CSCI 588 Project Status Review Team 43 - Off Campus DEN Minh-Huy Ton: San Diego Christine Zhang: Los Angeles Danny Chen: Sunnyvale Topic Description Overview Our project idea is developing a system for restaurants to help automate their reservations, seating, food service, and billing while also helping to provide more personalized customer service. Motivation Motivation Streamlines the entire process from top to bottom with instant transactions. Reduces possibility for errors and increases time efficiency. Allows data collection on customers, food ordered, etc. to analyze for economic and marketing purposes. Flexible and widespread range of data mining. System Centralized system with custom functionality for integral users/employees of a restaurant such as hostess, manager, waiter, chef, and diners. Software integrated into computer kiosks and PDAs with touch screen and keyboard/mouse inputs. System Requirements Shall be implemented on Windows platform. Shall provide touch screen and keyboard/mouse input capability. Shall be portable to PDAs with bluetooth or wireless capability. Shall use a centralized relational database with a backup system in the case of an event incurring data loss. Shall provide role based access and functionality to each user. Shall require employees to login with valid username/password. Shall have a real-time graphical layout of the restaurant with table information and capacity issues. Shall allows diners to register with the restaurant to indicate preferences. Shall provide real-time updates on all restaurant related information across all implementations of the system. Navigation Map Visual Analysis Appropriate Use of Colors: Error! Warning Valid Input / Default Navigation Map Description Home/Login: User logins into system with username/password provided or system is setup for customer use at dining table. Waiter: Menu allows waiter to take orders, mark which items have been delivered to the table, input any special requests and handle the bill. Chef: Menu allows chef to view list of food ordered at which tables and mark which items are ready for delivery to the table. Hostess/Manager: Menu allows seating/reservation functionality and administrator privileges such as adding users. Restaurant overview provides table info and availability. Diner: Menu allows diner to view bill, request assistance, and configure frequent diner settings. Visual Analysis Animations are unnecessary Priority is to make UI simple and intuitive 5 +/- 2 Color Rule Avoid cluttering Visual Analysis Icons are simple yet intuitive w/label Most important data prominently displayed in middle of screen (From Designing an E-Commerce site for Users) Text is large enough to comfortably read but does not dominate screen Diner UI will always have a Call Waiter icon in lower right-hand corner. Colors/Images must not distract from text or hinder readability. Call Waiter Visual Analysis All text/graphics readable from 800 x 600 to 1280 x 800 All text spell-checked/verified by restaurant owner and software manager upon every release. All icons approved by restaurant owner/software manager User Analysis 4 Main Users: 1.Hostess 2.Diner 3.Waiter 4.Cook User Analysis: Task Analysis Update Table Seating Chart Enter Order in Database Alert Waiters PDA Food is Ready Diner Check Order Customer Order Order Accepted Customer Order Pending Orders Food Order Diner Preferences Validate Preferences Preferences Accepted Update Diner Preferences Validated Preferences Customer Preferences Database Cook Cooked Food Alert on Waiter PDA WaiterAlert Received Deliver Food Food Table Seating Database Make Reservation Validate Reservation accepted Arrive At Restaurant Reservation Time Host/Hostess View available tables & seat diner Reservation Data Customer Seating Data Updated Table Seating Data User Analysis: Diner Profile User Characteristic:User Ranking: Attitude:Negative Motivation:Low Typing Skill:Low System Experience:Low Tasking Experience:Low Application Experience:Low Use of Other Systems:Infrequent Computer Literacy:Low Frequency of Use:Low Primary Training:None System Use:Discretionary Turnover Rate:High Task Importance:Low Task Structure:Low Diners are there to eat, not to figure out how to use a computer system!! User Analysis: Diner Profile MenuFill-InQ&ACommand Language Function Keys Direct Manip. Natural Language Attitude NegativeNegative Neutral NegativePositiveNegative MotivationLowLow Moderate LowHighLow Typing SkillLowModerate High Low High System Experience LowLow Moderate HighLow Task Experience LowModerate High LowHigh LowHigh Application Experience LowLow Moderate ModerateHighModerateLow Computer Literacy LowModerate High LowHighModerate High Low Frequency Of Use LowModerate High LowHighLow Primary Training Little or None SomeLittle or noneFormalLittle or none System Use Discretionary MandatoryDiscretionary Turnover Rate HighLow Moderate HighLowModerateHigh Task Importance LowModerateLowHighModerateLow Task Structure High LowLow Moderate ModerateLow User Analysis