 and
600,000 square feet, with approximately 75% to 90% of its space occupied by category
killers or destination anchor stores. Power centers are often located near regional and
superregional malls. San Francisco-based Terranomics is credited with pioneering the
concept. In 1993, 16 power centers opened in the United States, compared with only four
superregional malls.

Factory outlet centers were one of the fastest growing segments of the shopping center
industry in the 1990s. In 1990, there were 183 outlet centers. Today, there are
approximately 312 outlet centers in the United States. Outlet malls are tenanted by
manufacturers selling their own goods at discounted prices. Some large projects
combine outlet stores with traditional off-price stores.
One such project, Sawgrass Mills in Sunrise, is more than 2 million square feet and
features outlets, discounters and retail clearance stores.

The largest mall in the United States is currently Mall of America in Bloomington, which
includes a seven-acre amusement park, nightclubs, restaurants and covers 4.2 million
square feet (with about half that total devoted to retailing). The center has been heralded
as a bellwether for its innovative mixture of entertainment and retailing. The forerunner to
Mall of America, and the largest mall in North America, is West Edmonton Mall in
Alberta, which encompasses 5.5 million square feet.

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 Pictures ‘Mall of America’ from http://www.thebudgetfashionista.com

Entertainment quickly became an industry buzzword in the early 1990s, as technological

advances allowed shopping center developments to foster the same magical
experiences that were once only seen in national amusement parks such as Disney
World. A Paradigm Shift, shopping for the first time combined with entertainment. Since
the start of the entertainment wave, retailers have focused on keeping their presentations
exciting and shopping center owners have striven to obtain tenant mixes that draw traffic
from the widest audience possible. Under one roof or in an outdoor retail format,
consumers enjoy children’s playscapes, virtual reality games, live shows, movies in
multiplex cinemas, a variety of food in either the food court or themed restaurants,
carousel rides, visually stunning merchandising techniques, robotic animal displays, and
interactive demonstrations.

Many shopping centers are also focused on added service oriented tenants, which offer
today’s busy consumer an opportunity to complete weekly errands or to engage in a
variety of other activities. Among the many services found in today’s malls are churches,
schools, postal branches, municipal offices, libraries, and museums.

Digitizing economy.

As the 1990s drew to a close, Internet retailing was heralded as the wave of the future
and a threat to the stability of the shopping center industry. In July of 1998, Time
magazine predicted the demise of the shopping mall. In bold type, Time’s cover advised
its readers to, “Kiss Your Mall Good-Bye: Online Shopping is Cheaper, Quicker and
Better.” While the cover was purely sensational, the tone was clear. The shopping center
industry was under attack. The introduction of these internet retailers is again a
Paradigm Shift, no more need for a brick-and-mortar shop, as was earlier the case at the
introduction of mail order, another earlier Paradigm Shift, but in the current situation
consumers are able to look up and order goods without the need of brochures.

Internet retailing quickly captured the attention of the public, the media and Wall Street
as companies rushed to develop websites that would sell directly to consumers. In the

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euphoria it mattered little that many of these Internet companies had little or no retail
experience. Fearing the cannibalization of store sales, brick-and-mortar retailers at first
were hesitant to sell directly to the public via the Internet.
However, when it became apparent that they had some clear advantages over pure
Internet retailers (brand name recognition, distribution facilities, supplier relationships,
ability to accept returns at stores, etc.) brick-and-mortar retailers launched their own
websites. These advantages quickly paid off for these retailers. In fact, in 1998, brick
and-mortar retailers’ websites captured 60% of online sales.
In addition to buying online, brick-and-mortar retailers discovered that their consumers
were using the web as a research vehicle. Consumers were logging on to retailers’
websites to search for goods, and services, and armed with product information, were
making purchases at stores. Thus the Internet has transformed a large and growing
number of retailers into “multi-channel” retailers with all sales channels (stores, web, and
catalog) working as one to help retailers maximize the value of their brands.

Understanding that there is great synergy between the Internet and brick-and mortar
stores, shopping centers owners have created their own websites and are working with
their retail tenants to create distribution channels to satisfy the consumer, whether the
consumer decides to shop at a shopping center, on the Internet or both.
In 1999, Simon Property Group, the nation’s largest shopping center developer, created
two separate business units, clixnmortar.com and TenantConnect. Through
TenantConnect, Simon is installing broadband Internet connections inside its own malls
and those of other developers, so that stores can have high-speed access to the
Internet. Also, retailers at Simon malls can take part in two clixnmortar initiatives:
FastFrog.Com and YourSherpa. In both programs, consumers carry handheld scanners
through the mall, and scan items they are interested in buying. When shoppers are
finished, the information is loaded into computer kiosks. From the FastFrog kiosk,
shoppers can have their list of items forward to friends or relatives. At the YourSherpa
kiosk, users can type in their credit card number and check out immediately, or delay the
final purchase until they go home. Mall employee’s pick-up scanned items at stores in
the mall and customers have the option of picking-up the items at the mall or having
them delivered.

Expanding social role.

As we enter the 21st century, shopping centers continue to evolve and serve
communities’ social and economic needs. With the combination of fashion, food,
entertainment, and services, shopping centers have greatly expanded their role in the
communities they serve.

The ever growing and developing markets create a never before heard of need for more
specialized shops. The technological inventions over the last decades created a whole
range of products with the need for their own point of purchase, where the consumer
could be helped by specialized staff with knowledge of these products. The entire shop
can be adjusted to create the most profitable environment to present and demonstrate
these products. There are however still specialist stores with a homogeneous
appearance; they fail to see the added value of experiencing and atmosphere. They fear
the investments in alternative interiors are likely to exceed the expected additional
revenue.

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Warehouse interior – London (PH)

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External influences.

Architectural developments influence the housing and functioning of retail as well. New
materials and technological inventions have resulted in high rise buildings, large
windows, fascia without visible support, while electricity opened the possibility to create
large commercial areas without the need for direct daylight. Urban development is
responsible for the creation of Megamalls, the changing importance of the inner city as a
shopping area, and logistics and transportation are key aspects for the functioning off
large shops and warehouses at the industrial zones and outskirts of our cities.

As explained in “Digitizing economy”, the digital revolution also created new markets.
Firstly the hardware and software, but soon after that the internet created a whole new
field for retailers and consumers. The internet was first used as a novelty, a game. It
soon became the biggest source of information worldwide. Consumers can look up
specifics, prices, backgrounds, talk about the quality in blogs and compare experiences
with other users. This results in a fierce competition, especially now that e-commerce is
well integrated. Many shops only exist online, with the added value you are able to shop
at any time that is convenient for you as a consumer, you can compare and order
worldwide, and the availability of the products is clear beforehand.
To improve competitiveness, there are many online shops belonging to major chains,
with the possibility to order online, sometimes with specialty products not available in
store, they create a community to bond with the consumer. Experiences from the blogs
on these websites are used to improve the actual shop, and the service to the consumer
benefits from this two way communication.

Another development influencing retail without obvious influences in the design however
is the upcoming use of wireless communications. Blue tooth or SMS alerts are emerging,
and we are at the forefront of these developments. The future has much in store for us
when we take a look at the possibilities still ahead. Technologically much is realizable,
but the actual implementation is a process of some years.
Paying by fingerprint, blue tooth, eye scan, all is possible. Interactive assistance by touch
screen, holographic images, receiving product information of your choice where and
when needed, the list goes on and on. More detailed backgrounds on the technological
possibilities of the future stores are to be found in several research papers mentioned in
the References.

Insights.

Now that we have arrived at the present date, we can see an abundance of shops, in
civilized society’s people can more or less buy everything they want, need, and can think
of. With the current wealth and free time people are at the top of the Maslow pyramid
(Maslow, 1943), and are now looking for more then only the fulfillment of their needs.

The fact we now have time to think and reflect started the upcoming trends of the
experience economy, and the quest for authenticity as stated in the following quotes:

After the agricultural age, the industrial age and the information age, we now enter the
conceptual age.
“A whole new mind. Why right-brainers will rule the future.” By Daniel H.Pink

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Imagew.i.ehow.com- Selfridges Birmingham
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“A transition from material want to meaning want is in progress on a historically
unprecedented scale – involving hundreds of millions of people – and may eventually be
recognized as the principal cultural development of our age.”
Gregg Eastbrook. “The progress paradox. How life gets better while people feel worse.” Random
House, 2003

In today’s society of abundance, consumers are searching for authenticity and meaning.
Even the experience itself is not enough; it has to have a personal touch and added
value. The personalization of the experience is the main focus at the moment. The
current consumer doesn’t appreciate the impersonal attraction park attitude anymore.
What’s in it for ME is more important. The more we have the less content we are.

Everyone is able to afford the essential products; we can’t show our personality with the
majority of the current consumer goods, so we now are looking for that one special item,
“Pimping” and personalization are hot. Nike for instance, offers the possibility to design
your own shoe, this way you know for sure you will have an exclusive product.
Heineken offers the possibility to design your own beer bottle for special occasions, Ego
offers highly exclusive customized or tailor made laptops, and recently it’s possible to
order personalized headphones, build to your specific requirements.

The for mentioned transit to meaning want offers another angle to bond consumers to
store or brand. As long as people feel connected to your philosophy they tend to stick to
their behavioral pattern. The fact consumers are looking for meaning above the
standardized offer allows the right store or brand to build a real personal relationship
which is hard to come between. The moment the retailer offers a fulfillment of immaterial
want next to the material want as well, the relationship grows. Special offers will not lure
away potential clients in this case, since the relationship is more important then any one
time saving.

“When a person buys a service, he purchases a set of intangible activities carried out on
his behalf. But when he buys an experience, he pays to spend time enjoying a series of
memorable events that the company stages – as in a theatrical play – to engage him in a
personal way.”
“The experience economy. Work is theatre & every business a stage”.
B.Joseph Pine & James H.Gilmore, 1999

[- 23 -]
Shop window Antwerp (PH)
[- 24 -]
Theory - Philosophy of Science.
This chapter aims to clarify the angle of research undertaken, based upon the
philosophies of Kuhn. To be able to understand Kuhn, it’s best to start at the beginning,
and first we take a closer look at science, its philosophies and history.

The term “scientist” was coined in the 1830’s by William Whewell (1794-1866), a physicist and
historian of science; before that scientists were seen as ‘natural philosophers’. (Sardar,2000)

The keystone to science is proof or evidence/data, which is not to be confused with

certainty. Except in pure mathematics, nothing is known for certain. Central to the
scientific method is a system of logic. Scientific efforts throughout history have been
directed towards the discovery of pattern, system and structure, with the emphasis on
order.

Scientific argumentation.

Scientific arguments of logic take on four possible forms:5

1. The pure method of deduction, where a conclusion is drawn from a set of
propositions. (i.e. Pure logic)
2. The method of induction, where a general conclusion is drawn from particular
facts that appear to serve as evidence.
3. Probability, which passes from frequencies within a known domain to conclusions
of stated likelihood.
4. Statistical reasoning, which concludes that, on the average, a certain percentage
of a set of entities will satisfy the stated conditions.

Schematic representation of scientific argumentations from http://abyss.uoregon.edu

In order to draw conclusions, a scientist uses the scientific method, a rigorous standard
of procedure and discussion that sets reason over irrational belief. Central to the
scientific method is a system of logic.

The scientific method has four steps:

- Observation/experimentation
- Deduction
- Hypothesis
- Verification/Falsification

5
http://abyss.uoregon.edu/~js/lectures/science/index.html
[- 25 -]
Note that there is a choice between verification and falsification. If a theory passes any
test, so is verified, then our confidence in the theory is reinforced, but it is never proven
correct in a mathematically sense. Thus, a powerful hypothesis is one that is highly
vulnerable to falsification and that can be tested in many ways.(Popper, 1959) The goal
of scientific method is the construction of models and theories, with the final goal of
understanding.

Schematic representation of scientific methodology from http://abyss.uoregon.edu

Next to the four earlier described forms of scientific reasoning, there is also reductionism.
This is very similar to, and has its roots from, Occam’s razor, which states that between
competing ideas, the simplest theory that fits the facts of a problem is the one that should
be selected. This is widely accepted due to its power in prediction and formulation. To a
reductionist, once a set of equations or mathematical relations has been found to
describe a system, then the behavior of the system is considered to be explained.

