Blog Post #1

I went to John's Tex Mex Eatery to do an observation for assignment #1. This outing exposed some of my biases and habits in a restaurant setting.

First, I rarely order a drink other than water. So when the waiter is giving the drink options, I usually don't pay attention. Therefore, it is possible that during the interface design process or during my observations I might glaze over some important aspects of the drink ordering exchange.

Second, when I finish eating I usually move directly to the matter of paying the check. However, many people don't think about it until the waiter brings it to the table. Some people feel pressured to leave when the check arrives; I simply feel that it gives me the option to leave. Perhaps the restaurant system should have a "bring check" option. This would allow people to get the check when they wanted it.

Recognizing these biases should help with my remaining observations and design suggestions.

Nate Snyder