Contextual Inquiry at Tesla Supercharger
Course
User Needs Analysis
Chosen Field Site
Tesla Supercharger Station at Woodbridge Town Center Irvine, CA
Timeframe
8 Weeks
Project Prompt
Study a transportation-related field site through the contextual inquiry method in the forms of field site observations and user interviews
About this Project
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There are now 68% more EV charger ports than gasoline nozzles in the state of California (energy.ca.gov, September 2025). With the widespread adoption of electric vehicles, their impact extends beyond climate-positivity and into the lived experiences of users. I wanted to better understand how Tesla’s charging process at Supercharger stations impacts the autonomous lives of their customers, and discover if there are opportunities for refinement.
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Primary Focus: How does Tesla’s autonomous charging process support and contribute to an individualistic society?
Secondary Focus: How might new uses of space in the Heritage Plaza better serve patrons and the Irvine community
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Field Site Observations: Five 2-hour observation sessions at different times of the week
Field Site Interviews: 8 contextual user interviews
Documentation: Jottings, Field Notes, Audio Recordings, Transcriptions
Data Analysis: Annotations, Qualitative Coding, Affinity Diagramming, Contextual Inquiry Diagramming
1. What are the actions and practices that are taken when charging at Supercharger stations?
2. How might Tesla and Heritage Plaza better understand and serve its target customers?
3. How might Tesla strengthen their value proposition to entice current and new customers?
