IRMA Update(s) 4/1/2015

PROJECT IRMA:
The idea for IRMA (Individual Recipe Management Application) originally spawned in 2014 when a team member began writing his own in-house recipe management system in java. When coming up with ideas for our senior design project, the idea was pitched to have an online management system which users could then have the ability to create and manage their own personal recipes as well as populate and explore from a public database of recipes.

Evolution:
Over the course of our brainstorming sessions we examined all angles and elements of the project. From the schema of the database to how users would insert recipes. The main goal of Project IRMA was to be as user friendly as possible. Many hours were spent revising and implementing new techniques to make adding and editing a recipe as simple and stress free as possible. 

As we worked the recipe addition screen went through many iterations. We initially conceived a series of tabbed screens each responsible for the entry or addition of a few individual details of the recipe. For example we started with a Recipe Name / Cook time screen that would allow the recipe name and details relating to the cook and prep time to be entered in. Then the user could click on the next tab to add the ingredients needed for the recipe, finally the last tab could be accessed to allow the user to enter in individual steps / directions for the recipe.

Needless to say, this tabbed screen system was scrapped as it proved overly complicated and lacked the intuitive and natural flow we were striving to achieve. However, experiments during the development of the tabbed system eventually led us to the ingredient tagging system that can be found as part of the more streamlined recipe adding / editing screen.


IRMA Website:

The IRMA website functionality has come a long way in the past few weeks. We have a few more functionality ideas we would like to implement but for the most part, from here on out is mainly polishing, design overhaul, and data collection. Navigation is one thing on our 'To-Do' list.

Below are screenshots of our current homepage, create recipe, edit recipe, and view recipe pages. Currently in progress is a View All recipes page, View All Ingredients page, and the capability of Sharing recipes between users.

IRMA Homepage

Create Recipe

Edit Recipe

View Recipe

IRMA Mobile:


Currently IRMA mobile is on schedule to have all it's major functionality complete by the end of the semester. I'm currently working on the recipe selection and display pages that allow a user to select a recipe (from one of the previous categories, Type, Time, Region, etc) and then displays it in a landscape format for the user to follow while cooking. Here are some screen shots of the application in it's current format. Keep in mind that (time permitting) background images and image based buttons will be brought in to improve the overall look. This current state is function over form.

 

Login Screen

 Main Menu

 My Recipe Menu

 

 Recipe Selection

 

Pantry Item Scanner

THE FUTURE OF IRMA:

• Pantry Management System
• We envisioned a pantry  management system where a user would be able to track items in their pantry. There are many benefits to knowing what you have in your pantry, such as:
• Smart Shopping Lists - Ability to create shopping lists on the fly based on meal plans and recipe ingredients.
• Purchase suggestions - Suggestions based on how often you go through a certain ingredient, also partial to 'Smart Shopping Lists'.
• What can I make? A search through your recipes to find what you could easily make without the need to go to the store.
• Calorie Tracking
• In the future we would like the ability to implement a nutrition aspect to IRMA. Tracking nutritional information such as calories, carbohydrates, proteins and fats.
• Our system would also calcualte calories per meal based on ingredients and how they are used. (example: Baking a chicken breast as opposed to deep frying it).
• Distant Future - IRMA The ultimate weight loss program.
• Meal Planner
• The ability to plan out meals using a calendar style system. This coincides with the smart shopping lists so you can plan your "One-Stop Shopping" trips on a weekly or bi-weekly basis.
• Also allows the ability for anyone on your "family/share account" to view the meal plan ahead of time. This allows individuals to plan their daily activities accordingly. (ie Kale for dinner again? Look who has to work late tonight...)