Discuss on Elicitation Meeting Notes

[hasancankeles]

Description

We completed our meeting with the customer. This issue is created in order to unify the meeting notes taken by @y4z1c1 @nuriba and @hasancankeles .

Expected Time: 60 min
Due Date: (2025-03-01)

Acceptance Criteria

• Share individual notes taken as a comment to this issue
• Finalize the meeting notes and complete the wiki page as specified in Preparing Notes for the Elicitation Meeting with Customer #48

[hasancankeles]

Below are the meeting notes I took. Please feel free to add your own notes so we can collaborate and create a unified final version:

• They are supposed to mention where the products are from.
• There is no need to fetch data from real stores. Local Food Stores register to the platform and list their products there.
• There should be a restriction for the listing product, every type of product should not be accepted.
• The consumers should see the markets nearby(They may filter the distance).
• People might suggest a type of food additionally and it might rated for trust.
• There will be ranking among users, food stores, recipes.
• There should be a reporting system for false claims from the stores (about prices etc.).
• People might filter the products with different features(ie. natural).
• Every user might list products on the market, if they get reported, they may lose their permission to list their product.
• Users might add their markets(it might be multiple) to the platform from their accounts.
• People may input their budget for determined time range, and the app will recommend meals for that time range in that budget. They also may add some preferences, such as ingredient restrictions etc.
• The user may add their allergies and type of nutrition preferences(vegan, vegetarian etc.) and they will have an option to filter the recipes according to those preferences.
• The recipes may have units in gram, but they have additional units as tablespoon etc.
• Users may prefer macronutrients priority, such as low-carb, high-protein etc.

[y4z1c1]

Meeting Notes

Here is my notes of the meeting question by question:

Question: What is a "local food store"?

The term "local food store" refers to establishments that sell local, authentic food products on a street level. These are authentic markets that offer locally produced goods. The geographic scope of a local store is generally limited to a city or district level, and users will have the ability to filter stores by location.

Question: How will product information be entered into the platform?

Producers will enter and upload product information directly to the platform. The system will have a specific interface for producers, allowing them to list their products. Product data should be sourced from existing databases, with predefined nutritional values for standardization.

Question: Will there be reporting functionality?

Yes, users will be able to report both products and stores. If false information is provided, users can report or comment on products or stores. Additionally, stores receiving negative reviews regarding pricing may be flagged in the system.

Question: Isn't it impractical to calculate recipe budgets given that prices are local?

This concern was addressed by proposing that recipe costs should be calculated based on the user's location. Each user will be able to see costs specific to their location, making the budget calculations relevant and practical.

Question: What will the overall system include?

The system will consist of two main components:

1. An interface for data entry
2. Various applications that utilize this entered data

Question: Will there be different types of users?

Yes, the platform will have three primary user types:

• General users (consumers)
• Dietitians
• Store owners/market owners

Regarding dietitians, it was decided that formal verification is not necessary initially. Users can select this designation when creating their profile and can include relevant links in their bio. Dietitians can share nutrition tips in the forum, but this was not deemed critical functionality for the initial launch. All users will have a trust score, and anyone can share nutrition tips in the forum. Nutritional values of products will be predefined.

Question: Will there be ranking systems for users and recipes?

Yes, ranking systems will be implemented for:

• Sellers (to indicate if they are good sellers)
• Dietitians (to indicate their credibility)
• Recipes

When sorting, organic labels and similar designations can be included. Filtering capabilities were emphasized as particularly important.

Question: Should sellers and users be separated?

The response was that this decision is up to the development team, with the note that separating user types is not mandatory.

Question: How should chain stores be included?

All producers, including chain stores, must enter their product information into the platform. A store's trust score will be influenced by its profile trust score.

Question: Should there be budget planning functionality?

This was identified as an extra feature that could be included. Budget information can be used for comparison purposes within the platform.

Question: What are "nutrition tips"?

Nutrition tips will be implemented as posts within the platform. Users can like and comment on these posts. The posts can include links to products, providers, and nutrition labels, functioning as a forum for sharing nutritional information.

Question: Will health conditions be considered?

Yes, this was deemed logical. User profiles will include options for allergies and preferences (such as vegan choices). Each search can be filtered based on these parameters, allowing users to customize their experience.

Question: What information should recipes include?

Recipes should contain:

• Required ingredients with specific quantities
• Optional store recommendations
• Difficulty level
• Step-by-step instructions (as free text)

It was emphasized that ingredients should follow a structured format.

