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Recommendation Report

Prepared for: Dr. Bonnie Lenore Kyburz, ENGL 308 Technical Writing

Prepared by: Mattilyn Moon-Eaton, Emily Moody, Preston Grand Pre, Godsfavour Odadeji

Abstract

In this UI/UX Project, the restaurant chosen was Thai Pavilion, located in downtown DeKalb, IL. Throughout this project the group looked specifically for appearance and usability changes that would make the restaurant more appealing and user-friendly. Looking at the appearance, there were many different aspects we decided to change such as lighting, decoration, flooring, wall color, and seating, and in terms of usability, there was not much to change other than adding a hostess stand. Overall, the majority of the changes relied on making the restaurant more appealing and user friendly to the average customer. We wanted to incorporate learnability.

Table of Contents

Abstract…………………………………………………………………………………….1

Objectives…………………………………………………………………………………..1

Methods…………………………………………………………………………………….2

Principle Findings…………………………………………………………………………..3

Recommendations………………………………………………………………………..3-4

Cost………………………………………………………………………………………....8

Questionnaire……………………………...………………………………………………..9

Work Cited……………………………………………………………………………...10-11

Objectives

Customers would like to improve aspects of the restaurant chosen, Thai Pavilion, located in downtown DeKalb. What was mainly taken into consideration for change was appearance and usability. The design was planned to include new colors, textures, and furniture that would better incorporate Thailand theme. Many changes kept usability in mind and complied with the customers demand of a user friendly restaurant. The main aspect of the restaurant we could not change were the dimensions of the restaurant.

Methods

The first and most important step to this project was to meet with the client as it is important to know what they need and expect out of this redesign. What was mainly asked about was the size of the building and how it would accommodate future changes that were being planned. Although they could not give the group a definitive size for the building, we were able to approximate the size through photos and through the visits to the building. Throughout the walkthrough of the restaurant, the main concern of the group was the aesthetic, there were many qualities of the restaurant we wanted to change in terms of appearance. There were also some usability errors as well that will also be addressed in the report.

Principal Findings

The main needs for the redesign were to make the restaurant easier to navigate for customers and to make it more appealing to customers. Through fixing these two errors in the restaurant, the hope is that the store would be more attractive to the eye and attract more customers. As more customers rate the experience and usability of the restaurant, the word would spread and keep attendance up well into the future.

Recommendations

The recommendations the group had for the restaurant were as follows:

Incorporate more Thailand theme into restaurant
Add more lighting
Add a hostess stand to assist customers in need of seating
Move pickup stand to the front of the restaurant for easy access
Take out some seating and space out what is left

During this project, the group chose the restaurant Thai Pavilion, located in downtown DeKalb, Illinois, a small town located just West of Chicago. There were many reasons to have chosen this restaurant for this redesign project, but the main reason the group decided on was that it was a hidden gem in the small town. What is meant by this statement is that it does not stand out in any other way. It does not stand out by the location, the name, or the inside appearance and usability of the restaurant, so it was decided that these issues could be fixed.

In doing the initial walkthrough of the restaurant, a lot of positive and negative aspects were picked up on by the group. We concluded the front of the building was extremely appealing and modern. This was one aspect of the restaurant that stayed consistent throughout the redesign. There were many other qualities that stood out during the initial visit of this restaurant as well. These qualities included the authentic Thailand cuisine, which not many other places in DeKalb offer, the affordable prices, which is appealing to college students as the restaurant is located in a college town, and lastly, the quick service.

Although there were many positive aspects of the restaurant, there were also other parts that the group felt they could improve upon to benefit the client. When first entering the restaurant, what sticks out like a sore thumb is the lack of light. It is very dim in the restaurant, which normally would not be a problem to clients because other popular places such as Buffalo Wild Wings also supplement dim lighting. The reason this was a main problem was because the restaurant overall is very cluttered. Because the lighting is dim and everything in the restaurant is very close in proximity, this can cause safety hazards for customers. The client runs the risk of being held liable for injuries that could occur inside the restaurant.

