GRP01

Team K Name: Jaws

Team Members:

• Ace Haidrey

• Sarah Huang

• Huini Xu (Whitney) 

• Jordan Wong

Brainstorm:

• restaurant locator: discovers locations in the area, shows all the restaurant options

• top attractions guide: has a guide to the top attractions in each location while traveling

• photo / selfie app: simple and quick photography / selfie app

• track your pulse app: at the press of a button you can check your pulse (also convenient because on the vein on your wrist)

• temperature measurement app: can measure your body temperature

• weather/temperature app: tells you the weather for current location

• group travel app: group texting app but they can plan a destination together and send details to each other; it can also show other groups’ reviews about the place they are visiting

• hostel meetup: when you’re in the same hostel, you can communicate with the same people in the hostel (can input information about your hostel to find who lives there)

• danger notifier: sends you notifications about dangerous situations in the area

• schedule notification app: sends you notifications about your schedule as well as times

• self-input journey app: dependent on smartphone → put in details of trip in smartphone, and then phone sends you notifications while you’re on-the-go of the length of time, when you will catch your next transportation to your next destination, etc.

• flashlight app: can shine a light to better see in dark areas

• simple bike navigation app: input your location; beeps when you need to turn or exit and has a simple symbol as an instruction

• what to wear: based on weather and clothing input, phone will pick an outfit for you

• airport terminal finder: takes flight information and points you in the direction of your terminal to help navigate an airport 

• translator app: helps you translate between languages on-the-go

• compass app: helps you determine a cardinal direction

• constellation finder: based on time of season and where you are facing, app will identify the constellation in front of you and show you what is in front of you 

• Shazam for the watch: quickly identify music with your watch 

• pay with the watch: keep cash / credit card information on watch so you can pay with your watch and keep your money close to you

• shopping sales: tells you the sales and deals in a mall you're currently in

• bathroom finder: wherever you are, will give you the location of the nearest bathroom(s)

• mall directory / map: will quickly give you a map of a mall when you cannot find the nearest directory or information desk

• wifi finder: helps you find Wi-Fi hotspots quickly, displays a map that shows the Wi-Fi hotspots near you

• car rental app: gives you information about local car rentals and helps you locate one

• theme park attraction schedule: gives you wait times and ride statuses for attractions in a theme park or amusement park

• calendar notification app: will notify you about when you need to complete your schedule (e.g., class at this time, etc.)

• grocery list app: check off your groceries as you buy them

• local tourist dating app: find singles or specific people who you can potentially date in your area

• undersea attractions app: while snorkeling you can find something interesting in the area

• SOS app: will send out an SOS signal or for help if you’re in danger

• local hazards app: tells you if there are dangers in the area; you can send in information about potholes or fallen trees (take a snapshot and send it in)

• ocean tide information: based on your location, will give you information about the beach / ocean / body of water you’re at, and will notify you when it’s dangerous (e.g., when is low tide, high tide, etc.) Ocean Tide App

• voice note app: dictate quick notes to your app 

• smart clock app: enter in a destination, when you need to arrive, and how long it takes you to get ready and the clock will calculate what time to wake you up. Not just for sleep but daily functionality too, like when traveling to multiple places

• walkie talkie app: places where there is no wifi or signal, you can contact people easy and quickly. not meant for long conversations but quick check-ins

• elevation / air pressure app: if you’re hiking or climbing a mountain it will tell your elevation and air pressure

• haggling app: go to local markets and you can see how low a person was able to haggle an item, so you can get a similar price 

• local hotels app: you can figure out where to stay based on local hotels in your area, and it could select based on user's preference

• local exploration app: will send you random updates and ideas daily on things you can do in your area

• local food suggestion app: find out local foods in the area and what’s safe-to-eat, what's authentic meal for that country, hot places to eat, etc.

• check-in app: sends your current location and maybe a picture to all your friends (maybe post on social media)

• local cultural events app: for international travelers, will notify you if that day is a specific holiday significant to that culture / country, what is usually done on that day, special tourist-friendly events you can attend, etc.

