UX/UI MOBILE-APp design
Mobile-app for a Japanese Restaurant
Project
IKIGAI is a mobile app designed for a Japanese restaurant chain that previously relied on paper menus and in-person ordering. This lack of a digital solution led to common dining frustrations: cluttered menus, limited access to dietary or allergy information, and delays during busy periods.
The app was created to offer a smoother, more modern dining experience. It allows guests to easily browse the menu, view pricing and dietary details, customise their orders, and place them directly—minimising wait times and improving overall service flow.
Demographic
The target users for the study were those who regularly dined at a Japanese restaurant. Participants included individuals aged 18-70, residing in metropolitan or suburban areas, and representing male, female, and non-binary identities, as well as those with disabilities.
Research Approach
A short survey collected insights into users' planning habits and challenges, with follow-up interviews conducted to dive deeper into their motivations, pain points, and behaviours.
Key Insights
To visualise the ordering journey, user flow was created, emphasising key interactions and navigation. While Ikigai faces direct competition, it can stand out by offering a seamless in-app experience.
User personas were created to understand the target audience's needs, focusing on preferences, accessible design, and efficient ordering.
AARON | 21 | student
Aaron, a 21-year-old Software Engineering student at Edinburgh University, is dyslexic and processes information more effectively using screen reading technology. He finds it easier to listen at his own pace than to read. When dining out, fast-speaking waiters often overwhelm him, making him the last to order. During short lunch breaks, he avoids ordering altogether because it takes too long. Aaron would benefit greatly from a preorder system. He appreciates food menu apps that allow separate orders but struggles when they lack screen reader compatibility. Clear images, descriptive labels, and easy navigation would significantly enhance his experience.
Jennifer | 34 | Personal trainer
Jennifer, a 34-year-old personal trainer from London, is married with two young children. She loves dining out with her family but finds it frustrating to obtain accurate nutritional information. As a PT, her diet plays a crucial role in her training, so maintaining it when eating out is essential. Her youngest child has a peanut allergy, making detailed and precise menu information critical for their safety. With a demanding schedule, Jennifer treasures family time and strives to be fully present. A "favourites" tab in a menu app would help her feel more confident about menu options, ensuring more time to focus on her loved ones.
This section clarifies the key user pain points and defines the core problem the app aims to solve. Outlining user needs and goals to guide the design towards an effective solution.
User Pain Points
Visual elements, including the logo design, typography, and iconography, were refined to enhance readability and create a more cohesive and appealing brand identity.
User Needs and Goals
The navigation flow was streamlined to allow users to easily move back and forth, filter options, and remove items, ensuring a more flexible and efficient experience.
Design Objections
Assuming that the product would be developed, the minimum viable product would include features such as, booking reservations, personal favourites, detailed nutritional information and in-app checkout.
Initial concepts were explored through sketching and paper wireframes to rapidly test layout, structure, and user flow ideas. These early explorations supported fast iteration and informed the transition to low-fidelity digital wireframes, setting the foundation for user testing and refinement.
User Insights
Feedback from initial testing helped prioritise usability improvements and feature refinements, ensuring the core user flow felt intuitive and efficient.
Paper Wireframes
Quick sketches were created to visualise initial ideas, allowing fast exploration of layout, hierarchy, and interaction patterns before committing to digital formats.
Digital Wireframes
A digital wireframe was created with nine screens outlining the basic user flow: Launch, Home, Restaurant Selection, Table Selection, Menu, Add to Menu, Checkout, Payment, and Confirmation. The goal was to streamline the ordering process. Features like a favourites tab and nutritional information were included to test user response and inform future design decisions.
The design was refined into a mockup and then a high-fidelity version, integrating feedback from the previous low-fidelity prototype test to enhance the user experience and address key improvements.
UI Elements & Branding
Visual elements, including the logo design, typography, and iconography, were refined to enhance readability and create a more cohesive and appealing brand identity.
Navigation Flow
The navigation flow was streamlined to allow users to easily move back and forth, filter options, and remove items, ensuring a more flexible and efficient experience.
Accessibility Features
Accessibility features were enhanced to improve text contrast, ensure screen reader compatibility, and provide clearer visual cues, making the app more accessible for all users.
Key Takeaways
This project has provided valuable insights that will shape the approach to future work, fostering continuous improvement and more effective outcomes. Key areas of focus include:
Expand User Outreach for Interviews and Testing
Increasing the reach to a broader and more diverse group of users for interviews and testing, ensuring that a variety of perspectives and experiences are captured to inform the design process.
Incorporate Further Iteration Phases
Introducing additional iteration phases throughout the design process, allowing for continuous refinement based on user feedback and testing results to enhance the overall product quality.
Create More Playful UI Components
Designing more engaging and interactive UI components that offer a playful and enjoyable user experience, making the interface feel more dynamic and responsive while maintaining usability.