SPATIAL CANVAS

The Pit Stop Program provides a safe and clean space for people to go to the restroom, thereby reducing human waste in public areas around San Francisco. Though the program has expanded to over 22 locations in over 12 San Francisco neighborhoods, there is still a lack of consistent patterns and standard processes for the program to follow when it comes to Pit Stop strategy and operations.

The Mayor's Office of Civic Innovation (Civic Bridge) tasked me with developing an Operational Development and Growth Framework that would enable the Pit Stop Program to scale efficiently and to achieve their long term goals. 

TYPE: User Research | Design Workshop | Service Design | Operational Planning

A series of in-depth stakeholder interviews and Pit Stop location visits were conducted to understand the different roles and procedures within current Pit Stop operations.

DRIVING QUESTIONS:

• What is the current methodology of establishing a Pit Stop location? What are the considerations and motivations?
• How would key stakeholders characterize the impact and results of the Pit Stop program?
• What are the current operating procedures: opening, closing, routes, loading, etc.?
• What are the responsibilities of each stakeholder within the operational model? What factors affect the performance/efficiency of each? 
• How is data collected? What data is gathered from operations? Which outside data sources are being utilized?

A comprehensive model of the program's operations was constructed from the insights extracted, in which the client could evaluate the program opportunities and decide on concrete goals.

KEY OPPORTUNITIES:

• A move from paper to electronic mediums in order to track "real-time" information, to dissect and analyze more detailed information, and to automate certain data sets.
• Centralized systems for workforce development, permit center, and dashboard with scheduling and messaging.
• Standard criteria to identify and determine an area in need of a pit stop
• Method of benchmarking success and defining performance of a location.
• Clear and efficient workforce training to ensure a high standard of service in an environment of high job turnover. 

This 1-day workshop was a facilitated collaboration session for critical stakeholders to ideate solutions for opportunities and to clearly define the program's long term and short term goals.

The workshop also assisted the team in establishing the framework's focus:

• Operations Model and Efficiency
• Approach and Methodology to Establishing New Locations
• Overall Expansion of Pit Stop Program
• Workforce Development

Utilizing goals and opportunities refined during discovery and a workshop, an Operational Development and Growth Framework was developed that would be sustainable for the Pit Stop Program and provided a methodology for the Pit Stop Program to achieve their long term goals.