The reductionist philosophy led to a wider paradigm, the methodology of scientism, the
view that everything can and should be reduced to the properties of matter, such that
emotion, aesthetics and religious experience can be reduced to biological instinct,
chemical imbalances in the brain etc. The 20th century reaction against reductionism is
relativism. (Modern science is somewhere in between.)

Closely associated with reductionism is determinism, the philosophy that everything has
a cause, and that a particular cause leads to a unique effect. Another way of stating this

[- 26 -]
is that for everything that happens there are conditions such that, given them, nothing
else could happen. Implicit to determinism is the fact that every event happens of
necessity. It has to happen; the Universe has no choice.
Determinism also implies that everything is predictable given enough information. Since
Newtonian or classical physics is rigidly determinist, both in the predictions of its
equations and its foundations, then there is no room for chance, surprise and creativity.
Everything is as it has to be, which gave rise to the concept of the clockwork Universe.

The rise of science during the Age of Reason produced the idea that there is a hidden
order in Nature, which is mathematical in form and could be uncovered by investigation.
This hidden order could be expressed in the form of mathematical principles, or Laws of
Nature.
The existence of regularities in nature is an objective fact, thus we do not impose laws
onto nature. While the forms of the laws are human inventions, they reflect, imperfectly,
real properties of nature. This absolute invariance of the Laws of Nature underwrites the
meaningfulness of the scientific enterprise and assured its success.

Models or theories that are broad and encompass a significant fraction of a field of
science are called paradigms. Reductionism was one of the founding paradigms of
science, but was not a complete expression of the truth of Nature. However, the 300
years of progress that accompanied reductionism was not rooted on a misconception,
this is not the role of paradigms. Rather a particular paradigm is neither right nor wrong,
but merely reflects a perspective, an aspect of reality that may prove more or less fruitful
depending on the circumstances. Science may not deliver the whole truth, but it certainly
deals with truth and not dogma.

Paradigm Shifts in science;

Reductionism, similar to Occam’s razor: Between competing ideas, the simplest theory
that fits the facts is the one that should be selected.

Determinism, every event happens of necessity. Clockwork Universe. Cause, variables

and effect.

Newtonian Physics, There is a hidden order in Nature, which is mathematical in form,

and can be uncovered by investigation, the Laws of Nature. Data, Records, Insight, and
Experiments lead to analysis that leads to a scientific theory or model.

Relativity, Einstein's formula (E=mc2) allows to transform matter into energy and energy
into matter. The consequence might be for example that something can be formed of
nothing. Matter determines how space curves. Curved space determines how matter
moves. Due to the natural curvature of space, the shortest path between any two objects
is never a straight line, but a curved line called a geodesic.

Quantum Physics, about the characteristics of subatomic particles, energy is not

continuously, but in form of quanta (packages). Forget about all logical physical laws,
because the laws in the subatomic world are inconceivable.

Chaos Theory, studying complex and dynamic systems to reveal patterns of order (non-
chaos) out of seemingly chaotic behaviours. Best known example: A butterfly, flapping
its wings in Hong Kong, may change tornado patterns in Texas.

[- 27 -]
These various philosophies are not a linear development, which brings us to Thomas S.
Kuhn and his Paradigm Shifts, explained in the Kuhn cycle.
Science Historian and Philosopher Thomas S. Kuhn (1922-1996) argued that science
moved in leaps.(Kuhn, 1996) Those paradigms form, led to new ways of discovery, and
then become the standard in which new ideas are tested. Eventually, some new
experiment or observation will not fit into the current paradigm, and will lead to a new
theory, usually by some brilliant, young scientist. This new theory undergoes a series of
phases from disbelief to grudging acceptance until it forms the next paradigm. Each
paradigm shift, or science revolution, leads to a major step forward in our understanding
of the underlying reality. Paradigm shifts in physics are Newtonian Physics (1700-late
1800’s), followed by Relativity in the 1910’s, followed by the Quantum Physics in the
1920’s and Chaos Theory in the 1970’s.

The Kuhn cycle6 is a simple five step cycle first proposed in 1962 in “The Structure of
Scientific Revolutions” (Kuhn,1996). It explains how models evolve. His work focused on
scientific models, but can be applied to any body of knowledge whose use is critical and
whose construction is evolutionary. The five steps of the Kuhn cycle are:

How difficult it is to make it through a cycle may be seen in this extract from Kuhn’s book,
(Kuhn, 1996) who is quoting Max Planck:
“…a new scientific truth does not triumph by convincing its opponents and making them
see the light, but rather because its opponents eventually die, and a new generation
grows up that is familiar with it.”

According to critics, Kuhn showed that far from being the pursuit of objectivity and truth,
science was little more than problem-solving within accepted patterns of beliefs
(Sardar, 2000). This view however doesn’t cover the true scope of the findings by Kuhn,
and he defends his case in “Criticism and the Growth of Knowledge” (Lakatos &
Musgrave, 1970) in which he explains and arguments his findings against the critique by
Popper, Feyerabend, Lakatos and others.

Karl R. Popper agrees with the importance of revolutions in science, but differs about the
role of the model crisis in science’s revolutionary growth. (Popper,1959)

6
http://www.thwink.org/sustain/glossary/KuhnCycle.htm
[- 28 -]
Thomas S. Kuhn (1922-1996)

With the background and history explained we can take a closer look at Thomas S. Kuhn
himself;

Focusing on his career, we notice 5 important steps:

1948 Asst. Professor Education and History of Science at Harvard
1949 Ph.D. Physics from Harvard University
1956 University of California – Berkeley
1961 Professor of History of Science at California – Berkeley
1979 Professor of Philosophy and History of Science at MIT in Boston

Kuhn wrote “The Structure of Scientific Revolutions” before 1962, while being a graduate
student in Theoretical Physics at Harvard. At the time he was unfamiliar with the work of
Popper, but admits he must have participated in discussions about the recently
translated work of the Austrian Philosopher of Science.

A point of interest is the fact Kuhn was at University in the time of extreme political
repression (McCarthy’s hunt for communists), and social unrest with protests against the
use of scientific discoveries in the weapons industry. James Bryant Conant, at that time
president at Harvard, became his mentor (Sardar,2000). He was also the person, as
head of the Alamo Project, who convinced President Truman to drop the bomb on
Hiroshima “since it was inevitable”. Thus Kuhn grew up in a science that was becoming
industrialized, and had been transformed into a career rather than a vocation.

Popper had a commitment to Philosophy of Science as relevant to societal, even political

concerns. Kuhn however matured during a period when the study of science by scholars
was seen in strictly scholastic terms. His mentors were academics and technicians. This
explains the fact both Popper and Kuhn come to some of the same conclusions, but vary
in the interpretation of the importance of certain aspects of those.

Kuhn refers brilliantly to this conflict7 “Though the lines are the same, the figures which
emerge from them are not. That is why I call what separates us a gestalt switch rather
than a disagreement and also why I am at once perplexed and intrigued about how best
to explore the separation. How am I to persuade Sir Karl, who knows everything I know
about scientific development and who has somewhere or other said it, that what he calls
a duck can be seen as a rabbit? How am I to show him what it would be like to wear my
spectacles when he has already learned to look at everything I can point to through his
own?”

7
“Criticism and the Growth of Knowledge: Proceedings of the International Colloquium in the
Philosophy of Science.”
[- 29 -]
 http://www.cartoonbank.com

http://www.cambia.org
mikelynchcartoons.blogspot.com

http://www.cartoonbank.com

Not al references to Paradigm Shifts make sense.

http://info.wlu.ca/~wwwpsych/gnelson/shiftingparadigm.htm

http://blog.seniorennet.be/kareldhuyvetters/archief.php?ID=312791
[- 30 -]
 Kuhn vs. Popper

An interesting observation by Prof. Michel Wedel in one of his columns for the Dutch
Royal Academy of Sciences refers to the limitations of our observations. Science, art and
magic all make use of the way our brain interprets information.

“These phenomena also have implications in science. Scientists perceive what they are
focused on, and the latter is brought on by their goals. Problems not within their field of
attention stay unnoticed, will not be discovered. Theories put well together, are found to
be more believable. The magic of science is the fact new phenomena can be discovered,
regardless of our own shortcomings in that specific area.”8

This reinforces the theories of Kuhn and Popper; as he explains, we see what we expect
to see, and we often miss out on obvious signs because we are focussing on other
aspects.

In retrospect, we can state the fact great innovations and discoveries are not a result of
linear development, but rather emerge at the moment we encounter a crisis or problem
which can’t be solved within the current paradigm. This forces us to explore new ways of
looking, researching, designing, in order to be able to answer to the crisis in question.

8
The science of magic, and the magic of science. Column by Prof. Michel Wedel.
http://www.knaw200.nl/Pages/DEF/2/298.html (Koninklijke Academie van Wetenschappen)

[- 31 -]
Pictures courtesy of IDEO

[- 32 -]
Theory - IDEO’s Design Thinking.
Inspired by the philosophy of Kuhn, brought on by an interview with Dutch designer
Frans de la Haye (de Rijk, 2003), I started delving into more philosophies, and came
across IDEO’s “Design Thinking”9. A concept which has proven its worth, looking at the
success of this company.

As Tim Brown describes in an article in Harvard Business Review : “Design Thinking is a

methodology that imbues the full spectrum of innovation activities with a human-centered
design ethos. By this I mean that innovation is powered by a thorough understanding,
through direct observation, of what people want and need in their lives and what they like
or dislike about the way particular products are made, packaged, marketed, sold, and
supported.”

A Design Thinker’s personality profile will incorporate Empathy, Integrative Thinking

(Martin, 2007), Optimism, Experimentalism and Collaboration. The road to follow
consists of three steps, Inspiration, Ideation and Implementation, as shown in the
schematic representation below:

One of the main

aspects is the
focus on
experience, telling
stories and
creating a
relationship with
the consumer.
Looking at the
complete problem,
while trying to
come up with the
solution. Don’t
think linear, don’t
look at what has
been done before
and then try to
improve it or fix its
IDEO’s Design Thinking schematic representation shortcomings, but
rather start at the
beginning.

This is where I found the connection with Kuhn, who states paradigm shifts occur when a
new and fresh scientist enters the stage. One of the quotes that got my attention was in
the for mentioned article in Harvard Business Review, where Tim Brown emphasizes the
importance of “Begin at the beginning”. Design Thinking is a discipline that uses the
designer’s sensibility and methods to match people’s needs with what is technologically
feasible and what a viable business strategy can convert into customer value and market
opportunity.

9
http://mitworld.mit.edu/video/357/
Online lecture by head of IDEO, Tim Brown. MIT, 50 minutes lecture about Design Thinking.
[- 33 -]
IDEO uses the “Method Cards”; a collection of cards representing various ways that
design teams can understand the people they are designing for. They are used to make
a number of different methods accessible to all members of a design team, to explain
how and when the methods are best used, and to demonstrate how they have been
applied to real design projects.
IDEO's human factors specialists conceived the deck as a design research tool for its
staff and clients, to be used by researchers, designers, and engineers to evaluate and
select the empathic research methods that best inform specific design initiatives. The
tool can be used in various ways—sorted, browsed, searched, spread out, and pinned up
— as both information and inspiration to human-centered design teams and individuals
at various stages to support planning and execution of design programs.
Inspired by playing cards, the cards are classified as four suits—Ask, Watch, Learn,
Try—that define the types of activities involved in using each method. Each approach is
illustrated by a real-life example of how the method was applied to a specific project. As
new methods are developed all the time, the deck will grow and evolve over time.

Integrative Thinking.

Getting back at the personality profile, I want to focus on the Integrative Thinking. Do not
only rely on analytical processes that produce either/or choices, but exhibit the ability to
see all of the salient – and sometimes contradictory – aspects of a confounding problem
and create novel solutions that go beyond and dramatically improve on existing
alternatives. The importance of Integrative Thinking is the main subject of “The
opposable mind” by Roger Martin. His working definition of Integrative Thinking:

“The ability to face constructively the tension of opposing ideas and, instead of choosing
one at the expense of the other, generate a creative resolution of the tension in the form
of a new idea that contains elements of the opposing ideas but is superior to each.”
[- 34 -]
He was not the first to notice the importance of integrative thinking; Thomas C.
Chamberlain also describes this phenomenon in “The method of multiple working
hypotheses” Science XV, no.366 (February 7, 1890): 93, 94:

“The use of the method leads to certain peculiar habits of mind which deserve passing
notice, since as a factor of education its disciplinary value is one of importance. When
faithfully pursued for a period of years, it develops a habit of thought analogues to the
method itself, which may be designated a habit of parallel or complex thought. Instead of
a simple succession of thoughts in linear order, the procedure is complex, and the mind
appears to become possessed of the power of simultaneous vision from different
standpoints. Phenomena appear to become capable of being viewed analytically and
synthetically at once.”