• music app: plays music from a playlist

• time zone / world clock app: can notify you best time to contact friend or family if they live in a different time zone

• local sports events app: notifies you about local sports events you can attend and which matches are popular/ good for socializing with new people

• Don't Get Too Drunk AppDGTD (don’t get too drunk) app: based on alcohol content of your drink, your supposed tolerance, maybe your body temperature and pulse, it will beep when you’ve had enough  if you’re glancing at your watch, it will tell you if there’s something in front of you that you could crash into 

• anti-accident app: if you’re glancing at your watch, it will tell you if there’s something in front of you that you could crash into

• self-defense app: uses obnoxious and ear-splitting noises as well as bright lights to avoid potentially risky situations and calls police immediatelySelf-Defen

• light show app: flashes cool sequences and patterns of light

• zombie run app: run away from invisible zombies located on your watch, emits a vibration when a zombie has ‘eaten’ youZombie Run App

• casino app: find the high-rolling casinos near your location, as well as which slots are currently hot

• charger finder: show in a map where you can charge your phone or other electronic devices

• Amazing Race app: input your location, amount of free time, amount of money, available modes of transportation, and they calculate a game for you around your city (touring places, educational; tells you to find something at a location, take a picture, if correct will give you next location; must finish within time limit)

• local deals app: find deals like happy hours, student discounts, restaurant specials, concerts coming up, etc.

• offline mapping: download a map or directions to your watch to navigate around cities

• emergency app: list of emergency numbers and map of their locations since they’ll differ from 911

• currency exchange: shows areas to exchange currency and locates the place with the best exchange rates for your currency around you. It also tells you the currency conversion rates etc.

• attraction facts: something about the landmark/attraction you’re at and it spits out or displays wiki facts about it (I think we may have had an idea like this)

• bus/train schedule: gives you the schedules as well as options like cheapest cost, quickest travel, etc.

• airplane barcode scanner: as the name implies to speed up the process. It can sync up to tell you what carousel your bag is on.

• rating app: Very convenient to just leave a restaurant/hotel, and have 5 stars show up, and just rate it rate as you’re leaving. Then later on you could have to option to add comments, etc. through your phone, or just leave it as the star ratings. More ratings makes a locations overall rating much more trustworthy. Or just use the voice command to record your review.

• pin drop: allows you to just drop a pin where you’re at and it stores it on a map in your phone or wherever for later. That way you know how to get back to that place/restaurant and information about it. You can even use audio to say what you liked about it.

• hotel menus app: ability to order food or drinks from your watch while you're at the hotel pool/lobby. It should change items as you rotate your wrist up/down, or just by swiping up or down. You can order by clicking on it, and you have a credit card on file or that information is already in your phone.

Idea Selection:

Idea 1 Project Description: Haggling App

Target User Group: Shoppers in local marketplaces and flea markets; Consumers visiting foreign regions where haggling is prominent.

Problem Description and Context: People who visit new marketplaces and stores may not know the prices of certain goods. The Haggling App would allow users to know how much others have paid for the specific good. This is especially useful in regions where haggling is a quintessential process in buying goods or services. With this app, users will be less likely to get ripped off and be able to save money when bargaining for goods. They will know the exact value of the product/service without the worry of being taken advantage of.

Complementary Solutions: There a few solutions that exist. When people are checking for price ranges of a specific good, they would often look for it on Amazon or Ebay. This allows the user to discern whether the product in question is worth buying or not. Another solution is to ask a friend who lives in the area if they know about the price of the good. Lastly, the user could search for the good on the internet and see what shows up.

Why mobile app is good solution: A mobile app is a good solution for the problem because of its portability and usability. When people are outside, more often than not, they will have a smartphone on them. With a mobile application, the user could easily take out their smartphone and search up the prices for a good. On the other hand, a desktop or web application will restrict the amount of people who could use the app. A desktop application requires the user to bring their laptop, which is much more of a hassle to bring and usually not a feasible solution. A web application would require the user to have an internet connection or service, which is not always available.

