Walking distance in the catering industry
, THE ASSIGNMENT
In this research, we are going to test and find out who is taking more steps during a work shift.
You will find out who is taking more steps in the catering industry, a bartender or a waitress.
THE PREPARATION OF THE ACTIVITY
Before we started this project we already had some knowledge about measuring steps. A few
of us are using activity trackers and pedometers themselves in their daily life. We went online
to find an expert who could help us with professional knowledge. We read some articles and
researches related to our topic in order to find an expert. In this way, we gained some
knowledge about our topic and what kind of research has been conducted in that field. We
came across the research from Dr Yoshiro Hatano who came by measuring steps to the
conclusion that a human has to take at least 6000 steps a day. To live a ‘’healthy’’ life you
should take 10.000 steps a day. The 4000 extra steps you can compare with taking a good
walk of half an hour (NNGB).
NETWORK
Before we started with the actual testing we decided to ask our network, people who are
working in the catering industry. We also looked for the experts on the measuring-walking
distance field. We contacted Wim Krijnen, Martijn de Groot, Cees van der Schans, Thea
Kooijman, Miriam van Ittersum, Hilbrand Oldenhuis and Carmin Lip. We got a response from
Cees van der Schans, Hilbrand Oldenhuis and Martijn de Groot.
From all the different devices to measure steps we had a closer look at the pedometer we
could use from the Hanze. We used Google Fit and Fitbit to let people register their steps. We
collect this data in the app Virtuagym. Google fit and Fitbit is both at the same level in terms of
accuracy.
The skills we learned in the seminars of `Storytelling´ and `Entrepreneurial Attitude´ helped us
in our communication to get the experts/restaurant personal eager and interested to help us.
THE INTERVIEW
We prepared our interview based on the seminar ‘Storytelling’. Within that workshop, we
learned to tell our story, instead of asking the immediate question. We contacted the
restaurants either by calling them, through e-mail or meeting them face-to-face. We needed
the restaurants to help us by providing staff, willing to provide us with their data (of the steps)
during a regular working day shift.
The following questions were formulated:
▪ Is it possible to carry out our research at your restaurant/café?
▪ Are there people who can validate (the test results)?
RESULTS FROM THE INTERVIEWS
In one of our first appointments, we picked a number of cafés and restaurants to conduct the
test with. Within the group, we divided them, so that everyone had to contact a number of