The crowdedness of the restaurant also poses other problems for the customers and, in turn, the client. Another problem because of the crowdedness is that there is no host stand for the customers when they enter the restaurant, so they must weave their way through the tables that are extremely close together. Many customers may not see this as a problem, but the groups experience while entering the restaurant could have been made better by adding a host stand. Upon entering, an employee from the back yelled hello and told the group to sit wherever we pleased. If a host stand were to be added, it would add more of a sense of class to the restaurant’s theme overall. Upon entering the restaurant, the customers would not be yelled at from the back of the restaurant, but instead met as they were walking through the door with a more reasonable tone giving guidance on where to sit.

As a result of the crowdedness of the tables and objects upon entering the restaurant, there is another problem that arises for the customer. This problem is that the pickup station for carryout orders on the back wall of the restaurant was not easily accessible. Customers are forced to weave their way through countless tables that are only feet apart to pick up their orders in the back of the restaurant, and repeat going back out. This serves a major inconvenience to customers who are picking up orders, as well as customers who are eating because they may have people come into physical contact with them who are picking up orders. If the pickup station was also added to the front of the restaurant, this would relieve a great deal of stress from the customers. If the client is not looking to add too many tables in the front of the store, money can be saved by adding only one longer table, combining the host stand and the pickup order stand into one.

Lastly, there were also appearance changes to make it more appealing to the customers, and to match the modern theme on the outside of the restaurant, which is shown below.

Through these appearance changes, the group wanted to focus on the overall theme of the restaurant. To emphasize the Asian theme more, kneeling tables were added to one side of the restaurant so customers could get the full experience. Although the kneeling tables are adding to the theme, the group also understood that there are people who have disabilities or who prefer normal seating, so normal tables filled the other side of the restaurant. New lighting was also added as that was a main concern, and the decorations were kept to pull in the Thailand culture. As well as this, we changed the colors of the wood of the tables, added hardwood flooring, and repainted the walls a cream color. All of the changes listed are shown through images below.

Overall, there were many aspects of the restaurant that the group liked a lot, but there were also changes to be made to make the restaurant more appealing and user-friendly. These changes included larger projects such as new tables and chairs, hardwood flooring, lighting, and the movement of stands in the front and back of the restaurant, but they also included easy fixes such as repainting the walls, and keeping the decorations the same to keep the Thailand theme prevalent. After the changes, the hope for the client is that the appearance will attract more customers, and as the word spreads of quick service, good food, and an increase in customer usability, the reputation of a classy Thailand theme restaurant will attract even more potential customers. The final design is shown to the left.

Cost

With the new additions, the price point is important in deciding on whether or not to remodel. Here is the pricing list:

Item	Price	Total cost of redesign
Multiangle Floor Chairs with Adjustable Back, Set of 2 - Chocolate	$90 (need 4 pairs)	$360
Plaza Thermal Interlined Rod-Pocket Waterfall Valance	$50 (need 4)	$200
Natural Birch Smooth Engineered Hardwood	$54.22 box (36.39 sqft per box) (need 3 boxes)	$162.66
Stand-Up Lectern (podium)	$129.88	$129.88
Cashmere Interior Acrylic Latex (white paint)	$58.99 per gallon (need 3 gallons)	$176.97
Amris 1-Light 11 in. Plug-In White Hanging Pendant (lights)	$16.96 each (need 6)	$101.76
		Grand Total: $1131.27

When finding these items, we wanted to find the most reasonable prices. Durability and necessity also played into the price points that we chose. For the hardwood and white paint, we wanted to make sure we had an abundant amount to cover the entire restaurant.

Questionnaires

How much space do you prefer in a restaurant?

Do you like delivery pick up in the front or back?

What kind of lighting do you prefer in a restaurant?

Does a authentic experience entice you to try the restaurant?

Would you recommend a friend to the restaurant prior to the redesign?

Would you recommend a friend to the restaurant after the redesign?

Is interior decoration an asset to the restaurant environment?

Do you prefer someone sitting you?

Do you believe the kitchen should be exposed?

What is the first thing you notice about restaurants?

Work Cited