Roger Martin describes the mindset for Integrative Thinking as “Stance”. About the world,
and about self:

Stance about the World:

1. Existing models do not represent reality; they are our construction.

2. Opposing models are to be leveraged, not feared.
3. Existing models are not perfect; better models exist that are not yet seen.

Stance about self:

1. I am capable of finding a better model.

2. I can wade into and get through the necessary complexity.
3. I give myself the time to create a better model.

Another writer with a similar view is Daniel H. Pink with “A whole new mind. Why right-
brainers will rule the future.” He talks about the six essential aptitudes - “the six senses”-
on which professional success and personal satisfaction increasingly will depend.
Design. Story. Symphony. Empathy. Play. Meaning.

So we notice a similar view by several scientists, designers and writers on the

importance of thinking outside the box, as is the common phrase. Taking a look at the
successes of IDEO’s implementation of this in practice we can’t overlook one of the most
publicized efforts: the shopping cart they re-invented for Nightline, an ABC Network
documentary about Design Thinking. Other well known products are the first Apple
computer mouse, Oral-B toothbrush, the concept of the laptop (!), The SoftBook
electronic book, eyewear for Nike, various Logitech controllers, the complete Amtrack
travel experience between Boston and NYC, and so on. The list isn’t endless, but very
long and still growing10.

On the following page the much talked about shopping cart exercise in sketch, the
prototype is to be seen at page 32.

10
IDEO, Masters of innovation. Jeremy Myerson. BIS Publishers, Calmann & King Ltd, London,
2001, and http://www.ideo.com

[- 35 -]
Sketches courtesy of IDEO

[- 36 -]
This is the IDEO way (Nussbaum,2004)
Five steps in the process of designing a better consumer experience.

1. Observation.
IDEO’s cognitive psychologists, anthropologists, and sociologists team up with corporate
clients to understand the consumer experience. Some of IDEO’s techniques:

SHADOWING Observing people using products, shopping, going to hospitals, taking the
train, using their cell phones.
BEHAVORIAL MAPPING Photographing people within a space, such as a hospital waiting
room, over two or three days.
CONSUMER JOURNEY Keeping track of all the interactions a consumer has with a product,
service, or space.
CAMARA JOURNALS Asking consumers to keep visual diaries of their activities and
impressions relating to a product.
EXTREME USER INTERVIEWS Talking to people who really know – or know nothing- about a
product or service, and evaluating their experience using it.
STORYTELLING Prompting people to tell personal stories about their consumer
experiences.
UNFOCUS GROUPS Interviewing a diverse group of people: To explore ideas about
sandals, IDEO gathered an artist, a bodybuilder, a podiatrist, and a shoe fetishist.

2. Brainstorming.
An intense, idea-generating session analyzing data gathered by observing people. Each
lasts no more than an hour. Rules of brainstorming are strict and are stencilled on the
walls:

DEFER JUDGEMENT Don’t dismiss any ideas

BUILD ON THE IDEAS OF OTHERS No “buts”, only “ands.”
ENCOURAGE WILD IDEAS Embrace the most out-of-the-box notions because they can be
the key to solutions.
GO FOR QUANTITY Aim for as many new ideas as possible. In a good session up to 100
ideas are generated in 60minutes.
BE VISUAL Use yellow, red, and blue markers to write on big Post-its that are put on a
wall.
STAY FOCUSSED ON THE TOPIC Always keep the discussion on target.
ONE CONVERSATION AT A TIME. No interrupting, no dismissing, no disrespect, and no
rudeness.

3. Rapid prototyping.
Mocking up working models helps everyone visualize possible solutions and speeds up
decision-making and innovation. Some guidelines:

MOCK UP EVERYTHING It’s possible to create models not only of products, but also of
services such as health care and spaces such as museum lobbies.
USE VIDEOGRAPHY Make short movies to depict the consumer experience.
GO FAST Build mock-ups quickly and cheaply. Never waste time on complicated models.

[- 37 -]
Picture courtesy of IDEO

[- 38 -]
NO FRILLS Make prototypes that demonstrate a design idea without sweating over the
details.
CREATE SCENARIOS Show how a variety of people use a service in different ways, and
how various designs can meet their individual needs.
BODYSTORM Delineate different types of consumers and act out their roles.

4. Refining
At this stage, IDEO narrows down the choices to a few possibilities. Here’s how it’s done:

BRAINSTORM in a rapid fashion to weed out ideas and focus on the remaining best
options.
FOCUS PROTOTYPING on a few key ideas to arrive at an optimal solution to a problem.
ENGAGE THE CLIENT actively in the process of narrowing the choices.
BE DISCIPLINED and ruthless in making selections.
FOCUS on the outcome of the process – reaching the best possible solution.
GET AGREEMENT from all stakeholders. The more top-level executives who sign off on the
solution, the better the chances of success.

5. Implementation

Bring IDEO’s strong engineering, design, and social-science capabilities to bear when
actually creating a product or service.

TAP ALL RESOURCES Involve IDEO’s diverse workforce from 40 countries to carry out the
plans.

THE WORKFORCE Employees have advanced degrees in different kinds of engineering:

mechanical, electrical, biomedical, software, aerospace, and manufacturing. Many are
experts in materials science, computer-aided design, robotics, computer science, movie
special effects, moulding, industrial interaction, graphic and Web information, fashion
and automotive design, business, communications, linguistics, sociology, ergonomics,
cognitive psychology, biomechanics, art therapy, ethnology, marketing consulting,
statistics, medicine, and zoology.

[- 39 -]
Designs Frans de la Haye, pictures by Ahrend, Shell & Union
[- 40 -]
Hypothesis
“Retail Design Paradigm Shift”.
The philosophies of Thomas S. Kuhn and IDEO applied to Retail Environments.

A direct relation between scientific paradigms and developments in (retail) design is hard
to prove, sometimes even hard to distinguish. The only direct reference to Kuhn to be
found is the statement of Frans de la Haye. He explains the importance of looking
beyond the conventions (de Rijk, 2003). This results, in his case, in complete new design
solutions as for instance the tension-frame bike. A better known example is the gas
pump with 4 kinds of petrol available at one station, no one had ever thought about this
solution, but now it’s the international standard, used by all.

The fact de la Haye explicitly mentions Kuhn as a source of inspiration makes it easier to
understand. There must be others following the same set of rules, but it is more likely
they came to these conclusions by another way of reasoning.

One Dutch agency using the term “paradigm” is Total Identity; in “Form Fabricates
Function” (Brandt, 2008), they refer to a paradigm shift when a new concept in the
lifecycle of a product emerges at the moment the market is saturated. The archetype is
changed for a new one. They describe this as a new concept changing the ruling
paradigm. A variation of the true Kuhn Cycle, since there is no crisis but merely a point of
saturation.

IDEO doesn’t refer to Kuhn or others, they have set their own set of rules by observing
the needs of the market, and came to the same conclusion. Don’t improve but innovate!
Forget what your predecessors have done, take a fresh look at the problem at hand,
throw existing conventions overboard, and only look at the fulfilment of the consumer’s
expectations, needs and wishes. Making good use of implementation of trends and
developments available and upcoming. (See “This is the IDEO way” in the previous
chapter.)
By this way of reasoning they have created some paradigm shifts themselves, as can be
seen in the inspiring book “IDEO, Masters of innovation”.

The importance of being aware of and implementing the latest trends is explained in
detail by one of the better known Dutch trendwatchers: Carl Rohde; he points out the
most recent trends to implement in your strategies:11

1. Digitising existence
2. Globalisation
3. Search for Roots & Realness
4. Experience economy
5. Personalising, the search for the “human touch” (Pimping)
6. Co Creative society (My Space, YouTube, Hyves, Blogs, Twitter)
7. Baby boomers, 50+ target audience is becoming more and more important. Time
to spare and money to spend.

Every designer should be aware of this, and implement these in the cases they are
working on. Looking at the general bulk of designs surrounding us, we notice it is

11
“Verkenning naar hedendaagse trends en communicatie” dr.Carl C. Rohde, Jaarbeurs Holding,
Utrecht, 2008

[- 41 -]
common usage to start where your predecessor has left off. Improving on the existing
item or solution is often more than enough to satisfy both client and consumer.
Implementation of new trends and technological developments often is the best they
have to offer.

Fact is, many of the corporations’ designers are working for, are not ready and/or willing
to break the rules. Conventions are hard to break, because most of the time they are
seen as a set of rules you’ll have to follow, despite the fact the final result is at the most
adequate, never ground breaking, innovative or refreshing.

IDEO and Kuhn offer a fresh approach to the design question at hand. Both come up
with more or less the same advice, based on scientific research at one hand, and
market- and consumer research on the other.

As shown in the diagrams above (courtesy IDEO), new offerings and new users can lead
to revolutionary design solutions, or even the other way around. New, innovative,
revolutionary designs sometimes even create their own market. The successes of many
of the Apple products are a fine example of markets created by newly developed
products. It is not surprising that Steve Jobs is a close friend of IDEO’s founder, David
Kelly. Jobs has shown over and over again (Scully, 1990) he is a visionary, taking a
closer look at these past successes, we notice a similarity with the thought processes of
Kelly, Brown and even Kuhn.

[- 42 -]
The importance of being aware of the current and upcoming trends has been explained
in detail, combined with the current developments concerning new insights on right-brain
thinking and integrative thinking (Pink, 2005 & Martin, 2007), the new appreciation for
design in general (Peters, 2005) and the Design Thinking of IDEO combined with the
conclusions from Kuhn’s philosophies, all will lead to a new approach of conceptualizing
and designing. In this specific case, a retail environment.

Model crisis leading to a paradigm shift.

As mentioned in the reference to Total Identity, and shown in the Kuhn cycle diagram, for
a true Paradigm shift in Kuhn’s opinion, there has to be a crisis provoking the new
concept. The crisis in this case is the fact people with impaired vision can’t judge a new
frame without glasses, there has to be found a fitting solution for this problem.

Apart from that, the homogenic offering in the majority of chain owned opticians doesn’t
allow much room for individualism or true personal influence, by combining the latest
technologies available with insights concerning social behaviour and trends; we opt for a
solution of both problems in the new design.

To explain visually to the laymen, there will be a design solution for a Specsavers
optician. At first we will analyse the current situation at Specsavers, which analysis will
be compared with the design based on the effect of implementation of the new set of
rules. In other words, the effect of the paradigm shift. This does however not mean
abandoning conventions is a goal; it’s a way of unlocking the mind for possibilities
otherwise overlooked.

[- 43 -]
Shop window – Antwerp (PH)
[- 44 -]
Method
Looking at the current situation in retail design in general, we can state there are certain
kinds of retail more susceptible for implementation of the outcome of this research than
others. For some the implications will be so far fetching, we have to look at a whole new
urban planning to make it functional, for others there won’t be much difference at all.
While in fashion for instance, groundbreaking work has been done already. After much
deliberation, brainstorming and meetings with several interested parties the choice has
been made for an optician.

The current situation in this field is walls of frames fitted with none descript glasses, an
area for measurement and preparation of the glasses, and a lot of mirrors. The only
differences are purely cosmetic, the styling varies, but the overall design is the same in
most of them, especially the chain owned opticians.

To visually explain and make it comprehendible for all, there will be a design solution for
a Specsavers optician. At first we will analyse the current situation at Specsavers, which
analysis will be compared with the design based on the effect of implementation of the
new set of rules.

Literature search laid the base for this dissertation, while interviews, locations and trade
fair visits deepened insight. A questionnaire and its answers helped clarify the current
feeling of consumers about shopping in general. Several websites were frequently visited
because of the insights concerning developments in the field of design, trends and
consumer behaviour.

Fieldwork as visiting several opticians was also part of the process, and an interview with
the manager at Specsavers in Tiel told a lot about the current situation, with its pros and
cons.

[- 45 -]
Optician – London (PH)
[- 46 -]
General information about Specsavers, the current concept and mission.

