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System & User Interaction Development Project:

The Shrewd Foodie

Katy Bibby & Susan Scully

May 5, 2009

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Contents

1 Introduction 4

2 User Model 42.1 Why would someone want to use the system? . . . . . . . . . . . 52.2 What tasks will the system allow the user to do? . . . . . . . . . 52.3 Possible Target User Groups . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 62.4 Survey . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 62.5 The Simplex One Model . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7

3 Task Analysis 93.1 Hierarchical Task Analysis (HTA) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 93.2 Review of some systems currently available . . . . . . . . . . . . 11

4 Requirement Gathering 114.1 Functional Requirements . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 114.2 Technological Requirements . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 134.3 Legal Requirements . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 134.4 Data Requirements . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 144.5 Environmental Requirements . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 144.6 User Requirements . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 144.7 Usability Requirements . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14

5 Design & Storyboarding 155.1 Design Decisions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 155.2 Storyboarding . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17

6 Prototype Implementation 216.1 The Prototype . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 216.2 Prototype Testing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 216.3 Prototype Evaluation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 22

7 Evaluation of Final System 247.1 Development . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 247.2 System Testing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 257.3 System Evaluation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 25

8 Conclusion 288.1 Future Development . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 28

Appendices 30

A Questionnaire given to potential users 30

B Responses to questionnaire 32

C Prototype screenshots 35

D Prototype Testing Script 39

E Prototype Testing: Responses 40

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F Final System screenshots 42

G Final System Testing Script 46

H Final System Testing: Responses 48

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1 Introduction

Our initial proposal was for a system that takes the stress out of food manage-ment for users by:

• keeping track of the user’s food stocks• suggesting recipes based on current food stocks• incorporating the user’s own recipes ???• creating shopping lists based on user’s recipe choices

We developed our system according to the User-Centred System Design(UCSD) process. According to this school of thought, the process of develop-ment of computer systems should focus on the user and the user’s requirements.In the past, computer programs were designed from a programmer’s point ofview. The functionality of the system was focused on and the user usuallyneeded a big manual or extensive use of a help function in order to use it. Thetheory behind UCSD is that systems should be developed keeping the user’sneeds in mind at each stage of the development process. The ideal that we areworking towards is of a system that is self-explanitory to the extent that theuser has no need for a manual, for a help function or for extensive instructionsin order to use the system. UCSD has a much more foresightful approach todevelopment and it is clear why the approach is becoming the norm amongsoftware developers.

UCSD defines six main stages of the development process:

• User Modelling• Task Analysis• Requirements Gathering• Design & Storyboarding• Prototype Implementation• Evaluation of Final System

One of the guiding principles of the HCSD process is that the steps should beiterated. The steps are flexible and are to be revisited and re-examined as thedesign progresses.

An interactive system was to be developed following the principles of UCSD.This document details the steps that we carried out as part of the developmentof our system.

2 User Model

The first step involves identifying the potential users of our system: who is oursystem aimed at? By identifying distinct user groups we can design the systemspecifically gauged to their needs. Neglecting this step can prevent the systemfrom being truly usable to any group of users.

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2.1 Why would someone want to use the system?

• Helps the user to remember food supplies already at home• Saves the user from remembering what’s on shopping list• Helps the user to make best use of food supplies currently at home• Prevents food waste• Can help save money• Allows user to access what supplies they have when not at home• Saves time• Can help monitor diet as only ingredients required to make particular

recipes are added to shopping list. Also, it enables meals to be carefullyplanned.

• All recipes are stored in one location• The user doesn’t have to check cupboards to see which ingredients are

available

2.2 What tasks will the system allow the user to do?

Recipes

• Browse recipes on system (samples will be included)• Input recipes• Choose a recipe based on current food stocks• The system will calculate quantities based on the number of portions re-

quired

Stock Control

• View current food stocks• Input current food stocks (important when first using system)• Update food stocks automatically by adding items to store cupboard when

’ticked off’ the shopping list and by removing them when a recipe is used• Update food stocks manually by adding items not bought through shop-

ping list and removing items not used in a recipe (for example, when youeat an apple!)

Shopping List

• The system will automatically create a shopping list based on chosenrecipes

• It will also calculate quantities required based on the number of portionsselected

• Manually add items to shopping list• Type in a new ingredient or select from ingredients currently stored in

database

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2.3 Possible Target User Groups

The potential user groups are as follows:

• Housewives/husbands/people in charge of household food management.These people will have varying levels of computing experience.

• People with an interest in the system from a technological point of view butperhaps with limited experience with cooking or household management.

• People with limited income. The system may help to avoid waste andtherefore save money.

• Blind/visually-impaired people might find this system very useful. Cur-rently, monitoring stock is a very visual-based activity. The system givesa text representation of this which could easily be read by text-to-speechsoftware.

• People with poor memory/learning disabilities. Shopping becomes eas-ier as they don’t have to remember what stocks are available and whatquantities are required for different recipes.

People who will not use the system:

• Very disabled people. If someone is unable to cook or if it is unsafe to doso, the system will not be appropriate.

• Children• People with very little or no experience using computer-based systems.

The system does not require a huge amount of technical expertise but willneed a basic understanding of modern technologies used or some training.

• People with no interest in cooking

2.4 Survey

In order to obtain further information about our potential users, we gave fourpotential users a questionnaire to fill out. This was sent via email and can befound in appendix A.

Half of the users said that they already used the internet to find recipes andso it seems likely that they might use our system. Also all users expressed ageneral interest in using the system.

• Two users said they would like to use it in order to save time and be moreorganised.

