The product:
A menu app that enables users to exclude allergens and ingredients they don’t want in the food they order.
Project duration:
Two monthes
Responsibilities:
Conducting interviews, paper and digital wireframing, low and high-fidelity prototyping, conducting usability studies, accounting for accessibility, and iterating on designs.
My role:
UX designer designing an app for Food Truck resturant from conception to delivery.
Project Overview
The problem:
People who can’t (or don’t want to) eat some ingredients need a way to exclude dishes that contain them.
The goal:
An easy flow of ordering in a resturant with costomisation to personal restrictions and preferences.
Understanding the user
User research: summary
I conducted interviews and created empathy maps to understand the users I’m designing for and their needs. A primary user group identified through research was people who regularly eat at resturants but need to exclude ingredients that can harm them.
This user group confirmed initial assumptions about Food Truck customers, but research also revealed that even children have some expectations as to the ingredients of their food. Other restrictions retrieved of culture, religious beliefs and from healthy diet. Many users prefered using the app rather than a paper menu.
User research: pain points
Kids taste
Many of our customers arrive in groups, and with their children. Finding a dish for kids is not always easy.
Waiting in line
Customers need to order while taking care of their children. Waiting in line isn’t convenient and hard for the kids.
Prices
Customers need to know the prices and the options clearly, in order to decide wisely on the dishes they choose.
Health
Health reasons prevent many people from eating some ingredients. Some of the restrictions are cultural or even religious.
Personas
Problem statement:
Rockie is a tired and poor customer
who needs child dishes and good feelings
because he need to make these moments with his daughter special in low prices.
User journey map
Order a healthy meal for himself and his daughter.
Starting the design
Paper wireframes
I tried to make the stage of excluding ingredients easy and fun, in order to help people feel good about their food restrictions. I looked for a way to start with excluding, and then show the optional dishes.
Digital wireframes
Onboarding process- before the user even sees the dishes or categories. One’s allergy is not an issue, just jot down the restrictions. Everybody has got some!
Usability study: findings
I conducted two rounds of usability studies. Findings from the first study helped guide the designs from wireframes to mockups. The second study used a high-fidelity prototype and revealed what aspects of the mockups needed refining.
Round 1 findings
- Some buttons were not bold enough
- The fun and personal approach was noticed.
- Writing the ingredients is not easy.
Round 2 findings
- Users expected visual cues
- Users missed the sum info in the order page.
- Adding separate allergens list for each customer
Refining the design
Mockups
In order to make the opening frame pleasing, the “Who is eating” buttons gives visual cues, the allergens are chips and less typing is needed. The button to next stop is bold and colorful.
Accessibility considerations
Used icons to help make navigation easier
Navigation menu align the standard for screen readers.
Provided a translation button for users from other areas.
Going forward
Takeaways
Impact:
The users are happy to claim their restrictions, and don’t need to hide their preferences or medical state. Everybody enjoys choosing the ingredients to exclude.
What I learned:
While designing the Food Truck menu, I was curious to see how the raw idea grows. The fact that this is the first UX process I’ve ever passed was another reason to be surprised at new steps that appear along the way. I’m very proud to show a menu that is not ordinary!
Next steps
Add some real data and recepies and see Feasibility of the app.
Conduct another round of usability studies to validate whether the pain points users experienced have been effectively addressed.
See wether any resturant would like to invest and make that app real.
!Let’s connect
Thank you for your time reviewing my work on the Food Truck Menu app! If you’d like to see more or get in touch, my contact information is provided below.
Email: chepti@gmail.com
Website: chepti.com