GR1

NOTE: We have decided to focus on the "traveler" user. In doing so, we have removed the social networking/sharing features of the app (intended for the "interested non-traveler") and have instead allowed sharing posts through Facebook. In addition, we have decided to consolidate all of the different types of posts to allow the user to add any combination of pictures/contacts/text to any post.

User Analysis

All our users have smartphones, and are able to install an app.

Our Two User Classes:

• The traveler - An active person who spends much time exploring new places. Travelers often like to take photos of these places, or keep a written journal as a way to record their experiences. They tend to be tech-savvy and own smartphones.
• The interested non-traveler - Possibly a friend or a concerned parent of a traveler, who would check up on the traveler's activities if given the option. This user class might not be as familiar with technology, but can at least use e-mail.

Personas

Interviewee 1, 28, lives in San Francisco. She has traveled to many Asian counties, backpacked through Europe, and is planning on a trip to Australia this spring. She enjoys exploring new places and meeting new people. Most of the time, she uses the camera on her iPhone. Claiming to have bad memory, she tries to write down her experiences whenever she can. Unfortunately, she often forgets to do so or procrastinates. She also mentions that she meets great people on her trips, but always misplaces their contact information. Interviewee 1 likes to share photos that she finds exceptionally interesting, usually by using Facebook.

Conclusion
From this interview, we learned that a solution should:

• motivate or remind travelers to record their experiences (Reason: travelers tend to forget or procrastinate)
• store contact information of new people that the travelers meet (Reason: contact information can be easily misplaced)
• give travelers the option to share specific photos with a specific group of people (Reason: travelers want to choose which photos to share and with whom to share them)

Interviewee 2 is a mother who lives in Brooklyn. She is not very familiar with technology, but she knows how to read/write e-mails and use simple mobile applications. She tries to keep in touch with her two daughters once every few days. Although her daughters don't mind talking to their mother at all, they are often too busy to talk on the phone. Interviewee 2 could e-mail them instead, but she is a very slow typist. She especially worries when her daughters travel somewhere, because they tend to be even more unresponsive during their travels. She just wants a simple way to check that they are safe.

Conclusion
From this interview, we learned that a solution should:

• be a clean, simple interface with clearly-labeled buttons and good visual feedback (Reason: Some users (of the "interested non-traveler" class) are unfamiliar with technology)
• allow travelers to upload photos + descriptions instantly, from wherever they are (Reason: Users who want to check up on travelers would like to see relatively fresh information)
• give notifications on users' updates through e-mail, if we decide on a notification system at all (Reason: We should notify users through a tool that they are already familiar with (i.e. e-mail))

Interviewee 3, 25, lives in Boston. She frequently travels to urban destinations for social visits, conferences, and vacations. She is very active in maintaining an online presence and openly shares the highlights of her experiences. She uses her mobile phone as her primary camera, a means to organize her contacts, and her primary interface for communicating online. She usually shares her trips as a series of blog posts and photo albums after the trip, manually sorting the notes and photographs she records while away.

Conclusion
From this interview, we learned that a solution should:

• Avoid annoying notifications, even intelligently triggered notifications. Perhaps reward users instead?  (Reason: any prompts would irritate naturally active users)
• Store the journal entry time and GPS location for all entries including contacts and photographs (Reason: location and time are relevant in journal entries)
• Be fully usable for journaling whether or not the device is online (Reason: a user must be able to make a journal entry at any time, and cellular service may be unavailable during travel)
• Emphasize journaling over sharing, (Reason: this is the main attraction that distinguishes this project from previously successful work)

Task Analysis

• For all tasks, the user must be using an Android phone that is associated with a Google account, as the app will be using this to identify her
• For all tasks, there are no time constraints and frequency of use will vary highly between users
• Traveling users may perform these tasks outdoors, while non-traveling users will likely perform them at home
• Users learn how to perform these tasks by playing around with the app's UI
• Errors in posts can be recovered easily by editing the posts and unintentional deletions can be recovered with a temporary "undo" button that appears right after the deletion

1) Post existing photo

Preconditions: Photo to post must be on SD card of device

• Create new post for existing photo
• Find and select photo from SD card
• Set date and time (default is current time)
• Optionally, enter location of photo or use GPS to determine location
• Optionally, enter caption for photo
• Optionally, modify photo privacy level (default is private)
• Save post

2) Take and post new photo

Preconditions: None

• Create new post for new photo
• Use Android camera interface to take photo
• Optionally, manually set date and time instead of using device clock
• Optionally, enter location or use GPS to determine location
• Optionally, enter caption for photo
• Optionally, modify photo privacy level (default is private)
• Save post

3) Edit photo post

Preconditions: Photo post must have been created by the user

• Select photo post to edit
• Change necessary information
• Save changes

4) Post text

Preconditions: None

• Create new post for text
• Enter text
• Optionally, manually set date and time instead of using device clock
• Optionally, enter location or use GPS to determine location
• Optionally, modify text privacy level (default is private)
• Save post

5) Edit text post

Preconditions: Text post must have been created by the user

• Select text post to edit
• Change necessary information
• Save changes

6) Post contact

Preconditions: None

• Create new post for contact
• Enter contact's name
• Enter contact's information
• Optionally, modify contact privacy level (default is private)
• Save post

7) Edit contact post

Preconditions: Contact post must have been created by the user

• Select contact post to edit
• Change necessary information
• Save changes

8) View another user's journal

Preconditions: User must be allowed to access other user's journal

• Find and select other user
• Browse through other user's posts

9) View own journal

Preconditions: None

• Open timeline
• Optionally, create new posts
• Optionally, edit existing posts