Onboarding

This is the path anyone takes the first time they scan a QR code.

Tap a choice at any branch point to unfold what happens next. Tap it again to collapse it and try another path. On every screen, "View screen" opens the actual mockup.

Scans the QR code
A person sits down to eat and scans the QR code on their dining hall table.
Welcome screen
They are greeted as a newcomer and asked to confirm this is their first time.
Role question
This distinguishes students from non-students. Anyone can join the study, although only students will be eligible for all prizes and asked to consent to data linking with Harvard records.
Choose who is scanning.
student
Email screen
The student enters their Harvard email to verify them as a student. They will then be taken through the full survey and asked if they want to join at the end. If not, their email and responses will be discarded.
Pick a player
The student chooses from one of about one hundred characters to become their avatar. Each has a funny short video clip that leads into the survey.
Survey opener
A quick intro tells the student what is coming: three short questions, and then a wildcard.
Question 1 of 3: how you feeling?
The student drags a face around a mood dial to report how they are feeling. This is the wellbeing signal.
Question 2 of 3: who you with?
The student says whether they are by themselves or with others. If the latter, they are asked to indicate who they are with in broad terms. This is the meal sharing signal.
Question 3 of 3: how's the food?
The student taps one of five thumbs to rate the meal. This is the dining satisfaction signal for HUDS.
The wildcard
The survey ends on a deck of cards. On the first scan it always opens to a regular wildcard: one of about one hundred characters with a short funny caption.
Consent
After the student has seen the whole survey, they are asked if they want to join the study. A short version on the consent form sits on top, with a fuller version underneath. The consent form covers prize eligibility, data privacy, and research goals.
Choose whether to join.
non-student
Email screen
The participant enters their email, which may or may not be an official Harvard email. Like students, they can then decide to join the study after going through the full experience for the first time to see what it is all about.
The rest of the survey
From here a non-student takes the very same steps as a student. They pick a character, answer the three questions, and draw a wildcard.
Abridged consent
The abridged consent form for non-students covers limited prize eligibility and data privacy protocols, but not Harvard data linkage.
Choose whether to join.
join
Now taking part
Their responses are retained under a coded identifier and they become eligible for certain prizes. A verification email will be sent to their email address.
Dashboard
They land on the same dashboard that students see, but without the Italy raffle panel.
not right now
They do not join
Their email and responses from the first scan are not retained. They can always decide to join at a later date.
Closing screen
They see a friendly sign-off letting them know they can scan again and join anytime.

Covers the first scan only, where the wildcard is always a regular reveal. The bread-breaking sequence is its own piece that can be reached on return scans and is described below.

Return scans

This is the path for all QR code scans after the first time.

Scan limits

A person can take at most three surveys per day, with at least ninety minutes between surveys. This ensures survey responses are independent and keeps prize chances fair.

Scans the QR code
A returning person scans again at their next meal. The site recognizes them from their device so it skips the welcome, role, email, and avatar steps.
Daily scan check
Before anything else, the site checks the scan limit.
over the limit
Cooldown screen
If the person has already taken three surveys today, or scanned within the last ninety minutes, they meet a friendly cooldown screen that invites them back later and directs them to the dashboard.
within the limit
Participant status
The site automatically routes the person by their current status.
Choose the returning person's status.
joined
Straight into the survey
Because they are already onboarded, the participant drops directly into the survey with no setup. Their avatar and account are already known.
The three questions
They answer the same three quick questions as before. These are the heart of the dataset and repeat at every scan.
The wildcard
The survey ends on the wildcard. On return scans it can now be a regular wildcard or a wildcard with bread. Whether bread is drawn is random for all participants. For someone who reported dining alone, it doubles as a gentle nudge to connect with the person next to them.
Choose what card is drawn.
regular wildcard
Regular wildcard
The card flips to reveal one of about a hundred named characters with funny captions, with no prize attached. The survey ends on a small moment of joy.
bread
Participant
Bread appears
The wildcard has an image of bread with a QR code on it. The participant is prompted to ask the person next to them to scan it. Skipping is always an option.
Both phones
Bread breaking sequence
A tablemate scans the QR code with their own phone. Both phones sync up to show a shared countdown.
then one of two things happens
Most of the time
Just toast
The bread breaks into toast, no prize. The survey ends.
Sometimes
A prize
The bread hides a prize, revealed to both players together.
Both participants
Prize delivery
When prizes are won, a research assistant who is not a member of the research team and does not see survey responses will coordinate the prize delivery by email.
the survey closes, back to the dashboard
Dashboard
The participant lands back on their dashboard with their updated progress.
didn't join
Join screen
If someone previously took a survey, but did not join, they will be asked if they want to join this time around.
Choose whether they join now.
join
Return onboarding
From here they pick up the same screens from onboarding, just in a different order. The role question, email, and consent form now all come before the survey. Even if the device is recognized, this information would have been discarded after not joining the first time around.
Role screen
Like the first scan, the person is asked if they are a student or a non-student.
Email screen
The person enters their email, just as on the first scan. Students use their Harvard email, while non-students can use any email.
Consent form
The participant sees the consent form, and decides to join the study officially or not.
Choose whether they join.
not right now
Closing screen
No survey runs this time. After the first scan, participants will need to consent to join the study to take surveys. They land on a friendly closing screen and are welcome to take part another day.
withdrawn
Withdrawal screen
A person who has withdrawn sees a neutral message confirming they are no longer in the study, with a note asking whether they want to rejoin.
Choose whether they want to rejoin.
yah
Consent to rejoin
The participant is asked to consent once more before rejoining. When a participant withdraws, their data will be held until the end of the study. If they decide to rejoin within the study period, they will pick up where they left off. If not, their data will be deleted at the end of the study.
Choose whether they confirm.
rejoin the study
Then a survey
With consent given again, they pick up from where they left off and go straight into the regular survey landing on the dashboard.
not right now
Closing screen
They land on a friendly closing screen and are welcome to rejoin another day.
nah
Closing screen
They land on a friendly closing screen and are welcome to rejoin another day.