ANNOTATION OF

KNOWLEDGE OF

THE DOMAIN

Subject: E-menu on iPad for Thai restaurant

Topic: Annotation

Content: Annotation of knowledge of the domain

Created by Traitet Th.

Created Date 31 July 2012

Revised Date 7 Sep 2012

Revision No. 1.0

Document Name A01-001

KEY KNOWLEDGE OF THE DOMAIN

1. Electronic menu (e-menu) for restaurants

2. Restaurant service process

3. Software usability and Human-Computer Interaction (HCI)

4. Software development methodologies and prototyping technique

5. Mobile application development for e-menu on iOS or Android devices

2

1) E-menu for Restaurants

3

1) E-MENU FOR RESTAURANT4

Main Objectives of e-menu (Jenie 2011)

• Display list of food and beverages including images

• Process the restaurant services from ordering to payment

Pictures are taken from Emenu USA (2011) and Conceptic (no date)

Three general kinds of touch screen e-menu system

(Conceptic no date)

• Table side touch screen e-menu

• E-menu for waiting area

• Tablet e-menu

1) E-MENU FOR RESTAURANT5

Table-side touch screen e-menu

• Equipment: Personal computer

• Installation: Need to modify table

Benefits

• No falling problem

Disadvantages

• Difficult to install

• Need to prepare electrical plugs at all tablesDifficult to install &

Need electrical plugs

Table-side touch screen e-menu1

Pictures are taken from Emenu USA (2011) and Conceptic (no date)

1) E-MENU FOR RESTAURANT6

E-menu for waiting area

• Equipment: LCD TV with touch screen

• Installation: Need to prepare area to install

Benefits

• Bigger images

• Less cost because it requires only one touch

screen LCD TV

Disadvantages

• Only one person can order at a time.

• Not suitable for this case study restaurant

because customers can not order on their

tables.

• Need extra space to install.

Cannot order at dining table

E-menu for waiting area2

Pictures are taken from Emenu USA (2011) and Conceptic (no date)

1) E-MENU FOR RESTAURANT7

Tablet E-menu

• Equipment: Tablet e.g. iPad

• Installation: Don’t need to modify

table

Benefits

• Slim and small size

• Easy to install

• Build-in wireless connection

Disadvantages

• Falling problem

• Smaller screen size than others

• Theft

Small & Easy to use

Tablet e-menu3

1) E-MENU FOR RESTAURANT8

After discussion with the restaurant manager and staff, we found that the tablet e-menu was the most

suitable because it was smaller and simpler to install.

No Compared ItemOrder at

tableSize

Installation

Summary

1 E-menu at waiting area No Big DifficultIt is not suitable for this restaurant because

it is inconvenient for the customers.

2Table side touch screen

e-menuYes Medium Difficult

It is difficult to install because of its size and it needs power supply.

3 Tablet e-menu Yes Small EasyIt can order at the dinning table and

it is cheaper and easier to install.

Final decision with restaurant manager: Tablet e-menu

2) RESTAURANT SERVICE PROCESS

9

2) RESTAURANT SERVICE PROCESS

10

Analysis of a existing restaurant service process

Issues of existing system

1. Need to wait for waiting

staff before giving order

and making payment.

2. Waiting staff must deliver

order to kitchen and bar.

E-menu system

3. Order is send directly from

a table to bar and kitchen.

Pictures are adopted from Crowston, Rubleske and Howison (2006)

Process of taking order & making payment can be improve by e-

menu.

2) RESTAURANT SERVICE PROCESS

11

Problem: Personal contact between waiting staff and customers

Description• E-menu may reduce the personal

contact between customers and waiting staff (Studentwebstaff 2009).

Solution• The system should have a

“service request” feature to call waiting staff.

Benefits• Customers can request services

easier compared to the existing system.

• Customers don’t want to look around to find a waiter.

Pictures are adopted from Crowston, Rubleske and Howison (2006)

Solution: Customers can request a waiter from e-menu system.Benefits: Customers can easily request a waiter.

Ser

vice

Req

uest

Dia

gram

• Request Waiter• Request Main

Course• Request Bill

12 2) RESTAURANT SERVICE PROCESS

1. Ordering Issues

• A waiter must spend time

to take and transfer an

order to the kitchen and

bar.

• Customers are less

inclined to order more food

during busy time.

• Paper-based menus have

insufficient information

e.g. pictures and details of

food.

2. Request Service Issues

• A waiter has to observe

customers when they want

to request a main course.

• The customers have to

look around to request

waiter and bill.

1

2

Ord

eri

ng

Serv

ice

Req

ues t

These issues can be solved by e-menu system

As-it or current system

13 2) RESTAURANT SERVICE PROCESS

1. Ordering

- Order is transferred to bar

and kitchen automatically.

- Customers find it easy to

order more food and

beverages.

- Customers can check their

order status.

- Customers can select menu

with full details and

pictures.

1

New Service Process by e-menu system

Ord

eri

ng

2

Serv

ice

Req

ues t

E-menu can enhance ordering and requesting services

2. Service request

- Customers can request

service on e-menu

- Waiters have more time to

provide service.