• One user said they would find it useful to prevent them forgetting itemswhile shopping.

• Two users said they would use it to add more variety to their cooking asit would make planning easier.

• One user said it could save them money and another that it could helpavoid waste.

When users were asked what features they would like to see included threeinteresting functions were suggested:

• Add own recipes• Exclude certain recipes based on preferences

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• Calculate quantities based on number of portions

These findings were very useful in that, not only did they reinforce our ownideas, new ideas were put forward. The suggested features were taken on boardas part of the proposed system.

2.5 The Simplex One Model

In order to better understand what happens when someone uses a system, psy-chological theories are sometimes used. They work by simplifying the inherentlycomplex cognitive processes at work when a user is interacting with a system.If we can gain insight into what is happening in the user’s mind, we can im-prove a system. This can be done by facilitating the cognition at work and byidentifying potential problems.

The Simplex One model is an example of a simplified psychological theoryused to explain human cognition. The theory divides a user’s mental processeswhen using a system into five zones (as shown in fig. 1). By looking at howthe five zones work for individuals in the target user group, the system can bedesigned to be as usable as possible.

Figure 1: The Simplex One Model: taken from Human-Computer Interactionby Serengul Smith-Atakan

The five zones, and how they will effect user requirements for our system,The Shrewd Foodie, are described below.

Perception (input)

People use their senses to take in new information, this is then compared withknowledge already available to the user and the new information is then analysedand stored. Here we analyse how users will perceive The Shrewd Foodie systemand how we can facilitate that perception for optimal information input.

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• The majority of users can see with no visual impairment so a visual repre-sentation of options and data is probably best so that a lot of informationcan be provided ’at a glance’.

• Some users may be blind: a speech program would be required to giveinstructions and options.

• Visually-impaired people who can read large print will need large iconsand text on screen

• Time is important while cooking. It can also be stressful. Anything thatneeds to be done while cooking (e.g. reading recipe instructions, checkingquantities required) should be easy, simple and quick.

• Any symbols should be investigated before using as some may be confusingto certain groups.

Response (output)

People respond differently according to their abilities to choose the correct actionat the right time and in the right order. We can facilitate output by consideringthe following.

• We can anticipate that the majority of users will have good control of theirhands and can touch the screen or use a keyboard/trackpad or similar withgood accuracy.

• Blind people will either use speech to respond to the system, or a keyboardor similar (e.g., a phone keypad). A touchscreen will not be useful.

• For someone with loss of hand control, options on a a touchscreen shouldnot be placed too closely together, as the user may select the wrong optionsfrequently.

Abstract working memory

The abstract working memory allows a person to take in, hold and handleinformation that is relevant to a particular task. As soon as the task is completethe memory can be cleared.

• For the average user we can use both images and text for menu options.Text will explain unclear icons.

• Blind people don’t have visual imagery of icons/full menu in front of themso when options are listed they need to be as memorable as possible. Thesystem should not overload this group of users with lots of options.

• To cater to people with poor memory or learning disabilities we can ensurethat it is always clear where the person is in the system. If as few steps asis possible are created the working memory is not overloaded. The amountof options can be minimised so that the user will not be overwhelmed. Wecan try to reduce the number of steps required so that the user doesn’tforget what they are trying to do.

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Long-term memory

The long-term memory builds up associations of key events and symbols thata person encounters throughout his or her life. Problems can occur when inputinformation is of poor quality and when there are mistakes in memory retrieval.

• Using metaphors can help with understanding how to use the system, asit allows past experiences to help with learning. However, we need to becareful of how different users will interpret the metaphors, for example,older people may see things differently to younger people.

Executive Function (Processing System)

The executive function is the zone where information is passed between theother four zones, where the sequence of such transfers is decided, and wherethe functions of the other zones are negotiated. Requirements for all tasks aremonitored and organised in this central zone.The Processing System takes ininformation from the four other zones and provides feedback to these same zones.Elements that should be considered to facilitate this function are as follows.

• People vary in their ability to learn new tasks. We should be aware ofdifferences between those with varying computer knowledge and cookingexperience. We should also consider the differences that older people willhave and those with learning disabilities.

• Feedback from the system should be included when a task is completedas this will help with learning.

• Easily accessed help should be available at all stages.

3 Task Analysis

3.1 Hierarchical Task Analysis (HTA)

A Hierarchical Task Analysis allows the developer to better understand the wayusers carry out tasks already. By breaking the tasks down carefully we can alsogain a greater insight into the downfalls of the current system and how it canbe improved upon. Usually, any new system should enable the user to performall the tasks they can already do with the current system.

This is a HTA of the current system including plans, which has been basedon observations.

0 Cook a meal1 Select recipe

1.1 Browse recipes1.1.1 Browse recipe book1.1.2 Search Internet for recipes1.1.3 Browse any other resources, own notebook, recipes cut out of

magazines, written down by friends1.1.4 Create own recipe1.1.5 Try to follow recipe from memory

1.2 Check available ingredients

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1.2.1 Look in freezer, fridge, cupboard and make mental note of ingre-dients available

1.3 Select recipe2 Create shopping list

2.1 Select ingredients required but not currently available2.2 Calculate what quantities are required based on ingredients available

and number of portions to be made2.3 Make a note of what to buy, mentally or on paper

3 Go Shopping3.1 Go to the shop3.2 Get items

3.2.1 Get item on shopping list3.2.2 Select quantity required3.2.3 Update shopping list (tick off item/keep mental note)3.2.4 Select items you think you may require3.2.5 Select items based on special offers/what’s in store

