Final Project: Phase IIIc – Design Stage 3 - High-fidelity prototype

Task: Translate our paper prototype ideas to the actual flash interface.

As I am the most familiar with flash programming, I was in charge of programming the whole interface while the rest of the group members did the buttons design, user testing and other miscellaneous tasks. However, due to time constraint, we did not manage to incorporate all the features by the following week so we did the heuristic evaluation and usability testing with what we have come up with, which is basically just one game (Spot the Difference), one cartoon and the drawing pad.

The main negative comment we have garnered from the usability testing was that the opening screen consisting of several fishes containing information about our features (we have added more fishes to the one from the previous week) are too wordy, and the colour of the words are hard to read. They are also confusing since they are unclickable, as shown below:

In addition, the buttons were commented to look flat and there can be a better line of separation differentiating which is the foreground and which is the background. The dark blue colour of the buttons too contributed to a “blue overload”, since the background was also blue, as commented by Mr Reddy. These are problems that we hope to address when we present our final prototype the following week.

Other than that, there were positive comments such as the ePan being generally user-friendly/intuitive, making good use of stylus technology (for the games & drawing pad) as well as incorporating interesting programmes to suit different tastes. Well it seems that our decision to cater to these different target groups is proving to be the right one.

Final Project: Phase IIIb – Design Stage 2 - Low-fidelity prototype

Task: Concept generation, low fidelity prototype, user-evaluation walk through

Concept generation:

Now, we shall go on to the process of conceptualizing the UI for the ePan. In conceptualizing, we will follow this information architecture:

1. Home
2. Games
   a) Single Player
   - Game 1
   - Game 2
   b) Multi Player
   - Game 3
   - Game 4
3. Cartoons
4. Nutritional Calculator
   a) Appetiser
   b) Main Course
   c) Drinks
   d) Desserts
   e) Kids Menu
5. Drawing pad
6. Gallery

Hence we went about sketching the design of each feature on pieces of A4 sized paper. We opted for a simple and clear layout with the five features of the ePan, as well as the “home” buttons and the sound toggle forming a row at the top of the screen, while any sub-menu buttons would be located on the left taskbar. This layout is chosen as it is very similar to what people encounter when surfing the web, hence will match real world expectations that will make using our system easy and intuitive (part of Jakob Nielsen’s 10 heuristics). The sub-menu for the cartoons is placed on the right instead of the left as we know the top left portion of the screen attracts the most attention. We want to allow audience to be able to focus their attention on the cartoon video instead of having the sub-menu intruding on their view.

First, the system will run into the home page, where a welcome message will be shown:

In creating the games page, I proposed to include a game, spot the difference as one of single player games. This game is proposed as it can be played by a single person, or a group of players can try to spot the difference at the same time and it is addictive. Next, an example of games layout is showed below:

Following is an example of the layout of the cartoons screen:

Next, is the layout of the nutritional calculator screen:

Finally, is the layout of the drawing pad screen:

We used these paper prototypes and did some user testing. From the user testing, we had feedback that the drawing pad only allows clear all function may not be user friendly as some users may only want to clear a small part of the drawing pad. Therefore, we shall include an eraser in the high fidelity prototype.

Final Project: Phase IIIa - Design Stage 1 - Information Organisation

Task: List the target audience, experience strategy, functionality and describe the Information Architecture of ePan

Overall intended audiences are the diners at the restaurant outlets in Singapore:

1. Young children of age 8 and below
2. Older children to working adults
   -Single Diner
   -Group Diner e.g. young couples, teenagers, young adults, families
3. Health conscious
   

Initially, we had doubts whether to go ahead and target such a broad range of users (as echoed by one of our classmates), but as Fish & Co. attracts a broad range of diners, and we wanted to provide a complete experience for every diner, we decided to go ahead with these different features to target these different needs.

Product benefit specification:

1. Physio-Pleasure
   - The entertainment system should be able to help customers identify healthier choice of food, while relaxing in game play
   - The entertainment system will be easy to use and not mind taxing for users trying to relax
2. Socio-Pleasure
   - Our entertainment system should allow interaction between multiple users at the same time, letting customers to enjoy the company of their friends
   - It will be good if the games can actually help bond customers through game play, improving personal relationships
3. Psycho-Pleasure
   - Our product should have a lively and vibrant feel
   - Our product will help relief stress and simulate customers intellectually by providing health facts
   - Our product can store high scores of customers who played the games on the entertainment system
4. Ideo-Pleasure
   - The entertainment system with educational and fun games suitable for families

Initially, for the health-conscious group of diners, we thought of using flash game to educate them about health facts about seafood dishes. However, since we already have other entertaining games in mind, I proposed the idea that we can have a function more useful to the heath-conscious diners – a dynamic nutritional calculator which calculates the nutritional content (such as saturated fats, sugars, cholesterol levels etc.) of Fish & Co.’s dishes according to diners choice. This will help those diners make a more informed, healthier choice when selecting items from the menu. They can also compare the nutritional content of different dishes to see which dish suits their particular health needs better.