Why smartwatch is a good solution: A smartwatch is a good solution for the problem because it’s more subtle than a smartphone. When haggling, it’s important that buyers know the products in question extremely well and can articulate their proposed price to the vender in a convincing manner. Instead of pulling out their smartwatch when a new price is proposed, users can quickly glance at their smartwatch to see if the price is low enough. It is a quicker and more efficient process on the smart watch.

Sketches:

User Validation: I went to the local cafe across my house and asked a woman who sat beside me. She seemed to be in her late 20s/ early 30s (I didn’t have the courage to ask a woman of her age) and luckily it turned out she just returned from a work trip herself in Turkey. She works at LBNL up the hill from campus. After presenting the app idea, she became very excited because she ran into this problem personally. She said that even when she didn’t want something, the man would keep cutting his price in half, turning out to be a tenth of his initial start price for the item. It made her wonder what the actual price of the item is and would give her a better feeling knowing what she should actually be paying. A concern that she had was that if these vendors get access to the same apps, they can cheat and say there was a recent purchase for a high price, to benefit them. This is a good point because thus far, we haven’t really thought of infiltration and untrustworthy information. We can search Yelp’s model, to see how they deal with this.

Idea 2 Project Description: DGTD App

Target User Group: Nightlife seekers and social drinkers

Problem Description and Context: For those who would prefer a more direct reminder when they are out drinking to be careful of drinking past their limits, this app relies on the Moto360’s temperature and optical heart monitor sensors to determine if the user has consumed too much alcohol, and notifies the user to stop. The app also comes with information about the alcohol content in different beverages. In essence, this app is for personal safety, from overdoing it while out and losing control of themselves in a foreign country where anything can happen.

Complementary Solutions: Often at social gatherings or parties, individuals will have friends look out for them when they are getting tipsy or have had quite enough to drink. They will even have friends who function as back-up drivers if they choose to drink more at that gather. However, if an individual wants to keep his or her alcohol tolerance level private, or does not have a friend at a club abroad, it may be easier to have something a little more accessible. There do exist apps which you can input how many drinks you’ve had (Intellidrink, R-U-Buzzed, etc.), and keep adding one to it as you increase your count, but that doesn’t seem very feasible to take out your phone app every time you had a drink to track it. That’s where our app can come in.

Why mobile app is good solution: A mobile app’s primary advantage over a regular desktop or web application is its mobility. Smartphones and smartwatches are more portable than desktop computers or laptops, and are often essential to the user no matter what their current location or destination. For users who want to explore the night life of a foreign city, or are just alcohol enthusiasts, having an instant reminder from a mobile app could save them from dangers or regrets. It would be advantageous over a regular web application, or even looking up alcohol content information manually on their smartphone browser because of the fact that people have their phones or smart devices on them since they’re portable and having the app makes it quick.

Why smartwatch is a good solution: The advantage of a smartwatch over a smartphone in this case is its proximity to the user’s body. While a smartphone could easily be left behind in a pocket or a purse, the smartwatch is often worn as an accessory that is easily accessed with just a quick glance at the wrist. The smartwatch is directly attached to the user, so not only will it have direct access to the user’s body temperature and pulse, it will also be able to notify the user quickly by vibrating directly on the skin, where it is not as easily ignored.

Sketches:

User Validation: I had an aunt, Shuguang, living in China, who liked traveling. She also liked drinking. She told me that she was a self-disciplined person, so she could control herself during drinking. However, she thought the app would be very beneficial to people who were not that self-disciplined. She said that getting drunk in a foreign country without knowing anyone would be really terrifying. So the app might help a lot of people out.

