UX case study
Hungry: Local Food App
Capstone Project for Google UX Certification
Project Duration
4 Months
Project Duration
4 Months
Project Duration
4 Months
Role
UX Designer
Role
UX Designer
Role
UX Designer
Coursera
Google UX
Coursera
Google UX
Coursera
Google UX
Target Audience
E-commerce Platform Users
Target Audience
E-commerce Platform Users
Target Audience
E-commerce Platform Users
Traveling to new places is always exciting, but for many, discovering authentic local cuisine can be a challenge. Most travelers rely on mainstream food delivery apps that often highlight popular chains or tourist spots, making it difficult to find hidden culinary gems that truly represent the local culture. This gap leaves adventurous eaters and culture seekers wanting a more genuine, accessible experience.
Traveling to new places is always exciting, but for many, discovering authentic local cuisine can be a challenge. Most travelers rely on mainstream food delivery apps that often highlight popular chains or tourist spots, making it difficult to find hidden culinary gems that truly represent the local culture. This gap leaves adventurous eaters and culture seekers wanting a more genuine, accessible experience.
The “Hungry” app was conceptualized as a solution to this problem. Designed as a capstone project for the Google UX Design Certification, it focuses on connecting travelers with local food vendors, streamlining the process of discovering and ordering authentic dishes, and supporting small businesses in the community.
The “Hungry” app was conceptualized as a solution to this problem. Designed as a capstone project for the Google UX Design Certification, it focuses on connecting travelers with local food vendors, streamlining the process of discovering and ordering authentic dishes, and supporting small businesses in the community.
The 'Challenge'
Travelers struggle to find authentic local food options in unfamiliar cities. Existing food delivery apps are often complex and favor mainstream eateries, making it hard for users to experience regional cuisine and support small vendors. The challenge was to design an app that makes it easy for users to discover, order, and enjoy local food, while supporting local businesses.
Project 'Brief'
Create a user-friendly app that enables travelers to Easily discover authentic local food, Order from local vendors, Enjoy a streamlined, visually appealing, and accessible experience.
Design 'Process'
The project followed a user-centered, iterative process:
The 'Research'
Research-Backed Recommendations
Set research objectives to explore how users discover local food in new cities and identify gaps in existing apps limiting local vendor visibility.
Foundational
01
Set research objectives to explore how users discover local food in new cities and identify gaps in existing apps limiting local vendor visibility.
Foundational
01
Set research objectives to explore how users discover local food in new cities and identify gaps in existing apps limiting local vendor visibility.
Foundational
01
Reviewed top food apps to spot design and usability gaps; analysed user feedback from app stores and forums to uncover pain points and feature needs.
Secondary
02
Reviewed top food apps to spot design and usability gaps; analysed user feedback from app stores and forums to uncover pain points and feature needs.
Secondary
02
Reviewed top food apps to spot design and usability gaps; analysed user feedback from app stores and forums to uncover pain points and feature needs.
Secondary
02
Interviewed students and travellers to understand food ordering habits; created user personas like Ankur and Ankita to reflect real user needs and behaviours.
Primary
03
Interviewed students and travellers to understand food ordering habits; created user personas like Ankur and Ankita to reflect real user needs and behaviours.
Primary
03
Interviewed students and travellers to understand food ordering habits; created user personas like Ankur and Ankita to reflect real user needs and behaviours.
Primary
03
Defined key issues like difficulty in finding and accessing local food shops; mapped user journeys to identify pain points from discovery to ordering.
Problem Framing
04
Defined key issues like difficulty in finding and accessing local food shops; mapped user journeys to identify pain points from discovery to ordering.
Problem Framing
04
Defined key issues like difficulty in finding and accessing local food shops; mapped user journeys to identify pain points from discovery to ordering.
Problem Framing
04
Audited competitors to spot complex navigation and poor local food discovery; identified opportunity for a simple, culture-rich app highlighting small, local vendors.
Competitive Analysis
05
Audited competitors to spot complex navigation and poor local food discovery; identified opportunity for a simple, culture-rich app highlighting small, local vendors.
Competitive Analysis
05
Audited competitors to spot complex navigation and poor local food discovery; identified opportunity for a simple, culture-rich app highlighting small, local vendors.
Competitive Analysis
05
Ideated from user insights, sketched and refined concepts; tested low-fidelity prototypes with users to gather feedback and improve designs iteratively.
Early Concept Validation
06
Ideated from user insights, sketched and refined concepts; tested low-fidelity prototypes with users to gather feedback and improve designs iteratively.
Early Concept Validation
06
Ideated from user insights, sketched and refined concepts; tested low-fidelity prototypes with users to gather feedback and improve designs iteratively.
Early Concept Validation
06
Research 'Insights'
User research revealed
Discovery
Users face difficulty in finding authentic local food in unfamiliar places.
Discovery
Users face difficulty in finding authentic local food in unfamiliar places.
Discovery
Users face difficulty in finding authentic local food in unfamiliar places.
Support
People are willing to support local vendors through a trusted digital platform.