Functionality of our product can be summarized as thus:

1. For Children (Age 8 and below)
   – Cartoons
   - Short in Length (about 20mins long)
   - Marine/aquatic theme
   - Entertaining yet educational
   - Audible, but not too disruptive to others (earphones provided)
2. For Health-Conscious
   – Fun Facts + ePan Calculator
   - Displays the benefits of healthy eating and fun facts of Fish & Co.
   - ePan Calculator enables diners to calculate nutritional information on the food, dessert and drinks being offered (eg. energy, cholesterol, total fat) to make a more informed choice
3. For individuals or Groups
   – Entertaining Game
   - Simple instructions
   - Engaging but short playing time of 10-15 minutes
   - Preferably marine/aquatic theme- Competitive styled game eg. Racing or score the most points
   - Option for single and multiplayer mode
   - High score to be recorded into the system

I also proposed an idea – to include a drawing pad which is very useful for every diner (from kids to adults) to exercise their creativity and entertain themselves by writing messages or drawing images which can be subsequently saved into a gallery and viewed by all diners. This idea is proposed so that diners can leave a message to show that they have been here before, giving them a sense of belonging. To filter out any obscenities, the management would have to monitor the gallery daily and remove any potentially vulgar images or messages.

Hence our Information Architecture is:

1. Home
2. Games
   a) Single Player
   - Game 1
   - Game 2
   b) Multi Player
   - Game 3
   - Game 4
3. Cartoons
4. Nutritional Calculator
   a) Appetiser
   b) Main Course
   c) Drinks
   d) Desserts
   e) Kids Menu
5. Drawing pad
6. Gallery

For our information architecture we provided the workflow and processes (in the form of a chart) as well as scenarios as to what steps take place when different groups of customers with different needs enter the restaurant and utilize our ePan.

Our next challenge is to come up with a solution on how to physically place our stylus-sensitive LCD screen (without the CPU) so that multiple users can use it with ease, while at the same time not obstructing waiters and other diners, especially since some of the outlets have limited space. The solution should also help to prevent equipment damage caused by food spills. We generally have one screen per table mounted on the table (hand-held device is not feasible because we want the customers to interact together instead of each playing with their own controller).

With these issues in mind, we came up with a few ideas:

1. Place the screen below a panel of glass under the table (not feasible because customer cannot use the ePan after his food is served)
2. Mount the screen to the corner of the table (could be bulky and blocking the diner sitting next to it)
3. Make the screen foldable/slidable and able to be placed under the table when not in use (technical constraints and hard to visualize, especially given the current holders we can get from shops)

Hence, we have decided to adopt the last solution to physically place the ePan in the restaurant.

Final Project: Phase II - Define - Requirements Specifications

Task: Define target users that we want to cater the ePan to, create personas, product benefit specifications and propose a set of features for ePan.

Target Users:

1. Health-conscious (including young couples who do not have much time to cook
2. Large groups of friends (usually teenagers or young adults)
3. Families with young children

With the target users defined, we set about creating our user profiles and personas for these three groups of people (1 & 2 being advanced users, young children being novice users) and a fourth group – the anti-user (typically older, traditional “uncles” or “aunties” who are less tech sauvy).

Thus our product benefit specifications is defined as:

1. Physio-Pleasure
   - Ability to identify healthier choice of food
   - Easy to use and not mind taxing for users trying to relax
2. Socio-Pleasure
   - Allow interaction between multiple users at the same time
   - Allow bonding between diners
3. Psycho-Pleasure
   - A lively and vibrant feel
   - Stress relief and stimulate customers intellectually by providing health facts
   - Store high scores of customers who played the games on the entertainment system
4. Ideo-Pleasure
   - The entertainment system with educational and fun games suitable for families
   

To address these concerns, we proposed three features for the ePan:

1. cartoons for the kids,
2. stimulating single- and multi-player flash games for the older kid, hungry customer and the groups of friends, and
3. an educational game with heath facts for the health-conscious.

Feedback

One of our classmate feedback that the working executive who is trying to have some peace to relax and dine, may not want to be troubled by the kids making much noise while playing the games. Hence we suggested providing headphones in the ePan system so that kids can occupy themselves and be still while watching the cartoons quietly (especially when they finish their food before their parents).

Final Project: Phase I - Discover - Needs Analysis

Background of Producer: Fish & Co.

