NAPS Bistro & Bar struggled with their phone-based booking system. This app streamlines online reservations, allowing users to easily select dates, times, and party sizes. It also accommodates special requests, cancellations, and modifications. The project aimed for an intuitive, visually appealing design, enhancing the user experience for table reservations.
Snaps
Mobile Design | Visual Design | User Flow
.png)
Design Process
User
Research
I conducted in-depth interviews and crafted empathy maps to gain a deep understanding of our users' needs. Through rigorous research, a primary user group emerged: individuals who frequently require table reservations, typically booking at least once a month.
This user group not only validated our initial assumptions but also provided concrete insights into the target audience of the SNAPS reservation app.
Existing table reservation platforms present usability challenges, making it difficult for users to navigate and complete the reservation process effectively.
Accessibility
1
Booking tables over the phone is cumbersome and time-consuming, leading to difficulties in coordinating and keeping track of reservation dates, causing a lack of streamlined communication.
Lack of Communication
2
Confirming or canceling reservations proves to be a struggle, as the existing systems lack user-friendly interfaces, making these essential actions either hard to access or overly time-consuming.
Tracking
3
Ideation
Persona
Drawing from extensive user research and the identified pain points, I meticulously crafted the following user persona.
.png)
UX
Storyboard
I quickly sketched a high-level UX storyboard, utilizing visual representations to vividly articulate and explore the user journey within the app.
_edited.png)
I also crafted a close- up UX storyboard, zooming in on specific user interactions. This storyboard served as a vital tool, enabling me to concentrate on precisely how the product addresses user challenges.
User Flow
.webp)
Low
Fidelity
Prototype
.webp)
Usability Research
UX Research
Study Plan
A significant observation was made: 3 out of 5 participants inquired about the cancellation procedure within the app, indicating a prevalent need among users to cancel reservations.
Pattern
1
Insight
Users require a straightforward mechanism to cancel reservations, emphasizing the necessity for a user-friendly cancellation process.
A notable trend was identified where 4 out of 5 participants preferred inputting personal information, such as names and phone numbers, directly within the reservation page. This highlights the users' preference for adding personal details during the reservation process rather than navigating to their profiles.
Pattern
2
Insight
Users seek convenient methods for entering personal information, preferably integrated seamlessly within the reservation steps, streamlining the user experience.
Intriguingly, 3 out of 5 participants expressed a desire to leave specific notes on the reservation page, indicating potential special requests from users during the reservation process.
Pattern
3
Insight
Users require ample space and customization options to articulate their specific needs, emphasizing the necessity for a feature allowing personalized notes.
An interesting finding was that 3 out of 5 participants gravitated towards the left sidebar to check their reservation status or history, bypassing the personal profile on the right. This suggests a need for versatile access points to reservation-related information.
Pattern
4
Insight
Users necessitate multiple and diverse pathways to access information, indicating the importance of providing users with convenient access to their reservation status from both the sidebar and their personal profile, enhancing user accessibility and satisfaction.
Upon meticulous analysis of the research data and subsequent creation of an affinity diagram, several distinct patterns emerged. These patterns were transformed into key insights, shedding light on essential areas for improving the current design.
Pattern & Insight
Identification
In response to valuable usability research insights, several modifications were made to enhance the high-fidelity prototype, with a keen focus on visual identity and consistency.
High-Fidelity Enhancements
Insight #1
Users need the ability to cancel reservations easily. I addressed this by adding dedicated cancellation and reservation modification buttons within the upcoming reservation section in the personal account.
Insight #2 & #3:
Users prefer a streamlined process for entering personal information, guided by the reservation steps. To accommodate this, I restructured the reservation section into three distinct pages, ensuring a smoother and more intuitive user experience.
Users require ample space and the option to customize their preferences. Consequently, I expanded the reservation section and incorporated customizable fields,
Insight #4:
Users should have multiple access points to information. To facilitate this, I introduced a "My Reservation" tab in the sidebar menu. Although similar to "My Account," this modification benefits users who might not be aware that reservations can also be managed through their account. Additionally, I made a strategic decision to exclude the "Upcoming Events" tab from the high-fidelity design, pending future evaluation of its necessity. This allows for a more streamlined interface, with the flexibility to reintroduce the feature if user demand arises in the future.
The Final Hi- Fi Prototype
The high-fidelity prototype embodies these enhancements, ensuring a user-centric design that aligns seamlessly with the identified usability research insights.
.webp)
Table Reservation
This represents the standard user flow, offering users several opportunities to modify or cancel their reservations seamlessly throughout the process.
Reservation Cancellation
Users can easily access their account by clicking the upper right corner, enabling them to view and manage their reservations. Additionally, personal account details and reservation information are conveniently accessible through the sidebar.
Contact Us
For special requests and additional information, users can directly reach out to the restaurant through the provided contact options.
I drew inspiration from restaurants adorned in lush greenery and infused the vibrancy of their famous dessert, the berry cake, into my color palette and design components. The result is a blend of refreshing tones and a touch of invigorating freshness, reflecting the essence of these delightful culinary experiences.
Visual
Future Steps
I take pride in the progress made with the SNAPS reservation app. However, there's ample room for enhancement, particularly in the reservation process and its related features.
A crucial aspect that demands attention is the user experience concerning account logins and registration. Future improvements are essential to ensure seamless processes, safeguard users' reservation history, and enhance their overall interaction with the app.
Account Logins & Registration
While a low-fidelity usability study has been conducted, a high-fidelity usability study in the future is imperative. This in-depth analysis will serve to validate the user experience, identify potential areas for improvement, and drive the app's overall enhancement.
High-Fidelity Prototype Usability Study
While the table reservation user flow has been successfully implemented, there are pivotal features yet to be developed. Areas such as menu presentation, updates on restaurant events, and showcasing featured dishes remain unexplored. Integrating these features into the app is a future priority, enhancing the overall user engagement and enriching the app's offerings.
Surrounding Features
Engaging in this design endeavor, I dedicated my utmost effort and acquired invaluable knowledge.
Reflection
Throughout the process of shaping this project, I came to recognize the pivotal role that UX design plays in enhancing stakeholders' time efficiency. This journey underscored the significance of my job, deepening my appreciation for my role as a UX designer.
Role as a Designer
Creating the low-fidelity prototype initially left me with a sense of satisfaction, presuming the simplicity of reserving a table would translate into a flawless design. However, engaging in usability studies revealed substantial areas for improvement. This experience emphasized the critical role of usability studies in enlightening designers about users' genuine needs, highlighting their invaluable importance in the design process.