Taste.

Taste. is dedicated to cultivating a welcoming community, fostering meaningful connections between food enthusiasts and restaurants through series of events and promotions.

Role

UX Researcher, UI Designer, Product Designer

Project Type

Mobile Application

Project Goal

Taste. is dedicated to building a secure, authentic, and friendly platform that connects foodies, restaurants, and local small business owners. By fostering meaningful communication and community engagement, Taste. supports both customers and businesses, creating a space where everyone can thrive together.

Pain Points

  • The foodies want to have a safe and friendly platform to form a community.

  • Anonymous comments could present inauthentic reviews without restrictions.

  • Current similar applications are too commercial.

Age: 31
Location: Downtown Toronto
Occupation: Fashion Boutique Manager

Cassandra

Cassandra currently serves as the Store Manager at a prominent Fashion boutique in Downtown Toronto. Beyond her managerial role, she has cultivated a substantial following on social media platforms, notably TikTok and Instagram. Cassandra has an avid passion for sharing her unique style, daily routines, and exploration of undiscovered spots in the city with her engaged and growing audience.

Goals

  • Enjoys good restaurants with a nice ambiance for a girl's night out.

  • Loves to take artistic photos in her stylish outfits.

Frustrations

  • Feels a bit awkward to spend too much time taking photos and bothering other customers.

  • Not knowing where the newest or hottest spot in town is to check out.

Age: 42
Location: Downtown Toronto
Occupation: Italian restaurant owner

Lucas

Hailing from rural Ontario, Lucas has been an integral part of his family's restaurant in downtown Toronto since his teenage years. Despite the return of many customers to in-door dining post-pandemic, Lucas has observed that the restaurant's performance is not meeting his expectations. In light of this, he is actively seeking innovative solutions to enhance the restaurant's visibility, contemplating the possibility of hosting events and introducing enticing promotions to attract a wider audience.

Goals

  • Promotes his restaurant by hosting events and inviting foodies.

  • Boosts his restaurant since it is a small local business.

Frustrations

  • Feels like it's hard to compete with other businesses that have money to invest in marketing.

  • Not very tech savvy and does not understand the younger generation's technology.

“Excited to use the Taste. app for a unique dining experience! Looking for a cozy restaurant with tasty food, a nice atmosphere, and new flavors. Can't wait for food adventures and great memories!”

— Alan, Taste. user

Style Guide

Wireframe

Usability Study

Upon completing the initial user research and crafting the low-fidelity prototype, I engaged in interviews with prospective users for Taste. The overall feedback was positive, affirming the favourable reception of the layout and the general direction of the application. However, a specific feature that I had envisioned for Taste. raised several concerns and questions among users. In response to these insights, I decided to heed the audience feedback and discard the feature.
Additionally, there were notable suggestions from users that I am planning to incorporate into the final product:

  • The application should have the capability to display details of activities.

  • There should be an increased level of interaction between users.

Moreover, there was uncertainty regarding the perceived risk associated with the meal partner idea, which prompted concerns about potential issues. As part of the refinement process, these insights will be carefully considered to ensure the finalized product aligns seamlessly with user expectations and preferences.

UI Flow

Hi-fi Mockup

Takeaway

User research is the bedrock of every project, intricately woven into the fabric of the design process. Insights gleaned from potential users wield significant influence over the project's outcome, steering it away from unproductive paths and ensuring the creation of a truly useful product.
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Identifying the current market needs and adopting an empathetic stance to embrace diverse perspectives played a pivotal role in the success of this product. What sets Taste. apart is the realization that the user's role extends beyond customers to include business owners, a nuanced understanding that has elevated the product's standing.