capstone Project: sauce and spoon table Tablet
In 2022, I decided to enroll in the Google Project Management: Professional Certificate program, which allows professionals to learn how to manage projects using traditional and agile methods, create project documentation, and develop strategic communication skills. As part of the program’s capstone, I had the opportunity to practice applying the knowledge and skills I had learned through the courses by observing a project manager in a real-world scenario.
Throughout the capstone course I had been able to:
- analyze project documents to identify project requirements and evaluate stakeholders
- complete a project charter and use it as a tool to align project scope and goals among stakeholder
- identify tasks and milestones along with document and prioritize them in a project plan
- define quality management standards and explore how to effectively share qualitative data
- demonstrate effective communication techniques and escalate project problems to stakeholders
- demonstrate the project’s impact through effective reporting
Project Scenario
Sauce and Spoon is a small restaurant that wants to meet their annual growth and expansion goals. Keeping that in mind, they decided to launch a pilot project to test out the impact of installing new tabletop menu tablets. The new menu tablets will allow the restaurant to serve more guests in less time while also providing valuable data to help Sauce and Spoon meet its business goals.
To help with this project the restaurant hired Peta Tsosie as the first in-house Project Manager to oversee the tabletop menu tablet rollout at two of the five locations of the restaurant.
MY role
Throughout the course of the project I had the change to observe Peta as she guided the team through planning and executing the project deliverables and follow the project through its life cycle as Peta learned about the restaurant industry, determined the goals of the project, negotiate with stakeholders, and much more.
In addition, I had the opportunity to record details of the project through course activities and evaluate Peta’s project management skills as she worked to complete the project on time, in scope, and within budget.
Ultimately, I was able to learn how a project manager is able to problem solve their way through out a project as they figure out what does and does not work.
NOTE: all linked artifacts of this project were completed by myself as part of the capstone’s coursework activities
Project Proposal: Menu tablets
Executive Summary
Sauce & Spoon is a local restaurant chain specializing in scratch-to-table cuisine and committed to partnering with local farmers and suppliers.
Company Mission and ObjectiveS
The restaurant group is growing in annual sales (+28%) each year and wants to meet demand by improving current restaurant operations. These are the greatest areas of opportunity to reduce costs: staffing, order size and amount, improving customer satisfaction and retention, and providing timely and quality service.
To address this, we propose implementing a digital menu and point-of-sale (POS) system that will be guest-facing. This initiative will take the form of a fully integrated tablet system located at each table to offer guests a seamless ordering experience—and at the same time provide the restaurant with a more effective ticketing system.
Sauce & spoon’s OKRs
A few of the restaurant’s objectives and key results include:
Making fresh food quickly for the working families within the community.
Prioritizing the customer’s needs and wants.
Running an efficient, profitable business model so we can continue to grow in our community.
Supporting local businesses through our sourcing and partnerships.
Project Charter: Tabletop Menu Tablets
PROJECT SUMMARY
Sauce and Spoon, a small restaurant, would like to launch a pilot rollout of tabletop menu tablets at two of their locations. North and Downtown, in the bar area. The new menu tablets will allow restaurants to serve more guests in less time and provide valuable data to help Sauce and Spoon meet its business goals.
PROJECT GOALS FOR Q2:
Implement menu tablets by the start of Q2
Decrease average table turn time by approximately 30 minutes by the end of the second quarter (Q2), resulting in decreased customer wait time
Increasing average daily guest counts by 10%
Reduce food waste by 25% by the end of Q2
Decrease employee burnout and turnover
Increase average check total to $75 by selling more appetizers and beverages by the end of Q2, resulting in increased profits
DELIVERABLES FOR Q2:
Successful installation of working tablets at two restaurant locations bar area
Check on tablet packages that include menu add-ons and coupons
Guests can use the tablets to order immediately and pay their own checks without having to wait for a server
Plan to train the staff on the new system
Clear data points to track metrics
Selling more appetizers and specialty drinks
SCOPE AND EXCLUSION
In-Scope:
- Setting up services in the bar area only for both locations
- Control food waste by 25%
- Reduce table time by 30 minutes
- Integration of the new system with the existing POS system
Out-of-Scope:
- Policy change
- Expanding services to all parts of restaurant
- Hiring more kitchen staff
Stakeholder analysis
Once the project charter and goals had been established it was important to identify all stakeholders involved within the project in order to understand the their needs and expectations prior to starting the project. Through this process, Peta was able to collect information about everyone that will be impacted from the project and clarify questions or concerns they may have along with understand which stakeholder
With a diverse set of stakeholders, it was difficult for Peta to pitch ideas and goals that everyone could agree to. Whether it was deciding on the budget update with the senior stakeholder or requesting stakeholders to come together as an alliance in hopes to achieve a common purpose , Peta was in constant communication ensuring to find solutions that were mutually beneficial to all stakeholders from the tablet rollout for Sauce and Spoon.
project plan: tasks and timeline
With all stakeholders finally on board it was time to start actual planning the tabletop tablet menu project. Peta and the team began brainstorming tasks and milestones to help achieve their project’s goals and deliverables. Having done additional research on the topics relating to restaurants and tabletop tablet menus, the team was able to also gain a better understanding of how tablet menus are marketed in the industry and the impact they have on the dining experiencing.
