Booked
Role
Product Designer, User Researcher, Interaction, Visual Design, Prototyping and Testing,
September 2021 - Ongoing
Background
I've personally had a lot of experience with making reservations and would like to be able to come up with application that simplifies the process.
I am the sole Product Designer for this project.
Here are some of the key achievements I’ve had thus far:
Turned an idea into a product. The ability to transform an idea into something much more tangible is a process that is both exhilarating and rewarding. I worked and interacted with target users to shape the product vision and strategy of Booked. While the product is still in development and has not yet been released to the public, being able to see the application transform over time is truly sensational.
Juggled many different hats. Working a project without a team supporting you throughout is not a simple task. I dedicated hours of my spare time and weekends conducting research, sketching, testing and designing the product with the drive to bring it to life.
Understanding the Problem
I conducted research interviews with our primary users (restaurant goers ages 18-65) to uncover any pain points that they were experiencing with making restaurant and cafe reservations.
My research encompassed:
Understanding the user goals and needs
Uncovering pain points within the existing apps in the market
Interview goals:
I want to understand common challenges people face trying to make online orders for a restaurant / cafe and making reservations.
Interview questions:
Can you describe your current schedule and how you balance your responsibilities with meal planning?
How often do you order meals from a restaurant? When you do, what is your motivation for doing so?
What challenges do you face in the ordering process? How does this make you feel?
Is there any way in which you feel these challenges could be resolved?
User Personas
Based on my research, I created two user types that our product tried to solve problems for.
User Journey Map
I created a user journey map based on the user persona of “Hani” to showcase the process of booking a reservation for her and friends using our application.
Competitive Research
Before jumping into the storyboard process, I conducted a competitive audit on three competing booking and reservation services: Yelp, Tablein and Opentable. The research assessed on the desktop and mobile user experience, general interaction, visual design and content.
Design Process
User Storyboard (Big Picture & Close-up)
Continuing to use our user persona Hani, I sketched a storyboard going through the step by step process of Hani making a reservation through our application - focusing heavily on Hani’s goal of having a seamless experience. The close-up storyboard details the specific user flow Hani will complete in order to successfully make her restaurant booking.
Wireframes
I worked towards addressing these pains by coming up with potential solutions:
Lo-Fi Wireframe and Prototype
I took the paper wireframes over to Figma to create a low fidelity version of the Booked application.
After creating some of the wireframes for the screen, I made an interactive low fidelity prototype to show the user flow of the application.
UX Research Plan
I curated a UX Research plan for the user experience research study for the application. In order to see the efficiency and usefulness of the product prior to creating the high fidelity, I needed to test the prototype out with target users to see what needed to be improved upon and if their pain points were resolved.
The research plan details the goals, questions and interview process I entailed on following when conducting the study.
So, where are we now?
I am currently in process of conducting the UX research study. My goals moving forward is to start working on the high fidelity prototype of the application using the user data and feedback I receive. I would also love to assemble a team to really start getting the ball rolling.
If this project piqued your interest, please reach out to me or make sure to check periodically for updates!