3.3 Pay for selected items4 Cook

4.1 Review ingredients available4.2 Consult recipe step4.3 Follow step

Plan 0: Do 1, then 2, then 3, then 4Or do 3, then 1, then 4

Plan 1: Do 1.1 or 1.2 and repeat both if necessary, then do 1.3Plan 1.1: Do 1.1.1 and/or 1.1.2 and/or 1.1.3 and/or 1.1.4 and/or 1.1.5Plan 1.2: Do 1.2.1Plan 2: Do 2.1, then 2.2, then 2.3Plan 3: Do 3.1 then 3.2 then 3.3 Plan 3.2: Do 3.2.1, then 3.2.2, then 3.2.3 andrepeat until list fully checked off. Or do 3.2.4 and/or 3.2.5 and repeat.Plan 4: Do 4.1, then if necessary do 2 then 3. Then do 4.2, then 4.3 and repeatboth until recipe’s end

From observing the current system we can conclude that there is room for im-provement. Errors are frequently made which necessitate redoing certain steps.This could be averted by introducing a more organised approach to ensure thatsteps do not have to be iterated unnecessarily. A new system could facilitatethis. Frequently items are forgotten when shopping or quantities are miscal-culated resulting in revisiting the shop there is no formal provision for stockcontrol. Some people just use their own recipes or ones stored mentally thathave been adapted over time. Any new system would have to incorporate thisaspect of cooking (in addition to its own recipes). It can be easy to get used tocooking the same recipes repeatedly without variation. A computerised systemcould help suggest new ideas.

The main problem with the current system that we would like to address isthat of stock control. With the many items the average person keeps in stock forcooking, it is problematic to keep track of what you have in stock and thereforeto know what cooking options you have.

It is true to say that in order to see if you have the correct ingredients tocook a certain recipe, say, you need only to walk over to the cupboard/fridge

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and see if they are present. However, our system is built on the assumptionthat if there was a way to monitor available ingredients, people would have toretain less in their working memory and could therefore complete culinary tasksmore quickly, easily and efficiently, or even focus their efforts on creativity. Theaverage cook finds that currently they have to expend much energy retainingnecessary information in their working memory: available resources, the variousrecipes in their repertoire. And yet despite this effort, they will frequentlyforget to purchase necessary items, start a recipe for which they assumed theingredients were available but which are not, or forget that an ingredient hasalready been used and must be replenished.

3.2 Review of some systems currently available

Nintendo DS, Personal Trainer: Cooking

http://www.nintendo.com/games/detail/0GH0z7XuqgMVHravefY0EVUR_xzNIXa7

The ’DS Chef’ talks you through recipes (about 250 available) step-by-step. Italso explains techniques and ingredients. When you select recipes, the requiredingredients are collated into a shopping list. As the DS console is portable,you then bring the console to the shop with you and check off the items as youbuy them. Details on calorie count, difficulty and cooking time are availableand the user can search by these elements or by ingredient. The game includesdemonstration videos. The user can keep track of what recipes they have alreadycooked and they are encouraged to use it as a tool to improve as a cook. Youcan add notes to recipes using the stylus handwriting recognition. The use ofvoice commands is emphasised: you can navigate through the recipe using voicecommands, so you can still use the system if you are cooking and do not haveclean hands.

The use of voice commands is innovative but the DS operates using a plasticstylus anyway, so the user has no need to touch the console if they do not wantto.

Cooking by Numbers

www.cookingbynumbers.com

This website suggests recipes based on what items you already have in stock.It has a database of some interesting and unconventional recipes. This systemis quite limited as you can only select 24 items from the fridge and 20 from thecupboard. Also the recipes can be a little bizaare, such as pasta with bakedbeans and tinned tuna. The recipes appear to be aimed at students.

4 Requirement Gathering

4.1 Functional Requirements

1. List recipesDescription: The system should allow the user to browse the recipesstored in the system.

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Justification: The user must be able to view a recipe before choosing it(HTA 1).

2. Show recipe methodDescription: The system should give the full details required in orderto complete a recipe. The user should be able to review cooking methodsbefore deciding on recipe (HTA 1).Justification: The user must be able to prepare the dish based on themethod given. The method may include information that tells the user ifthey wish to select the recipe. For instance, the user may not have certainequipment or cooking skill/knowledge to complete the recipe.

3. Show ingredients of recipeDescription: The user should be able to view the ingredients of a recipealong with quantities.Justification: The user may wish to select the recipe based on this (HTA1). The user will need this to create a shopping list (HTA 2).

4. Add recipeDescription: The user must be able to input a recipe that is not alreadystored in the system.Justification: The stored recipes may not satisfy the users and they maywish to locate a recipe from another source (HTA 1).

5. Show food currently in stockDescription: The user must be able to monitor what stock is currentlyavailable to them.Justification: The user should be able to monitor what is in stock (HTA1.2). The user may wish to select a recipe based on what is in stock (HTA1). The user may wish to create a new recipe based on what is in stock(HTA 1.1.4).

6. Store information about stock/ingredients in recipeDescription: Quantity and unit of stock should be available to the user.The system should differentiate between 1x400g tin of tomatoes and 1fresh tomato.Justification: This information is needed for requirement 14.

7. Select recipe based on ingredients availableDescription: The system should suggest recipes based on what ingredi-ents are available.Justification: This moves the memory load from the user to the system.Thus the user does not have to complete HTA 1.1 and HTA 1.2 iterativelyin order establish what recipe is suitable.

