Empathize
For this project, my aim was to understand the following...
- Common issues that plague customers of pastry shops.
- How the BAKED App could solve these customer’s issues.
- How the BAKED App can make the pastry purchasing process more streamlined, social, and enjoyable.
Define
Subjects that were interviewed for the creation of this app, were individuals in their 20s to early 30s who were either still in college or recent graduates. Subjects ranged from avid pastry fans to individuals who purchased pastries for special occasions only.
Some common traits shared amongst the interviewees were as follows:
- A desire to save money on service and delivery fees when possible.
- A desire for great customer service that is expedient/efficient.
- Rarely used bakery apps to purchase a pastry for themselves.
Ideate
For this part of the project I employed the use of the 6-8-5 Process and the creation of a Moodboard/Style Tile to help guide the design process of the BAKED APP, (while also working out any experimental ideas to see what will improve the BAKED App and what will be a hindrance to our ideal customer base who will be using this app).
6-8-5 Sketching
Style Tile
Prototype
During this process we took the drawings we brainstormed during the Lo-Fi Sketches/6-8-5 Process and refined the drawings. We fleshed out our ideas and created more concrete ideas that had a higher chance of moving on to the next stage of the app design process.
Wireframe Sketch of BAKED App
Wireframe Sketch of BAKED App
Testing
I conducted a usability test with a group of three co-workers at my day job and a friend who matched the archetype of the persona, Derek. Below are some of the feedback they provided as they went through the process of how a user would ideally use the BAKED app.
Marlon (Co-Worker): Did not find anything wrong with the app. Half way through trying to use the app he asked if the BAKED app had features such as the ability to pre-order and purchase past orders, (which he later noticed the BAKED app already had).
Nectaro (Co-Worker): Did not find anything wrong with the app. However, he did bring up the question, “is the service fee cost paid included in the price of the item? If so how would it work in terms of paying for the service fees separately with BAKED PTS?". I explained to Nectaro that I believe most platforms show you a breakdown beforehand of all the cost associated with your order. BAKED would include an option that allows users to pay for fees associated with your order separately from the cost of the item/items ordered.
Elena (Co-Worker): Did not find anything wrong with the app. However, she had a few questions such as, (“Can I see what types of desserts are made for allergy sensitive people?”, “Will you have photo or video visuals of the interior space so I know what to expect if I want to sit and eat my pastry/drink coffee at the restaurant with friends?”, “Will there be a tool that gives an average of the best times to come if you want to sit and eat a pastry/drink coffee in the establishment?” and “Can there be a set time limit for how long guests stay?”). These questions/requests did not fall into the majority of requests from the people we interviewed/asked to test the app so we did not implement these features in the first round of the app. However, as we interview more people and run further usability testing with other demographics we can see ourselves adding these features in further beta versions of the app if demand for these features increases.