Another person I talked to is my friend, a recent Cal CS graduate, who is exploring Southeast Asia before starting work in September. He told me about a recent experience he had going out to the bars with a couple of friends. They were meeting new people, and that called for an extra round of drinks for each new addition to the group, which made him impaired beyond reasonable limits. His friends left him for some people they just met (they were very impaired too), and that put him in jeopardy. Luckily a couple of people in his hostel saw him with his head down on a table and took him back, but things could have turned out really bad. The app in his own words, wouldn’t prevent people from drinking past their limit if they really desired to, but the notification would make you think twice and more times than not, it’d make you realize you’re entering a dangerous zone. The only concern he had was skepticism about how it’ll really work, but we can address that once we enter prototyping and planning.

Idea 3 Project Description: Smart Clock App

Target User Group: Adventurous/Eventful Travelers. Travelers who have a full day schedule and need to keep in mind the accurate times of their events, or who are unfamiliar about the time going to be taken by the transportation or visits to attractions abroad.

Problem Description and Context: The smart clock can store travelers’ schedules and calculate the time they need for every single event. (Time of some events can be defined by themselves.) Therefore it can map out a person’s day in the most optimal way, such that they get through everything they want to. The app would calculate travel time and how long it will take to get to the next destination under current traffic conditions, etc. It would use live bus and train schedules as well to calculate the timings, and if you miss your transportation, it will recalculate the next best option. It will have a have a vibrator or ring to let you know to it is time to head out for the next destination or event you had planned.

Complementary Solutions: Travelers usually will search online through google maps and other sites, and record train times, bus times, taxi options, and so on to plan out their day to different attractions and places they want to visit. They then write this down on a piece of paper or in the notes of their phone. They make estimates of how long travel times will take and make their plans around that time, though this isn’t always very efficient. There isn’t a central app that we could find, that maps out your day in the most optimal way.

Why mobile app is good solution: The app on a phone is much more convenient and accessible than on a laptop or desktop. Carrying a laptop during travelling would be very difficult and is not common while out exploring. If the smart clock were on desktop or web in their laptop, it would be difficult to get notifications. However, people always have their smart devices on them, so notifications would be received more readily than on laptops or desktops. It is much more convenient, and changing/managing settings on a mobile experience is easier.

Why smartwatch is a good solution: A smart watch is the closest smart electronic device to a person’s body. Therefore, people can receive and get notifications about what they need to do instantaneously. Some people might not check their phones immediately when buzzing, so their schedules could be delayed or they could miss important transitions, making them miss once in a lifetime events/adventures. With the smartwatch, you can’t ignore the vibration or ringing so that along with convenience and ease, is the biggest advantage of having the smartwatch application over a smartphone.

Sketches:

User Validation:

I talked about the idea with my neighbor, a software engineer currently working at IBM. She said that the idea sounds pretty good. It will be popular among people who are not confident in their time management during travelling. Also, what she liked was that she could view her time distribution, since the app could record all the events she took time on; then she could improve from previous experiences. Once concern she had was that if the app knew all her schedules, there might be a leakage of her personal agenda. It would be terrifying for travelers, especially alone in a foreign country, to have information released about their whereabouts throughout the day.

I also asked my aunt, Shuguang. She really liked it, because with this app, she didn’t need to worry about remembering all the schedules and times. She could feel more comfortable during trips because her mind would be at ease. The app would allow her to cross off all of her plans for the day without stressing to get from place to place, since the trip is mapped out for her. She was wondering if price limits would be taken into account, because for instance a taxi may be more expensive than a bus, but could save time, which is something we can take into consideration when enter prototyping for the app.

Team Plan:

Goals:

Individual Goals: 

• Sarah: To combine front-end aesthetics and design principles with back-end programming in order to create a unique and innovative smartwatch app that could be marketed to a target user group.

• Jordan: To create a useful smartwatch application and become familiar with the different metrics and techniques utilized in mobile application design.

• Ace: To build a large scale project with a team to simulate a real world experience. It’s a good learning experience, and one that’s very applicable to future careers.

• Whitney: To came up with a brilliant idea that is useful to people, and make it real.

Outcomes we are Committed to Achieve Together: The outcome we’d like to achieve together is an application that we can be proud of. We want a functional, usable, and appealing app that travelers would really find helpful while staying abroad. As of right now, we don’t see any resource constraints or other constraints that may prevent us from reaching our goals besides the possibility of time constraints.

