Foodin’
The app for food lovin’ travellers
The ultimate app for foodie travellers, simplifying culinary exploration by curating personalised food recommendations and streamlining the journey from discovery to effortless bookings.
Project type
UX Design Bootcamp’s Capstone
Role
Product Designer
Timeline
8 weeks
Why Foodin’?
My culinary arts background, fascination with food and passion for travel fuelled my desire to design a product that empowers food travellers to discover the best eateries, cultivate meaningful connections with local food scenes, and create lasting culinary memories on their journeys.
The problem
Foodies navigating culinary options for travel
Foodie travellers face the challenge of navigating numerous dining options, before and during their trips. Despite their willingness to share data for a more personalised experience, existing food apps often fall short of leveraging this information effectively.
As a result, they struggle to provide truly personalised recommendations that match individual preferences and needs.
TLDR; The solution
A curation of personalised food recommendations followed by a streamlined booking process
The app provides handpicked suggestions from leading publications, chefs and TV shows, and tailors them to the user's preferences. It simplifies the process of scanning multiple sources, filtering, choosing and booking into just a few taps.
Exploring the problem space
Secondary research
The importance of food in travel
Food has become a focal point in many individuals' travel experiences. Nowadays, it is increasingly common for people to dedicate entire trips to exploring the local cuisines of diverse countries.
The surge in popularity of food tourism has been remarkable in recent years. People pursue foreign foods with the same enthusiasm as other aspects of foreign cultures, such as art, music and architecture.
I'm not the user
I'm not the user
User interviews
“Food is the main thing I care about when travelling”
To understand how my target audience makes dining choices for travel, I interviewed seven food-loving travellers who prioritise food experiences when travelling. I explored their behaviours, motivations and pain points in the process.
Insights
So many options, not so many good ones
Through insightful interviews with foodie travellers, I identified key patterns in their dining preferences and habits.
Persona
Designing with the user in mind
After consolidating my research, I introduced "James the Picky Foodie", who travels twice a year, chasing deliciousness in local hotspots, from street stalls to fine dining.
Experience map
Following the users’ steps
To visually capture the user's journey and identify potential opportunities for intervention, I created an experience map. It helped deepen my understanding of James’s experience, pinpointing crucial moments that needed attention.
Initially enthusiastic about finding the best restaurants for his upcoming trip to NYC, James quickly becomes overwhelmed by the ever-expanding list of possibilities.
He starts to narrow down his options to suit his preferences and itinerary, comparing recommendations from various sources to create a list of must-try spots in each area.
After putting together a list of places to eat, excitement turns to disappointment as two are fully booked, and one is closed during his trip.
This exploration led me to search for a solution that simplifies and streamlines the process, aiming to eliminate frustrations and disappointments.
User stories
Translating user needs into features
As a foodie traveller…
I want to get recommendations from trusted sources,
so that I have confidence in exploring food that aligns with my expectations.
I want to get recommendations based on their proximity to my trip route,
so that I can plan my itinerary efficiently and discover places along the way.
I want to get recommendations based on my trip dates,
so that I only consider open and available places.
HMW…
help food-loving travellers find the ideal dining destinations based on their preferences while reducing time, effort and friction throughout the journey?
Ideating and visualising solutions
Sketches
Exploring flows
Wireframes and user testing
Design, test, repeat
After translating the sketches into grayscale wireframes, I conducted usability testing to gather feedback and ensure the final product meets user needs.
Early user feedback helped me refine the app's intuitiveness, experiment with different ideas, and quickly iterate on my designs.
Brand development
Foodin’ is the name
Inspired by Miles Davis’ iconic set Walkin’, Cookin’, Relaxin’, Workin’, Steamin’; I wanted to transform the noun “Food” into a verb to emphasise the active and immersive experience of engaging with food while travelling.
Brand development
I’m in the mood for food
To visually communicate the aspirations and vibe of FOODIN’, I assembled a moodboard of photos, illustrations and patterns.
UI library
To bring the thrill of culinary adventures to life, I translated the vibrant and adventurous spirit of my mood board into a comprehensive design system. Anchored by thoughtfully chosen colours, fonts and atomic elements, this system aims to guide users through their culinary journeys with intuitive ease while maintaining a visually captivating aesthetic.
High-fidelity prototype
Applying design choices to my solution
Takeaways
Learning on the go
This project marked my entry into the world of full-fledged product design. The journey was filled with both challenges and rewarding moments as I navigated the intricacies of user-centred design.
While the learning curve was steep, the overall experience was enriching and solidified my passion for product design, fuelling my desire to continue learning and growing. Here are some reflections on the design process:
Decision-making
Making informed decisions under pressure was a key learning experience. I learned to balance careful deliberation with swift decision-making to keep momentum and meet deadlines.
Refining interview questions
While interviewing users proved invaluable for uncovering their needs and perspectives, it also illuminated the critical need for refining interview questions to extract even deeper and more actionable insights.
The product design lifecycle
I enjoyed the process of bringing an idea to life, from user interviews and wireframing to playing around with typography, colours and UI elements.
Next steps
Planned features
While some exciting ideas came up during the design process, due to time constraints, they had to be deprioritised to focus on the core functionality and overall experience of the MVP. To further enhance the product and provide a more comprehensive user experience, iterations in the future could include:
Plan the ideal itinerary by scheduling must-visit eateries around your route and points of interest, all conveniently displayed on a map view and seamlessly imported into your calendar.
Save your favourite places for future trips or share them with friends, creating a culinary map of memories and discoveries.
Connect with friends who share your culinary preferences, effortlessly adding their favourite spots to your trip itinerary.
Marketing website
Get the word out
Showcasing social proof and providing relatable context for food enthusiasts, I designed a marketing website that drives app downloads, aiming to turn curious foodies into loyal users.