Once finalizing and confirming the tasks and timeline with stakeholders, Peta initiated the first phase of the project by searching for tablet packages and generating cost quotes with the help of Seydou, eventually leading the team towards accomplishing each milestone within the given deadlines.
MILESTONE 1: Tablet Sourcing
Research tablet packages
Generate quotes and review costs
Tablet shipping and delivery
Schedule electrician for wiring
Coordinate with GMs for staff meeting regarding new equipment
MILESTONE 2: Tablet Integration
Carter’s finalized menu and coupon value mock-ups
Schedule meeting with stakeholders and Terrific Tablet Marketing
Upload menu and coupon value to system
North restaurant location wiring
Downtown restaurant location wiring
Meeting with GMs regarding staff training and training plan
Implement customer satisfaction survey
MILESTONE 3: Training
Pre-training: schedule staff meeting with GMs for anything that affects waitstaff tips
Manager training: North and Downtown GMs
Schedule with Gilly and Alex for Staff Training Timeline
North location staff training
Downtown location staff training
MILESTONE 4: Pre-Launch Test
Map out tablet locations and upload to software
Stakeholder meeting for launch preparation
Create troubleshoot and support plan
Invite friends and family to do a test run of tablets
Update social media
Test launch finds: Customer Survey Results
After successfully reaching the test launch milestone, gathering 50 customers to do a test run of the tablets, Sauce and Spoon had conducted a survey to get a better understanding of their dining experience. Allowing the restaurant to ensure the project had met its quality standards while also identifying any issues or concerns that came up during the test launch.
The average customer rating for the test launch was 3.86 which was evaluated through indicators including:
Average ticket time
Checkout time
Technical errors
Orders sent back
Technical errors
Based on the findings, other than instances of the tablet freezing/glitching, customers were satisfied with the overall ordering and checkout process. The survey revealed higher than ideal guest wait times as well as food waste concerns. Moving forward, a cash payment process should be looked into and sales targets should be set with the given data.
Additionally, high interest from the customers regarding newsletters should be seen an opportunity to promote new product mixes as well a channel to receive additional feedback from customers.
sauce AND SPOON TABLET ROLLOUT: iMPACT REPORT
The tablet rollout for North and Downtown locations aimed to address the need for a more efficient procedure and issues regarding quality or delay of services. The guest-facing PoS system aims to offer guest a seamless ordering experience and provide the restaurant with a more effective ticketing system.
Considering customer feedback from the test launch survey, a cash payment process was implemented and tablet navigation was simplified to achieve a < 1 minute checkout time. Additionally, through wait staff training to carefully monitor guest pacing and increased communication with BoH staff, table turn times were reduced by 30 minutes, resulting in an increased daily guest count by 20%.
Lessons learned
System software requirements are essential to expediting future tablet installations.
Staff training is oftentimes more impactful to reduce table turn time food waste than simply the tablets alone.
Moving forward
Kitchen operations should continue to be optimized to improve food accuracy
Continue to survey and solicit feedback from guests
Closeout report and retrospective review: tablet rollout
Project Summary
The tablet rollout for the bar seating of the North and Downtown Locations aimed to expedite service, provide data points, and increase Sauce & Spoon’s digital presence. The primary success metrics were to decrease turn time by 30 minutes, maintain < 5% technical issues, increase daily guest counts by 10%, and reduce food waste by 25%.
Methodology
Primarily, Waterfall methodology was applied throughout the project for tablet sourcing, installation, and staff training. There was an agile element within where after all staff were trained, a test launch collecting customer feedback from surveys was conducted and customer input was taken into account for the actual launch.
Key Accomplishments:
Reduced table turn time by 30 minutes, resulting in shorter guest wait time for tablets
Took customer feedback and simplified tablet navigation
Reduced technical issues from tablets to less than 5% each week
Increased daily guest count by 20% (exceeding 10% goal)
Reduced food waste by 25%
Achieved less than 1 minute checkout times for guests
Implemented system of surveying and measuring customer satisfaction