Specsavers, world’s largest privately owned optician chain, was founded in 1984 by
opticians Doug and Mary Perkins. They started with their company from a spare
bedroom. They brought around a real revolution with their ‘high turnover small price’
concept in the British opticians market. The company is currently market leader in the
United Kingdom, with a market share of over 30%, and over 1400 stores worldwide.
Doug and Mary Perkins strove towards a broad assortment stylish, fashionable glasses
at an affordable price for all. They wanted a company as reliable as the local
independent optician, but with the enormous buying power of an international
corporation, so the savings could be shared with the customers.
The company grew enormously, among others because of the expansion abroad. The
first Dutch store opened in 1997 in Haarlem. At the moment Specsavers can be found
throughout the country at 100 locations, where both opticians and audicians are working.

The company is growing continuously. At the moment there are working over 500 people
at the main office in Guernsey, and another 250 at regional headquarters. Not counting
the 18.000 people working in the stores. The company has over 1000 shops throughout
Great Britain, Ireland, The Netherlands, Sweden, Denmark, Norway, Spain, Finland,
Australia and New Zealand.

Eye for social issues.

Specsavers has an eye for social issues. They realize as no other the importance of
good eye sight, but also what it means to miss (part off) your eye sight. That’s why all the
charities supported by Specsavers have a direct link to seeing.
Next to that individual stores support charity projects like the collecting of glasses for
third World countries and educational projects at schools.
Each year there are so called ‘health weeks’ at Specsavers. During these weeks
Specsavers asks attention for subjects like smoking, healthy food and the effects on
eyes and ears. By this they want to inform the general public about the consequences of
a certain life style or choices on their eyes and ears.

Since January 2008 Specsavers officially sponsors KNGF Guide dogs. KNGF trains
dogs as guide dogs for the blind since 1935. A guide dog guides his boss in traffic, and
avoids obstacles and situations potentially dangerous for their owner. Next to that the
dog can search certain objects at command, like stairs, a door, mailbox or a vacant seat
at public transport. Thanks to guide dogs visually handicapped can participate
independently in even the heaviest traffic, without depending on family or friends. The
independency, freedom of movement and companionship the dog gives his visually
handicapped boss is unique and irreplaceable.

Specsavers is proud to be able to support KNGF Guide dogs, because this partnership
connects to its mission: accessible high quality eye care for all. For both Specsavers and
KNGF quality and professionalism are important pillars. Specsavers only works with
licensed opticians and audicians and KNGF only provides the highest quality in training.
Together with all the enthusiastic employees the stores try to raise money and make
people aware of the importance of guide dogs.

Dark & Light Blind Care helps visually impaired in developing countries, especially
children, with prevention and treatment of eye diseases, education and rehabilitation of
handicapped. Dutch stores are raising money to support this organization.

[- 47 -]
Specsavers Audicians sponsors Week of the Listening book 2009.
During this week every customer getting a free hearing test received a special gift. The
book “Factor 100” was especially written and spoken in by well known writers duo
Machteld van Gelder en Aaf Brandt Corstius to commemorate its 5th anniversary.

The Specsavers eye measurement

Always free of charge measurement of your eye sight. Your eyes are probably your most
important sense. Optometrists advise a check up every two years. At each Specsavers
store you’ll find qualified optometrists and opticians. These professionals will take care
the elaborated test will go further then just measuring the needed strength of your
glasses.
There are many different ways to measure your eyes. The most important tests are listed
below, each measurement is personal, so your individual situation will determine which
test suite you best.

1. Optician visit
2. Non-contact tonometer
3. Autorefractormeter
4. General health and lifestyle
5. Collaboration eyes
6. Determine strength of glasses
7. Ophthalmoscope
8. Range of vision test
9. Pupil test
10. Movement eyes
11. Retina and Cornea
12. Discussion advice
13. Frame and glasses advice

Points of special interest.

The attention points below show the professional attitude of the Specsavers chain, and
combined with the sponsoring of various charities, this makes Specsavers a very nice
organisation to work for during this dissertation.

1. Children’s glasses are specially designed and manufactured to ensure durability.

2. Special attention for children up to 12, we learn 80% from sight during this period.
3. Eye measurements for teenagers, non corrected problems will influence their
learning abilities, their job, even their social life.
4. Pregnancy can influence your eye sight as well, even though this often is only
temporary. Often instigated by hormonal imbalance, it’s best to have it checked in
case there are other causes.
5. Presbyopia is a deficiency often encountered after your 40th, reduction in
sharpness of sight close by.
6. Diabetes and high blood pressure. As you grow older its getting more important to
regularly have your eyes checked, since diabetes, high blood pressure and
glaucoma can be detected at an early stage during these check ups.
7. Each Specsavers optician has at least a completed 3 year MBO education. This
is not a requirement in the Netherlands, but Specsavers only employs qualified
MBO Opticians or HBO Optometrists.

[- 48 -]
Hearing aids.

Next to glasses, Specsavers also sells hearing aids. And again, the staff is trained and
qualified. A minimum of a completed 3 year MBO for the audician at Specsavers.
To be sure los of hearing doesn’t influence your life in a negative way, its best to get a
yearly check up after your 50th. At Specsavers an elaborate test is free of charge, and
informal. The qualified audicians will test your hearing focused on the wave patterns
important for speech. A tone audiogram at the end of the test will explain the results,
after which the audician can give you professional advice.
Los of hearing is mostly gradually, in the early stages hardly noticeable. Following a list
of questions which will help you determine if its time to get your hearing tested.

1. Did anyone ever tell you the sound of your TV set is loud?
2. Do you have any trouble following dialogues in cinema or theatre?
3. Is it difficult to have a conversation by phone?
4. Do you ever ask people to repeat their sentence?
5. Do you have problems following conversations in a group?
6. Do you have better hearing in one ear than in the other?
7. Do you ever feel isolated because of hearing problems?
8. Do you experience misunderstandings after a conversation?
9. Did anyone ever tell you, you have a hearing problem?
10. Is it difficult to hear with background noise in restaurants or on the street?

Depending on the amount of times you answered with ‘yes’ you can decide whether or
not its time to get tested. 1 Time indicates probably no problem, 2-4 times indicates a
possible light hearing problem, 4-7 indicates a possible hearing problem, and over 7
indicates the possibility of a major hearing problem.

Specsavers in short;

Specsavers is the world’s largest privately owned optician chain.

Specsavers is the third largest optician chain worldwide.
Annual turnover at a record height in 2007/2008 at over GBP 1 billion.
Specsavers currently has over 1400 shops worldwide
Specsavers employs over 18.000 people.
Specsavers 25Th anniversary in 2009.
Specsavers is Europe’s largest home deliverer of contact lenses.
Glasses of Specsavers are mounted with Pentax glasses.
Specsavers is third biggest optician in the Netherlands.
Specsavers recently opened its 100st store in the Netherlands.
Specsavers introduces value for money concept in 1997 in the Netherlands.
In 2003/2004 Specsavers sponsored Jamai, winner of the first Dutch Idols. Brand
recognition grew to above 90%.
Each year Specsavers organizes ‘Glasses Wearer of the Year’, a search for the person
with the most ‘specs appeal’. The Dutch winner will participate in the international final in
London, and can win a modelling contract. In 2009 the contest will have its 10th
anniversary.
2004 – 2008 Specsavers officially sponsored the Dutch referees of KNVB.
In 2008 Specsavers sponsored NET5 makeover-program Passion for Fashion
Since 2008 Specsavers sponsors KNGF guide dogs.
In May 2008 Specsavers offered a petition of 40.000 signatures to the Government
regarding regulations concerning the occupation of optician

[- 49 -]
Additional information.
Looking at the current situations of product presentation we notice opticians present a
large variety of spectacle frames, to show potential clients the abundance of choice, and
make it easy for consumers to pick up, and try out, the frames of their choice.

One of the main problems confronting the client is the fact it’s hard to judge a frame
you’re trying out, because of the fact you need glasses in the first place. Mirrors aplenty
in the shop, but with impaired vision you can’t judge properly, and are left to the advice of
friends and staff. Day lenses are offered but rejected; pictures only offer a 2D
representation. So a new, high tech solution is required in order to offer a service most
clients didn’t even realize they missed.

The majority of chain owned opticians, and Specsavers is no difference, have a low
budget look and feel, while changes in choice of material and colour can result in a much
better atmosphere without raising the budget. The result should be welcoming, open and
transparent, while enhancing the “value for money” and “expertise” of the chain in
question.

For examples see compilation below, various pictures of ways to design an optician
without the ‘cold’ and cheap appearance we now too often encounter in the major chains.
(Google search on “optician design” came up with the various examples shown below)

[- 50 -]
In the examples below12 we can compare the three major chains in the Netherlands;
Specsavers, Pearle and Hans Anders. The last is definitely the least in appearance, the
entire look and feel of the store enhances the ‘cheap’ image of this chain. Pearle is doing
better in atmosphere, but still misses out. Specsavers is in the same league as Pearle. A
whole new floor plan, changes in colour scheme and choice of materials and an adjusted
light plan can create a complete different atmosphere, without the dreaded rise in costs
of implementation.

After visiting a Specsavers in Tiel and haven spoken with the manager, an optometrist,
several interesting aspects emerged. One of his main objections at the moment was the
rigidity of the retail concept, it was not allowed to make small adjustments with the result
all Specsavers stores now have a large stained carpet around the coffee machine, since
the concept doesn’t allow to put a hard floor in that area. A big mistake!

A personal favourite which struck a cord was the open plan floor plan. Better integration
of all functions, better view lines for the staff, resulting in a more inviting appearance.
Measurement on the shop floor was a suggestion he was open for, it would heighten the
professional feeling of the chain, a strong point in favour since they put emphasis on
qualified staff and professionalism in general. Taking into consideration the technical
requirements of such an area, completely open isn’t possible, but more in view is
certainly an obtainable improvement. At the moment there is no audician in this store, but
the new concept will have an integrated audio area as well.

12
Pictures courtesy of Specsavers, Pearl and Hans Anders.
[- 51 -]
Akkerman Rotterdam (PH)

[- 52 -]
Optician Akkerman, Rotterdam (July 24th)
A visit to Akkerman in Rotterdam, and the additional information gotten from the
interview with the manager will help determine some basic rules to abide, and has given
a perfect example of what a personalized approach can mean for an optician. This high
end store is specialized in glasses and contact lenses, staff is highly qualified, and a
weekly visiting MD specialist offers additional service and upgrades standard and service
both.

The fact the collection consists of the higher price range means all frames are locked
away, this creates a complete different atmosphere, and while it can be seen as a
limitation not to be able to pick up the frames for yourself, the staff counters this
downside by their knowledge, personal attention and expertise.

Eye measurement can be done both on the retail floor as in a separated area, the first
indicational, the second very detailed. The indicational measurement can help potential
clients in the choice of possible frames, depending on the outcome of the measurement.
When a client comes for the real measurement, this separated area is needed since a
certain amount of privacy is needed, and some equipment only functions properly in an
area with reduced lighting.

Storage is something every store needs aplenty, and this optician is no exception.
Cleverly hidden storage behind mirrors between the showcases provide ample storage,
accessories are stored in the measurement area, which can be inconvenient at times.
Some drawers integrated in free standing showcases and the base of the counter offer
additional storage.

One of the major advantages I noticed in this store is the integration of computers in free
standing display counters, so staff has direct access to client information where needed.
The low seating areas make use of laptops; a suggestion is the integration of touch
screens build in in all worktops, so there is no risk of stolen equipment anymore. The
client doesn’t have to stand in line at the counter to pay; the handheld equipment makes
it possible to close deals wherever you are in the store, leaving the general desk open for
sales of fast moving items and the giving of general information.

A combination with the selling of hearing aids is in their opinion only workable when you
can create a shop-in-shop situation; otherwise the optician is kept busy changing
batteries in a hearing aid in stead of doing what he is trained for, and good at. This can
create situations not profitable to both consumer and retailer. A shop-in-shop with its own
staff will counter this negative aspect, and will create an added value for the store in
general. The fact remains, a qualified audician should be at hand, either full time, or on a
scheduled base. The other staff should be able to help clients with maintenance and
replacement of parts, so clients can be helped at all times.

At the moment the communication about the offering of contact lenses is missing, they
are going to create a special area on the first floor, and upgrade communication about
this product range. At the moment you’ll have to ask for lenses or cleaning fluids, and
this is a missed opportunity, since many will now pass by without even asking.

