COFF/ED APP UX/UI Design Paul Choi
value prop Coff/ED is an app that provides users the opportunity to learn and experience the nuances of a professional coffee tasting.
research
feature inventory
competitor analysis Keep your friends close and your [competitors] closer. gross misuse of Sun Tzu quote I discovered that most of competitors I researched did not serve coffee pods (ex. Keurig, Nespresso), even though a lot of my initial interviewees drank them also, the only place that served pre-ground beans as an option was Craft Coffee and Go Coffee Go. Another subject was that almost none of these services come in app form except Starbucks. Furthermore, very few had rewards programs to potentially incentivize greater interaction from users. The biggest thing I found based on my interviews was the lack of salient information and education that users wanted. A few places did have information on the taste and origin, but none of the services contained caffeine content. I also found it interesting that Moustache coffee club had coffee experts to chat with to answer any questions you might have, and I thought that was a great value add.
interviews one Phil Graphic Designer Uses Mocha Italian Coffee Maker. Drinks espresso black with a hint of vanilla extract. Takes less than 5 minutes. Likes that its fast, tastes better than drip. Does not like that it only makes one cup. Purchases Lazzarra Brand at Super Market - does not like genetically modified brands, or Starbucks. Values quality and freshness. Would like to know more information- used to drink Lighter coffees more before he found out that they have higher caffeine content. Would like to know location of coffee - loves Hawaiian Kona coffee. Would like to know which beans are best for making espresso. Believes the coffee market is flooded, and similar to the wine industry now - so feels overwhelmed by the choices - would like to get the same access to information similar to the wine industry - flavors, process, caffeine, etc.
interviews two Bob Non Profit Fundraiser Uses Aeropress - likes quality. dislikes cleanup. Uses an electric kettle that boils to perfect temperature for drip coffee. Buys coffee beans at local grocery store - starbucks or peets - gets the job done. Likes a stronger cup. Thinks too much information on coffee on packaging - if it were shorter and more concise, would probably read it. Would want to see information on taste, where bean is from (unique) Cares about the environment - used to use keurig for convenience, but doesn't like the waste of a keurig. If there was a better alternative, might use that during the week since so hectic and aeropress on the weekend.
interviews three Carina Package Developer Either buys coffee from coffee shop (starbucks) or uses company pod machine (doesn't remember name, but similar to Keurig) likes that it is quick and fast. Does not like that it is fresh. but quick fix. Important - flavor - likes dark and intense. not acidic. Wants to learn more about coffee - recently learned about acidity - would like to be knowledgeable for its own sake - where is it from, process of roasting, how it tastes. company machine breaks a lot - recently breaks down 3x a day. Very frustrating. Likes nice packaging. Would prefer to purchase locally grown coffee ideally. Interested in supporting local businesses. Would like to know where coffee is grown.
user personas
one SUMMARY Hamster likes coffee. However, she does not consider herself a morning person, and has a long commute to work - so she doesn t feel she has time to make coffee for herself. Consequently, she tends to drinks the pod machine at work for her coffee fix. She does not particularly like the quality and taste, but she figures it does the trick, and hey, it s free. HAMSTER MCGHEE AGE: 25 OCCUPATION: Marketing Associate MARITAL STATUS: Dating I recently was told how acidity is used to describe the taste of coffee. I love learning new things, and it would be great to have that information readily available. For her, the biggest issue is convenience - particularly one that fits her busy schedule - when she has the time, she loves to stop by a local, hip coffee shop and purchase a cup when the wait isn t long. She recently went to one of these coffee shops with a friend who is very knowledgable with coffee. The coffee was very tangy, and she aptly made this observation. When her friend told her she was describing the acidity of the coffee, she felt a sense of accomplishment of learning more about coffee. GOALS 1. To learn more and become more knowledgable on the nuances of coffee. Enjoys the thrill of discovery. 2. To be able to drink a cup of coffee that she enjoys. 3. To be able to get or make coffee in a way that fits her aggressive schedule. FRUSTRATIONS 1. Sacrifices her enjoyment of coffee due to convenience. 2. Genuinely loves the taste of coffee, but feels that she has to sacrifice for the time being because does not feel she has the time or funds to get coffee she enjoys. 3. Feels it is rare to learn about the nuances of coffee and how to describe it..
