What to Eat | Portfolio

Overview

Despite the abundance of recipe apps available, users often struggle to find recipes that meet their needs and encounter difficulties following cooking instructions. Our objective is to identify and address these issues in order to enhance the user experience.

My Role

I am the sole UI/UX Designer exclusively dedicated to this product.

User Research

To identify the pain points associated with existing recipe applications, a preliminary round of user research was conducted. The following are the findings of the study.

Difficulty in finding recipes: Some recipe apps have a vast collection of recipes, but it can be challenging for users to find the specific recipes they want due to poor search functionality or disorganized recipe categories.

“Help me decide what to eat,
QUICKLY!”

Limited customization options: Many recipe apps do not offer enough options for users to customize recipes to their dietary preferences, such as vegan or gluten-free diets.

“ It takes forever to find what I LIKE.”

Complicated user interface: Some recipe apps may have a complicated user interface that makes it challenging for users to navigate and find what they need.

“Too overwhelming, too many ads,where is the RECIPE?”

Lack of step-by-step instructions: Recipe apps that do not provide clear, step-by-step instructions can be challenging for inexperienced cooks to follow.

“Video is difficult to follow while cooking, where is the STEPS?”

What's out there?

To determine the optimal content , I conducted research on relevant competitors in the field. The following report outlines the key findings and insights from my analysis of several major competitors.

advanced search engine that filters recipes by dietary preferences

personalized recommendations based on the user's search history

interface cluttered and overwhelming

recipes too simplistic or lacking in variety,

personalized recommendations based on the user's search history

interface cluttered and overwhelming

personalized recommendations based on the user's search history

advanced search engine that filters recipes by dietary preferences

great recipe and how-to videos

Minimalist interface, very easy to use

recipes are limited and not very personalized

Site Map

Now that we have established the MVPs, we have created a site map that outlines the essential pages of the website.

THANK YOU!

Target Users

Project manager and Nurse

Mark and Emily value healthy and nutritious meals but also enjoy indulging in comfort foods every now and then.

With their busy schedules, they need recipes that are easy to prepare and can be made quickly. They prefer recipes that use simple, easy-to-find ingredients and can be adapted to their dietary preferences. They try to avoid food waste and appreciate recipes that allow them to use up leftovers.

They are willing to pay for a premium subscription if it offers exclusive features like personalized meal plans, grocery lists, and nutritional information.

MARK and EMILY

Suburban area

Retired

House

MARGARET

Margaret is a retired teacher.She has some dietary restrictions due to her age, so she needs recipes that are low in sodium and saturated fats.

She likes to cook in bulk and freeze meals for later, so recipes that can be made in large batches are a plus.

She often uses her tablet to browse the internet and is comfortable using apps, but prefers ones with larger text and clear visuals.

She hopes to connect with others in the app's community who share her love for cooking and exchanging recipes.

Marketing Executive

Alex

With his hectic work schedule, Alex needs recipes that are quick and easy to prepare, with minimal preparation time and easy cleanup.

He often cooks for one and needs recipes that can be adapted to smaller portions.

He often uses his smartphone to browse the internet and is comfortable using apps, but prefers ones that are user-friendly and straightforward.

MVP

Based on our analysis of user and competitor research, I have identified the key functions necessary to build the minimum viable product (MVP) for this app. There will be further testings to be conducted and iterations to refine before launch.

Intelligent Recipe Suggestions: An AI-powered feature that suggests recipes based on user's cooking history, preferences, and dietary restrictions.
Recipe Scaling and Easy-to follow Cooking instructions: A feature that allows users to easily scale recipes to their desired serving size, and adjust ingredients accordingly.
Health and Nutritional Analysis: A feature that analyzes the nutritional information of recipes and provides recommendations for healthier options.

Prototype and Mock-ups

Now that we have established the MVPs, we have created a site map that outlines the essential pages of the website.