[- 53 -]
Conventions in optician retail:

1. Show as many products as possible.

2. Presentation based on brand, price range, strength or sun.
3. More expensive frames not freely accessible.
4. Show frames with clear demonstration glasses.
5. Eye-and audio measurement in separated, clinical areas.
6. Strict separation between glasses, contact lenses and hearing aids.
7. Strict separation between presentation male, female and children’s range.
8. Hinging on two thoughts, part medical, and part fashion.
9. Some opticians only offer eye measurement with the buying of glasses/lenses.
10. Qualifications often unknown. Optician, optometrist, shop assistant?
11. Accessories not available at all opticians.

Points of interest in upgrading current concept:

1. Because of impaired vision impossible to see for yourself how the spectacles look
on you.
2. Chain owned opticians – branding seems to be more important then a workable
and inviting environment.
3. Up market opticians – showing off seems to be more important then a workable
and inviting environment.
4. No information about alternative solutions.
5. More integration measurement on shop floor, equipment may be seen, enhances
professional image of the chain. Measurement is part of selling process; advice
starts there, and continues until client leaves the store with a fitting solution.
6. Open plan design is preferable over cabins, integrate and interactive.
7. Current situation Specsavers doesn’t allow variations in interior design; too strict
guidelines create often illogical situations.
8. New concept Specsavers location Lijnbaan Rotterdam, new displays and
graphics, same Modus Operandi.

Possible angles of approach in new design concept:

1. 3D Head scan (RPC technology)

2. Projection frames on scanned head (how do you fit them properly on the scanned
head, 3D glove for placement?)
3. Presentation frames based on head-shape or hair color
4. Product range: Unisex, male, female, child, brand, sun, contact lenses, cleaning
sets, hearing aids, batteries, accessories
5. All models on stock but not on display, behind glass that can be made translucent
when needed for instance, otherwise in use for graphics or projection with
primetime screens?
6. Projection frames as presentation in stead of the real frames

[- 54 -]
7. Hearing test DIY for indication purposes only / playful – combine with other
senses in a children’s area for entertainment and learning, optical illusions, sound
effects, etc.
8. Interactive: frames on scanned head on touch sensitive screen or with use of 3D
glove
9. Window presentation activated or influenced by passers by
10. Central hub for intake and waiting / hospitality / informal together
11. Separated area but in sight with test equipment, visual separation possible when
needed
12. Workshop in back office / why BACK office? Other options?
13. Desks sales and info separated / do we need desks?
14. Personal attention as standard
15. Professionalism as standard (In Europe only Portugal and the Netherlands have
no legislation concerning occupation as optician)
16. Seamless interaction and integration with website
17. Webcam self shot pictures used for frame suggestion
18. Current website good platform to build further on
19. Intuitive usability can be improved
20. Closed up shop front after closing hours, cut outs in picto shapes of ear and eye,
logo and neon accent light in green
21. Perforation is sound reducing and lets through light……
22. In focus / out of focus in graphics
23. Leverage, draw bridge style entrance, moving inside
24. Sliding separation paneling in rail to lock up shop, opened supporting door/ceiling
element, separate glass doors for colder seasons, automatic sliding system, both
touch sensitive and motion sensitive
25. Sight testing DIY in store and at home for indication purposes only
26. Adaptable concept to local preferences and materials
27. Reduce carbon footprint by use of local building materials
28. Clientele build up in percentages important for determining look and feel
29. Part self service for cleaning sets and sunglasses / vending machine outside?
30. Open plan concept to enhance interaction with staff and raise professional image
31. Tell and show consumers professional standard of staff
32. Problems to be solved: impaired sight or hearing, needing professional care, info
concerning laser treatment possibilities?
33. Quick sales of sunglasses, batteries, accessories and cleaning sets
34. Help with battery change when needed, advice on cleaning when needed
35. Brand image enhanced by store concept, not only in graphics!
36. Easy to recognize concept, differentiation from competitors
37. Presentation frames on vertically rotating display, only partly visible during its
cycle
38. Leave external conventions outside of concept, are not within our range of
influence during this exercise
39. Break thought patterns, create intuitive and challenging, outside the box…..
40. See latest technological developments as opportunities, technology can be
enhancing in stead of limiting

[- 55 -]
41. Satisfaction consumer at first plan will create brand loyalty (at 76% at the
moment!)
42. Solve current problems/objections concerning a shop visit at Specsavers
43. Advise on other treatments possible for impairments
44. Collaboration with healthcare – without losing the fashion angle of the product
range!
45. Look at new developments concerning eye-care and hearing
46. Protection as added value? Safety glasses, ear plugs for concerts etc.
47. B2B angle can be enhanced, especially on safety aspects. Now only online, not in
store, but it’s only a small market with low margins
48. Dutch audience is fashionable and bold, daring to experiment
49. Aim is to end up with 135 stores in the Netherlands, and to grow to the number 1
position, while the current position is number 3 behind Hans Anders and Pearle
50. The Netherlands are responsible for 6% of revenue Specsavers
51. Use several languages to enhance international position of Specsavers chain:

HOREN ZIEN HEARING SEEING ESCUTAR MIRAR HÖREN SEHEN OOR OOG
OHR AUGEN OJO OREGA LISTEN OBSERVE VOIR OBSERVAR BEOBACHTEN
EYE EAR ENTENDRE APPRENDRE OBSERVER REMERQUER DETERMINER
REGARDER

52. Use key words in and out of focus as decorative element in shop
53. Clear, transparent, random, repeating, organic, integration, surround
54. Attention for human scale, honest and pure, but with a luxury feeling
55. Interior elements pre-fabricated, interchangeable and interlocking, expandable for
several different floor plans
56. Repeating of shapes is often enhancing the strength of the basic shape
57. Target audience male and female alike, majority over 40, age ranging from 4 up
to 100 and on, 60% of population! Only 3%of Dutch population uses hearing aid.
58. 25% Of spectacle wearers think about laser treatment, 65% doesn’t think they
know enough to make a proper decision, while 42% thinks it will enhance quality
of life.
59. Last 5 years counted a total of 25.000 laser treatments in the Netherlands
60. Discrepancy medical and fashion angle of product range
61. More and more eye problems because of computer screens
62. Spectacles look serious according to 68%, 34% finds spectacle wearers to look
smarter, 29% finds them hip, and 11% dreary. 49% Of children are neutral
towards glasses, while 5% finds it cool.
63. 76% Of consumers is loyal to its current store, only reason to change is better
offer at competitor

[- 56 -]
Analysis current Specsavers Retail concept.
Considering the fact all major optician chains operate more or less according to the same
rules, we must conclude the concept as it is at the moment, is a functional one. The
differences between the chains are purely cosmetic and emphasized by branding, but
the Modus Operandi is mostly the same in all.

Looking at the current floor plan of Specsavers in Tiel, as shown on page 59, we notice
an entrance with company branded lightboxes, and a predominantly glass facade. Large
visuals behind the shop windows show both images and explanitory text concerning the
price range and build up.

Added value by the welcoming plaque at the entrance with name and picture of the
manager/optometrist. The fact his qualifications are mentioned enhances the
professional image of this Specsavers and the entire chain in general.

The routing inside the shop is devided in rather strict areas, so clients are offered the
range of spectacles in the front of the shop, while the cash register, meeting area and
measure areas are situated more to the back. This results in a situation where people
looking for a quick purchase of non descript sunglasses or cleaning fluids are forced to
go to the central location of the cash register. The none descript sunglasses however are
presented directly at the entrance, while the lenses and cleaning fluids are presented
near the central desk. This enhances the change of theft, and discourages on the other
hand a quick sale of either product.

The fact the measurement areas are situated next to the meeting area has advantages,
but in this location also the disadvantage resulting in a narrow area where you are easily
disturbed in your conversation by passers by into the measurement areas or back office.

Rather randomly placed, hanging from the ceiling, are graphics with special offers, while
along the walls at several locations atmosphere is created by large full color visuals. At
various points the pricing is explained, so wherever you are in the shop, it is clear how
much you are likely to spend.

Looking firstly at the floorcovering in the current concept, we notice a wood grain
laminated hard top flooring in combination with carpet. Next to that they unfortunately
opted for loose door mats in the entrence, a nice colour accent, but a hazardous entry
with the chance of tripping, especially for the elderly. Because of the rigidity of the
concept we now see a large stained area around all the coffee machines in Specsavers,
since these are situated in an area with carpet. An uncalled for result of a rigid
implementation of the retail concept.

Directly at the entrance you will find information about the pricing, the build up of costs,
and any additional costs depending on choices for all options available. This ensures
consumers they know what they can expect to spend, and there are no surprises at the
cash desk. This info is placed in several other areas in the shop as well, making the
information available for all, and ensuring clarity about pricing. Added value: reducing
questions about pricing to staff, so they can focus on the service.

The product presentation is as expected; overwhelming amounts presented close to

each other, presented on style, with the exception of the budget line and none descript
sunglasses. Wall presentation and free standing displays are in the same style, but by
this design consistency you block the overview in the store, making it hard to see all
visitors, and partly obscuring sight on the entrance and the sunglasses displayed there.

[- 57 -]
The styles are vague in differentiation; Fashion and Modern are 2 styles with lots of
overlapping frames, while Titanium is a style in itself, but because this is more a material
then a style we notice a great variety in frame designs in this area. Timeless, Sun and
Young are as to be expected. Spectacular is a very strange name, since you would
expect great designs here, but this section is more an area with all frames not fitting in
the other style sections. The mirrors between sections hide storage areas, but some
mirrors are relatively small, so it’s not easy to get a good look while fitting frames. The
big display explaining the way you can best shop at Specsavers is an odd one, the boxes
to collect frames are a nice touch, but the display in itself is horrendous and bulky, not
fitting the style of the other displays.

Advise on the choice of frame is based on the shape of your head and colour of your
hear, making it quite methodical and functional, but difficult for people who want to break
conventions and are looking for a distinctive feature.
Sunglasses of Polaroid are presented in a seperate area, directly at the entrance to
enhance impulse sales. Contact lenses are meagerly presented in a seperate area, and
at the counter you can buy cleaning fluids and get your information. Hearing aids and
their accessories and parts are not presented in this location, but where on sale they are
presented in a relatively small area with again not much attention value. Both can be
more consistently integrated in the concept.

Small seating areas to talk to the clients are situated to the back and the side of the
shop, near the measurement area, back office and workshop. This has its advantages,
but creates a situation of high traffic in the back of the shop, while the front is mostly
empty. Because of the small width of the visited location it was difficult to walk in this
area without disturbing ongoing conversations.

[- 58 -]
[- 59 -]
Specsavers Tiel (PH)

[- 60 -]
Introduction

Specsavers is looking for a new concept for their stores. This spectacle retailer has more
than 1400 stores worldwide. Their 25th anniversary this year calls for a re-check of the
retail branding and interior design of the stores. For the first test there will be a proto-
store in Tiel. In the current situation audio is not represented, in the new concept it needs
to be integrated.

If results add up there will be a national roll out for all 100 stores in Holland.
The concept needs to be: differentiating from competitors, setting a course for the
optician of the future, consistent with the brand image of Specsavers.

Additional info

Spectacle display | Contact lenses display/info | Hearing aid service

Proto store info:

- retail floor 480x1860cm;
- back office 480x 620cm;
- stock near display;
- Located in main shopping street Tiel, promenade, and no traffic;
- Staff of 5: optometrist, audician, 3 sale representatives. Audician won’t be on location
permanently, staff of 5 is maximum at peak times, otherwise staff will consist of 3,
optometrist and 2 sale representatives.

Since the main purpose of this new concept is to set a course for the optician of the
future, the briefing is rather open in its description. Analysis of the current market needs
to clarify possible points of improvement and upgrading.
The final result needs to be an inviting experience, enhancing the professional image of
the Specsavers chain by a personalized experience offered to its clientele.

This new concept aims to put Specsavers on the map as the affordable number one
optician/audician. With the emphasis on the professional staff and a personal approach.

To better distinguish Specsavers from its competitors, the new concept needs to start
afresh, looking at the product range and mission of the chain, enhancing the strength of
the brand, these shops must be easily recognizable, without the chance of taking a
Pearle for a Specsavers, or vice versa.

Specsavers opts for a new approach of its clientele with a tailor made offering of
solutions. This must lead to an improvement for both retailer and consumer, adding up to
a heightened experience and profitability for all parties.

[- 61 -]
[- 62 -]
Design process.
As in all good concepts, the design is based on conclusions from the preceding research
and observations. Following the Design Thinking strategy of IDEO; starting off with
observation; behaviour of both clients and staff, prompting people to tell personal stories
about their consumer experiences, and talking to extreme users. See page 39 and
onwards for the IDEO way description.

