ProjectProposal-UdamSaini

From CS160 User Interfaces Fa06

Contents 1 Problem Description 2 Target User Group 3 Problem Context 4 Solution Sketch

Problem Description

Often times, when at a restaurant, it can be difficult to simply order something from the menu. Sometimes the waiter or waitress pressures the dining group into ordering (by coming over frequently) to see if the group is ready to order. Other times, the waiter or waitress do not come around to the tables frequently enough, and it can be difficult to get his or her attention to place the order.

Other times, sometimes it can be difficult to communicate what you would like to order to the waitress especially the a customer has a thick, hard to understand accent. It is also possible that the person taking down the order misinterprets the order or does not hear it completely. Complicated orders (such as not wanting this and this ingredient in the dish) may not be written down properly, and thus cooked incorrectly by the chef.

Signing digital pads, often used to compare the signature in the credit card company’s database, can be cumbersome and annoying rather than being able to sign a receipt. Not every place allows the buyer to sign a paper receipt, and the store instead uses a digital pad, that does not allow the user to see how what their signature looks like as they write it on this pad.

Target User Group

There are two main groups that this new technology targets. It targets both restaurant workers (specifically waiters and to a lesser extent, chefs), as well as people who dine at restaurants (especially those that are short on time). Waiters and waitresses, often, have problems at managing many different tables, and often have to guess when an appropriate amount of time has passed for a given group to be ready to order. People who dine at restaurants, especially those that are impatient, may want to quickly order and get their food cooked as quickly as possible while not having to wait for the waiter to come by (which may or may not take sometime to come by).

Problem Context

The new solution needs to be very easy for anyone to place an order. The system also needs to be able to allow the user to communicate with the workers in the restaurant easily. It should also be easy to modify the order and have it conveyed to the waiters and chefs in a timely manner. Also, the system should give feedback to the user that what they have entered has successfully been registered. It should also allow the people eating at the restaurant to easily modify/ give instructions on their order such as, which ingredients to include or exclude in the meal. Paying for meals should also be quick and easy.

Waiters and waitresses also need to be able to know quickly when an order has been placed or a customer needs help while working. This will help to streamline the process and allow the waiters to immediately know which group of customers currently needs their attention.

Solution Sketch

A digital pen would lie in each table, along with a digital menu. Each customer has their own menu, but each table has this digital menu that the customers use to order on. Each menu item has a box next to the price where the person eating can write down the number of menu items they would like to order. Nothing written in a box would imply that the consumer does not wish to eat that item. The customer can cross out ingredients if they do not wish to have that ingredient for that menu item. The customer should also be able to add an ingredient to the menu item by writing that ingredient next to the other ingredients.

Note: Image edited from this picture found here: [1]

Waiters and waitresses could be alerted via a small PDA about a customer’s order or if a customer needs attention. The PDA would vibrate to get the waiters attention if something came on the PDA that the waiter needed to look at immediately. A customer’s order would also be sent to a computer. The computer analyzes which table it came from, and sends the screen of the interpreted order back to the customer via a small monitor that resides at each table. Once the customer confirms the order, it would also be transferred to a monitor in the kitchen, where the chefs could create the meal.

Paying the bill would use a digital paper and pen to sign for the meal (when paid with a credit card). The signature would be uploaded to the computer, and then to the credit card company to ensure that the signature is valid. The receipt would look exactly like other receipts, except it would be printed on a special digital paper, and signed with a special digital pen to record the signature.

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