Interface Design to a Fast-food Ordering System:
Section A:
Introduction:
A quick service restaurant (more commonly known as fast-food restaurant) chain is automating the process of ordering food. The restaurant deals with both eat-in and take-away meals.
This is a design of an automated self-service application that will run on a kiosk type computer that is placed at the entrance of the restaurant.
The customer is expected to make his/her choices of food and/or drink, pay with either cash, credit or debit card and then collect a receipt which he/she will present at the counter when the number is called out.
The system is linked directly to the kitchen.
There is no human assistance available at the kiosk.
The following is a design of an application to run on an automated self-service kiosk that allows patrons to order as quickly as possible. The kiosk consists of a screen that users will interact with. The screen is a touch screen. The kiosk will also be available in a drive-in section of the restaurant.
Section B:
Concept and Design:
Start Screen and the process of using the system:
The first thing that a customer sees is this screen. It enables them to first select an option or choice of a language that they are familiar with. This is represented by the buttons on the left side of the screen above. Once selected, the radio button adjacent to every button shows up in green. This enables all the other interfaces of the system to appear in the language selected by the user.
The user then selects the start button.
The user can also use the help button at the bottom right of the screen for any assistance from the system. This will show details about how to use the first screen and navigate to the next screen.
Once the user selects the start button, they are brought to this screen. This enables users select the nature of the service they wish to have. A user can decide if they wish a take-away meal or eat-in meal. Either of the choices made, they land the user at the same screen. The user here is not automatically taken to the next screen as they may still decide to revert back to the previous screen. These possibilities are provided by the back and continue buttons at the bottom of the screen.
The help button just like it was in the previous screen helps the user on how to navigate within this screen.
When the user clicks the continue button they are taken to the next screen to make the purchases. The choices available for the user to make appear on the right of the screen under the London Burgers label.
Once the user makes a choice, it is added on the left of the screen under your order. The user can make as many selections as they wish. The cost of the users order is also computed automatically at the bottom.
Once the user clicks continue they are taken to next screen similar to this. Here they also add an order of drinks to their choice.
The next screen takes the user to the payment section once they click the Pay button. The user chooses a payment method where they can pay for the service.
The users will choose the Order Number button to receive their order.
The user will also be taken to the final screen where they will have their order number. Once the order number is called out they will receive the order.
The user will click the exit screen to quit their session. This takes the system back to the first screen.
Conclusion:
A kiosk system implementation such as this can increase the number of users by a large number. This is because of the flexibility that the system brings to the user in the whole process of buying food and drinks from the restaurants.
It also reduces congestion in the restaurants by offering a fast service.
Accounting is done perfectly since all money transactions are automated.
References:
Johnson, J. (2007). GUI Bloopers 2.0:-Common User Interface Design Don’ts and Dos. San Francisco: Morgan Kaufmann Publishers.
Leung, C.K. (2005). Handling Ambiguous User Input on Touchscreen Kiosks. Retrieved May 19, 2011, from http://dspace.mit.edu/bitstream/handle/1721.1/34461/70716289