8. Select recipe based on recipes availableDescription: The user may wish to select a recipe as the first stepJustification: The user must be able to browse recipes independently ofstock available (HTA 1.1).

9. Calculate quantitiesDescription: The system should provide the user with quantities re-quired based on the number of portions needed.

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Justification: Altering quantities can be problematic and lead to error.Shifting the calculations from the user to the system can avoid this errorand will also be quicker.

10. Create a shopping list based on chosen recipeDescription: The system should generate a shopping list based on whatrecipe is chosenJustification: This can avoid human-error such as forgetting items. Itautomates a time-consuming task. (HTA 2)

11. Manually add items to shopping listDescription: Users can manually add items to a system-generated shop-ping list.Justification: Users may wish to purchase items not included in a recipe.This maintains flexibility of the system.

12. Input new item to current stock/shopping listDescription: Users may wish to add an item to the current stock that isnot provided in the databaseJustification: This ensures the flexibility of the system. It would bedifficult to identify all possible ingredients during the development of thesystem.

13. Input/Update food stocks automaticallyDescription: When items on a system-generated shopping list are pur-chased, they should automatically be added to the current stock available.The stock should be removed from what is currently available when it isused in a recipe.Justification: This allows for further automation of the shopping listand stock monitoring.

14. Update food stocks manuallyDescription: The system should allow the user to add items to the stockcurrently available manually.Justification: The user must be able to buy and add items that werenot on the system-generated shopping list. The user may also use itemswithout using one of the system’s recipes. This is particularly importantwhen the user first uses the system. This will give the input informationfor requirement 6.

4.2 Technological Requirements

• Database is required to store information: recipes, stock, usernames andpasswords.

• Interface will need to communicate with database: php/mysql/apache webserver, html/css for interface.

• Users will require a web browser to use the system.

4.3 Legal Requirements

Care should be taken if any recipes are taken from external sources to ensurethat there is no copyright infringement.

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4.4 Data Requirements

Information to be output by the system:

• recipes• stock items including quantity• shopping list

Information to be input into the system:

• recipes• stock items• allergies/dislikes (recipes for which ingredients should be omitted)

4.5 Environmental Requirements

• The system is accessed online and so should be accessible via the internetusing a http protocol.

• Recipe method can be viewed on the user’s computer or handheld internetaccess device.

• Alternatively the user can print out the recipe’s method.• Similarly shopping lists can be printed on paper or viewed on a handheld

device.

4.6 User Requirements

• The system will be used by a broad range of groups from the populationand so should be accessible to many.

• The system should be intuitive and should use metaphor to map the sys-tem onto the current methods of recipe selection and stock monitoring.

4.7 Usability Requirements

• Learnability

The system should be as easy to learn as possible. Learning time shouldbe minimised for new users and they should require as little help as pos-sible. This will be acheived by ensuring that the system’s steps are self-explanatory. Steps to be taken should be natural and intuitive. Extensiveuse of metaphor should be used to map the current non-computerisedsystem onto the new computerised system.

Metric: A test user should take less than 30 seconds to perform a simpletask (such as adding one item to the store cupboard, finding a recipe usingcurrent stock, adding a recipe’s ingredients to a shopping list). A test usershould take less than 2 minutes to perform a more complex task such asadding a new recipe to the system.

• Responsiveness

System response to users’ actions should be fast. For example, they shouldnot be overly delayed by calls to the database for information. Feedbackshould always be given if any action takes longer than a couple of seconds.

Metric: Less than 10% of clicks should give any perceptable delay (morethan 3 seconds).

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• Recoverability

User driven errors should be avoided. This can be acheived by limitinguser input to a range of options, for instance, by using a drop-down list.Any errors encountered should be easy to recover from and any work upuntil the point of error should be easy to access after the user has recoveredfrom the error.

Metric: Less than 10% of users should encounter errors. Less than half ofthese should be unable to recover from an error or should have to restarta process after encountering an error.

• Observability

The user should always be able to perceive at what point in the systemthey are currently. The user can be shown where they are in the systemby careful use of images/icons. As the system includes several differentfunctions this is important so the user does not get confused. This isalso so the user does not have to overload their working memory withan overview of the task they are completing. The system should allowthem to complete a small task without having to worry about the ’biggerpicture’.

Metric: Less than 10% of users should encounter a situation where theycannot progress further in the system. Less than 10% of users should feellost in the system, being unaware of what stage they are at.

• Predictability

The system will be used by a diverse group of people. To make it aseasy as possible for as many people as possible we can strive to make thesystem predictable. This can be attained by following standard rules andcommon practice for system and web design, working on the assumptionthat if users have computer experience then they will draw on that whenusing a new system.

This will also be attained by ensuring that the system is consistent in lookand feel.

Metric: If more than 10% of users express confusion when using thesystem or have basic questions about the interface then this requirementhas not been satisfied.

5 Design & Storyboarding

5.1 Design Decisions

Predictability

This can be acheived by focusing on the consistency of the system. Each pageshould have the same ’look and feel’.

• The links at the bottom of the index page should be in the same place forevery other page.

• The ’Shrewd Foodie’ logo should appear at the top left of every page.• Links should stand out from the rest of the page and should look similar

to each other, for instance, be one colour throughout the website.

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• Standard practice in webpages should be adhered to. Word links shouldbe coloured blue at first, go red when clicked on, and go purple if theyhave already been visited.

• The system should be as clear and simple as possible. The design shouldbe minimalist.

• There should be a limited amount of information on each page. Cluttershould be avoided.

• ’Chunking’ should be used in order to break the pages up into manageable-sized elements.