Support
People are willing to support local vendors through a trusted digital platform.
Support
People are willing to support local vendors through a trusted digital platform.
Simplicity
Users strongly prefer clean, intuitive interfaces with minimal steps.
Simplicity
Users strongly prefer clean, intuitive interfaces with minimal steps.
Simplicity
Users strongly prefer clean, intuitive interfaces with minimal steps.
Culture
Current apps fail to represent or promote regional food culture.
Culture
Current apps fail to represent or promote regional food culture.
Culture
Current apps fail to represent or promote regional food culture.
Flow
Seamless and fast ordering experience is a core user expectation.
Flow
Seamless and fast ordering experience is a core user expectation.
Flow
Seamless and fast ordering experience is a core user expectation.
Research 'Recommendations'
Research-Backed Recommendations
Highlight
Feature local specialities prominently to encourage cultural food exploration.
Highlight
Feature local specialities prominently to encourage cultural food exploration.
Highlight
Feature local specialities prominently to encourage cultural food exploration.
Simplify
Design intuitive navigation and reduce ordering steps for smoother UX.
Simplify
Design intuitive navigation and reduce ordering steps for smoother UX.
Simplify
Design intuitive navigation and reduce ordering steps for smoother UX.
Humanise
Include vendor stories to create emotional user-vendor connection.
Humanise
Include vendor stories to create emotional user-vendor connection.
Humanise
Include vendor stories to create emotional user-vendor connection.
Contrast
Ensure high visual contrast and clear text for accessibility.
Contrast
Ensure high visual contrast and clear text for accessibility.
Contrast
Ensure high visual contrast and clear text for accessibility.
Collaborate
Work with NGOs to onboard and promote authentic local vendors.
Collaborate
Work with NGOs to onboard and promote authentic local vendors.
Collaborate
Work with NGOs to onboard and promote authentic local vendors.
Design 'Deliverables'
Application screens developed.
Hi-Fi Screens
Research 'Impact'
The app design received positive feedback for making it easy to find and order local food. Usability studies led to key refinements, such as:
User journeys were simplified based on feedback for smoother experience.
User journeys were simplified based on feedback for smoother experience.
User journeys were simplified based on feedback for smoother experience.
App integrated vendor ratings and stories after user suggestion.
App integrated vendor ratings and stories after user suggestion.
App integrated vendor ratings and stories after user suggestion.
Storytelling about regional food added emotional depth to the product.
Storytelling about regional food added emotional depth to the product.
Storytelling about regional food added emotional depth to the product.
Better colour contrast and readable design enhanced usability for all.
Better colour contrast and readable design enhanced usability for all.
Better colour contrast and readable design enhanced usability for all.
Mockup improvements led to higher satisfaction in usability testing.
Mockup improvements led to higher satisfaction in usability testing.
Mockup improvements led to higher satisfaction in usability testing.
Key 'Learnings'
The research findings and recommendations had significant impact on Jio's e-commerce strategy:
Culture
Cultural food storytelling added emotional and local value to the app.
Culture
Cultural food storytelling added emotional and local value to the app.
Culture
Cultural food storytelling added emotional and local value to the app.
Culture
Cultural food storytelling added emotional and local value to the app.
Culture
Cultural food storytelling added emotional and local value to the app.
Culture
Cultural food storytelling added emotional and local value to the app.
Culture
Cultural food storytelling added emotional and local value to the app.
Culture
Cultural food storytelling added emotional and local value to the app.
Culture
Cultural food storytelling added emotional and local value to the app.
Users
User interviews revealed real needs and pain points often missed in assumptions.
Users
User interviews revealed real needs and pain points often missed in assumptions.
Users
User interviews revealed real needs and pain points often missed in assumptions.
Iteration
Prototyping and testing refined the product significantly through each phase.
Iteration
Prototyping and testing refined the product significantly through each phase.
Iteration
Prototyping and testing refined the product significantly through each phase.
Next 'Steps'
The final research deliverables included comprehensive documentation of findings, recommendations, and implementation guidelines:
Expand
Add more educational content around food culture and local cuisines.
Expand
Add more educational content around food culture and local cuisines.
Expand
Add more educational content around food culture and local cuisines.
Collaborate
Partner with NGOs or local groups to onboard more verified food vendors.
Collaborate
Partner with NGOs or local groups to onboard more verified food vendors.
Collaborate
Partner with NGOs or local groups to onboard more verified food vendors.
Evaluate
Conduct post-launch research to assess impact on food accessibility and user satisfaction.
Evaluate
Conduct post-launch research to assess impact on food accessibility and user satisfaction.
Evaluate
Conduct post-launch research to assess impact on food accessibility and user satisfaction.
Collaborate
Partner with NGOs or local groups to onboard more verified food vendors.
Collaborate
Partner with NGOs or local groups to onboard more verified food vendors.
Collaborate
Partner with NGOs or local groups to onboard more verified food vendors.
Collaborate
Partner with NGOs or local groups to onboard more verified food vendors.
Collaborate
Partner with NGOs or local groups to onboard more verified food vendors.