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My first stretch design is for ultra-efficiency. To accomplish this, I sketched out a command-based utility, whose GUI is like most shell/bash applications. That is, the application accepts keyboard-typed commands ('jobs' or 'assign 6 jenks') and then outputs simple, ASCII-based feedback (like a table indicating new/active/recently closed repair jobs). Ideally, such an application is ultra-efficient for experienced users. This design may give us insight into creating text-based shortcuts for our application that allows advanced users of our application to work much faster.

The output is relatively uninteresting (either ASCII tables or text as feedback); so, I have only one sketch for this design. However, here's a sample set of input commands for the application (as a regular grammar) (The '$' character preceding a word in the grammar means that the word represents a variable.).

command ::= jobs || mechanics || details || prioritize || assign || update || close || contacts || search || filter
jobs ::= jobs (new || active || closed)
details ::= details ($job_id || $mechanic_id)
prioritize ::= prioritize ($job_id) (high || med || low)
assign ::= assign ($job_id) ($mechanic_id)
update ::= update ($job_id) ($update_type) ($update_text)
close ::= close ($job_id)
contacts ::= contacts
search ::= search (jobs || contacts) (($keyword)*)
filter ::= filter (jobs || contacts) (($keyword)*)

This is the main dashboard of my initial Gmail-esque design. The idea again was to provide comprehensive details about repair jobs via the listings in the middle panel and the focused details on the right panel. However, very much like Gmail, we want these listings to also easily be searchable/filterable so that the comprehensive information can be managed, hence the large search bars/tabs on the left panel which can be used to sift through the data.

At the bottom of the right panel, house managers can assign repair jobs to mechanics (using the dropdown menu and image feedback). Also on the bottom of the right panel will be the update log, since repair jobs often require coordination among mechanics and house managers.

Alternative update designs.