Wide range of ages, educational levels, attitudes, motivations, experiences etc. because it is a restaurant. Therefore we assume novice users by default. Dialog Style Primary: Direct Manipulation -Simple and intuitive to use for the most novice of users. Secondary: Menus Used to navigate the system Fill-In Forms Used for text entry I/O Devices Input Devices: Touch screen : Easy to use, requires no extra cognitive processing QWERTY keyboard : Used for text entry Note: Mouse/Stylus is unnecessary because of the use of a touch screen system. Output Devices: Flat Screen Monitors : Used by diners, hosts, and cooks PDA Monitors Used by Waiters User Environment Designed for use in higher-end restaurants E.g Cheesecake Factory All use will be constrained in a restaurant setting. Reduces many random factors and establishes a more static, controlled environment User Analysis Most important user: Diners!! Diners are there to eat, not waste time trying to figure out a UI!! Home Page: Login Home Page: Main Screen Home Page: Explanation Login Screen Explanation Necessary to identify the user interacting with the system. Displays restaurant name along with date and time. Employee Login Form: User inputs username and password here to login to the system. Customer Table Setup Form: Each table in the restaurant will have a separate display interface for the customer/diner sitting at that specific table. Thus, every table has to be configured with the software and corresponding table #. Main Screen Explanation The basic layout of the screen remains the same for each user but the specific details regarding their job functionality will change on the screen depending on which type of user is logged in. Thus the home screen for most users will contain the top tool bar, the 2 status windows on the left, and the dining floor layout. For diner and chef, their layouts are simpler due to the fact that they shouldnt be bothered with complicated user interfaces. The top toolbar contains the essential functions of that specific type of user. As seen on the screen, using hostess main page as an example, the toolbar contains hostess related functions such as reservations, waiting list, and diner preferences. On the left side of the screen, there are 2 status windows displaying important information necessary to the user. For a hostess, one window displays the current waiting list with information such as the name and number of people in the party. Below it, the window displays the reservations with time of the reservation, name the reservation is under, and number of people in the party. These windows will change for other users. A waiter might have one window displaying the tables that need assistance and which tables have food ready to be delivered. The main part of the screen contains the dining room layout of the restaurant. The tables are configured in the program as they exist in the space of the dining room. The layout can be changed anytime by the manager if the restaurant remodels. Each table will provide status information depending on the user logged in. For a hostess, the color of the table will signify whether the table is occupied or empty. Also, a legend is shown to distinguish the states of the colors. Home Page: Main Screen Home Page: Explanation Chef Screen Explanation Does not contain any sub menus in the tool bar Two important information boxes are present, items ordered that are waiting to be prepared, and items ready for delivery. When an item is being prepared, the item should be highlighted, and the button Preparing should be clicked. This will change the font color of the item being prepared to green. When an item is ready, the item should be highlighted, and the arrow button should be clicked to transfer the item over to the Item Ready box. When the waiter picks up the item, the item should be highlighted, and the button Picked Up should be clicked. This will delete the item from the Item Ready box. Diner Explanation The diner main page has 2 sub menus on the tool bar. One is to see the current bill, and the other is to enter diner preferences if the diner chooses to. The diner main page shows current food items ordered, the diner can select a food item and click the Cancel button to cancel the item There are several icons on the main page the diner can use. Wine menu icon will display the wine menu, get take out box icon will alert the waiter to bring a take out box, drink refill icon will alert the waiter to refill the drinks, dessert menu icon will display the dessert menu, and the lower right call waiter icon will alert the waiter to come service the table. Screen Prototypes: Restaurant Screen Prototypes: Restaurant Explanation Table Status Drop down menu to select the table number Window box to display table information such as if the table was occupied, customer who reserved table, number of people at the table, and the waiter who serves the table Home Icon Button All screen prototypes contain this button to allow the user to go back to their home main page. Screen Prototypes: Hostess Screen Prototypes: Hostess Explanation Reservations Current reservation list, contains a time table that shows diners that reserved a table at a certain time. This time table has two arrows on the side to see more time slots available but not shown on the screen. When a table is ready for a diner, the diner should be highlighted, and the Seat button should be clicked to take the diner off the list. To delete the diner, just highlight the diner, and click the Delete button. New reservations form allows the hostess to add new diners to the reservation list. A drop down box allows the selection of time the diner wish to reserve a table. Availability box shows number of tables reserved, and number of table still available at a certain time. The drop down box allows the selection of the time. Waiting List Current waiting list shows all diners that are still waiting for a table. The Seat button should be clicked when a diner is ready to be seated at a table. The Delete button should be clicked when the diner no long wants to wait, and be take off the waiting list. Add to list form allows the hostess to add new diners to the waiting list. A current dining room layout shows which tables are reserved, occupied, or empty at the current time, so the hostess knows how long the diners on the waiting list need to wait. Diner Preferences A search box allows the waiter to search diner preferences on a specific diner. Diner information box displays a diners demographics, table preferences, server preferences and other necessary information needed to better cater to the diner and keep diners up to date with restaurant new. Food preferences box displays a diners favorite food items, and things the diner dislike. Drink preferences box displays a diners favorite drink items. Screen Prototypes: Waiter Screen Prototypes: Waiter Explanation Take Orders A drop down box to allow the waiter to select tables they are waiting that needs to have their orders taken. Input boxes for different food groups the diners can order off the menu. The waiter just needs to enter those items in the corresponding category and add to the order list. Order Status Drink ordered box shows all the current drinks ordered that hasnt yet been delivered. Once delivered, the diner should click the arrow to transfer the drink item to the delivered box. Food items ordered box shows all the current food items ordered that hasnt yet been delivered. Once delivered, the diner should click the arrow to transfer the food item to the delivered box. Diner Preferences A search box allows the waiter to search diner preferences on a specific diner. Diner information box displays a diners demographics, table preferences, server preferences and other necessary information needed to better cater to the diner and keep diners up to date with restaurant new. Food preferences box displays a diners favorite food items, and things the diner dislike. Drink preferences box displays a diners favorite drink items. Bill A drop down box to allow the waiter to select the table that needs to bring up the bill. Payment information box allows the waiter to select the payment type, or when the waiter swipes the credit card, all credit card information will be displayed in the appropriate form input boxes. If the information looks correct, then the Accept Payment button should be clicked to submit the payment information, and print out a credit card signature receipt for the diner to sign. A customer receipt box shows the diners billing receipt, it can be printed out for the customer when the Print Receipt button is clicked. Screen Prototypes: Diner Screen Prototypes: Diner Explanation Current Bill Customer receipt box shows the diners current bill, the Print Receipt button can be clicked to have the receipt printed out. A suggested tip box automatically calculate the tip amount according to the current bill. Diner can use this suggestion to decide on the tip amount. A Call Waiter icon allows the diner to request the waiters service. Diner Preferences A diner information form to allow the diner to input their optional diner demographic, contact information, table, server preferences, and comments about the restaurant. Food preferences box form allows the diner to input their favorite dishes and dislikes. Drink preferences box form allows the diner to input their favorite drinks. Submit button to submit the diner preference to allow another diner preferences to be entered or Clear button to clear the information entered. A Call Waiter icon allows the diner to request the waiters service. Comments / Plans For The Future Developing the system with touch screen capability will be unlikely given limited resources and time. Providing a user interface for customers may depend on the type of restaurant. (casual vs. fine dining) Aim to develop a prototype system in a Windows environment integrating keyboard / mouse control. Develop with the use of Labview (graphical IDE). Integrate with MySQL database if time permits.