Overview
-
This project is a personal initiative by two students majoring in HCC and HCI, inspired by shared frustrations with Instacart.
-
Our goal is to enhance the user experience by understanding individual preferences
-
We aim to provide personalized recipe recommendations that cater to their dietary needs.
01
Let's help the app get to know you better!
We ask users about any food intolerances they may have to personalize their experience and provide tailored recommendations. Users also have the option to pick their preferences, allowing for a more customized shopping experience.
Problem Statement
As a loyal Instacart user, I recently decided to stop using the platform, which led me to reflect on its user experience and the need for more personalized features.
For college students moving into independent living, managing grocery lists can be challenging. Bulk buying often leads to unused ingredients, especially for those living alone, and finding suitable recipes is tough for those with allergies or intolerances. These issues highlight the need for a more tailored approach to grocery shopping and meal planning.
02
#Categorize and #Organize by using #Hashtags
In our recipe page, we've organized recipes using hashtags. Users can search for recipes based on these hashtags and select ones that match their preferences. The search bar also suggests hashtags based on the user's self-assessment and provides additional recommendations.
Why are users aged 25-34 drawn to Instacart, and what specific goals do they aim to achieve through Instacart?
03
Bringing joy to your cart
Users can conveniently add ingredients from a recipe page by clicking the plus button. They can also explore various ingredient options. Our recipe page isn't just about suggesting recipes; it's designed to provide a seamless and convenient grocery shopping experience.
How can we gather insights on their needs and preferences to provide recommended recipes?
Interview
Our initial approach was to identify the primary users of Instacart and devise new features tailored to their needs. We discovered that a significant portion of Instacart visitors belong to the 25-34 age group.
So, we decided to conduct a brief survey among college students who have used grocery delivery services. We wanted to learn about their meal management habits and gather their opinions on using delivery services for groceries.
Key Findings
We gained valuable insights from our interviews, particularly regarding how students manage their meals and what their core needs are. Many shared their struggles with time management and the difficulty of balancing their busy schedules while trying to eat healthily. We learned about their preferences for quick meal solutions and their desire for easy-to-follow recipes that accommodate their dietary restrictions. Additionally, students expressed a need for tools that help them efficiently plan their grocery lists and minimize food waste.
Visual Identity
Low-fidelity
Reflection
This was my first time working on a UX design project independently with a friend, and we learned a lot of UX tips and tricks along the way. Since we were working on our own without client feedback, we gave ourselves continuous feedback and focused on impressing users with new skills and technology to make their lives easier. With so many recipe websites and services out there, we knew we needed to stand out and encourage users to try our recipe page.
Personalization is a big deal in UX, and Instacart's focus on personalized shopping and user comfort is key. We wanted users to access their favorite products effortlessly, so we created a survey similar to Spotify and YouTube Music to understand their preferences.
We plan to gather feedback from professionals and experts to improve in the future. One thing we regret is not starting with interviews and research before diving into UI and UX ideas. We had so many design ideas initially, which caused confusion. Once we realized this, we started fresh and prioritized thorough research and user insights from the beginning
Ideation
Feature Prioritization
Based on user pain points, we identified the opportunity to introduce a recipe service using AI. Drawing inspiration from Instacart's existing AI capabilities, such as suggesting ingredients during food searches, we envisioned an app that learns about the user's preferences and recommends recipes. Additionally, the app would encourage users to purchase products necessary for these recipes, creating a seamless and personalized shopping experience
To better understand our users, we decided to conduct a quick survey inspired by YouTube Music’s “pick some artists you like” feature. We’ll ask users about their cooking habits and dietary preferences, allowing us to provide tailored recipe recommendations based on their responses.
Instacart
Redesign Instacart with a new "Recipe" feature that enhances the user experience by offering personalized recipe recommendations based on user preferences.
Role
UX/UI Designer
Timeline
January - Feburary 2024
Team
Jaeyeon Kate Kim
Tools
Figma, Figjam