Project overview
The product:
I designed a tool to help people learn how to cook healthier meals. Users are people who want to live healthier and sport professional.
Project duration:
07/2023 – 09 /2023
The problem:
The tool addresses the problem of limited cooking skills and knowledge, empowering users to prepare healthier meals confidently. It also fulfills the social need for improved public health by promoting better dietary choices and reducing the prevalence of diet-related illnesses.
The goal:
The goal of this project is to empower individuals from diverse backgrounds with the knowledge and skills to consistently prepare and enjoy healthier meals, fostering a positive impact on their overall well-being.
The positive change for society brought about by this project would be a reduction in diet-related health issues and an improvement in public health outcomes.
My role:
Lead UX designer
Responsibilities:
- User research
- Wireframing
- Prototyping
- Usability testing
- High fidelity mockups
Understanding the user
User research: summary
User research for this tool included ethnographic studies, surveys, and in-depth interviews to understand users‘ cooking habits, dietary needs, and challenges. Usability testing assessed the tool’s user-friendliness and efficiency.
Continuous feedback and analytics helped refine the tool over time, ensuring it evolved to meet users‘ changing needs and preferences. This research approach aimed to create a user-centric tool that empowered individuals on their journey to healthier eating.
User research
Persona: Martina
Problem statement: Martina is a health conscious person who needs to learn to cook healthy meals because she wants to eat healthier to have more energy, feel well and lose some weight.
Persona: Alexander
Problem statement: Alexander is a 35-year-old fitness enthusiast and gym trainer who needs to learn cooking techniques that preserve nutritional value because wants to enhance his cooking skills to align with his fitness goals.
Competitive audit
In the audit I tried to understand the approaches of other apps. Turned out there are several special target groups in this field and everyone does it in a very unique scheme.
Starting the design
Paper wireframes
I tried different solutions within the wireframes and played around with some ideas.
Digital wireframes
I developed several digital wireframes to meet the ideas of the sketches.
Low-fidelity prototype
The user first chooses the time available for cooking. After that she/he picks on of the recipes.
Research showed that there was an unnecessary step in between which I removed after the user feedback.
Usability study: parameters
Study type: Unmoderated usability study
Location: Germany, remote
Participants: 5 participants
Length: 20-30 minutes
Findings
- Irritation at input: User was irritated by the select input on the first screen.
- Unnecessary step: Users said there was one unnecessary step in the process.
- Button text: Users did not understand the button text on page 2.
Refining the design
Mockups
Users did not understand the relationship between the question and the select input. Showing the options as buttons makes the function and flow easier.
The button text was not understand from some users. That is why I added the word “recipe” to make it more understandable.
Accessibility considerations
- Alternative Text for Images: Include descriptive alt text for images and graphics within the tool. This allows screen readers to convey the content to users who are blind or visually impaired, ensuring they can access information about ingredients, recipes, and cooking instructions.
- Closed Captions and Transcripts: For video content the tool provides closed captions or transcripts for all spoken content. This ensures that individuals who are deaf or hard of hearing can access the spoken instructions or explanations.
- Keyboard Navigation: I ensure that the tool can be fully navigated and operated using a keyboard alone, without relying on a mouse. This is crucial for individuals with motor disabilities who may have difficulty using a mouse or touch-based interfaces.
Sitemap
When generating a sitemap for this tool, ensure that the hierarchy and organization of content reflect the user’s journey towards learning to cook healthier meals, with a primary focus on intuitive navigation and easy access to recipes and educational resources. Prioritize user-centric design decisions, such as grouping related content logically and prominently featuring essential goals like recipe discovery and nutritional information.
Responsive Design
When designing responsive versions of the tool, I needed to carefully consider how content and features adapt across various screen sizes and devices to ensure I create a seamless and accessible user experience.
Going forward
Takeaways
Impact:
„I found the tool incredibly user-friendly and responsive; it makes learning to cook healthier meals a truly enjoyable and accessible experience!“
Lisa, study participant
What I learned: Through this project, I learned the critical importance of inclusive design principles, gaining insights into how to create digital tools that accommodate a diverse range of user needs and preferences. I also honed my skills in responsive web design, ensuring that the tool delivers a consistent and engaging experience across different devices and screen sizes.
Next steps
- Expand Recipe Database: I consider adding more diverse and culturally inclusive recipes to broaden the tool’s appeal and cater to a wider audience.
- Integration with Smart Devices: I want to explore the possibility of integrating the tool with voice-activated smart devices like Amazon Echo or Google Home, enabling users to access cooking instructions and nutritional information hands-free.
- User Community and Feedback: I am thinking about creating a user community forum or feedback mechanism within the tool to encourage users to share their cooking experiences, tips, and healthier recipe variations, fostering a sense of community and continuous improvement.