Case Study: TAFE Cafe App

Students and teachers at TAFE often faced long wait times during meal and coffee breaks, cutting into valuable time for learning and collaboration. To solve this, I designed a user-friendly app that allows users to order food and drinks in advance, reducing wait times and maximizing productivity.

the problem

During my time at TAFE, I observed a common issue that affected both students and teachers: long waiting times during meal and coffee breaks. Whether it was during a short class break or the longer lunch period, individuals would often find themselves standing in lengthy lines to order food or beverages.

These waiting times consumed valuable time that could otherwise be spent on more productive activities such as providing feedback on student work, engaging in discussions, or even focusing on ongoing student projects

the goal

The primary objective was to develop a highly user-friendly mobile application that allowed both students and teachers to order meals and coffee in advance with ease. The innovative idea was to effectively streamline the entire ordering process by enabling users to effortlessly browse through detailed menus, carefully select their desired food and beverage items, and conveniently schedule a specific pickup time.

This well-thought-out system would create an efficient environment where users could simply walk up to the counter, collect their pre-prepared orders swiftly, and return to their academic or professional tasks, thereby maximizing their valuable break times.

Interview Findings

Interviews conducted with students and teachers at TAFE uncovered that waiting times for meals and coffee often ranged from 3 to 10 minutes, particularly during peak hours such as the busy morning rush and the popular lunch breaks. These delays were largely attributed to factors such as waiting in line, preparation of meals, and the customization of coffee orders.

Both groups expressed a strong desire for a more efficient system that would include options for pre-ordering, the ability to save their favorite orders for future visits, and the convenience of skipping the line entirely. Implementing such a system would enable them to maximize their limited break time, focus more effectively on tasks such as project work or providing student feedback, and significantly reduce the stress associated with long waits during their already tight schedules.

persona:

Name: Aleks Le

Background: Alex is a 22 Year old TAFE student studying graphic design at Enmore TAFE. He has abusy schedule with class, assignments and extracurricualar activities.

Goals:

Convience - Alex wants to save time by preordering his meals and drinks via an app, allowing him to quickly pick up his order and get on with his day
Customisation - He values the ability to customize his orders according to his taste, such as adjusting his milk or the time he wants it made.

Challenges:

Time Constraints - With a busy schedule, Alex doesn’t have time towait in lines at cafes, so he prefers the speed and convience of preordering through an app;