Role:
Product design (student)
School:
CareerFoundry
Responsibilities:
Ethnography
Usability test
Interface design
Synopsis:
Study project as a part of CareerFoundry certificate in UI Design — A solution for beginner home cooks.
A voice-active cooking apps for beginner home cook
Problem statement
According to competitive analysis of three popular cooking apps, I found that all of them assumed that people who cooked had certain skills and knowledge. The three apps also shared the same presupposition that people cooked because they liked it, and that the cooks possessed a certain level of cooking skills.
But what about absolute beginner cooks and people who cook out of necessity? What are their experiences of using cooking apps? What does cooking mean to them?
Rapid ethnography
As an anthropologist, I recognize the value of ethnographic methods. My research question was simple: What does cooking mean to my users? This approach provided me with insights into their needs.
I observed a user cooking, using participant observation. I noticed she became overwhelmed when unsure of her actions, leading to stress and abandonment of recipes.
The problems began with prep tasks due to a lack of guidance from cooking apps. The absence of timeframes increased confusion and stress, making her feel incapable and disillusioned with cooking apps.
Deep interviews
To delve into users’ needs and experiences, I conducted three semi-structured interviews with Anna, Sara, and Luke. My goal was to understand their cooking experiences and what aspects of cooking are significant to them.
The findings revealed intriguing perspectives on cooking. For Anna, it's all about the experience. She values the shared moments and activities with friends and her boyfriend, finding satisfaction in the process itself. Sara, on the other hand, views cooking primarily as a means to eat healthily, finding fulfilment in knowing about ingredients and preparing nutritious meals. Meanwhile, Luke sees cooking as essential but straightforward, viewing it as just another task without feeling overwhelmed. He values having choices for his vegetarian lifestyle and aims to enhance his cooking skills for versatility.
Problem analysis
Complication. Having the understanding of how my potential users see cooking really gives a deep insight. Every potential user does not enjoy cooking because they see cooking as complication that need careful attention to every detail. Although not every interviewee was looking for a way to optimise their cooking experience, all of them agree that cooking is important and should be simple. However, currently available apps do not share this view.
Lack of ideas for alternatives. All of my interviewees experienced that many recipes required too many ingredients they did not have. Some of the missing ingredients were something they barely used in their kitchen. They needed ideas for substitutes for the ingredients they missed.
Multitasking. Three out of four interviewees found multitasking stressful. They understood the need for accuracy in terms of timing, but timing several tasks at the same time overwhelmed them.
Foreign ingredients. Every potential user would like to explore new dishes, but they had struggled with not knowing rare the ingredients before. This led them to stick to what they were used to and not try new ones, even if they wanted to.
Ideation
1) Simplicity and clarity are key. Users desire an app that minimizes stress, emphasizing straightforward content and one-task-at-a-time guidance. Visuals should feature step-by-step pictorial instructions for clear understanding.
2) Providing alternatives is crucial. Users express frustration over ingredient substitutions. Incorporating a function to suggest alternatives for lacking ingredients addresses this need effectively.
3) Enhanced search functionality is essential. Interviewees prefer web searching for better results. Advanced filters in the app streamline search results, reducing choice overload and offering tailored suggestions.
Prototype and validate
Testing Goals
I tested to assess the learnability for new users interacting with the cooking app “paprica" on iOS mobile. I would like to observe if the new users can understand the basic functionality of the app as well as to identify how easily it is for them to complete login, search recipe, search for ingredient substitutes, and follow the cooking instructions functions.
Objectives
1. Measure how quickly the users can use the search-for-recipe function.
2. Measure how easily for the users to look for substitutes for ingredients.
3. Observe how easily the users go to the recipe and follow the cooking steps.
Interface design
I am more than a sum of pixels.
I love facilitating collaboration, understanding different points of view and taming chaos.
When not in front of the screen, you can see me roam around museums, forests, or ceramic studios. I'm also often found concocting culinary creations in the kitchen.
Recently, I've been exploring alternative design approaches. Need book recommendations or just fancy a chat about sustainability? Hit me up anytime!