Project
EatDate is an app that merges restaurant searches, dating, and social gatherings. Its main goal is to connect people who enjoy the same cuisines and dining spots. Users can browse restaurants, see who else likes them, and invite those users for a date.
Problem statement and objectives:
Currently, the app struggles with usability, vision, and visual appeal. In this project, I collaborated with the CEO and a front-end engineer. I also helped develop the UX roadmap, determining what to prioritise for the product and future features after its relaunch. In this project, the main focus will be on the restaurant page of the app as it is the most important page fot the app.
Here our objectives:
- Redesign the UI to make it look modern and visually appealing.
- Enhance usability and accessibility.
- Increase user interactivity, as it's currently lacking the interactivity usually apps have.
- Integrate it with other pages to create a seamless experience.
Here is how the current page looks:
Process
Research and Analysis:
We started by testing the app with users to gather their feedback, involving 7 participants.
The scenario we tested:
From the 7 users. 6 were able to complete the task. but almost all of them complained about the usability and accessibility of the app and how outdated it is compared to other apps.
We already knew about these issues regarding the app, that is why it was important to ask them a following up questions. Here are the questions and the analysis:
After analysing user feedback on the existing page and understanding their needs, Came up with a user flow for the restaurants page and developed two potential solutions for how users could browse through the available options.
Here is the user flow
Here are the 2 solutions
The results of the testing:
- 4 users were put off by the TikTok-style scrolling for restaurants, with 1 noting it felt different from a social media app.
- From the 4 users who disliked the tik-tok pattern. They didn’t mind seeing one restaurant/hotel per page.
- 6 users favoured the grid layout and were satisfied with the information provided for restaurants and hotels.
- Users found the filters helpful when displayed upfront, with the option to click a main button to refine their choices.
After receiving feedback, we realised users preferred having multiple options for exploring restaurants, as long as it wasn't overwhelming and the information was relevant.
Here are the final designs:
Final Testing
Users were content about the changes and the new look if this page. They noted that the UI had transformed from confusing and outdated to user-friendly and visually appealing. This improvement was crucial, especially given that the app currently has a limited user base. Users were also happy about the information of the restaurants or hotels.
What's next for EatDate:
Users were pleased with the changes. This feedback will guide EatDate in prioritising new features. One feature they considered was allowing users to match with others and invite them to a mutually liked restaurant.
However, we decided to hold off on this feature to observe user reactions and understand their priorities for booking or inviting someone. For now, users can follow others who like the same restaurant or hotel, and once followed back, they can extend an invitation, ensuring a safer experience.