Thought experiment: redesigning the DMV

bisonbison · #1 05-20-2006, 10:33 PM

In the US, the Department of Motor Vehicles is the goto reference for the excruciating boredom of waiting in lines. Some of these are sitting lines, some standing - but you wait and wait and wait to renew your license or register your car or whatever.

You've been appointed head of a redesign effort for your state's DMV. A recent bill passed that made it illegal to transact any significant DMV functions over the phone or internet, cause of fear of terrorists (pronounced "terrace").

You've got an unlimited budget and tear every DMV building to the ground if you need to, but you can't increase the permanent staffing levels because of fear of hiring terrorists (pronounced "terrace").

What would you do? How could you make the process of waiting to get your picture taken easier? Or waiting in a doctor's office?

Guthrie · #2 05-20-2006, 10:35 PM

Move to Texas, or one of the other states that doesn't have a DMV.

bisonbison · #3 05-20-2006, 10:37 PM

Move to Texas, or one of the other states that doesn't have a DMV.

Not an option. They're paying you three billion dollars to improve the DMV not get rid of it. How do you make it work better for everybody? Make them tiny and stick them in malls like in MA? Make them big and stick them in office parks like in Silicon Valley?

gorie · #4 05-20-2006, 10:41 PM

hm, one idea would be to add some 'self photo' booths , seems like that could help speed up at least a part of the process.?

Fryguy · #5 05-20-2006, 10:47 PM

I must say that the random MA dmvs that are in like malls can be very convenient. This should certainly play at least some role in the redesign.

gorie · #6 05-20-2006, 10:47 PM

also free cotton candy & snow cones.

d-baggery · #7 05-20-2006, 10:49 PM

Redisigning the DMV would totally kill my idea for the worst reality TV show ever.

goofball · #8 05-20-2006, 10:52 PM

a) Kiosks the airport where you can renew your tabs without the involvment of a person as long as everything is in order. Put them at all the DMVs and hopefully at lots of gas stations.
b) lots of small DMV express. ALL OVER. There you can do most simple things.

bisonbison · #9 05-20-2006, 10:53 PM

I must say that the random MA dmvs that are in like malls can be very convenient. This should certainly play at least some role in the redesign.

Plus it allows you to do things like page people.

Or you could offer customer satisfaction incentives to both offices and the front line service people.

yasher · #10 05-20-2006, 10:53 PM

[ QUOTE ]
Move to Texas, or one of the other states that doesn't have a DMV.

[/ QUOTE ]

We have a Dept of Transportation, which is easily just as bad as any DMV I've ever been in, Florida DMVs included.