This assignment was a group project that required our group to work with a participatory group that had some influence on the topic we chose.

 

The participatory design project that we chose to do was on line queuing in bars which we found to make it difficult to go to a bar and order drinks as it takes up time and causes aggression in bars. The target market that we were aiming at is the Brisbane CBD where most of the bars are. Our participatory side to this project included social drinkers like university students and staff, business workers, and tradesmen. The design outcome for this participatory project that we did was an app called Swift which aims to improve workflow production, social connection between friends, and increase revenue streams to bars in Brisbane's CBD.

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The participatory groups that we worked with were university students and staff, business workers, and tradesmen. We chose to work with university students and staff because they would be the main users of the app and they also go out to bars often. We gave them surveys to answer so that our app would have features based on what they would use. We also worked with business workers which we showed them mock-ups of the app to see if it was an app that could work in the industry and provide a better service in bars than queueing in long lines for hours. The other group we worked with was tradesmen and they were the ones that worked at the bars and knew first hand how queueing in long lines can cause tension. This is where we asked them questions about the app and about the service this will bring for them and the customers.

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The outcome that came from the participatory design process was an app that we called Swift and it revolves around the notion of self-service by giving the power of ordering drinks to the customers wherever they are in the bar. It will eliminate the phase of waiting in ques and in turn allow people to spend more time socializing with their friends and colleagues.

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The app consists of yellow which is used for the heading banner on each screen of the app and the buttons and logo. There is a login at the main startup of the app where the customer can log in with an account made on the app or Facebook. The next screen has four choices to choose from like what's on? - where the user can select it if they wish to see what clubs have special events within Brisbane, swift bars - which gives the user a list of all the bars that offer the app within 500 meters, who's around? - the app will provide users with details of their Facebook friends that are in or close to a swift bar, favorite - were there frequently visited bars or chosen drinks can be saved for future usage. Then you would choose a drink and the brand and head to the checkout once done. It will notify when the order is being placed and right up until its ready for collection. Plus there will be a tablet for the bar staff to keep track of customers that are using the app.

 

This app will make ordering drinks easier as they can be ordered straight from your table using the app. It also helps disable and hearing-impaired people to order drinks without feeling discriminated. The app is also a social tool as well as it allows you to find your Facebook friends that have the app and what bar they are at and it also has deals for cheap drinks and what's on at each bar.