• Screen resolution should be taken into consideration. The system may beused on netbooks or small handheld devices. The system should remainclear no matter what device is used.

• A colour scheme will be used.

Responsiveness

• The loading size of pages should be minimised to ensure quick downloadtimes.

Learnability

• The system’s initial page should cater to new and experienced users. Itshould not confuse novice users with complex information.

• An arrow diagram should be used to show the user what steps should betaken in order to complete a task.

• Icons of real-world items (cupboard, recipe book, etc.) will be used. Thiswill make them self-explanatory.

Observability

• The use of an arrow diagram will give users a feel for where they are inthe system.

• There will be links at the bottom of every page to be used if a user becomesconfused about where they are.

Recoverability

• Drop-down lists will be used where necessary to avoid user-driven error.They will be used when the user is inputting new items into the storecupboard.

• There will be links at the bottom of every page to be used if a user isstuck and needs to navigate from the page they are on.

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5.2 Storyboarding

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6 Prototype Implementation

6.1 The Prototype

A prototype is a working model of the final system which only performs certaintasks, or appears to perform them. A prototype is developed in order to give areasonable idea of what the finished system will look and feel like. It will nothave the same level of functionality that the final system will have.

We aimed to include as many as possible of the aforementioned requirementsfrom Section 4, however, our main focus was to closely follow the decisions thatwere made in the design stage and evident from the storyboarding in Section 5.screenshots of the prototype can be found in the appendix.

6.2 Prototype Testing

In order to test the prototype, 4 potential users were asked to complete tasks.We decided to test using observational evaluation with think-aloud verbal pro-tocol. We chose to use the observation technique as the prototype had limitedfunctionality. The testers were also timed and any comments on the system wererecorded. The test data was developed to examine the three main functions ofThe Shrewd Foodie system:

• Add items to Store Cupboard• Select Recipe

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• View Shopping List for recipe selected

Personal information was gathered from the testers first. Before the testersperformed any tasks, they were given a minute to become familiar with the site.At this stage they were asked what they thought the system did. They werethen told what the system does, what the testing would entail and the think-alound process was explained to them. We timed how long each task took tocomplete. When the testers had finished attempting the tasks they were askedif they had any comments, suggestions or problems with the site. The full scriptcan be found in Appendix D.

The tasks were as follows:

• Login as guest• Add 6 eggs and 200g sultanas to Store Cupboard• Find Recipe for Almond Chicken Curry• View Shopping List of required items for the curry.

The responses can be found in Appendix E

6.3 Prototype Evaluation

Statistical Analysis

We used a confidence interval calculation on our test data. As can be see fromthe below, it is more than likely that the average user will need less than 30seconds to perform a simple task, and less than 2 minutes for a more complexone (such as adding a recipe to the system)

Confidence Intervals: 95% of data that comes from a normal distribution liesbetween 1.96 standard deviations of the population mean. This informationcan be used to form confidence intervals, which can tell (with a certain degreeof confidence, say 95%) that the mean of the population that the sample datacomes from lies in a certain interval. To do this with the normal distribution,the population standard deviation is required. As this is rarely known, thesample standard deviation is used instead. To take into account that this valuewill be an estimate, the t-distribution with n-1 degrees of freedom (where n isthe size of the sample) is used instead of the normal distribution.

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Prototype Testing Login Add Eggs Add sultanas Find Curry View Shopping List User 1 15 12 11 12 30 User 2 22 15 12 18 22 User 3 25 14 16 18 24 User 4 20 10 9 17 27 mean 20.5 12.75 12 16.25 25.75 std dev 4.203 2.217 2.944 2.872 3.5 lower CI 95% 13.813 9.222 7.316 11.680 20.182 Upper CI 95% 27.187 16.278 16.684 20.820 31.319 lower CI 99% 8.225 6.274 3.402 7.862 15.528 Upper CI 99% 32.775 19.226 20.598 24.638 35.972

We can be 95% sure that an average user will take between 14 and 27 seconds to log in We can be 99% sure that an average user will take between 6 and 19 seconds to add eggs We can be 99% sure that an average user will take between 3 and 21 seconds to add sultanas We can be 99% sure that an average user will take between 8 and 25 seconds to find the almond chicken curry We can be 95% sure that an average user will take between 20 and 31 seconds to add eggs

In Section 4 we described certain requirements that needed to be met inorder for our system to be successful. The testing data enabled us to see if the

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requirements had been met.

Functional Requirements

All of the functional requirements were met.

Usability Requirements

• Learnability: the metric set for this requirement was that any simple tasksshould take less than thirty seconds. This metric was met in our prototype.

• Responsiveness: no delay was perceived in our prototype. However, inthis version of the system, there was no database implementation so thiswould still need to be addressed in the evaluation of the final system.

• Recoverability: None of our testers encountered errors. We strived toprevent errors and to design the system so that if the user did encounteran error, they could always recover from it easily.

• Observability: No users complained that they felt lost in the system.• Predictability: There were no basic questions about the interface during

testing.

While the prototype is limited, it covered the minimum requirements forthe system. Added functionality, such as a working database was added to thefinal system. Also, the suggestions from the testers were considered as possibleimprovements.

7 Evaluation of Final System

7.1 Development

For the final system we started off with the prototype system and graduallyadded functionality. The biggest different between the prototype and the finalsystem was the use of a database. The prototype only appeared to add orretrieve information from a database whereas in the final system an actualdatabase was implemented using MySQL and PHP. The database was used tostore information on recipes but also data input by the user. The databasestores the following:

• Recipes• Store Cupboard items• Shopping List items

For our system the data is only stored for one user but this would be extendedto many users if the system was developed commercially.

