Sample Solutions:
Many people did quite well on this.
The following are sample good solutions to the assignment.
Goals:
The goal of this assignment is to learn how to do a task analysis
and scenario construction for development of a user interface.
Job:
You have been hired as a consultant for Pizzas R Us (PRU) who would
like to start a business that makes it possible for people
make online orders from the web. The system will allow people
to order pizza from pizza palors within the local area, as well as
enter order online at a kiosk within selected
pizza parlors.
The basic functionality should allow users to select various properties of the pizza (which ingredients to put on, thick crust or thin, etc), order side dishes, specify delivery or pickup, and pay. The system also needs to confirm orders with estimated delivery times and prices.
PRU is also considering allowing special features, like incorporating customer recommendations, linking to reviews, allowing party orders in advance, online discount coupons, and comparing local pizza parlors (e.g., see how long it will take a particular pizza place to deliver an order, compare prices).
As the consultant designing the interface prototype for this system, you must figure out how people do their pizza ordering now, how they would like to do it online, and what features would make sense when. You must also take into account the needs of the pizza parlor owners and workers.
Observation:
Prepare a list of questions you think need to be answered about how
people do their pizza ordering and what they would like in an
automated ordering system.
Then go visit one or more pizza parlors. Observe how people achieve their pizza ordering goals. Observe what the counter people need to do. If you like, interview people in these places, but this isn't required.
Interview at least three people around you about what they would like in an automated ordering system and how they would like it to work. Try to identify people with different needs and preferences, preferable with respect to their attitudes about using online ordering systems.
Be sure to ask them what, if anything, must be in the system in order for them to prefer it over a phone ordering system or an in-person ordering system. (E.g., no busy signals, cheaper prices, comparison shopping, faster service, or would they prefer anything over current methods.)
Go look at at least one existing on-line food ordering web site and see how they handle these tasks.
Analysis and Scenario Development:
First answer the standard task analysis questions and then focus
more deeply on the tasks. Make a table showing user types, tasks,
and guesses about relative frequencies of tasks. Try to understand
the basic tasks that are currently supported within pizza parlors
and via phone orders.
Then decide which of the new tasks customers may perform using the new interface. Make note which ideas you decided to drop based on your interviews.
Create three scenarios that will exercise these tasks within the interface. These can be described as text.
Interface Sketch:
Given your analysis of the existing and new tasks, explain how the
pizza ordering system will work. This should consist of either a
textual description or a flow chart (or both) showing the sequences
of steps that will be allowed in the system. You should also
provide rough sketches showing at least three of the
important screens. You should label them clearly to describe the
elements in the sketch. Walk through at least one of the scenarios
you developed and show how it can be handled by the interface.
To Turn In:
The assignment should be no more than five web pages of
typewritten text (plus sketches). Include the following: