ENHANCING THE ANDINAS APP:
A BETTER SHOPPING EXPERIENCE
Grocery App
IMPACT FOR THE BRAND
This UX project benefits the brand by enhancing user satisfaction through personalized recommendations and language support, expanding the customer base by addressing challenges like language barriers and dietary preferences, and increasing sales by improving navigation and reducing friction in the shopping process. The focus on inclusivity and personalization sets the brand apart, building trust and long-term customer loyalty. Overall, it strengthens user engagement and positions the brand for sustained growth.
My Role
Responsible for the whole design process, from start to finish
Timeline
16 weeks (2023)
Tools
Illustrator, Figma, Balsamiq, WIX
CONTEXT AND CHALLENGES
Andina is a grocery store dedicated to serving customers with diverse dietary needs and health conditions, including diabetes, celiac disease, food allergies, and heart conditions. This project aims to improve the shopping experience for individuals with dietary restrictions by making it more intuitive, efficient, and tailored to their specific needs.
Some products are labeled in different languages, making it difficult for customers to fully understand the product contents. This issue is particularly challenging for individuals with specific health conditions who rely on accurate dietary information to make informed decisions.
Shoppers with health conditions, food intolerances, or sensitivities often find it hard to locate specialized products. Complex food labels with long ingredient lists and unclear allergen information make it difficult to determine if a product is safe, causing confusion, wasted time, and potential health risks.
First-time grocery shoppers or those with little cooking experience often struggle to choose fresh produce. Without knowing how to assess ripeness or quality, they may end up with overripe or underripe items, wasting time, money, and causing frustration.
PROJECT OBJECTIVES
How might we help customers quickly and easily identify the right products, such as produce, by providing clear and intuitive guidance on ripeness and quality?
How might we streamline the shopping experience for customers with health conditions, food intolerances, or sensitivities by simplifying the process of identifying specialized products and understanding important details like allergens and product safety?
How might we ensure that all customers, regardless of language, can easily understand product labels and ingredients, making their shopping experience seamless?
FINAL SOLUTION
FINAL SOLUTION
GROCERY APP FEATURES FOR A BETTER SHOPPING EXPERIENCE
Allows customers to instantly recognize products and view detailed information in their preferred language. The app translates product details, such as the name, ingredients, allergens, and other important information, ensuring that customers can make informed decisions.
RESEARCH:
Understanding Consumer Behavior and Market Trends
ETNOGRAPHIC FIELDWORK
To capture a holistic view, I scheduled 5 visits to the store on different days and at various times throughout the week with the aim of understanding the range of customer behaviors and preferences. During each visit, I spent time in different sections of the store, meticulously observing how customers interacted with items, read labels for product information, and made purchasing decisions. I paid close attention to any visible frustrations or confusion, recognizing that addressing these issues directly contributes to enhancing the overall shopping experience.
People meticulously choose fresh produce, examining each item, touching them.
Some clients are interested in knowing the ingredients of products; they read labels meticulously and may even smell them.
Some clients depend on guidance from others to locate products or understand what a product is.
DESIGN DECISIONS
Instant Translation Pop-Up:
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Language selector buttons at the top are very intuitive and well-positioned. The dropdown is easily accessible, which is great for switching between languages and ensuring a user-friendly experience.
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The live camera feature, combined with the AR view, enables users to quickly identify products by displaying labels in the selected language, enhancing the understanding of items in the store.
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The product detail pop-up highlights key information such as allergens and ingredients, allowing users to quickly scan without having to read extensively. For more in-depth information, users can follow a separate link.
USER TESTING AND ITERATIONS
I conducted guided usability testing with four random grocery shoopers to evaluate the Andinas apps features, focusing on how easily users could find products, complete purchases, and navigate the site.
During the sessions, I used a think-aloud protocol, encouraging participants to verbalize their thoughts while completing the task
Design principle: User's convenience and ease of navigation:
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Clarity: The AR view helps users easily see products in the store and highlights items that match their dietary preferences.
