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.
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.
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.
PROJECT OBJECTIVES
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?
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?
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 THE CURRENT STATE
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:
-
When a customer points their camera at a product and clicks on it, a pop-up window appears, displaying relevant product details (name, ingredients, allergens) in the selected language.
USER TESTING AND ITERATIONS
I conducted guided usability testing with six real customers to evaluate the redesign of PLUI's e-commerce site, 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 of purchasing a raincape for a child.
User Testing Insights:
Design Corrections:
Customizable Filters:
The user can set their dietary preferences and restrictions in the app beforehand (e.g., gluten-free, nut-free, vegan, etc.).
Upon selection of a product, a pop-up window appears on the screen with a detailed analysis of the product’s ingredients and how it aligns with the user’s dietary needs.
The pop-up window displays the following helpful features:
Ingredient List: The ingredients of the product are listed with highlighted areas showing whether any ingredients conflict with the user’s dietary restrictions.
Allergen Alert: If the product contains common allergens (e.g., nuts, dairy, gluten), it will highlight them with a clear warning (e.g., “Contains gluten” or “May contain traces of peanuts”).
Dietary Suitability: A simple “Yes” or “No” message with an icon indicating whether the product meets the customer’s dietary needs. For example, “This product is suitable for a vegan diet” or “Contains dairy – not suitable for lactose intolerant users.”
Display: Opt-In Approach
-
Effortlessly enable or disable the product suggestion feature
-
Product recommendations won't flood the user; they'll only pop up if the user decides to engage with them.
When a customer points their camera at a peach and clicks on it, the app recognizes the fruit and a pop-up window appears, providing detailed information about the peach’s ripeness level. The app could use color detection or shape analysis to determine whether the peach is underripe, perfectly ripe, or overripe, and then provide helpful guidance on what to do with it.
For example:
Underripe: The pop-up might say, “Your peach is still firm. Try leaving it at room temperature for a few days to ripen fully.”
Ripe: “Your peach is at its peak! Enjoy it fresh or use it in a recipe.”
Overripe: “This peach is overripe. Consider using it for smoothies or baking.”
In addition to ripeness information, the pop-up window can offer recipe suggestions tailored to the fruit’s condition. For instance, if the peach is ripe, the app could recommend recipes like peach cobbler, peach jam, or a peach salad. If it’s underripe, it could suggest a fruit salad that incorporates other fresh, crisp fruits.
To further enhance the user experience, the app could also include a “Save for Later” button, allowing customers to bookmark recipes they’d like to try or get notified when their peach reaches the ideal ripeness stage. This feature would help shoppers make the most of their produce and reduce food waste.
User Testing Insights:
Design Corrections:
DETAILS
-
Implement a "Share with mom" button, enables Kids to save and share his favorite products easily.
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.
INTERVIEWS