We looked at what the testers of the prototype had said and made somechanges accordingly

• We changed the recipes so that the difficulty could be changed accordingto the user’s experience.

• Instead of one recipe being suggested based on current stock, all possiblerecipes were suggested.

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There were two other excellent suggestions that we felt did not fall underthe scope of this project:

• Including more hand-drawn diagrams. Ideally, a graphic artist could beemployed to create more diagrams to add to the system. This would havethe advantage of giving the system a distinct look and feel.

• Categorising recipes was a very good suggestion. If the system had a lotof recipes this feature would make it easier for the user to find what theyare looking for.

7.2 System Testing

The testing data for the final system was similar to that of the prototype (seeSection 6.2 and Appendix D) but is more detailed as the final system had morefeatures to be tested. Again, testers were timed while they completed tasks.The full script of this can be found in Appendix G. A summary of testers’responses and times is in Appendix H

7.3 System Evaluation

Statistical Analysis

We used a confidence interval calculation on our test data. As can be see fromthe below, it is more than likely that the average user will need less than 30seconds to perform a simple task, and less than 2 minutes for a more complexone (such as adding a recipe to the system)

Confidence Intervals: 95% of data that comes from a normal distribution liesbetween 1.96 standard deviations of the population mean. This informationcan be used to form confidence intervals, which can tell (with a certain degreeof confidence, say 95%) that the mean of the population that the sample datacomes from lies in a certain interval. To do this with the normal distribution,the population standard deviation is required. As this is rarely known, thesample standard deviation is used instead. To take into account that this valuewill be an estimate, the t-distribution with n-1 degrees of freedom (where n isthe size of the sample) is used instead of the normal distribution.

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System Testing

Login Add banana Change Avocados

Add Numtmeg

Find Beans on toast

User 1 10 12 15 17 7 User 2 17 14 15 19 10 User 3 25 9 16 27 9 User 4 21 16 20 22 13 mean 18.25 12.75 16.5 21.25 9.75 std dev 6.397 2.986 2.380 4.349 2.5 lower CI 95% 8.073 7.999 12.713 14.330 5.773 Upper CI 95% 28.427 17.501 20.287 28.170 13.728 lower CI 99% -0.431 4.029 9.548 8.548 2.449 Upper CI 99% 36.931 21.471 23.452 33.952 17.051

System Testing

Change Portions Change Time Don't like Update

Store View recipes you

like User 1 9 7 6 21 7 User 2 9 8 9 23 10 User 3 14 12 7 12 9 User 4 24 18 9 26 14 mean 14 11.25 7.75 20.5 10 std dev 7.071 4.992 1.5 6.028 2.944 lower CI 95% 2.750 3.308 5.364 10.910 5.316 Upper CI 95% 25.250 19.192 10.137 30.091 14.684 lower CI 99% -6.651 -3.328 3.369 2.896 1.402 Upper CI 99% 34.651 25.828 12.131 38.104 18.598

System Testing

Find Spanish

Omelette Change Portions

Add to shopping list

Add pepper

Update store cupboard

Add recipe

User 1 9 8 15 13 17 54 User 2 7 12 21 10 20 66 User 3 14 6 23 13 21 70 User 4 13 13 23 16 23 69 mean 10.75 9.75 20.5 13 20.25 64.75 std dev 3.304 3.304 3.786 2.449 2.5 7.365 lower CI 95% 5.493 4.493 14.477 9.103 16.273 53.032 Upper CI 95% 16.007 15.007 26.523 16.897 24.228 76.468 lower CI 99% 1.1006 0.1006 9.443 5.846 12.949 43.239 Upper CI 99% 20.399 19.399 31.557 20.154 27.551 86.260

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We can be 95% sure that an average user will take between 8 and 28 seconds to log in We can be 99% sure that an average user will take between 4 and 21 seconds to add a banana to the cupboard We can be 99% sure that an average user will take between 9 and 23 seconds to change the quantity of avocados in the cupboard We can be 95% sure that an average user will take between 14 and 28 seconds to add nutmeg to the food list and the cupboard We can be 99% sure that an average user will take between 2 and 17 seconds to find the recipe for Beans on Toast We can be 95% sure that an average user will take between 3 and 25 seconds to change the number of portions for Beans on Toast We can be 99% sure that an average user will take between 0 and 26 seconds to change the time needed to make Beans on Toast We can be 99% sure that an average user will take between 3 and 12 seconds to change Beans on Toast to “don’t like” We can be 95% sure that an average user will take between 11 and 30 seconds to update the store cupboard after making Beans on Toast We can be 99% sure that an average user will take between 1 and 19 seconds to view recipes you like We can be 99% sure that an average user will take between 1 and 20 seconds to find Spanish Omelette Recipe We can be 99% sure that an average user will take between 1 and 19 seconds to change portions of Spanish Omelette Recipe We can be 95% sure that an average user will take between 14 and 27 seconds to add Spanish Omelette ingredients not in the cupboard to the shopping list We can be 99% sure that an average user will take between 5 and 20 seconds to add a red pepper to the shopping list We can be 99% sure that an average user will take between 13 and 28 seconds to update the store cupboard once shopping is completed We can be 99% sure that an average user will take between 43 and 86 seconds to add a simple recipe to the system

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Functional Requirements

We performed an evaluation of the system based on the requirements set out inSection 4. All of the functional requirements were met.

Usability Requirements

We analysed the test data to see if the usability metrics set out in Section 4were met.