After this, brainstorming takes place; don’t dismiss any ideas, create order out of chaos.
Encourage wild ideas and go for quantity, but stay focussed on the target. Out of the
hundreds of ideas, there surely will be some usable elements to improve the concept.

Refining at this stage takes place not by prototyping, but by implementing research
findings on consumer behaviour, build up of target audience and society in general.
Making use of current and upcoming trends and technological developments and
possibilities.

Page after page of sketches, in between discussions with both consumer and retailer,
external experts on design and research, compiling moodboards for internal use, and lots
of deleting takes place at this point. The gigantic amount of available data is slimmed
down, leaving a concentrated and highly focussed core to work with.

On the following pages a slection of the design results will be shown, preceded by the
argumentation.

[- 63 -]
Design Argumentation.
The current trends according to Carl Rohde, most important for the realization of the
design for a new concept, in this case a concept store for Specsavers, are:
Experience economy, Digitizing existence, Personalizing & Co Creative Society.

While Daniel Pink refers to the aptitudes Design, Play and Empathy as important
elements in our decision making process, Roger Martin describes the mindset for
Integrative Thinking, important in both the creative process as the preceding research
leading up to the design in question:
1. Existing models do not represent reality; they are our construction.
2. Opposing models are to be leveraged, not feared.
3. Existing models are not perfect; better models exist that are not yet seen.

Tom Peters emphasizes the importance of design in general as the base for a successful
product or service, and IDEO’s Design Thinking leads up to a better consumer
experience. These for mentioned applied and combined with the latest insights
concerning consumer behavior and preferences will lead to a fresh approach resulting in
a complete new concept for this optician.

The consumer is looking for the solution of his vision and/or hearing problem, the
targeted audience is price conscious, and looking for a professional optician and/or
audician. Since competition is fierce, price differentiation is hard, distinguishing on
professionalism is already in favor of the Specsavers chain.
Expectations visiting an optician are quite modest; a wide selection of frames, the service
of adequate eye measurement, a choice of selected finishes in the prescription glasses
and a small offering of accessories. Personal attention is standard at any good optician,
but the level differs at many. Style wise we trust more on our own judgment then the
advice of the optician, his background isn’t exactly directly associated with fashion.

Here we can link to a combination of Digitizing existence and Co Creative Society. Since
consumers are more and more used to all kinds of digitized information, and most people
are members of an online network, we are used to sharing insights and information, and
are open for the comments of others. The technological possibility to take surround
pictures to create a 3D model can be used to make a pre selection of frames and fit them
virtually on our own picture on a perceptive pixel screen.

Images from http://www.perceptivepixel.com

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It’s possible to place these models of selected frames on the picture of your own head,
making a selection on screen out of the assortment. You will be able to scroll through the
assortment and select frames of you choice, which then will be projected on your own
picture, since both are in 3D it will be possible to rotate and look at it from different
angles. The shown selection will be personalized and based on the shape of your head
and color of your hair, while you are still able to pick out frames which are not first choice
according to these criteria. This is a first in any optician, virtual fitting and not all frames
on display; a retail design paradigm shift.

Personalizing.

Additional possibility to pimp your frame will also heighten the personal touch of the visit,
a variation in combination of colors, frames, parts etc. will give each customer the
pimped frame he or she desires. This extra service can’t be on stock, and prices will vary
depending on the combination of choices, but the fact the possibility exists will create
traffic and open up a new target audience. Again, a first at any optician, a paradigm shift,
only this time induced by the offering, and not by design.

Co Creative Society, Digitizing existence.

The fact you are working on a giant screen in plain site will attract comments of friends,
family, staff and other visitors of the shop. Each can offer advice and comments, which
you would otherwise only have heard after buying the frame in question. People don’t
tend to comment on what is told or advised in a 1 on 1 conversation, but this version of
trying out will attract comments by all.

After this pre selection, your choices will be made available for you to fit. This pre
selection is a DIY service that does not need to result in a sale; people can store their
choice, so at a next visit they can show to others to help determine the choice.
Optional possibility is to send a hotlink to your e-mail address, so you can log in to take
another look at it from the comfort of your own home. Once your 3D picture is saved on
the network, you will be able to try out different frames from the comfort of your own
home as well. The pimping of your frame is also possible when logged on to the network,
so when you have got time to spare, play around with the possibilities to create your own
personal frame. Save the design, or pre order online, so at your next visit you will be able
to physically try out the frame of your own design. Taking into consideration this is a
costly additional service, these frames need to be paid by advance, to reduce the chance
of ordering and not showing up.

Images from http://www.microsoft/surface/

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These for mentioned pre sale visits don’t require staff attention, but heighten the service
and will induce more frequent spontaneous visits to try out new models. Only after this
pre selection, the final choice of frames will be taken from stock to be tried on physically,
at this stage the staff will be of service.

The elderly and others who are not willing to work in plain sight on the screen are offered
the personal attention of the staff, in which they will be advised and also are offered a pre
selection of their choice. To make this service available at all locations in store, all
worktops will have a touch screen connected to the network, so people can again make
the selection on screen, not based on the actual frame itself. The entire stock is in store,
but not on display. After this pre selection, the final choice of frames will be taken from
stock to be tried on physically.

The customers with hearing problems are offered a personal service as well, but with the
added opportunity to pre test for yourself. This DIY test can be done without help of the
staff, and will tell people at an early stage if they are likely to be in need of a hearing aid.
Parts and batteries are at a quick sale area in the front of the shop, while service like
cleaning, placing of batteries and maintenance is left to the shop assistants.
Several areas in the store will be reserved as a general waiting/hospitality area, so
people can sit close to friends and relatives working on the screen, being helped by staff,
or waiting for their turn. To enhance the experience of the senses, several gimmicks will
be close by to test sight and hearing, both entertaining and educational. A link to other
senses is an added opportunity, depending on the size of the store.

The shop windows will have PrimeTYME screens mounted behind them. This new
technology makes it possible to run movies on a transparent sheet, so when not in use,
the window is completely transparent. This novelty will give the opportunity to run
commercials at the store, enhancing the impact and effectiveness. This narrow casting
integration has the advantage the movie can be seen both in the store, and by passers
by. Because of this system, we are not forced to reserve wall area for screens as
normally used for these kinds of actions.
Another use for these screens is the raising of awareness about Specsavers sponsorship
for several good causes, and for instance the competition for “Spectacle wearer of the
year”. Both to enhance word of mouth, and the added value of linking to both the fashion
and the medical profession.

Images from http://www.primetymedisplay.com

These are great opportunities to carry the story about the knowledge and insights of the
chain, helped by the cooperation with experts in both fields, as high profile fashion
judges and medical professionals.
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A partnership with providers of eye laser treatment is not to be advised, since recent
research13 has shown the wearing of glasses or lenses is still better for your eyes then
any possible laser treatment currently available. However, reliable information about
these facts can help people come to terms with the disadvantages sometimes felt when
wearing glasses or lenses. Use the professionalism of the staff to inform customers
about possible (dis)advantages of any alternative mean of treatment. Share knowledge
with interested customers, and use this angle to raise awareness about the
professionalism of the staff.

Target audience, facts and figures.14

Looking at this retail section in question, we cater to a target audience of male and
female alike, age ranging from 4 up to 100 and on, with the majority aging over 40;
a total of 60% of the population!

Only 3,3% of Dutch population is in need of hearing aids.

25% Of spectacle wearers thinks about laser treatment, 65% doesn’t think they know
enough to make a proper decision, while 42% thinks it will enhance quality of life. In the
last 5 years a total of 25.000 laser treatments have taken place in the Netherlands.

76% Of consumers are loyal to its current store, the only reason to change is a better
offer at the competitor, and this can be both in price as in service or personal attention.
At the moment Dutch consumers view Hans Anders as the cheapest, and Pearle as the
most fashionable and innovative15. The fashionable and innovative angle will be
heightened with the new concept, an oppertunity to take pole position in these fields.

Downside for Specsavers, their ad campaign confronting Hans Anders is viewed as the
most irritating at the moment, Dutch audience isn’t to keen on bashing competitors in this
fashion.

The opticians in general are awarded a 6, lots of room for improvement.

13
http://www.mdweekly.nl
14
http://www.cbs.nl
15
http://www.mdweekly.nl/726927/optiekwinkel-scoort-redelijk-maar-kan-beter
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Technical drawings and visuals of separate parts of the interior have been shown on the
previous pages, starting with the entrance, and ending with the measurement area. The
entrance is, as all interior elements, modular, so variations in measurements based on
the shop in question can be easily made.
The entrance will have 2 glass sliding doors, lockable by door handles in the shape of
the Specsavers logo (in closed situation).Directly at the entrancee there will be a
cleaning mat in the light green of the Specsavers housestyle. The floor, ceiling and walls
in each situation will be stripped and cleaned, but only the floor will have a coating for
easy cleaning, ceiling and walls will stay unfinished. This to enhance the contrast with
the bright white and green interior elements, and the reduction of building costs as an
added bonus.

The routing in the shop will be as follows:

Once entered you will directly be met by one of the shop assistents at the information
desk, who can explain the procedure to new clients, or you can take your pick from the
quick sale area with non descript sunglasses and cleaning fluids for lenses, accessories,
batteries,spare parts, etc. Since all staff will have hand held equipment, there is no need
for a central cash desk; you can pay where ever you are in store. A central strongbox for
cash is mounted in the information desk for clients who still prefer to pay in cash.
Behind the information desk you will find the 3D camera to take your picture, so you can
virtually fit frames. Directly at your left at the entrance there will be the first of three
perceptive pixel walls to make your selection. The screens will be 4 meters wide, so
there is room for 4 people at the same time at each screen. Beneath each of those there
will be a large storage cabinet with drawers, backlit and with transparent green fronts. In
these all stock will be placed, and the interactive software will show where the frames of
your choice are by adjustment of the lighting in the drawer(s) in question.
For those who don’t want to use the perceptive pixel walls, there is the possibility to
make your choice helped by staff members. For this, all worktops will have integrated
touch screen computers, so you can either stand at one of the desks, take a seat at the
waiting area, or be helped in one of the wall booths. These booths are primarily for the
testing of hearing, all equipments is build in, and jackpoints at several places in the
tabletops make the headphones easily accesible for all. The slanting side of the table
creates the right area for the disabled to be helped while still sitting in their wheelchair.
The waiting area has 2 seperate possibilities to take a DIY hearing test, and on the
tabletop screens you can browse the assortment, look up information about Specsavers,
optics and audio in general, or play games based on optical illusions.

After that we have on both opposit walls another 2 perceptive pixel screens, with 3 free
standing desks in the middle. At the end of the retail-floor we have the eye measurement
area, behind glass, so with some privacy, but still in plain sight and therefore part of the
interior. This area has its own ceiling with adjustable lighting, necessary for the right
conditions to measure the eyes. In this area 2 tables for discussions needing more
privacy, and with an open doorway to the workshop for adjusting frames and placing
glasses in the frames.

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In the back of the store, behind the measurement area, we have the back office with
toilet facilities, additional storage, technical area, kitchenunit and a place for staff to eat
lunch. This area is also used to gain exit at the back door in emergencies, an emergency
light above the door to this area will show the emergency exit routing.

Comparison current situation/new concept.

The comparsion of both concepts shows us there are some major differences in the new
version, not only in styling, what was to be expected, but in usability as well.

This new concept has offered solutions for the 2 major problems in the former concept;
the fact people can now realy judge how a new frame will look on them on the perceptive
pixel wall or one of the touch screens integrated in the tabletops, and next to that the
possibility exists to personalize the frame, at an extra cost offcourse, but since this is a
novelty in opticians, it will generate word of mouth, added turnover and new customers.

These 2 solutions can be seen as paradigm shifts, since they are a first, and solve a real
problem, the crisis in the Kuhn cycle, and not the result of linear thinking. The first is a
design solution combined with application of the latest technological developments,
based on insights from preceding research and observations, following the Design
Thinking strategy of IDEO.
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The second is more of a change in mindset and offer, but since its integration in the
totallity of the concept, it still is a retail paradigm shift for the optician. Nevertheless, the
pimping or personalizing of goods was integrated in retail concepts before16, but not yet
in the offer at the optician. We therefore can not speak of a retail paradigm shift in
general, and obviously it’s not a retail design instigated paradigm shift.

Not only are the 2 major problems solved, we also integrated the measurement area
more into the retail floor, and so this integration will enhance the professional image of
the chain by making the professionalism visable to all visitors.

