VEAT APP
Vegan made simple.
Design Thinking Process
Problem Statement & Competitive Analysis
UNDERSTAND
Through a comprehensive competitive analysis within the realm of vegan and health apps, I conducted an in-depth investigation into the challenges encountered by potential users. This process provided valuable insights into the existing landscape, allowing me to formulate initial ideas for features aimed at addressing these identified issues
Understanding The Problem
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Users frequently struggle with identifying the most suitable diet for their needs.
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To maintain control, individuals often find themselves relying on various apps, lacking a convenient "one-stop-shop" solution.
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Amidst their hectic schedules, users commonly forget to take necessary medications.
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Achieving a balanced plant-based nutrition requires users to invest significant time in extensive research.
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The transition to a vegan diet is further complicated by the challenge of discerning trustworthy information, often resulting in frustration and ultimately, abandonment of the dietary shift.
!
PROBLEM STATEMENT
VEAT users require an efficient means to manage and monitor their plant-based diet and overall health due to the complexities of handling dietary considerations in their hectic lifestyles.
We will know this to be true when we see users successfully achieve a balance in their diets, maintain control over their health, and adopt a sustainable and healthy lifestyle.
Possible solutions
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VEAT is designed to be a personalized app that securely stores users' health status and individual preferences, offering tailored information based on their specific conditions.
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Users will have the capability to diligently track both their dietary choices and health status.
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The app will provide timely reminders encompassing medications, sleep patterns, appointments, exercises, hydration, meal timings, and dietary preferences.
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VEAT goes beyond by offering personalized meal suggestions that consider the user's prescribed medications.
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The feature allowing users to monitor their progress within VEAT serves to sustain high levels of motivation.
COMPETITIVE ANALYSIS
The UX Competitive analysis provided a comprehensive understanding of the landscape within vegan and health apps. While there are numerous beneficial vegan and health apps available, none seamlessly integrate both aspects into a convenient "one-stop-shop" for users in their daily lives.
To conduct this competitive analysis, I scrutinized two prominent apps related to health and vegan diets: Withings Health Mate and 21-Day Vegan Kickstart. This assessment aimed to glean insights into their experiences and designs, serving as a benchmark to more accurately comprehend the current landscape of the vegan and health app marketplace.
The analysis covered various dimensions, including competitors' profiles, marketing and business strategies, SWOT profiles, UX/UI evaluations, content assessment, and an examination of design and performance quality.
Armed with these insights, I formulated several core features for VEAT that aim to bridge the existing gaps in the market and provide users with a comprehensive and integrated solution.
User Interviews
OBSERVE
Through the implementation of User Interviews, I delved into understanding the challenges faced by users, identifying their needs and goals, and directly observing participants throughout the sessions. This approach allowed me to gather and analyze qualitative data, providing a nuanced insight into the problems at hand. This deeper understanding served as a compass in determining the app's direction and crafting optimal solutions. The firsthand perspective gained from users' experiences has been instrumental in shaping the product from the unique vantage point of the vegan community.
Identifying pain-points of health and vegan apps the users currently face with existing tools
Goal 1
Identifying features the users need for a healthy and balanced plant-based lifestyle
Goal 2
Understanding daily challenges of vegan users to provide tailored solutions.
Goal 3
USER INTERVIEWS
In my user research, I conducted six interviews, with five participants being vegans spanning from beginners to experienced individuals. Additionally, one participant identified as a vegetarian who occasionally engages in vegan challenges. All participants shared common challenges in adopting a vegan diet, expressing that it is time-consuming due to extensive research needed for food choices and nutritional values, particularly for those with health concerns. The consensus among participants was a need for a straightforward solution for replacing animal products.
“I don’t have so
much time, so I need
an app that suggests
meal plans.”
“The transition to a plant based diet was not easy. In the beginning I had to do a lot of research. I didn’t know how to replace the animal products.”
“I have a gluten allergy, so I follow a special diet besides being vegan. That’s always a challenge for me.”
User Personas & User Journeys
POV
Analyzing interview data through Affinity Mapping, I derived insights to craft 2 User Personas and User Journeys. This exercise facilitated a shift in my perspective to align with that of the users, allowing me to comprehend their problems and define specific needs. From this understanding, I formulated a problem statement and hypothesis, enabling a clear definition of the target audience and guiding decision-making throughout the design process to effectively address user needs.
USER PERSONAS
USER JOURNEYS
User Flow, Card Sorting & Sitemap
IDEATE
Following a detailed analysis and understanding of user objectives, I translated their goals into a Task Flow/User Flow. To systematically organize the collected data, I initially crafted a Sitemap, which underwent refinement after conducting a Card Sort to ensure optimal user navigation and logical information structure.