two SUMMARY James begins his day by making a cup of coffee from an aeropress machine. He values his aeropress because it creates a cup of coffee quickly and creates a taste he really enjoys. He uses pre-ground beans from the local grocery, not because he is open to other options, but because it is easy and convenient to pick up. JAMES VANDERBURGER AGE: 30 OCCUPATION: Designer MARITAL STATUS: Gainfully Single Unfortunately, if he is in a rush, his first cup comes from the keurig machine at work. The machine frustrates him, mainly because he does not like the taste and the machine is unreliable, but it does the trick - it gives him that caffeine kick he craves. With his busy schedule, there is a lot of information he would like to learn more about his coffee, but because he feels that information is not readily available and considers it esoteric to serious drinkers, he does not put in the effort and accepts the status quo. The Coffee Industry feels really flooded. Sometimes I feel overwhelmed by all of the - or lack of - information. I wish it was similar to the kind of access the Wine industry provides. GOALS 1. To get the right amount of caffeine to start his day. 2. To be able to make coffee quickly and efficiently. 3. To learn more about making coffee, where it is from, the flavor, and the caffeine content. FRUSTRATIONS 1. Wish he had access to more information - namely information that is important to him - and not be overwhelemed. 2. Feels he has to sacrifice taste and quality for convenience (using Keurig pods) when he is in a rush 3. Is overwhelmed by the large amount of options and lack of information in the coffee industry.
storyboard (psst. it s a video. But click the link b/c I didn t want to use more memory) https://vimeo.com/169878646
tasks + features
list
sketches
sign in
profile
review
search
paper prototype interview OBSERVATIONS Didn't like any extra steps (Next button after sign in, option to sign in using Twitter or FB account) Wanted more specificity on what exactly happened Didn't think caffeine content was important - would rather use tasting notes than flavor (big coffee blogger). Only wanted reviews from credible sources Since he is obsessive about coffee - wanted better curated survey. INSIGHTS whatever made his life the easiest and the less amount of steps. Coffee enthusiasts care more about being true to the vocabulary and contents of their community rather than the concerns of the mainstream one I must decide who I am catering to. DESIGN RECOMMENDATIONS Based on this session - I would eliminate any steps that can be automated - and also give more options to control the user flow. It seems this particular user was more concerned about the specific path he wanted to go on - finding the right coffee and checking out right away the user did not like anything that broke that path (pain point). MOVING FORWARD coffee terminology - research more deeply what coffee enthusiasts truly care about and how to educate lay drinkers why certain content is or is not important. Quality control for reviews? (break up into expert reviews and community reviews)
wireframes
sign in
profile
review
search
summary Add Survey of some sort to customize Search Findings Get rid of Alphabetical Category for User Recommended Category based on survey. Add intro on initial sign-in on basic overview and purpose of app. Add tutorials on every new screen and easy access to recall and/or skip tutorial on call. Add clear call to actions on every screen especially the home page.
prototype
InVision link https://invis.io/fk7jzh87g
sign in
welcome + tutorial
home
review
search
profile
and after all
what I learned Fail, fail again. Fail better. Samuel Beckett The most important thing I learned is to get rid of unrealistic expectations, and to give up trying to create a perfect product the first time around. It places tremendous pressure and can be an impediment to progress. When I let go of this notion, and stripped my app to its barest essentials I was able to produce. And from that place, I was able to learn so much more from user interviews, and simply observing. However, the point is that I had something for people to try out. MAJOR TAKEAWAYS 1. Users who need tutorials and explanations appreciate them. Users who don t, don t mind them if you can skip out of them right away. 2. Users tend to want the path of least resistance. 3. As far as UI a minimal, simple design seemed to resonate well and associated with easy of use. Many users commented on big buttons and a likable color palette were important to them.
Thank you so much! www.paulchoidesign.com