1. Spring 2006: Steven An, James Li, Herman Luk, Abhishek Singhal
Group 6: GasQuest
PROBLEM:
Drivers are seldom able to find the best deals on gasoline, especially while in unfamiliar areas and without advance preparation.
FINAL PROTOTYPE DESCRIPTION
Select a Station: - Helps the user find cheap station close to current location - Only 9 cheapest stations and ranked - Scroll map using joystick - Zoom using the '#' and '*' keys - Press number to go to particular station
Preferences: - Dictates what is displayed on the map screen - Grade, brands, payment method - Default zoom
Update Prices: -Updates the prices for the station - Use the numerical keys to enter the price - Decimal point positioned automatically - Contains information that changes often
Station Details: - Editing of name, brand, logo - Availability of different grades of fuel - Acceptance of different payment methods
Unimplemented Features: - GPS-based navigation system - Maps outside of Berkeley, CA - Route-adjusted gas station search optimization - Synchronization of gas station information with centralized server
TARGET USER GROUP:
The target users are tech-savvy drivers who wish to save money on gasoline.
SOLUTION:
The proposed solution uses cellular technology to transmit up-to-date price and location information for gasoline stations. The system will allow drivers to query gasoline prices when he needs them the most – when he is driving and running low on gas – obviating the need to look up prices ahead of time and coming in especially handy when the driver is in an unfamiliar area.
DESIGN EVOLUTION:
Initial Sketches: - Main menu - Search screen did not include gas station logos - No indication of which payment methods were accepted - Allowed users to add gas stations
Pre-Low-Fidelity Prototype: - No main menu, opens on search screen - Gas station logos - Payment methods - Gas station location information from data provider
Low-Fidelity Prototype Results: - Absolute pricing and color coding - Revised advanced station information page - Station details before navigation - Price error checking - Multiple favorite brands in preferences
Heuristic Evaluation Results: - Last updated field - Increased user control - Combined ATM and debit
Pilot Usability Testing Results: - Position indicator on the search page - Old and new prices displayed in price-confirmation dialog - Discard “all brands” option in preferences
Spring 2006: Steven An, James Li, Herman Luk, Abhishek Singhal