USER FLOW
CARD SORTING
Opting for open card sorting, I observed users categorizing cards and naming individual categories. This approach provided valuable insights into how users perceive keywords and assign them to specific categories. The card sort exercise played a crucial role in refining and narrowing down the categories for VEAT's sitemap. Continuous input and feedback allowed for ongoing optimization, enhancing the overall usability and organization of the application's structure.
Standardization Grid
Similarity Matrix
SITEMAP
Low-and Mid Fidelity Prototype
PROTOTYPE
Initiating the design process, I concentrated on sketching key elements such as onboarding, recipe and meal plan pages, and the central feature, the converter. The emphasis was on capturing core functionalities and the overall project vision, avoiding intricate details and UI nuances initially.
Starting with rough sketches on paper and utilizing Balsamiq, I translated ideas into wireframes on Figma. The creation of a clickable prototype elevated VEAT's presentation, enabling a progressive focus on refining details and implementing improvements. This iterative process allowed for a more comprehensive and polished design over time.
PAPER SKETCHES
LOW FIDELITY WIREFRAMES
MID FIDELITY PROTOTYPES
User Testing & Implementing Findings
TEST
To conduct Evaluative Research on my Prototypes, I implemented usability testing using both moderated in-person and moderated remote methods. Developing scenario tasks and direct tasks, I sought to understand users' expectations, thoughts, perceptions, and identified areas of struggle. This process provided valuable insights into the app's usability, usefulness, and navigation.
Through Affinity Mapping and a Rainbow Spreadsheet, I systematically categorized all input, including observations, errors, and quotes, along with their severity using a usability error scale. These steps proved instrumental in updating the prototype, addressing identified issues, and ensuring an enhanced user experience.
TEST PLAN
Test Objectives
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Observe users navigating the app, creating an account, finding a specific recipe, and converting non-vegan food.
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Determine participants' understanding and satisfaction with the app's core functions and navigation.
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Analyze friction points users encounter during task completion.
Methodology
Depending on each participant's geographical location, the test was conducted using either the moderated remote or moderated in-person testing method. Participants were assigned tasks involving the Figma prototype, and their feedback was systematically recorded.
Participants
The study involved testing six participants, comprising both vegans from my personal network and individuals previously interviewed for VEAT.
ORGANIZING THE DATA
To analyze the extensive data from my usability testing, I employed an affinity map to condense quotes and observations into concise information, facilitating the identification of fundamental insights and patterns. After creating the affinity map, I organized all notes into a Rainbow Spreadsheet to systematically process the information. The goal was to categorize crucial observations and errors using the Jacob Nielsen scale, presenting findings in a visually organized manner. The Rainbow Spreadsheet serves as a useful visual tool for project stakeholders and aided in preparing my usability test report.
Affinity Map
Rainbow Spreadsheet
A/B PREFERENCE TEST
A Preference test was conducted on Usability Hub with 17 participants from diverse demographics. They were tasked with deciding the emphasis on the skip button on one of the onboarding screens, followed by a brief question on their choice reasoning. Version B emerged as the preference winner with 53%. Despite the close margin, users choosing version B mainly cited a desire to skip quickly. However, as I aim for users to at least skim the onboarding for an initial understanding, and considering the core app idea and business perspective, I opt for variant A. If the difference were statistically significant, I would have followed the majority preference.
A:
47%
B:
53%
DESIGN SYSTEM
In the next phase, I focused on enhancing VEAT's visual appeal by working on the UI. I curated a Styleguide, a comprehensive library encompassing colors, typography, grids, components, and other visual elements that constitute the visual language system. This systematically developed system is designed to maintain consistency throughout the design, ensuring a cohesive and visually appealing presence for VEAT.
High Fidelity Prototype
FINAL DESIGN
PROJECT OVERVIEW
Introduction
My Role
UX / UI Design, User Research, User Flow, Wireframing, Prototyping, Style Guide
Tools
Figma, Photoshop, Illustrator, Balsamiq,
Optimal Sort, Usability Hub, Pen & Paper
The VEAT project was developed in a period of 5 months. After intensive research, I realized that there was a gap in the vegan app market, a trusted "one-stop-shop" for interested, beginner and advanced vegans. In the process, I discovered a common problem users face: finding plant-based substitutes for animal products. I focused on this problem and created a converter function, which veganizes animal products in just a few steps. This is where the name and the idea of the logo comes from.
This project helped me to optimize my skills in UX and UI and to dive deep into the world of vegans. So I developed an understanding of vegan life and designed VEAT. With personalized features, VEAT enables its users to make everyday life easier. By using the app, users save a lot of time that they would otherwise invest in researching balanced and optimal nutrition.