• Fish & Co. is a casual dining restaurant with over 10 outlets in Singapore.
• Fish & Co. is known for their fresh seafood served in Mediterranean style - in a pan, with middle range price.
• The restaurants have a nautical-themed ambient and a casual feel.

Need Analysis

Task: To define who our target users are and conduct a needs analysis of our target audience

Target Users: Fish & Co. dining customers

In order to do a needs analysis, we conducted a little ethnographic research by observing Fish & Co.’s customers during the peak dining hour (weekend 7-8pm) and took note of some of the problems they encounter. In addition to the observation, we took our own experiences and those of our friends’ and came up with the following list of common problems faced by Fish & Co.’s diners:

1. Orders taking significantly slower
2. Orders forgotten/mixed up by waiters
3. Time taken for orders to be served extended
4. Children bored and unable to run around the restaurant while waiting to be served

On top of the problems faced, we have also found out about what customers’ needs and expectations are. They include:

1. efficient service,
2. good food and dining experience that is worthy of the price and
3. choice of healthy food due to a health-concious society.

As for the company’s needs, we have come up with the following:

1. To enhance diners’ experience in the restaurant
2. Win over diners so that they will keep coming back
3. Earn more profits

With the needs found, in order to provide a win-win solution to address the needs of both the customers and the company, we came up with a product – the ePan which is essentially an electronic device (we have not yet decided whether it is hand-held or an LCD screen mounted to a table) that incorporates the following features and accomplishes the following goals:

1. Handheld electronic, wireless device / touch screen LCD
   - To accommodate the small dining area
   - Allows for easy play and maximum interactivity
2. Online food ordering system
   - Fast efficient and no frills way to order food at dinners’ own pace
3. Themed games
   - Occupies diners’ attention while waiting for food
   - Diners won’t actually “feel” the waiting time
   - Entertain diners, especially children
4. Fish and fun facts
   - Allow diners to have information on their food and choose more healthily

With the diners having a wonderful and smooth dining experience at Fish & Co., it will leave a good impression on the diners, making Fish & Co. a more outstanding place to dine at. This will help win over the diners' heart and and make them come back for more. Thus Fish & Co. will be able to earn more profits.

Feedback

Generally, our idea is liked by Mr Reddy and our classmates. They think that this device can come in handy to entertain hungry customers to take their mind off from the thought of "argh! why isn't my food being served yet?" The same can be said for kids (accompanied by their parents) who can get restless and run around the restaurants after they finish their food, disturbing other diners in the process.

One of our classmates said that there may not be an actual need to significantly cut the waiting time as it is not a fast food restaurant and waiting is part of the dining experience, but our stand is that we want to make the dining experience even better than it is now to capture the diners' heart and differentiate Fish & Co. from the other restaurants. Therefore we want to cut down on the waiting time.

Another classmate also pointed out that since Fish & Co. is not a fast food restaurant, customers may want to have the feel of being served by waiters instead of having to order their food from a system. Also, Mr Reddy suggested that electronic games for kids might not work out so well as they can be entertained by offline board games or cartoons instead.

Taking these comments into consideration, we have decided to go with our classmates’ suggestion and do away with the ordering component, since it has a totally different functionality from the entertainment system anyway.

Final Project: Project Theme Brainstorm

For the final NM4210 project, we are required to come up with a project theme for an interactive project. With this in mind, we brainstormed a few ideas:

• Online adminstration system for Music Orchestras
• Product to help promote tourism
• Interactive camera user manual
• System for taking orders and providing entertainment for Fish & Co.

Reasons behind the different themes:

1. Online administration system for Music Orchestras

• Most orchestras under the National University of Singapore, Center For the Arts face the problem of keeping records of their members. It is a mess to update members records every year when it comes to the period of keying in CCA points as some members may be overseas and uncontactable, and it is a chore for the secretary to record all members' matriculation number.
• Quater masters are in charged of keeping track of instruments loaning, and need to be around all practices in case anyone needs to loan an instrument, making life difficult for the quater masters
• Committee member have to keep track of all the leave forms of the whole orchestra, which becomes very messy
• With an online administrative system, members can update their particulars on their own immediately, taking the burden off the secretary. Members can submit online loan forms to loan instruments, so that quater masters do not have to bring the loan forms to evry practice. Members can submit leave form online for executive committee member approval for attendance tracking.

