GR1 - User and Task Analysis

User Analysis

Users' names changed for privacy

User 1: Undergraduate Sophomore at MIT
John is a twenty-year-old college sophomore who is, at this point, unsure of his summer plans. He is studying Management Science, and hopes to be working in New York or Boston (if not this summer, then next!). He is from a secluded part of St. Louis, and enjoys the privacy of a humble Midwestern town.

Means of communication. This user mainly communicates with friends and acquaintances via text messaging or email. He is not a huge fan of other social media outlets, but "would use something that's a completely new service, or if I was given some sort of incentive to sign up."
Travel plans. John generally makes travel plans independently (i.e., without consulting friends) or with the aid of his parents. He says, "I wouldn't go out of my way to find someone else who was going to the same place, but if I did know of anyone who was-either specifically or through a mutual friend-then I would try to coordinate our travel plans." John is not aware of his friends' summer plans, though he and several of his friends are still in the process of making them.
Information security. Internet security is something that John values; he shares his personal details (phone number, home address, etc.) with only his close friends. He wouldn't mind sharing some broader personal information, such as his email address or general summer plans, with the general MIT community.

Task Analysis

1. Registration and Joining a Group

2. Messaging Your Group

3. Inputting Summer Plans

4. Advertising (i.e., "Roommate Wanted")

5. Profile to Publish Information

6. Viewing the Map