Group Members:
Brian Bell
David Kim
Justin Merritt
Problem Statement:
Going out to eat with other people can be a challenge in itself. Coordinating people’s culinary preferences, schedules, and locations is a hassle for any group of friends who just want the simple pleasure of having a meal together.
Specifically, we have identified three problems associated with forming a group to go out to eat.
1. It is difficult to tell who among your friends is willing to go out to eat.
2. It is difficult to tell when your friends are available to eat.
3. It is difficult to tell where your friends want to go out to eat.
We aim to create a user interface that simultaneously solves all of the above problems.
User Analysis:
We have two main user classes: Young people who don’t cook for themselves and go out to eat often (i.e. students and people aged 18-30), and Professionals who are trying to coordinate going out to eat in addition to their busy schedules.
Properties of students / young people:
- Aged 18-30, no restrictions on gender or culture
- Most likely own a smartphone and are quite experienced using smartphones
- Familiar with, if not avid users of websites like Facebook and Yelp
- Typically believe that eating out is a social experience
Properties of Professionals:
- Aged 22-retired
- Own a cell phone, likely a smartphone (possibly a Blackberry or more simple cell phone)
- May not be quite as familiar with social networking websites or with food-rating websites like Yelp
- Have limited time for lunch / dinner, so need as much efficiency as possible
Age, gender, culture, language
- Most aged 18-30 (the demographic of smartphone users), though accessible to any age-group
- No restrictions on gender, culture, or language
Education (literacy? numeracy?)
- No restrictions on education
Physical limitation
- No physical limitations
Computer experience (typing? mouse?)
- Comfortable with smartphone technology
Motivation, attitude
- Motivation: a desire to fulfill social needs by going out for a meal with friends or network and develop new professional connections.
- Attitude: social, wanting to spend time with friends (or possibly new people who are not yet acquaintances)
Application experience
- More likely to have experience with web applications regarding cuisine. Examples: Yelp, OpenTable, Zagat.
Work environment and other social context
- Perhaps in close camaraderie with co-workers, or living in an area with friends, roommates, college friends, and family
Relationships and communication patterns with other people
- A person wanting to maintain their social network of friends and family through regular conversation.
Task analysis:
Task 1: Event creation
Goal: User wants to create a meeting time and place for a meal, and invite people to said meal
- Subtask: Navigate to event creation screen
- Precondition: Logged in
- Subtask: Choose initial date, time, location
- Subtask: Select people to send event invitation to
Task 2: Pick your people
Goal: User wants to accept or decline an invitation for a meal
- Subtask: Navigate to event invitation screen (alerted via push notification)
- Precondition: Logged in
- Subtask: Accept or decline invitation, which automatically notifies event host
Task 3: Pick a spot
Goal: User wants to negotiate when and where the meal takes place
- Subtask: Navigate to event invitation screen (alerted via push notification)
- Precondition: Logged in
- Subtask: Input schedule availability, suggest alternatives
Task 4: View event reminder
Goal: User wants to get more information about the proposed event
- Subtask: Navigate to event invitation screen (alerted via push notification)
- Precondition: Logged in
- Subtask: Click on proposed location
- Postcondition: Application displays Yelp ratings of location and relevant maps