• Learnability: the metric set for this requirement was that any simple tasksshould take less than half a minute. This metric was met in our prototype.The larger task of adding a recipe took less than two minutes for all ourusers and so our metric was met.

• Responsiveness: many of the tasks involved communication with a databaseand so would be susceptible to a delay until this communication is com-plete. No delay was perceived that was more than one second long.

• Recoverability: None of our testers encountered errors.• Observability: No users complained that they felt lost in the system.• Predictability: There were no basic questions about the interface during

testing.

8 Conclusion

Overall the test users found the system easy to use. Some commented that theywould be interested in using the system for their day-to-day cooking needs. Eventhough there were many adjustments to the scope of the system throughout thisUser-Centred System Design process, there are still more elements of the systemthat could be developed. The main concern throughout the entire process wasto make a system that was both usable and useful to the target user. We feelthat our system has achieved both of these objectives.

8.1 Future Development

There are some elements that could be added to or improved in any futuredevelopment of The Shrewd Foodie system that we did not have the resourcesto include in our system.

• Some of the testers mentioned that they found some buttons a little harderto find than others. These were icons of our small diagrams that had textwhen the hovered over it but no other instructions. A text description ofthe buttons underneath them would have made these easier to find.

• We initially thought that we should prevent the system from suggestingrecipes based on ingredients that are no longer edible. If we could somehowflag items whose typical use-by dates had passed, out-of-date items in thestore cupboard would not be considered as being available and the userwould be instructed to replace the items if they were required.

This would be a complex task and we decided that it was beyond thescope of the project, however, it would be an excellent feature to add tothe system.

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• In a system with many users logging in, a fun feature to include would beto allow users to share recipes amongst each other. This would also be away to increase the recipe database with little effort from the developers.

• It seems likely that even if using this system, that a person interested incooking will continue to purchase cookery books. Relationships could beestablished with publishers to enable people who had purchased a book,to upload the recipes in it onto their Shrewd Foodie profile. Similarly,users could purchase recipes, perhaps individually, that feature in cookerybooks and add them to their online recipes.

• An agreement with a large supermarket chain linking in our system andan online ordering system would allow the items on the shopping list to beautomatically ordered. This would further automate the whole cookingprocess for the user and make it easier.

• A help function could be developed to aid users who have very limitedcomputing knowledge. Our system was aimed at people who had at leasta very basic experience with computers.

• Users of the system may find it more appropriate to have a list of possiblerecipes on the first page they see. The system could allow customisationlike this for the user.

• This system could be very useful for the blind and visually impaired. Thesystem could be adapted to further meet this group’s needs using text-to-speech.

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Appendices

A Questionnaire given to potential users

1.1 Name:

1.2 Age:

1.3 Gender:

1.4 Education level reached (e.g. secondary school, bachelor’s degree, diploma,professional exams):

1.5 Occupation:

1.6 Native language:

2.1 How would you rate your computing experience/knowledge?1. no experience2. beginner3. average4. expert

2.2 How often do you cook? (Pot Noodles don’t count!)1. never2. rarely3. sometimes (a few times a month)4. often (a few times a week)5. a lot (almost every day)

2.3 On average, how many people do you cook for?

2.4 Do you use any computer-based aides for cooking, e.g. websites?

3.1 Would you be interested in a web-based system that helped you organise yourcooking and grocery shopping?

With The Shrewd Foodie you could:

-Select a recipe from its recipe book-Create a shopping list automatically based on choice of recipe and ingredientsalready available.-Get The Shrewd Foodie to suggest a recipe to you based on ingredients you

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currently have in your cupboard-Keep track of all ingredients you have in stock

Advantages:

-new and interesting recipes are suggested to you-prevents you from forgetting ingredients-you don’t have to make up a shopping list-helps you avoid waste and therefore save money because you only buy what youneed and because it can suggest recipes using up what ingredients you have left

3.2 Would you use our proposed system? Why?

3.3 Do you have any suggestions to improve it?

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B Responses to questionnaire

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C Prototype screenshots

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D Prototype Testing Script

Testers’ personal details gathered:

Name:Age:Gender:Education level reached (e.g. secondary school, bachelor’s degree, diploma,professional exams):Occupation:Native language:How would you rate your computing experience/knowledge?1. no experience2. beginner3. average4. expert

Describe the system in your own words.

The following was read to testers of the prototype:

The Shrewd Foodie is a system that helps you organise your cooking by:- keeping track of what you have in stock- suggesting recipes based on what you have in stock- generating a shopping list based on what recipes you have decided to cook.

You will be asked to complete five small tasks on The Shrewd Foodie system. I willobserve you while completing these tasks. You are asked to say out-loud yourthoughts as you use the system. Please mention any difficulties you are having.

The tasks are:-Login as guest (username: guest; password: pass)-Add 6 eggs to Store Cupboard-Add 200g sultanas to Store Cupboard-Find Recipe for Almond Chicken Curry-View Shopping List of required items for the curry.

(After the testing)Do you have any comments on the system?What difficulties did you have while performing the tasks?Do you have any suggestions of how it could be improved?

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E Prototype Testing: Responses

Personal Information:

Name Robin Maginn Kate O’Brien Wendy Bibby Sarah O’Brien

Age 28 32 54 26

Gender Male Female Female Female

Education Level Reached

Masters Degree Degree Masters

Occupation Administrator Social Worker Manager Student

Native Language

English English English English

Computer Experience

Average Average Average Expert

What does the system do?