Metrics for Success: 

• Functionality - we want the app to work the way we imagined and prototyped it

• Interface - keeping the app as simple as possible while still having complete functionality

• We want the app to be reasonably usable by a smartwatch. The app should have functions that successfully and creatively fit the smartwatch’s design and advantages over a regular smartphone..

• FUN. We’re going to put in a lot of time and effort into the project, and even if it doesn’t turn out how we imagine or it turns out to not be that useful, it won’t be because we didn’t try. Having fun and learning in the process is a very valuable experience in itself!

Roles:

Responsibilities for deliverables: For each task, it will differ depending on which part we should place more emphasis/priority on. Is it the Java files, the XML code, the writeup, mockups, or video? We will assign roles at our first meeting for every new project checkpoint/task to whoever feels more comfortable with a certain part will be given that task. We are also planning to differentiate the different tasks each member gets for each project, so that each individual can experience the different aspects of implementing a successful app.

Each Person Depends on to be Successful: In order to be successful, each person must be able to count on one another, as well as be held accountable. In our discussions, each individual member has been confident enough in his/her skills and ability to find help/assistance when he/she hits a roadblock, either through team members, classmates, teachers, or online resources. Meeting attendances and the amount of time devoted to the class/project won’t be an issue for anyone since this is every member’s biggest priority for the summer.

Relationships: 

Team Diversity: Our team is equally split between two males and two females. We are 75% Chinese and 25% Middle Eastern. The group has two rising juniors and two rising seniors. We have one member studying Engineering Physics, one member studying Cognitive Science, and two members studying EECS. Everyone has had traveling abroad experience which is great because each person can add from personal experiences as well. Future aspirations of our group include careers as world travelers, UX/UI designers, software engineers, and product development. Two members have a concurrent course for summer, while the other two do not, giving a good work balance for the team in case conflicts come up. Every member has a similar learning style: live lectures with a good balance of visuals and speech. The pace of the lecture makes all the difference, so a well paced lecture is crucial. Our diversity allows us to have multiple perspectives on the same problem, allowing for more well rounded and creative solutions.

If First Don't Understand: In general, our group asks a lot of clarifying questions in order to better understand the different ideas from the different members of our group. Ideas we don’t agree with can be brought up at a later time for discussion, but are by no means pushed aside since even ideas that may initially seem unreasonable can help inspire newer and better ideas! Every person in our group is important to the ultimate success of our app.

Team Procedure:

Decision Process: Consensus - it’s better to work out something that everyone can agree to in order to get a diverse flow of opinions and expertise while brainstorming ideas or making decisions about the project; we will defer to majority rules when tighter deadlines approach.

Ensure Effective Meetings: 85/15. Stay on topic 85% and go off track 15%. We’ll reserve rooms in libraries like Bechtel to ensure we maximize our time together since it is limited to the 1 hour block they allow reservations for. Hopefully that gives us the sense of urgency. We will make sure to use these meetings for discussions and decisions, and we will primarily use Slack and Facebook for status updates. At these meetings we’ll have a scribe writing down everything we discuss, and have facilitated discussions by having an agenda written up for the meeting before we get together.

Ensure Great Communication: We will meet face-to-face at least once a week, and add extra in-person meetings depending on how much we didn’t get to discuss in the first meeting. One feasible time interval would be the 1-hour gap between section and lecture on Mondays and Wednesdays. The technologies we’ll use outside of our meetings will be Facebook Messenger, Slack, Github and Google Docs. Everyone seems to be pretty responsive thus far, and we have no concerns for it to drop off. The best times for us to work are nights and weekends.

Who Did What?

Everyone worked together for brainstorming the 50+ ideas and going over our team plan. Each member created two storyboards from the apps on our brainstorm list, Jordan's storyboards being the most indepth and descriptive.  

In the end, everyone helped one another to fill in the missing details of each of our sections, which created a pretty equal balance.