1. Executive summary
Review #1: Allrecipe summary
Allrecipes.com is a website that allows user to submit personal recipes for other users. The
recipes are rated, used, and commented on by other users. The site also allows users to create
profiles to save recipe, communicate with other users, create shopping lists, and enjoy other
features for their free membership.
Allrecipes.com now offers users a free and upgraded application for their Android users. Their
website boost, “Take the world’s #1 food website everywhere you go”. (http://allrecipes.com/
Features/More/Android.aspx?prop24=PN_6.1.1_NP.Allrecipes-on) The application allows users
to bookmark recipes, browse over 40,000 recipes, and utilize their dinner spinner. The dinner
spinner welcomes the user upon opening the application. Users have a choice of selecting from
three different filters to help determine their search results: dish, ingredient, and ready in. Once
the preferences are selected, the user shakes the phone to activate the spinner.
While the dinner spinner provides the main option for searching for recipes, users can also
search for specific recipes through a standard search. The upgraded version of this application,
Dinner Spinner Pro, provides user with even more options. Only the free version will be used for
this review.
Heuristics
The following heuristics will be evaluated in for this review
Navigation
• Easy to search and find recipes
• Multiple ways to search information
• Consistency in the navigation design
• Stays true to Android standards
Appearance
• No spelling errors
• Consistent fonts
• Readable (color and font)
• Formatting consistent
Social networking
• Easy to share recipes
• Easy to read and create comments
Multitasking
• Able to intercept normal phone functions (phone calls, text messages, and alerts)
Miscellaneous
• Connection with host site
• Quick upload
• Bookmark and retrieve recipes easily
2. Severity scale
The following severity scale will be used to rate issues that are observed during test. The scale
ranges from None (0) to High (3). This scale will help developers determine which issues should
warrant immediate attention and which can be fixed down the line.
• None (0) - not a usability issue
• Low (1) – cosmetic or minor issue that will not interfere with functionality
• Moderate (2) – A significant usability issue that should be fixed before release as it could
affect a large proportion of users
• High – (3) Usability issue makes the system unusable or will affect the majority of users and
must be fixed immediately
Review of application - Findings (include pictures here)
The application’s main function is to allow users to find, save, or search recipes. To test the level
of functionality of this application, the following task will be performed:
1. Find a vegetarian chili and share it via email
2. Find a quick vegetarian main dish using the dinner spinner and bookmark the recipe
Intro during load page Task 1: Dinner Spinner with Choices turn blue once
three filters: dish, ingredi- clicked
ents, ready in
3. Spin results with ads in between search Spin results can be filtered based on relevance,
results ratings, title, and popularity. Users can also review
their choices from each filter.
Recipe results Recipes include calorie count, reviews,
and ability to view recipe on website.
4. Add to Favorites allows users to book- Task 2: Search using dietary filters
mark recipes
Choice turns blue once clicked Search results
5. Recipe results Email choices
Menu options: Spinner, favorites, Help options
search, featured, settings, help
7. Resolutions (include table here)
Heuristics Issue Severity Recommendations
Navigation
Easy to search and The dinner spinner Moderate (2) Add dietary filter to dinner
find recipes does not have dietary spinner
filters such as an op-
tion to pick strictly
vegetarian or vegan
meals
Multiple ways to See comments above
search information
Appearance
Readable (color and Difficult to view reci- Moderate (2) Test different color back-
font) pes in bright sunlight grounds to increase visibility
Social networking
Easy to read and cre- Unable to create com- Low (1) Allow users to add comments
ate comments ments for recipes without accessing allrecipes.
com
Multitasking
Able to intercept nor-
mal phone functions
Miscellaneous
Quick upload Delay in opening of Low (1) Decrease upload time
application and view-
ing matches
Conclusion
The Allrecipes.com’s application allows users to search for recipes through their Dinner Spinner
and a traditional search. Though the application could improve in some aspects, users will be
able to perform task without critical issues. Allrecipes.com provides settings, help, and seamless
connection to their mobile site. The application does exactly what it set out to do. Examining
and correcting the low to moderate recommendations in this review will only improve on a well
built application.
8. Review #2 Ebony SPSU Distance Learning
Eboni Warren created an application for Southern Polytechnic State University (SPSU) Distance
Learning site. The application is dedicated to the Android platform. Users will access the appli-
cation to find specific information and to complete a task instead of simple browsing.
Heuristics
The following heuristics will be evaluated in for this review
Navigation
• Easy to search and find information -
• Multiple ways to search information
• Consistency in the navigation design
• Stays true to Android standards
Appearance
• No spelling errors
• Consistent fonts
• Readable (color and font)
• Formatting & formatting consistencies
Severity scale
The following severity scale will be used to rate issues that are observed during test. The scale
ranges from None (0) to High (3). This scale will help developers determine which issues should
warrant immediate attention and which can be fixed down the line.
• None (0) - not a usability issue
• Low (1) – cosmetic or minor issue that can be easily resolved by the user
• Moderate (2) – A significant usability issue that should be fixed before release as it
could affect a large proportion of users
• High – (3) Usability issue makes the system unusable or will affect the majority of users
and must be fixed immediately
Review of application
The current design allows current and prospective students to find information about Southern
Polytechnic State University’s Distant Learning program on the go. To improve the current ap-
plication, the design should include some of Android standards in the redesign. Android applica-
tions feature a menu that includes home, setting, search, and other features to ease navigation.
Android developers (http://developer.android.com/guide/practices/ui_guidelines/icon_design.
html) provides great information on how to tailor applications to their standards.
9. The following table provides recommendations for the current design:
Resolutions
Heuristics Issue Severity Recommendations
Navigation
Easy to search and No search or help High (3) An addition of a search and
find information function currently help function will help users
exists find information.
Multiple ways to See comments above
search information
Consistency in the Navigation bar not High (3) Place navigation bar within
navigation design consistent in design standard Android menu
appears on the bot-
tom of home page
and the top of the
other pages
Appearance
Formatting & format- Scroll bar seems un- Moderate (2) Test different color back-
ting consistencies necessary on self- grounds to increase visibility
assessment, header,
and footer are not
consistent
Images Image at bottom of Low (1) Remove image from design
home page seems un-
necessary
Images Image on Orientation Low (1) Make images consistent in
page is not consistent orientation
between portrait and
landscape orientation
Conclusion
The Distance Learning application stays true to the original site. It provides users with the op-
portunity to find information concerning the Southern Polytechnic State University’s Distance
Learning program while on the go. Users, both students and prospective students, can use the
site to find the information they need without departing from other task. Redesigning the cur-
rent application to fit more with Android standards and other recommendations will provide
users with an effective and functional application.
10. References
Allrecipes.com (2011). Dinner pinner pro. Retrieved from http://allrecipes.com/Features/More/
Android.aspx?prop24=PN_6.1.1_NP.Allrecipes-on
Android developers. (2011, June 7). User interface guideline. Retrieved from http://developer.
android.com/guide/practices/ui_guidelines/index.html