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User-Centric: Filters and dietary settings let users personalize their experience to find the right products.
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Simplicity: Easy navigation with clearly labeled icons and a clean layout ensures a straightforward user experience.
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Real-Time Interactivity: Filters and product tags update instantly, making shopping easier.
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Minimalism: The layout focuses on products and key actions without distractions.
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The use of simple, color-coded indicators for ripeness (e.g., a semi-ripe peach) provides users with a visually engaging way to understand the condition of the product. This also reduces the need for users to read lengthy text.
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The layout is optimized for the task at hand, providing the necessary information without overwhelming the user with excessive options.
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The app immediately offers feedback to the user (e.g., confirming the search for a yellow peach), ensuring that the user feels in control of the process.
KEY INSIGHTS FROM EXISTING RESEARCH:
By reviewing credible sources, I gained a deeper understanding of how consumers approach grocery shopping, particularly those with specific dietary restrictions or preferences.
User Testing Insights:
Design Corrections:
DETAILS
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The icons at the bottom of the screen are well-placed, allowing users to easily reach and interact with them.
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When a dietary filter is selected or deselected, the UI provides real-time feedback by adding or removing it from the top of the screen. This allows users to see immediate results.
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The iconography is designed to be intuitive. To help users easily distinguish between each filter and prevent confusion, hovering over the icons displays text labels to provide additional clarification of each filter's meaning
User Testing Insights:
Design Corrections:
EXPECTED OUTCOME
The app directly tackles common challenges like language barriers, dietary restrictions, and the complexities of selecting produce. With features designed to help customers find the right products based on their specific needs, it takes the stress out of shopping, allowing users to make informed decisions quickly and efficiently.
The multilingual labeling system removes language obstacles, while the dietary filters ensure that customers can easily find products that meet their dietary preferences. The ripeness assistant helps shoppers select fresh produce at the perfect stage, reducing uncertainty and boosting confidence in every purchase. These thoughtful features make the shopping process smoother, reducing frustration and providing a more enjoyable, seamless experience.
The app’s intuitive design and personalized approach make customers feel valued and supported. By streamlining the shopping experience and catering to each user's specific needs, the app helps build trust and loyalty. Customers are more likely to return when they feel that their preferences and challenges are genuinely considered.
By integrating innovative features that solve real problems, this app not only meets customer expectations but exceeds them, setting the grocery store apart from competitors. It positions the brand as a leader in providing customer-centric solutions that enhance the overall shopping experience. This forward-thinking approach is bound to attract more customers, increase retention, and elevate the brand's reputation in a competitive market.
User Testing Insights:
Design Corrections
REFLECTION
Throughout my design process, I faced a challenge where the iteration of the app lacked sufficient explanations, leading to confusion among participants. This pivotal experience served as a significant turning point in my journey as a UX designer. I recognized the importance of clear communication and acted quickly to gather user feedback and implement necessary enhancements. Through active engagement with participants and meticulous refinement of the feature based on their input, I successfully heightened their interest in trying the app once it was completed.
This hands-on problem-solving process not only facilitated the development of a more intuitive product but also emphasized the paramount importance of continuous iteration and responsiveness to user needs.
Taking charge of the entire design process from inception to completion deepened my understanding of user behavior patterns and solidified the satisfaction I gained from prioritizing user-centered design principles.
User Testing Insights:
Design Corrections:
FINAL SOLUTION
Real-time product recommendations based on the customer's dietary restrictions as they navigate the store and locate items on their shopping list. The system filters products by specific needs (e.g., gluten-free, vegan) to help customers quickly find suitable options.
Assess the ripeness of fruits and vegetables by analyzing their appearance, providing real-time recommendations on whether the produce is ready for use or needs more time to ripen.
INSIGHTS FROM INTERVIEWS: