FOOD ORDERING APP
Trey.
Trey is a startup breaking into the food ordering industry. They aim to create a new paradigm of customer satisfaction without sacrificing the needs of the food suppliers. They needed concepts drawn up quickly to showcase a more intuitive UX and to close the time between hungry people and their meal
UPDATE
Trey No Longer Available- For a Happy Reason
In early 2020 a major food aggregation app and delivery service acquired Trey.
This transaction means that Trey will be absorbed into the workings of their new parents. Hooray! This means that Trey is no longer available on the App Store, sorry.
Customers are increasingly impatient when it comes to eating. We want variety in choice BUT we still want to find it fast and have it delivered even faster.
Existing Problems.
It’s always a 3-factor problem: Firstly, we want it now, Now, NOW! People tend to order food a bit late. They are already hungry and every minute is a painful wait. It less likely that people are organised in advance- if they were on top of things they may not be taking the convenient option of takeout or home-delivered food.
Secondly, no-one has cash to burn so it must be inexpensive. It is always relative- even higher income earners are still concerned about paying too much. The numbers may be different to yours and mine but the concern remains.
Thirdly, it has to be good. Obviously we want tasty food. Quality is always a concern so it makes sense to assume that we always want the best.
It has to be GOOD. It must be FAST. and It has to be CHEAP.
Mock it & Test it.
Before going too far, it is always a good idea to mock up the prototype and check if people get it. And that’s just what we did.
At first people were hesitant but the concept quickly grew on everyone.
BEFORE WE START
Defining Scope
An important skill to have as a designer is scoping ability and knowing how to keep it all on track. My time with Trey was fruitful because it was planned out. I worked with the team to whittle down their specific needs and find a solution that could be delivered with quality, speed and within budget. Sound familiar?
MOBILE ONLY? PROBABLY.
Good = High perceived quality
Fast = Me hungry, Want eat
Cheap = Relatively low cost
MORE THAN A TRIANGLE
Intertwining Graphics and Functions
The logo was easily born from the idea of the G-F-C triangle. Its not super important for me to have slick branding at such an early stage by I couldn’t resist.
Exploring Solutions
Keep it Simple
Most functionality for ordering food is the same. It differs wildly in the backend but people search, click and eat in the same way.
Engagement on Both Sides
Trey had to solve a minor problem that food apps all share. How do you keep customers happy at the same time as the food producers? Are they customers too?
I intentionally limited the number of screens with the aim of keeping everything simple. This allows for room to pivot and make changes without creating unnecessary overload if one minor thing has broad reaching ramifications.
I tried to keep menu items on one screen without the need to scroll. On bigger screens (which are more common everyday) people are more likely to make a quick transaction if the information and buttons are on-screen and not below the fold.
Basic screens begin to take shape.
Big Split Box
Refine and Define
We walked users through the basic screens into order to highlight some areas that needed attention. We discussed which areas needed improvement and planned the next steps. We knew that the most important features were the cart functions. The triangle was cool but it had to take a back seat.
Wire it up.
Months of UX strategy took place to determine the different needs for content focus to align with user type expectation and business objective.
My wiremocks show a rough guide for the layout that I proposed. They should always be clear and concise. Something clear enough to get feedback before the final design. I work in either XD or similar apps to build functioning, clickable prototypes.
The final app is currently in development so I cant show off the final thing. Keep your eyes out for Trey in the App Store.