Question: What should the budget scope include?

The platform should offer weekly, monthly, and daily meal planning options. Users should be able to select from available recipes. There was discussion about whether recipes from dietitians should be prioritized, or if weekly/monthly meal plans should be provided. Budget-related alerts were considered, but it was decided that the system should only create plans based on budget without actively monitoring budget depletion.

Question: How will product measurements be handled?

There was discussion about standardizing measurements (cups, glasses, etc.). The team decided to choose the most practical measurement system. Product images will be generic.

Question: Will seasonal products be featured?

Seasonal product availability will depend on the producer, with active/inactive status and inventory management capabilities.

[nuriba]

I tried my notes match with our elicitation questions, and below are the questions and their answers from my notes.

1. Should users be able to set a budget in time intervals of their choice (weekly or monthly)?

The app should allow users to set optionally a budget in time interval of their choice for Meal suggestions. The app can provide weekly meal recommendations based on this budget while considering nutritional values. However, detailed budget tracking is not mandatory; users can set it if they wish, and we can take it into account in recommendations and filtering.

2. Should the budget planner adjust meal recommendations based on available funds?

Yes, if a user has set a budget, we should filter weekly or daily recommendations accordingly. We should highlight the most budget-friendly recipes and food options, presenting the user with affordable choices.

3. Should recipes include a breakdown of costs per serving?

To calculate the cost of recipes, ingredient quantities should be specified in weight (grams) or units (e.g., pieces, spoons). Users should not deviate from these measurement units. This way, they can see the per-serving cost based on the average price of ingredients. Using standard measurements and their average values for calculations would be a logical approach.

4. Should users be able to rate and comment on shared recipes?

A comment and rating system should be integrated into a forum-style structure for recipes. Users can share their experiences and opinions about the recipes, guiding each other. Additionally, it should be possible to sort and filter recipes based on these ratings.

5. What criteria should food stores meet to be considered ‘local’ within the context of our platform?

Local stores should be defined at the district level. However, the products presented to a user should come from a maximum range of the city. It should be clear that the market or seller is genuinely operating in that area. If possible, information about the supply chain, detailing the stages a product goes through before reaching the market, can be provided. Chain markets can also create accounts and enter their prices, but the “local” label should be reserved specifically for district-level or city-level sellers.

Here is the my notes which I couldn't directly match with our elicitation questions:

• The main goal of our project is not to create an application based on an existing data, but rather to develop a platform where sellers can enter their own products and offer them to people in their local area. Accordingly, we aim to address various scenarios, such as showcasing recipes, presenting them to users and allowing them to filter, and implementing a reporting system to detect and differentiate between users and sellers.

• Filtering should also allow users to view sellers and products from other cities.

• User profiles can be defined, and the option for home-based sales can be provided. If a user’s information is incorrect, they can be reported by other users for review. Special user profiles, such as dietitians, can be distinguished through a verification link or document, or via the reporting system. The classification of users can be shaped based on the reporting system and received feedback.

• The forum can serve not only for sharing recipes and meal plans but also as a platform where users can request products that are not currently sold by the producers in their area.

• Chain markets should also create their own accounts to showcase their products. Therefore, Multiple accounts with the same name can exist, and reporting one should not affect all accounts with the same name.

• Distinguishing between users and sellers is up to us.

• Seasonal products should be available for sale. Sellers should indicate when a product is not available during its off-season.

[nuriba]

I tried to match all of our notes with our elicitation questions. Can you check and provide comments? If there are no mistakes, we can create a wiki page and finalize the meeting notes. @y4z1c1 @hasancankeles.

1. Advertising

Is there any component of this project that is for profit? Why should people use this app to share their expertise? (Dietitians, food banks, etc.)

• The platform is designed as a marketplace where sellers can display their products, and the nutrition values and prices of the products will be displayed. Therefore, direct monetization was not a key focus.
• Dietitians can use the platform to share expertise via nutrition tips and recommendations in a forum structure.

Should there be a way for people to advertise their products? If so, should there be any terms on advertising?

• Sellers should mention where the products are from if they can.

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2. Budget-Related Features

Should users be able to set a budget in time intervals of their choice (weekly or monthly)?

• Yes, the app should allow users to set a budget in a time interval of their choice. However, this feature should be optional.

Should the budget planner adjust meal recommendations based on available funds?

