Helping people face grocery-related financial challenges in an economic recession.
Lead UX Designer
UX Researcher
UI Designer
July 2022 – Nov 2022
Google Course Project
Figma
Miro
Adobe suite
Balancing complexity with clarity
As the app was going to have 4 different sections: recipes, meal plan, shopping list and trade; I needed to be able to clearly display its parts. Furthermore, I wanted for the app to be use as a tool rather than just as a recourse library, so highlighting the meal-plan function was critical.
Simple interface, intuitive navigation
To be able to display everything correctly I needed to organize the information architecture very clearly to brake down the functionalities and differentiate them correctly for the users. Provide a very clear and simple user interface to guide the users was also crucial.
Understanding the users.
I conducted research to understand what users were struggling with and how the app could make a difference in their lives.
Personas
To form a deeper understanding of the users' goals, needs, experiences, and behaviors. I created 3 personas, I used them whenever I wanted to step out of myself and reconsider my initial ideas.
User Flows & Structure
I mapped how users would move through the product, organised the information architecture and identified opportunities to simplify navigation before designing the interface.
Problem & hypothesis statement
Problem statement: Suzy
Suzy is a full-time nurse who needs a solution to her struggles with finding access to authentic ingredients and cultural resources because she wants to connect with her cultural heritage through food and provide her grandmother with healthy, traditional meals on a budget.
If/then statement
If Suzy is concerned about preserving traditional Maori food practices and values within her tight budget, then she needs a way to access authentic ingredients and cultural resources at low prices.
Ideate & Low-fi Prototype
Preview
Upon completing login, users will be presented with the preset selections made during the login process, displayed prominently next to the username for easy reference and understanding of their weekly plan.
Price
Cost-efficiency is a crucial aspect of our app, and we strive to make healthy meals affordable for our users. The pricing information will be prominently displayed throughout the app.
Healthy
Each meal option will have a clear and detailed nutritional information table, enabling users to make informed decisions about their meal choices and monitor their overall health.
Family
We recognize that many of our users have families and cater to different dietary needs. Our app allows for the inclusion of multiple family members, making meal planning and organization more convenient for all.
Usability study: findings
I conducted a moderated research study to evaluate users' ability to complete key tasks and gather feedback on specific features, such as the transition from the Shop to Trade function and the meal plan generation feature
Recomendations:
- 1
Implementing a user registration feature that allows customers to access a homepage before creating a meal plan
- 2
Enhance the process for uploading and managing information for multiple family members
- 3
Provide an option for users to opt-out of sharing their location with the app for privacy reasons
Low-fi Prototype #2
After conducting a usability study on the initial prototype, I have developed a second low-fidelity prototype incorporating the improvements and changes identified in the study findings. This prototype will be used as the foundation for creating a high-fidelity prototype.
Home page
Upon successful login, users are directed to the home page, where they can browse a variety of recipes, create a personalized meal plan, and access the trading area.
Family Members
Users can now easily add and manage the settings for each member of their family in the meal plan creation settings.
Location
Users now have the option to manually enter their address as an alternative to sharing their location, allowing for greater privacy control.
Style Sheet
As the lead UI designer on this project, I created the style sheet and components that gave the app its cohesive look and feel.
Usability study: findings
I conducted a moderated research study to evaluate users' ability to complete key tasks and gather feedback on specific features, such as generating a meal plan and check recipes.
Recommendations:
- 1
Include menu on meal card with options to include it on a meal plan
- 2
Add option for users to add their own recipe
- 3
Expand food type variables
Simplifying the design
I simplified the initial design of the app to focus on the key functions and reduce distractions for the users. I removed the information panel and replaced it with a direct function for creating meal plans. Now, users can create multiple meal plans and easily access them from the home page.
Figma Workspace & Case Study
Figma Work Files
Prototypes & Publication
Other Case Studies
Interested in
working together?
Whether it’s a new product, a website, a brand or a complex business challenge, I’d love to hear about it.