The entire shopping experience is more personalized when visiting this new concept
optician. Whether you choose the DIY experience on the screens, or if you prefer or
need the professional attention of the staff from start to finish. Both ways are more
personal and specific for the individual customer. Next to that the offer of a DIY
preliminairy hearing test will show visitors whether or not they are likely to be in need of a
hearing aid, this will reduce workload on the audician. The entire shopping experience is
now focussed on the actual buyer, and no time is “wasted” on shoppers who are only
browsing.

The creation of a quick sale area in the front of the shop, combined with the fact there is
no need for a central cash desk, will save time and attrack more impuls buying from
passers by, at the same time reducing chance of theft because one of the employees is
always in front explaining the procedure to new customers.

Investment in the interior will be raised because of the highly specialized technical
equipment, at the other hand there will be savings based on the concept of stripped floor,
walls and ceilings. All interior elements are prefabricated, which will shorten the actual
building time on location, while the choice of materials is based on both sustainability and
durability, reducing the carbon footprint as much as possible.

When international roll out of the concept is in order, local materials and companies are
selected for production of the interior elements, not only to reduce carbon footprint, but
also to be able to make small adjustments based on local circumstances. The concept is
there to help, and should not be seen as a rigidly enforced law.

16
Nike Shoes, Ego laptops
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Discussion / Future Projection.
What is to be expected of the outcome of this research, and what possible further use
can be expected in future retail design.

Further research is a requirement for the next step in the search of the true implications
of a paradigm shift in retail design. Since this dissertation is focused on the opticians,
partly because of the complexity, partly because of the strict time table, it will be most
interesting to look into the implications when applied to other retail environments. Some
of these will be so far fetching we will have to speak of a paradigm shift in urban planning
and society as a whole.

The restriction to a single kind of retail helped explain the consequences more easily, but
it could have been far more interesting to look into the effect of a paradigm shift in for
instance the design of a supermarket or a DIY store. These two would however require a
much lengthier period of research and design to be able to come to a conclusion.

Another angle is the brick-and-mortar shop as such. When applied to certain kinds of
retail, it will be conceivable we can let go of the shop as we know it. There are many
scenarios in which products can be sold, and where companies can build relationships
with the consumer, without the store as we know and take for granted – a convention
which can be broken, creating a new paradigm shift again.

In the case of this dissertation, the choice was deliberately made to stick to a brick-and-
mortar shop, to be able to compare the design with the analysis of the current situation.

The final result will be presented to certain interested parties; among which Specsavers
in Tiel and Akkerman in Rotterdam, while several other parties have shown interest in
the design solution as such, since this convention free approach appealed to their way of
thinking. Whether or not one of these parties will pick up from where I have left is to be
seen, but the interest is there, and I am as intrigued as all to find out if there is to be a
follow up.

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Image: www.123coimbatore.com images optical shop

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Reflection
This chapter will explain how the dissertation came to be. Furthermore, the necessary
self reflection will take place, in order to show where the progress could have been
improved, what difficulties I encountered, and what parts went different then anticipated.
In short, what did I learn during this period?

The idea for the subject was inspired by the interview with Frans de la Haye mentioned
earlier. He made it sound so simple and logical; I felt the need to learn more about Kuhn
in order to be able to understand where and how these thoughts originated.
After reading “The Structure of Scientific Revolutions”, I got the idea about exploring the
possibilities of a Paradigm Shift in Retail Design, but wanted to explore the design angle
as well. Since Kuhn is referred to by many, I have taken a long and hard look at other
references used by those who refer to Kuhn. In this way I came across the design
agency IDEO, and again, felt inspired by their clear train of thoughts, which they made
seem so logical, you wondered why not everyone is working like this.

Because of the complexity of the subject, and the fact I had never taken any interest in
science philosophies whatsoever, it was a long road to comprehend the philosophies as
discussed in the many papers, articles and books I have read. Looking back, I have put
lots of time and effort in the research concerning Kuhn, while his philosophy is quite
simple in fact. But I have also taken a look at those who opposed his philosophies, and
at those who applied them. This has led to many side tracks, which helped place the
philosophies in context. Especially the articles refering to applications of Kuhn’s
philosophy in various disciplines showed and explained the importance in non linear
thinking and daring to break with conventions.

Next to that, I was often engrossed by the inspiring information I came across while
looking up information about IDEO. I now realize I have spent quite a lot of time reading
about subjects not of direct interest for this dissertation. Interesting in itself? Absolutely,
and very helpful in getting the implications clear of Design Thinking applied to the many
different fields where IDEO has been active in the past.

A part I added at a later stage was the questionnaire, and while the results are
interesting, in retrospect I should have waited even longer, so I could have used more to
the point questions concerning the optician. In that case it would have been necessary to
interview the people in person, very time consuming. While the general information I
collected with this questionnaire is not focussed on the optician, the results have been
helpful and created some unexpected insight.

The interviews with the architects however were quite enlightening, it was refreshing to
learn from the insights of others about the subject, and the fact their visions vary makes it
even more interesting for me. I didn’t want to use their input as guidelines, but it was
helpful in getting my own position more clear. Unfortunately it was not possible to get an
interview with my old mentor in time, his vision would have been most interesting as a
comparison, but competing appointments made this meeting impossible within the set
timeframe.

The choice for an optician was made at a late stage in the process, under the needed
pressure of Ron Cijs. The fact the choice was made, and the requirement for a briefing
from a retailer came up, I was at one hand further than I was before, and at the other
hand I had a new difficult task, to get a briefing. I was planning to write the briefing
myself, but then Ron Cijs preferred a briefing from an existing company, to make the

[- 87 -]
assignment as real as possible. A logical request, but it also delayed the design process
while trying to get the briefing in question. The contacts did however not lead to the
required briefing from an optician, so I decided to interview an optometrist at Specsavers,
and an optician at Akkerman to get up to date insight in the wishes and demands of the
retailer himself. These two meetings offered some valuable insights, and based on these
I wrote the briefing for the design with the help of the Retail Concept Designer of the P2
Group.

During this period I made the illogical choice to write and rewrite parts of the dissertation,
in stead of researching the opticians in depth. I did visit several stores to get a feeling
about the conventions, and talked to retailers and consumers, but didn’t put enough of
my findings in writing. A hard lesson learned, because the green-red light presentation
did not go as planned. The major problem brought up was the amount of work still to be
done. In my opinion a lot, but definitely not a problem, in their opinion it would almost be
impossible to finish the dissertation in time. The fact the dissertation is now in print in
front of you shows that I have not overestimated my capacities. In this case, my age and
experience were finally in my favour. Used to the exhibition design with its extreme short
deadlines, the task at hand was tough, but manageable.

A part I did underestimate was the writing of the paper itself, this very time consuming
part has taken more time then anticipated. The fact I started quite early was also working
against me, since I now had to rewrite certain parts after new insights. Making a strict
timeline is helpful, but often enough circumstances beyond your influence will change
your planning. It would have been better to take this into account while setting up the
timetable.

I would like to aknowledge the insights and advice offered by Prof.Dr. Henk van de Bunt
and Arnoud Verbeek, who both have read (parts of) this manuscript in draft, and offered
some valuable comments. Since both are not working in this area of expertise, it was
most helpful to learn their point of view concerning this subject. Next to that, both offered
valuable advice about the build up of the argumentation and general storyline, to make it
more comprehendable for the laymen.

Dotting the i’s and crossing the t’s, sketching, CAD drawings and renderings,this hectic
period comes to a close with the final presentation, of which a CD will accompany this
dissertation.

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References

Bellis, M. http://inventors.about.com/library/inventors/blshopping.htm
(27-02-2009)

Brandt, H.P. & (2008) Form Fabricates Function, Total Identity, Amsterdam
Westerling, J.van

Brown, Tim http://mitworld.mit.edu/video/357/

Online lecture by head of IDEO, Tim Brown. MIT, 50 minutes
lecture about Design Thinking.(06-03-2009)

Brown, Tim (2008) Design Thinking by Tim Brown, Harvard Business Review,
June 2008, p 84-92.

Chamberlain, T.C. (1890) “The method of multiple working hypotheses” Science XV,
no.366 (February 7, 1890): 93, 94:

Eastbrook, G. (2003) Gregg Eastbrook. “The progress paradox. How life gets better
while people feel worse.” Random House

Gabriel, J. The Legacy of the Roman Empire and the Middle Ages in the West,
http://www.wepapers.com/Papers/11044/The_Legacy_of_the_Roman_E
mpire_and_the_Middle_Ages_in_the_West (27-02-2009)

Kelly, D. http://www.ideo.com (06-03-2009)

Kuhn Thomas S. (1996) “The Structure of Scientific Revolutions”.

The University of Chicago Press, Chicago ( 3rd edition)

Lakatos, Imre (1970) “Criticism and the Growth of Knowledge: Proceedings of the
International Colloquium in the Philosophy of Science.” v. 4,
Cambridge, 1965, Cambridge University Press

Martin, Roger (2007) “The opposable mind” How successful leaders win through
integrative thinking. Harvard Business School Press

Maslow, A.H. (1943) “A theory of human motivation”, originally published in

Psychological Review, 50, 370-396.

Myerson, Jeremy (2001) “IDEO, Masters of innovation”. BIS Publishers, Calmann &
King Ltd, London

Nussbaum, B. (2004) Power of design, Business Week, May 17 2004

Peters, Tom (2005) “Tom Peters Essentials: Design”. Dorling Kindersley Ltd,
London

Pine,B.J. & (1999) “The experience economy. Work is theatre & every
Gilmore. J.H. business a stage”, Harvard Business School Press, Cambridge

[- 90 -]
Pink, Daniel H. (2005) “A whole new mind” Why Right-brainers will rule the future.
Riverhead Books, New York

Popper, Karl (1992) “The Logic of Scientific Discovery.” 1959, Routledge;

Reprint edition

Pralahd, C.K. (2008) “The new age of Innovation” , McGraw-Hill

Retailreflexionz http://retailreflexionz.wordpress.com/2008/09/19/tutorial-retail-
history/ (27-02-2009)

Rijk de, Timo (2003) “Designers in Nederland, een eeuw productvormgeving”.

Ludion, Amsterdam/Gent

Rohde, dr. Carl C. (2008) “Verkenning naar hedendaagse trends en communicatie”

Jaarbeurs Holding, Utrecht

Sardar, Ziauddin (2000) Thomas Kuhn and the Science Wars.

Icon Books Ltd., Cambridge

Schombert, J. “Philosophy of science”

http://abyss.uoregon.edu/~js/lectures/science/index.html
(11-05-2009)

Veenendaal, W. http://www.grootmoederstijd.nl/home (17-07-2009)

Wedel, Michel “The science of magic, and the magic of science”.

http://www.knaw200.nl/Pages/DEF/2/298.html (27-06-2009)

Bibliography

Ashcraft, Mark H. (2006) “Cognition” Pearson Education, Students Only

Brandt, H.P. & (2008) Een seconde voor de werkelijkheid, Total Identity,
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Dinther van, Jeroen Trade Marketing 2015. De invloed van opkomende technologiën
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Eng, Lawrence “The accidental rebel: Thomas Kuhn and The Structure of
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Francisco, Maia “Point of Purchase, graphic interventions”. Maomao Publications,

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Kuhn Thomas S. (1979) “The Essential Tension. Tradition and Innovation in
Scientific Research”. University of Chicago Press, Chicago

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shopping models”. (University of Newcastle-upon-Tyne)

Piët, Susanne (2006) The Emocode, Designing branded personalities and

bringing them to life. FT Prentice Hall, Pearson Educational
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winkelen.” Forum, Amsterdam

Riewoldt, Otto (2002) “Brandscaping. Worlds of experience in retail design”.

Birkhäuser – Publishers for Architecture, Basel

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Research. Cambridge University Press, Cambridge

Various websites, events and articles used for background information, downloads and general
inspiration:

The World in Transition, AD 395-1500, Pembroke University, North Carolina.

http://www.uncp.edu/home/rwb/lecture_mid_civ.htm (07-06-2009)

The Store of the Future 2012-2015 report findings, Part I & II. CRR, Centre for Retail Research,
June 2008, Visa Europe, www.visaeurope.com

New Future in Store. How will shopping change between now and 2015?
Research report, May 2008, www.tns-global.com / www.retailforward.com

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“The wheel of retailing” hypothesis concerning patterns in retail development by Professor

Malcolm P.McNair (11-05-2009)

http://www.secondsight.nl , Website community for trend watchers

http://www.cocd.org , Website promoting creative thinking and offering numeral suggestions on

improving “out of the box” thinking

http://www.mdweekly.nl , Website branches specified, with section about the optician

http://transmaterial.net, http://www.materia.nl, http://designcrack.com, http://www.tuvie.com,

http://www.designws.com, http://www.dezeen.com
Various websites about new developments concerning design, sustainability and materials.
[- 92 -]
Bouwbeurs 2009, Jaarbeurs Utrecht, February 2009. Trade Fair about the latest developments
concerning trends, materials, techniques and legislation concerning architecture and building.
Combined with Materia 2009, a specialized presentation about cutting edge material
developments.