2. Product to help tourism

• Advertisement to promote tourism are static and not engaging.
• With an interactive product, such as games etc. promoting tourism will be more interesting and captivating

3. Interactive camera manual

• Camera usually comes with a thick book manual which does not help much sometimes as the explanation is not very clear
• With an interactive camera manual, users can interactively try out the simulated camera in the manual to see the different modes instead of reading

4. System for taking orders and providing entertainment for Fish & Co.

• More and more fish and seafood based restaurants are coming up and overtaking the place of Fish & Co. in customers' heart
• At peak hours, Fish & Co. quality of service can be seen to decline
• With the system, fast and accurate order taking can be performed and while waiting, be entertained by the entertainment system, thus improving dining experience

Based on the 22 Immutable Laws of Marketing, we finally decided to choose the system for taking orders and providing entertainment for Fish & Co. to be our project theme. As there has been no previous case of restaurants having a system to take orders and entertain, we can be sure that we are the first in the field. This will help Fish & Co. to be a unique dining place, differentiating from other restaurants which serves fish and seafood, and this impresssion with the system will reserve a place in the consumers head. With this, we can at least be sure that there will be a market for our product.

Assignment 3: Four pleasure analysis

Name: Tricia

Age: 28

Occupation: Banker

Background: Tricia is from a well-to-do family and had received high standards of education since young. She holds a MBA (Masters of Business Administration) from Stanford University and is now the senior financial manager of a well known bank.

To Tricia, it is either the best, or nothing. Therefore, she is willing to put in lots of hard work to get to the top of the corporate ladder. As the senior financial manager, she is very conscious of her image in front of her clients and subordinates. Being an efficient worker, clean cut is the style for her.

Although Tricia works very hard to climb the corporate ladder, she also knows that a healthy body is important to enjoy the fruits of work. Every week, she will make time to indulge in her favourite sport – tennis. While keeping fit, she also takes the opportunity to keep in touch with her family, friends and boyfriend.

Tricia is dating Norman, a 31 year-old trader. They are both very fond of each other, but have put off marriage to pursue greater heights in their career. Both of them love to chill out in places with nice and quiet ambient over the weekends to take stress off their work.

Physio-Pleasure: Being a person who is very conscious about her image, Tricia does workouts at the gym in her fitness club weekly, on top of her tennis games. (Need pleasure)
Sometimes, she likes to spoil herself by going on luxurious spa treatment, or just an expensive pedicure where she can just relax. (Appreciation pleasure)

Socio-Pleasure: As a senior financial office, clients take up a lot of her time. So Tricia will try to meet her friends whenever she has the time. Her friends are envious of her glamorous lifestyle, and Tricia takes a secret pleasure in it. (Appreciation pleasure)
Although Tricia leads a glamorous life, she is a little woman at heart and needs to feel that she is being loved. Therefore her relations with parents and Norman are very important. (Need pleasure)

Psycho-Pleasure: She needs to feel that she is in control of her life and be updated with the latest news. She prides herself for being the most updated person by using the latest technologies. She also needs to show that she is a unique person of a different caliber from the others. Therefore she will only wear the most fashionable designer items. (Need pleasure)

Ideo-pleasure: Tricia aspires to be seen as a capable successful young woman. She aspires to achieve even more career success. (Appreciation pleasure)
Due to her constant need to maintain the image of a successful career woman, she enjoys using the latest technologies that are not only of the best quality, but also exude a sense of class. (Need pleasure)

Product benefits specifications:
The phone has to be sturdy so that it can take the strains of her gym exercise. It will be a plus if the phone has MP3 player so that she can listen to music while running on the treadmill or waiting for her freshly painted nails to dry.
The phone has to be efficient to match Tricia’s speed.
It has to look expensive, unique and classy to prove her sense of style, and at the same time, feminine to suit her little woman character.
The phone has to allow her to do web surfing and email checking at all times so that she can be the most up to date with her work. It will be a plus if she can use the phone as an organizer at the same time, so that she can carry as little gadgets around as possible.
The phone has to look professional enough for a successful career woman to carry it around.

A possible match: BlackBerry Pearl 8110
The phone allows constant access to e-mail wherever you are, has a high quality QWERTY keyboard for easy typing of emails. The phone also allows Tricia to access her vital corporate databases and applications from anywhere. Therefore Tricia does not have to worry about missing new emails when she is on the move.
It has the basic function for calling, SMS and MMS, and on top of that, allows Tricia to navigate and browse websites with a roll and click of the trackball so that she can stay up to date will all the world’s financial news.
It can also allow Tricia to organize her daily plans with the organizer.
BlackBerry Maps is an added feature on the phone, which allows Tricia to get directions and view maps while on the road to meet her clients.
The phone also comes with a media player, which Tricia can use to listen music while working out.
The 2.0 Megapixels camera with built-in zoom and flash also allows Tricia to capture happy moments when she is out celebrating with her friends.
Most importantly, the pink phone looks stylish and classy and feminine all at the same time. Perfect for Tricia!