• Yes. The app can provide weekly or daily meal recommendations based on this budget while considering nutritional values of the meal and the user’s nutrition type. Also, we can take the budget into account in recommendations and filtering.
• We should highlight the most budget-friendly recipes and food options, presenting the user with affordable choices.

Can users track their grocery spending over time?

• Detailed budget tracking is not mandatory. It is up to us.

Should users receive notifications when they exceed their budget?

• We don’t need to track users’ spending/budget.

Will the system integrate with third-party budgeting tools?

What specific details should be included in the shopping list (e.g., item name, quantity, price, category, nutritional info)?

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3. Balanced Diet Features

How will the platform ensure that meal recommendations are nutritionally balanced?

How should the system determine whether a cook is experienced or not?

• There will be no formal experience verification, but user ratings and reviews will help identify high-quality recipe contributors.

Will users be able to set dietary preferences (e.g., vegetarian, low-carb, high-protein)?

• Yes, the user may add their allergies and type of nutrition preferences (vegan, vegetarian, etc.), and they will have an option to filter the recipes according to those preferences.

Should the platform provide daily/weekly nutrient breakdowns for planned meals?

• Users may prefer macronutrient priority, such as low-carb, high-protein, etc.

Can users input health conditions (e.g., diabetes) to receive tailored meal recommendations?

• Yes, users can input allergies and dietary restrictions to filter meal options.

Should the system highlight nutrient-dense, low-cost foods for users?

• Yes, cost-effective and nutritionally dense foods can be highlighted in recommendations.

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4. Recipes

Should recipes include a breakdown of costs per serving?

• Yes, recipe costs will be calculated per serving using standardized weight or unit measurements.

Will users be able to filter recipes by budget, prep time, and dietary needs?

• Yes.

Should users be able to rate and comment on shared recipes?

• Yes, a forum-style rating and comment system will allow users to share feedback.

Can the system generate a grocery list from selected recipes?

• Not exactly. The system will recommend some stores/sellers for the ingredients depending on their availability and prices. Users should select where they will buy the ingredients.

Should users be able to save favorite recipes for later?

• Yes, users will have the option to save recipes for future reference.

What will be the format of the recipes?

• Recipes should contain:
  • Required ingredients with specific quantities
  • Optional store recommendations
  • Difficulty level
  • Step-by-step instructions (as free text)
• It was emphasized that ingredients should follow a structured format.

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5. Local Food Stores

Should users be able to see promotions and discounts from nearby stores?

• This feature is not currently prioritized, but stores may manually enter promotional pricing.

Should the system locate nearby food banks and farmers’ markets?

• Yes, everyone who sells a product can create a seller account at the beginning. We will distinguish them using ratings and reviews.

Should users be able to submit and update prices from their local stores?

• No, stores will be responsible for listing their own prices to maintain accuracy.

What criteria should food stores meet to be considered ‘local’ within the context of our platform?

• Local stores should be defined at the district level. However, the products presented to a user should come from a maximum range of the city. It should be clear that the market or seller is genuinely operating in that area. If possible, information about the supply chain, detailing the stages a product goes through before reaching the market, can be provided. Chain markets can also create accounts and enter their prices, but the “local” label should be reserved specifically for district-level or city-level sellers.

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6. Additional Unmatched Notes

These points were discussed but did not directly fit into our elicitation questions:

• The main goal of our project is not to create an application based on existing data, but rather to develop a platform where sellers can enter their own products and offer them to people in their local area. Accordingly, we aim to address various scenarios, such as showcasing recipes, presenting them to users and allowing them to filter, and implementing a reporting system to detect and differentiate between users and sellers.
• Filtering should also allow users to view sellers and products from other cities.
• User profiles can be defined, and the option for home-based sales can be provided. If a user’s information is incorrect, they can be reported by other users for review. Special user profiles, such as dietitians, can be distinguished through a verification link or document, or via the reporting system. The classification of users can be shaped based on the reporting system and received feedback.
• The forum can serve not only for sharing recipes and meal plans but also as a platform where users can request products that are not currently sold by the producers in their area.
• Chain markets should also create their own accounts to showcase their products. Therefore, multiple accounts with the same name can exist, and reporting one should not affect all accounts with the same name.
• Distinguishing between users and sellers is up to us.
• Seasonal products should be available for sale. Sellers should indicate when a product is not available during its off-season.