Denis began by presenting the company's history and marketing strategies during three different generations and how this marketing strategy is based upon people's lifestyles. When McDonald's first launched in the 1950s, customer lifestyles demanded fast, low cost food. A generation later, perspectives revolved around ideas of industrial quality, safety, convenience and family appeal. McDonald's third evolution involves food with an artisan quality, its portability catering to 21st Century hectic lifestyles.


The informative lecture continued with Denis sharing insights into the creative process and work environment. Finally, the presentation provided a grounded context for who McDonald's is as a company, where it is in relation to the rest of the world, how the business is run, and where the company aspires to go in the future. The environment was a key issue, and a few members of the audience asked about McDonald's commitment to sustainability. Denis responded to the questions by informing the audience about how they contribute to various environmentally sustainable movements. He expressed the sentiment that responsibility is not equal to communication. Lack of communication to the general public does not mean that McDonald's efforts do not exist.


During a tour of the Innovation Center facilities, where new concepts are tested, Denis and his colleagues presented their approach to the structure of the kitchen and its relevance to the user experience design process. In this area, functioning kitchens and customer service counters were built to maximize efficiency and study user interactions in a real space. It was refreshing to see that McDonald's designers fabricate foam core BOPs (Behavioral Observation Prototypes) of their concepts to test out ideas for franchises all over the globe. These models are tested live; real people can come, interact (on both sides of the counter), and the design team can observe and record their reactions. Too often companies design and implement strategies that are based solely on business plans and projections. The use of models and simulations with dimensional reality is a tool that cannot be replaced, and demonstrates a sincere dedication to optimizing the user experience.


The space conveys the message that the corporation values the experiences of all stakeholders. The Innovation Center serves as living proof that a restaurant's operation is an open and ever-evolving system. Even the bigger questions, such as environmental impact, can potentially find open doors within this system. Quotes stenciled on the walls introduce visitors to McDonald's innovation and improvement process and provide a visual link to the design team's goals as stated by the hosts. Expressions abound: increase brand loyalty, broaden customer optimization, quality and services, speed to market, and improve customer experience. Everyone who participated certainly left that evening with a new appreciation for what the Golden Arches actually stand for.




Comments provided by UIC ID students - Shilan Afshani, Leslie Johnson, Purva Kale, Maciek Niedorezo and Maral Charkhtab Tabrizi. Special thanks to Stephen Melamed!