“Museum voor Beeld en Geluid” in Hilversum, inspirational visit to get an idea about the current
possibilities in interaction and personified audio-visual presentation techniques.

All pictures used with reference to source, IDEO pictures and sketches courtesy of IDEO,
All non referenced pictures by Peter Hoetmer (PH).

Image from http://www.thecoolhunter.net

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Appendices

The Maslow Pyramid, as mentioned in the chapter History. It is now a common fact,
known and used by all designers, but important to keep in mind.

“A theory of human motivation” A.H. Maslow (1943) originally published in Psychological Review,
50, 370-396.

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CBS Statistics concerning visual and auditive remedies. ( http://www.cbs.nl )

Percentage of users hearing aid specified by age. ( http://www.cbs.nl )

[- 95 -]
Interviews
Roland Pouw – I-O-U Architects, Lecturer Academie voor Bouwkunst
Amsterdam(July 22nd)
The interview with Roland had a surprising start. He immediately questioned the effect of
the first design in the process, in his view it would cloud judgement, and it would be
better to make an analysis of the current Specsavers retail design, which then can be
compared to the new concept without conventions. This insight is put forward to the
committee, and after some debate all agreed with this point of view. So the first design
will be changed for an analysis of the current concept, focussing on the conventions.

The concept of designing without conventions appealed to him, but he warned to be on

guard for the effect of deliberately leaving out solutions used at the moment. The fact a
solution is in use at the moment, perhaps even is a convention, doesn’t mean it is a bad
or dysfunctional element. Not ALL conventions should be seen as bad, some are there
for a very specific reason. It would be foolish to throw all existing ideas overboard.

Some conventions are there because of regulations and legislation, we will have to abide
by those, but the others shouldn’t be taken as guidelines, only seen as previous
solutions.

Forgetting conventions and starting from scratch can be a profitable exercise, and can
create surprising solutions. It should however never be a goal in itself; the final result is
what counts, and not the road towards it.

The fact remains the design has to come from the basic question at hand – what is the
purpose of the store? Solve sight and/or hearing problems affordable and professionally.
What is the best way to come to this solution? It is quite feasible some existing elements
will re-emerge in the new concept since they are the best solution. The biggest question
for him at this point was the design..... How on earth are you starting a process like this?
He compared it to the work of Dada artist Arp, but that is a bit too much in my opinion, I
don’t want to leave everything depending on chance or coincidence, but must try to fulfil
the needs of both consumer and retailer with this design, without being burdened with
the concepts of the past. He is quite interested in the design solution, and asked to be
kept informed about the progress. Which I will certainly do.

Björn van Rheenen – Sponge Architects, Lecturer Academie voor Bouwkunst

Rotterdam (July 24th)
Björn immediately started with the comment his first task was to forget all conventions
when starting a new project, that’s the only way to truly innovate. In his opinion there are
2 ways a designer can work properly: work according to existing conventions and try to
improve on them, or forget all conventions and innovate. The combination of these two
disciplines will create an unbeatable team of experts. The inventive architect/designer
will need the fine-tuning capabilities of his counterpart to get the job done according to
current regulations and legislation, and the fact improvements on current solutions and/or
materials are creating a high standard in craftsmanship works in favour of all parties
working on the project.

A comparison between the Dutch and German attitude shows Dutch architects are often
too innovative, and don’t take time to learn from the implications of their inventions.
Resulting in half hearted and dysfunctional buildings or urban areas. The Germans on

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the other hand tend to over protect, and try and test until the final result is perfect. This
creates a very high standard, but leaves no room for innovations. A combination of these
two visions would be preferable, and collaborations between Dutch and German
architects/designers will create the highest possible standard in his opinion.

It would be preferable to start at a new project without doing research beforehand, start
afresh without the influence of current trends and existing traditions. Start at the base of
the problem at hand, and come up with a workable solution, answering all questions in
the briefing. It’s even advisable to forget legislation and sometimes even laws of nature,
the design solutions you come up with in a situation like this will often lead you to a
realizable solution in the end, never thought off had you taken everything into
consideration at first. Deliberately breaking the rules will help you cross a line, and will be
beneficial in creating a more free and innovative state of mind in which you will be able to
surpass previous solutions in effectiveness and non conventionalism. He even dislikes
seeing work in the same field at those moments; he truly tries to create a blank canvas to
work from.

Often enough the client will have a lengthy briefing with all kinds of limiting demands, this
first contact is off course necessary, but after the initial meeting the briefing will be put
aside, and only after a period of reflection and sketching, the first designs will be
compared with the briefing. How will these designs answer the questions at hand, which
solutions will be usable in the finalizing of the project? This way of working offers creative
freedom and the chance to innovate. The client offers problems in his briefing he
encountered in using a building build on conventions; he wants them answered with the
conventions in the back of his mind. Often enough the problems themselves will
disappear when the design is not based on conventions. Result, the problem is solved,
not by following the train of thought of the client, but by being inventive and creative,
looking at the right answers for the underlying initial question.

One of the points of interest coming up during this interview was the fact conventions are
often deeply rooted, and sometimes not even recognized as such. Certain comments
sound so logical you forget they are also rooted in conventions. This was probably the
most important eye opener; learn to be aware of the traps you encounter. There are far
more conventions in place then you are aware off. Recognizing this in itself is already
important, recognizing the conventions themselves is even more so. It is impossible to
switch off your unconsciousness, and often conventions are even rooted there, but being
aware you can be tricked by your unconsciousness is important knowledge.

When conventions are your starting point, and you only want to improve on them, you
will never innovate. If everyone thought like that, we would still be living in caves.

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Questionnaire
To get an indication of matters concerning the shopping behavior of consumers in
general I asked 80 people to answer 6 questions related to shopping, with the request to
answer as spontaneously as possible. The questions are “open” to make sure the
answers are not forced in any direction. There is no difference between food and non
food, the answers relate to shopping experiences in general.

Following the most important findings distilled out of the 51 respondents, keeping in mind
there were more answers to one question by most respondents.

Question 1 – What does bother or agitate you while shopping?

Behaviour of staff – 67%

Interior design related problems – 43,1%
Crowds – 19,6% ( compared to 43,6% in Belgium )
Loud music – 17,6% ( compared to 44,6% in Belgium )
Long waiting times at cash desk or service counter – 17,6% (compared to 56,3% in
Belgium )
Shabby or messy interiors – 15,6%
Only 1 respondent mentioned not to have any problems at all and a discerning remark by
1 other respondent:
“When we go shopping we know there are some problems awaiting us, and we accept
this as a fact. We have already accepted these negative aspects as a fact of live…..

There are references to an earlier duo research held in May 2008 in Belgium by
easyFairs and UNIZO, 110 street interviews taken by the shopping audience. Keeping in
mind the differences as explained by the Hofstede dimensions between the Dutch and
Belgium audience, and the fact the Belgium research focused on problems relating to the
shop interior, it still is significant a staggering 67% of the Dutch respondents
spontaneously complains about the staff, while in the Belgium results there is no
mentioning at all about problems concerning the staff.

Question 2 – Is there a specific kind of store you especially like to visit or avoid?

43,1% Rather not visits crowded, shabby, “cold”, stores with no atmosphere, Next to that
15,6% mentions not to visit shops with a TOO luxurious image or appearance.
15,6% Has no preferences or dislikes.
11,7% Loves to visit specialized shops, traditional shops with enthusiastic and capable
staff, and 49% likes to visit spacious, open, welcoming stores, where service and
attention are a focal point.
There is not a certain kind of shop that stands out, no specific likes or dislikes, Tendency
is people mention not like to visit certain kinds of shops, but still do so because of the
price or assortment. As soon as we really want something, we take certain aspects for
granted.

Question 3 – Do you order online, and why do you prefer this above visiting a physical
shop?

68,8% Regularly orders online because of the convenience, 21,5% mentions the often
lower prices are a determining factor as well.

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25,3% Orders on a regular bases, but only those articles that are not available in a
physical shop in the Netherlands, or simple items like ink. Preference is to visit a shop.
Advantages mentioned are the fact there is the possibility to compare prices online, find
out all there is to know about a product, read user comments, negotiating prices at sites
like Marktplaats, availability is often clear, there are 2nd hand goods to find, products out
of stock in shops can often still be ordered online, and when there is no time to physically
go shopping, the online stores are open 24 hours a day.
A negative aspect of ordering online is the fact you can’t touch the product beforehand.
People like to handle the item before buying. Personal contact and knowhow of staff is
also mentioned as something they miss.

Question 4 – Does a visit to the store need to be as quick and efficiently as possible, with
the bought items as a result, or do you want to be surprised and entertained?

As to be expected, people want their daily shopping to be as quick and efficiently as

possible. As soon as they go shopping for the more luxurious items 67% are open for
suggestions, surprises and entertainment.
7,8% Has no need for diversion, they only want to be surprised by special offers, while
another 7,8% states to have more need for attention and knowledge then surprises and
entertainment. What does stand out is the fact people have no idea of what to expect
from surprises or entertainment, 1 respondent even mentioned to want to be surprised by
good service and advice. How sad, this shows there is a lot to improve!
Only 15,6% claims to want to shop undisturbed or bothered by whatever kind of
distraction. They are on a mission, and want to go home as soon as possible.

Question 5 – Do you want to take your bought items home with you immediately, or is
delivery at a later stage an option?

21,3% Wants to bring the items home with them immediately, regardless of the size or
weight. 56,8% Has no problem with delivery when goods are too big, fragile or heavy, but
when it’s transportable they prefer to take it home with them. One respondent even goes
to another shop when it’s not possible to take the bought item home immediately, while
another explains delivery at home is fine, as long as you have the say when it’s going to
be delivered. Single people are less flexible to stay in to wait for a delivery then couples
or families, because it’s easier to make an appointment when there are more people
likely to be at home.
Simple conclusion from these answers; people don’t mind hauling around with heavy
bags; as soon as an item is bought we WANT it in our possession.

Question 6 – Do you also shop for fun, or only when you need something?

21,7% Claims to shop only when they need something. There was even the comparison
with a visit to the dentist “for fun”! Some people really don’t like to shop, and quite a
large percentage to my surprise. (1 in 5!)
19,6% Only shops for fun during holidays, because they then have the time, and are
often in new surroundings with things to explore. 27,4% Admits also to shop purely for
recreational purposes (fun) on regular bases. Strangely enough one of those also
claimed not to have the need to be surprised or entertained, in a personal interview these
kinds of discrepancies could be sought out, the now used online questionnaire doesn’t
give the opportunity to on site confront your interviewees with these kinds of illogical
answers.
31,3% Shops not only out of necessity, but for pleasure as well. They admit to be open
for suggestions and temptations while shopping for the daily groceries or stamps.

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 About the author

Peter Hoetmer (1962)

Peter is an experienced 3D designer with a background of Graphic Design, Bachelors

degree at the Royal Academy of Fine and Applied Arts in The Hague, Netherlands. After
more then 20 years designing for trade fair exhibitions, displays and interiors, it was time
to broaden the horizon, and he starts his Masters at the Piet Zwart Institute in Rotterdam,
Netherlands, after which he hopes to be better equipped to tackle the more and more
demanding market.

His working days are spend at one of the bigger full service exhibition builders in the
Netherlands, as Creative Director and Designer he is responsible for the concept and
design of over 600 projects on a yearly basis, with the help of 3 colleague designers.
Ranging from display to boardroom, from restaurant to fashion store, from shell scheme
booth to complete trade fair concept. The international scope of this line of work,
combined with the extreme short deadlines often encountered, results in a high pace
working environment with a wide variety of national and international clients.

Next to his work and study hardly any free time is left, but those moments are spend with
a good book or his trusty camera, since he is a keen amateur photographer.

Contact: peterhoetmer@gmail.com

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