3) SOFTWARE USABILITY & HCI

14

HCI: Human-Computer Interaction

SOFTWARE USABILITY & HCI15

Good HCI Design

High Usability

High Quality of Software

Measurement Factor

Meeting with business needs

• Touch screen interfaces can enhance usability because it is easy to

use.

• Developing e-menu system should concern HCI design.

• Users can use software without specialised IT knowledge

• Easy to use & without long instruction (Edexcel 2010)

• Quality of software should support business needs.

• HCI is an important factor to measure a quality of software (Gulati and Dubey 2012 , Majid 2011)

User Friendly User Interfaces

e.g. Touch Screen Interfaces

HCI: Human-Computer Interaction

Improving Software Quality by HCI design

16 SOFTWARE USABILITY & HCI

(Norman and Nielsen 2011; Nielsen 1993)

NoGood HCI Design &

UsabilityDescription

Example of applying the concept for e-menu

1 Visibility Know result of each operation Screen is updated after placing order

2 Feedback Easy to return to a previous screenCustomers can always return to a previous

screen of e-menu.

3 MemorabilityEasy to recognize when use software again

Make user-friendly and non-complex user interfaces

4 Learnability Easy to accomplish basic tasksReduce unnecesaary steps as much as

possible

5 Efficiency Quick to learn and perform tasks Make it be simple and easy to use

6 Satisfaction Pleasant to use software Put nice images and suitable colours

Above criteria should always be concerned when developing an e-menu

application.

However, only usability is insufficient. Developers must be aware of SW

development methodology.

How to measure HCI Design?

4) SOFTWARE DEVELOPMENT

METHODOLOGIES AND PROTOTYING

TECHNIQUE

17

4) SOFTWARE DEVELOPMENT

METHODOLOGIES

AND PROTOTYPING TECHNIQUE

18

No Compared Item Waterfall AgileRAD with

PrototypingDescription

1 Traditional approach Yes No No

Waterfall approach clearly separates development processes, and doesn't return to a previous stage. (Khan et al. 2011)

2Uses iterative process

No Yes YesIterative process can improve a quality of application and increase customer satisfaction (Hoffer, George and Valacich 2008).

3Software is likely fit with business needs.

No Yes YesAgile and RAD use a iterative process, which is flexible when a requirement is changed (Kendal 2011).

4 Experimental approach No No YesRAD is an experimental method, which may result in insufficiently understand the overall business requirements (Khan et al. 2011).

5Able to increase the overall cost and implementation time

No Yes Yes

Iterative process able to increase the overall cost and time. For example, after requirements are changed, a project will need more time to develop (Cobb 2011).

6 Appropriate for a large project Yes Yes No

A large project needs a lot of developers and much time to implement. It is difficult to observe at a customer site and make a prototype at a short time (Meso and Jain 2011)

Comparison table among Waterfall, Agile and RAD with prototyping approach

The software development methodology is considered in the “Justification of the approach” section

19

4) SOFTWARE DEVELOPMENT

METHODOLOGIES

AND PROTOTYPING TECHNIQUE

What?• Develop a final prototypes of e-menu application

Where?• At a Thai casual dinning restaurant

How?• Observation at a restaurant to gather requirements• Discussion with manager to summarise needs• Develop the first prototype by .NET & Web services• Develop the final prototype on iPad (Objective-c

language on xCode software)• Observation, discussion and interviews

Observation to understand as-it system. Discussion to gather requirements Interviews the restaurant manager, waiting

staff and chefs

Reason using .Net to develop the first prototype• Saving time: Researcher is more familiar with .NET• Testing web services: Website developed by .NET can

test web services before integrating with xCode (iPad)

When?• Developing and observing between July and August

2012• Presenting the first and final prototypes in July and

August 2012, respectively.

Key concepts of RAD methodology• Gather requirements & evaluate prototype by

observation, discussion and interview.• Working closely with users throughout the developing

process.

RAD Prototype Model (Sommerville 2004)

Capture Requirements(Observation at the

restaurant)

Quick Analysis and Design(UML and other design

documents)

Develop Prototype(1st by .Net & 2nd by .NET &

Xcode)Customer Evaluation of

Prototype(Get feedback from

observation, discussion and interviews)

Develop Final Product

Iterate process

Obs

erva

tion

– D

iscu

ssio

n –

Inte

rvie

w

2.5

month

s for p

roto

typ

e

develo

pm

ent

Throughout development process

Mapping RAD Modeling with e-menu development

4) MOBILE APPLICATION

DEVELOPMENT FOR E-MENU ON iOS

AND ANDROID DEVICES

20

21

4) MOBILE APPLICATION DEVELOPMENT

FOR

E-MENU ON IOS AND ANDROID DEVICES

No Platform Apple's iOS Google's Android

1 Owner Apple Google

2 Tablet devices iPad Samsung, HTC, HP, and etc.

3 Sizes of tablet screens 1 Several sizes based on devices

4 Operating system (OS) iOS Android based on Linux OS

5 Programming language Objective-C Mainly in Java

6 Object Oriented Programming (OOP) Yes Yes

7 Preferred developing tool Apple Xcode and Interface builder

Google App Inventor, IBM Eclipse and Netbean

8 Open source platform No Yes

9 Annual fee for development $99 per year One time registration fee $25

10 Software approval before publishing

Spend 3-4 weeks for app approval by Apple No need

Comparison table between Apple’s iOS and Google AndriodObjective• To chose an effective way to develop

a prototype of e-menu system.

System analysis• It is better if e-menu system can

support both iOS and Andriod devices because both of them are famous platforms.

Conditions• Only two months for developing a

prototype.• They use different tools and

languages.

Solutions• Develop web services on .NET• Provide web services to both Apple

and Andriod devices• However, the prototype is developed

on iPad (Apple device) for this case study first.

Reasons• Restaurant owner, staff and the

learner are more familiar with iPad than Andriod devices.

• iPad has only one size of screen, which is easier to develop.

• Using Web services because they are platform independent.

Problem: How to develop e-menu to support both Apple and Android devices ?

Solutions: Use Web services (platform independent) to provide functionalities to iOS and Andriod platforms.

(Ray 2012; Wei-Meng Lee 2012; Goadrich 2011)

4) MOBILE APPLICATION DEVELOPMENT

FOR

E-MENU ON IOS AND ANDROID DEVICES

22

Use web services to support both iPad and Andriod devices

Key concept

- Development based on

Model-View-Controller (MVC)

model

Separate layers to three

layers;

- Data Model Layer

- Controller Layer

- Model Layer

Decision for this case study

- ASP.Net: It can develop web

services more easily because

the learner is familiar with this

platform.

- SQL Server: It is compatible

with .Net because their owners

are the same (Microsoft).

- iPad or iOS platform: The

restaurant manager and staff

are more familiar with iPad

than Andriod devices.

Adopted from Microsoft ASP.NET Team (2009).

Web

Serv

ices

Pla

tform

independent b

y w

eb se

rvice

s

REFERENCES

23

REFERENCES24

CONCEPTIC (no date). iPad eMenu for restaurant. [online]. Last accessed 9 August 2012 at: http://www.emenu-international.com/iPad-menu-for-restaurants.

CROWSTON, Kevin, RUBLESKE, Joseph and HOWISON, James (2006). Coordination Theory: A Ten-Year Retrospective. [online]. Last accessed 8 August at: http://crowston.syr.edu/system/files/CT%20Review%20to%20distribute.pdf.

EDEXCEL (2010). Human Computer Interaction. [online]. Last accessed 7 August at: http://www.edexcel.com/migrationdocuments/BTEC%20Nationals%20from%202010/Unit-23-Human-Computer-Interaction.pdf.

EMENU USA (2011). eMenu Pictures. [online]. Last accessed 9 August at: http://www.emenuny.com/pictures.html.

GANTTHEAD (2010). Rapid Application Development process. [online]. Last accessed 9 August at: http://www.gantthead.com/content/processes/11306.cfm.

GULATI, Anubha and DUBEY, Sanjay Kumar (2012). Critical Analysis on Usability Evaluation Techniques. [online]. International Journal of Engineering Science and Technology (IJEST), 4(3), 990-997. Article from IJEST last accessed 3 September 2012 at: http://www.ijest.info/docs/IJEST12-04-03-118.pdf.

JENIE, Renan Prasta, et al. (2011). Designing user interface e-menu based on Android platform. [online]. Last accessed 9 August at: http://ict.binus.edu/metamorph/file/research/Journal%20-%20Android%20Komodo%202.pdf.

MAJID, Rogayah Abd, et al. (2011). Users’ frustration and HCI in the software development life cycle. [online]. International Journal of Information Processing and Management, 2 (1.5), 44-48. Article from Human and Sciences Research Center last accessed 8 August at: http://www.humanpub.org/ijipm/ppl/4_%20IJIPM%20Vol2%20No.1-4.pdf.

MESO, Peter, JAIN, Radhika (2006). Agile Software Development: Adaptive Systems Principles and Best Practices. [online]. Information Systems Management, 23(3), 19-30. Article from Mendeley last accessed 9 August at: http://www.mendeley.com/research/Agile-software-development-adaptive-systems-principles-best-practices

MICROSOFT ASP.NET TEAM (2009). ASP.NET MVC Overview. Last accessed 9 Aug 2012at: http://www.asp.net/mvc/tutorials/older-versions/overview/asp-net-mvc-overview.

NIELSEN, Jakob (1993). Usability Engineering. San Francisco, Morgan Kaufmann.

NORMAN, Donald A. and NIELSEN, Jakob (2010). Gestural interfaces: A step backward in usability. Interactions, 17 (5), 46-49.

STUDENTWEBSTAFF (2009). Use of E-Menus in the Restaurant Industry. [online]. Last accessed 9 August at: http://www.studentwebstuff.com/mis/showthread.php?t=8049