WAITer

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WAITer Waiting Assistant Information Technology
GROUP 1 Andrei Boutyline, Neetin Gulati, Ha
Nguyen, Randy Shoopman
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WAITer Waiting Assistant Information Technology
WAITer is a handheld computer application
designed to increase the efficiency of the
processes involved in taking a restaurant order.
This process begins with a server taking an order
and ends when a customer pays for the bill.
Our application will achieve this goal by
revamping the ordering process to provide quick
service for customers while simultaneously
ensuring a more cost effective and efficient
turnover of patrons for restaurateurs.
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Presentation Overview

• Current Problems Proposed Solutions
• Representative Tasks
• Design Evolution
• Final User Interface Description
• 5. Summary

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Current Problems Proposed Solutions

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Representative Tasks
EASY A customer has a complaint and wishes to
speak with a manager. Contact Bob and ask him to
go to Table 5. Very straight-forward and serves
as a good introduction to the system

MEDIUM Four customers have been seated at Table
1. They already ordered 2 Cokes and an Evian
water. Please add a turkey burger with no
mayonnaise to the order, send all the orders off
to the kitchen immediately and process a cash
payment. This task takes you through the entire
process of serving a table, from ordering to
processing the bill.
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Representative Tasks
HARD Cindy, a customer at Table 3 complains
that her steak was overcooked. She doesn't want
another steak so you need to subtract it from her
bill. In addition, in order to comply with the
restaurant policies, the customer is entitled to
a free dessert. Cindy wishes to have the apple
pie. Place the dessert order, but do not add the
charge to her bill. This task uses some of the
more complicated features of the application,
such as changing prices. It also builds upon the
previous task since users have to use the menu
again and remember to send the order to the
kitchen.

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Transition between Lo-Fi and Hi-Fi

• order tab changed to view order due to
  confusion with menu tab
• associating ordered items w/ individuals
  removed since it slowed down the order-taking
  process
• messaging utility now has option to use
  keyboard input in addition to handwriting
  recognition
• messaging utility increased from 1 to 2 frames
  due to space required by pop-up keyboard

• vertical toolbar merged w/ horizontal toolbar

• flat menu improved using eVBs treeview ctrl

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Transition between Hi-Fi and Final UI

• Functionality Changes
• An easier, faster to use Price Editing screen
  with additional options
• A more functional order summary screen with
  additional features
• A drop-down menu with selection of usernames
  added to the login screen

• Price editing given its own screen

• A more functional order summary screen with
  additional options

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Heuristic Evaluations
Heuristic evaluations gave us more suggestions
then any other form of testing, which made them
the most useful.

• H2-4 Consistency and standards
• "Custom" button changed to "Customize"
• "Edit" button changed to "Customize"
• "Checkout" button change to "Process Payment
• H2-5 Error prevention
• added confirmation to deletion of items from the
  order
• H2-6 Recognition rather than Recall
• Log-in screen has drop-down list of known
  usernames
• H2-7 Flexibility and Ease-of-Use
• Order customizations can be modified after
  ordered
• Number of items ordered changed from a drop-down
  menu a text box with arrows
• H2-8 Aesthetic and minimalist design
• Larger buttons
• Disabled tabs are now in a strike-through font

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Final UI Description
What it can do?

• enable waiting staff to input orders directly
  into a handheld computer which wirelessly
  communicates the customers order to the kitchen.
  
• wireless messaging between managers, wait
  staff, host/hostesses, kitchen staff, and
  bartenders.
• bills can be processed directly at the table
  using cash or credit card
• prices can be adjusted
• orders can be taken at once yet submitted to the
  kitchen at different times
• designed using Microsoft Embedding Visual Basic
  for PocketPC devices, such as the HP Jornada

How does it work?
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The User Interface
The toolbar on the bottom allows for transitions
between global functions, like the restaurant
homepage, waiter homepage, messenger, and help,
as well as to change between specific table
homepages
Table toggle
help utility
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The User Interface
Tabs allow for transitions between table-specific
commands, such as taking an order, sending orders
to the kitchen, and processing the bill.
Bill Shows items ordered prices Allows for
price changes Can process payment with cash or
credit card
Notes Allows waiter to write notes regarding this
table for future reference
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Final UI Description
Whats Missing?

• Help system
• Ability to split checks quickly and easily
• Allow notes and messages to be saved to an
  archive
• Recommendations for drinks and sides based on
  main dish
• Training Program / Tutorial

Additional Hardware

• Wireless LAN technology
• Integration of credit card reader into device to
  allow for processing at the table
• Integration with a belt-mounted printer to give
  the customer a receipt immediately
• Back-end server with management features, such
  as menu editing and statistics collection

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Summary

• PROBLEM
• Wait staff at restaurants are faced with the
  complicated task of remembering details about
  multiple tables while customers demand attentive
  customer service.
• In the digital age, everything must eventually be
  entered into a computer for accounting and
  record-keeping purposes.

• SOLUTION
• WAITer an innovative wireless electronic
  ordering system that fits in the palm of your
  hand.