Day 1: Understanding and mapping: laying the foundation
Day 1 of the sprint aims to lay the foundation by understanding the problem. I gathered data from the usability research and grouped it into the top themes. I then created some user maps based on the user's intended goal. I chose the map that best addressed the user's needs.
Day 2: Creativity in the ideation process
Day 2 was a dive into the realm of possibilities. Using the user map as my guide, I sketched my critical screens. The result? Three pivotal screens—a home screen that shows multiple recipe collections to choose from, a recipe screen that communicates skill and time investment at a glance, and direction screens that simplify the cooking journey. Each element was crafted to guide users through their culinary exploration intuitively.
Day 3 & 4: Transforming ideas into tangible solutions
The following days were all about making firm decisions and prototyping. I transitioned from low-fidelity wireframes that captured the core of the users flow to high-fidelity frames that added a layer of branding, content, and clarity. I ended day 4 with a prototype focused on the 'choose-and-cook' user flow.
Day 5: Validating and refining through user insights
During Day 5, I did usability testing to gather insights from my typical user. My key learnings:
- The step-by-step imagery acted as an aid in the cooking process
- The directions resonated with users, who commented that the combination of simple steps and photos made it easy to follow as a beginner.
- The content hierarchy effectively prepared users for the cooking journey ahead.
- Users shared confusion around navigation.
Learnings
Working at a sprint pace has taught me to be decisive in my decision-making. This includes deciding which screens are necessary to truly solve the business case, rather than diving deeper during a short sprint. Lastly, I have learned to keep my focus on what user feedback would provide the highest impact within my short timeframe.
View the final prototype