There are three big pictures on the first page so it’s pretty clear that you can have “virtual cupboard”, choose recipes and do up a shopping list in this system.

It looks like it writes a shopping list for you depending on what recipe you want and what you already have in the kitchen.

You can see what recipes you can cook based on what food you have already. And you can look through the recipes and pick one. It looks like it helps you with making a list of what you need too.

The site has different recipes you can choose from and it suggests what you can cook depending on what ingredients you already have. It looks like you can monitor what food you have too.

Task times (seconds):

Login 15 22 25 20

Add eggs 12 15 14 10

Add sultanas 11 12 16 9

Find curry 12 18 18 17

View shopping list

30 22 24 27

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General Comments

Good system. I liked the site, it’s very clever.

Very easy to use site.

Really useful site, looks really nice too!

Difficulties The little exclamation mark in a yellow triangle is a bit too attention grabbing. It looks like it’s just an instruction but you’d think something was wrong at first glance.

No difficulties. It took me a while to get used to but once I got the hang of it I found it really user-friendly.

I found it clear, no major difficulties.

Suggestions Could you get it to suggest all the recipes you can make instead of just one?

Make the recipe difficulties editable so you can change the difficulty if you don’t agree. It would give more interaction between you and the system.

I like the hand-drawn icons, it makes it look personal and not like it’d be too technical to use. You could use more of this.

If you could narrow down the recipes it would be easier to find what you want. You might want to just look at Indian food. Or just main courses, not starters.

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F Final System screenshots

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G Final System Testing Script

Testers’ personal details gathered:

Name:Age:Gender:Education level reached (e.g. secondary school, bachelor’s degree, diploma,professional exams):Occupation:Native language:How would you rate your computing experience/knowledge?1. no experience2. beginner3. average4. expert

Describe the system in your own words.

The following was read to testers of the final system:

The Shrewd Foodie is a system that helps you organise your cooking by:- keeping track of what you have in stock- suggesting recipes based on what you have in stock- generating a shopping list based on what recipes you have decided to cook.

You will be asked to complete some tasks on The Shrewd Foodie system. Iwill observe you while completing these tasks. You are asked to say out-loudyour thoughts as you use the system. Please mention any difficulties you arehaving.

The tasks are:-Login as guest (username: guest; password: pass)-Add 1 banana to Store Cupboard.-There are 2 avocados in the Store Cupboard. Change the quantity of avocados to 1.-Add 30g of ground nutmeg to the Store Cupboard.

-You want to make Beans on Toast for your dinner tonight! Find Recipe for Beanson Toast.-You will be cooking for 2 people, change the recipe accordingly.-You reckon it only takes you 7 minutes to make this. Change the time neededaccordingly.-On reflection, you weren’t that keen on Beans on Toast and you don’t want tomake it again. Tell the system you didn’t like it.-You have finished making Beans on Toast! Make sure the ingredients getremoved from the Store Cupboard.

-Go to page where you can view all recipes.-Select the ’only recipes you like’ option and view these recipes.

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-Mmm, the Spanish Omelette sounds tasty! You want to make this for you and3 friends, change the portions accordingly.-Make sure that the ingredients you don’t have are added to the shopping list.-You’d like to buy an extra red pepper. Change the quantity on the ShoppingList accordingly.-You have now gone to the shop and bought all the items on your list. Ensurethese items are now in your Store Cupboard.

-You would like to add a new recipe to the system that is not already there:breakfast cereal!Write a quick recipe for cornflakes and make sure it gets added to the list ofrecipes.

(After the testing)Do you have any comments on the system?What difficulties did you have while performing the tasks?Do you have any suggestions of how it could be improved?

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H Final System Testing: Responses

Personal Information:

Name Andrew O’Brien

Philip Scully Rachel Rogers Gillian Sayers

Age 36 25 33 51

Gender Male Male Female Female

Education Level Reached

Secondary School

Professional Exams-

Accounting

Masters Diploma

Occupation IT Accountant Social Worker Special Needs Assistant

Native Language

English English English English

Computer Experience

Expert Average Average Beginner

What does the system do?

It ogranises your cooking. Stores what you have in your cupboard and suggests recipes based on that information. Helps make a list for shopping.

It has lots of recipes to choose from and makes a shopping list depending on what you want to make. And you can input what you have in the kitchen too.

You can store your recipes, what’s at home and your shopping list gets made for you and you can print it out.

It keeps track of what food you have and tells you what you can cook. It has something to do with a shopping list too.

Task times (seconds):

Login 10 17 25 21

Add banana 12 14 9 16

Change avocados

15 15 16 20

Add nutmeg 17 19 27 22

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Find beans on toast (bot)

7 10 9 13

Change portions (bot)

9 9 14 24

Change time (bot)

7 8 12 18

Don’t like (bot)

6 9 7 9

Update store (bot)

21 23 12 26

View recipes you like

7 10 9 14

Find Spanish Omelette (so)

9 7 14 13

Change portions (so)

8 12 6 13

Add to shopping list (so)

15 21 23 23

Add pepper 13 10 13 16

Update Store cupboard

17 20 21 23

Add recipe: cereal

54 66 70 69

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General Comments

I liked it. It’s good, but I’d only use it if there were more recipes in it.

Very easy to use site. I liked that I can put my own recipes into it.

I really liked it, it’s very easy to use and I’d say it’d be really useful.

Difficulties No big difficulties

Nothing major, it took me a while to find some things but I got there in the end.

A couple of the buttons were hard to find. Like when you’ve done your shopping and you update the cupboard

No.

Suggestions None. No. As above The little pictures could be bigger.

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