Designing Share-A-Meal
Connecting local chefs with communities through affordable, home-cooked meals.
1. Project Overview
As the Product Designer for Share-A-Meal, a startup connecting home chefs with local consumers, I worked closely with the founders and development team to deliver a seamless platform for buyers and sellers. I led UX, UI, and user research, ensuring an intuitive experience.
In the fast-paced startup environment, I took on multiple responsibilities—balancing research, wireframing, visual design, and prototyping—while coordinating with developers to ensure smooth execution. I focused on delivering a user-centered design that aligned with both user needs and business goals.
2. Problem Statement
How might we create a seamless and trustworthy platform that empowers home chefs to easily share their meals while providing consumers with convenient access to affordable, home-cooked food, fostering a sense of community and reducing food waste?
3. User Research
I began the project by conducting interviews with potential users—both home chefs and meal buyers. I used these insights to create user personas and journey maps that guided the app’s design. A key takeaway was the importance of trust and convenience for both buyers and sellers, which influenced the app's core features.
User Personas
Buyer Profile
Seller Profile
4. Wireframing and Rapid Prototyping
Based on the research findings, I created wireframes to map out user flows, including meal browsing, meal posting, and account switching for users acting as both buyers and sellers. After several iterations, I moved into high-fidelity prototypes to visualize the final UI and interactions.
Iterations
Prototyping
5. Design Challenges
The startup environment required me to wear multiple hats, managing everything from user research to prototyping and quality assurance. One of the challenges was balancing the needs of two distinct user groups—home chefs and buyers—while ensuring the app was intuitive for both. I also had to quickly adapt the design based on developer feedback, iterating quickly to meet deadlines.
Other Challenges & Solutions:
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Challenge 1: Balancing User Needs (Chefs vs. Buyers)
Solution: To address the different needs of home chefs and buyers, I designed an interface that provided clear user flows for each. Buyers had access to intuitive filtering options (delivery, pickup, meal availability), while chefs had an easy-to-use dashboard for managing orders and posting meals.
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Challenge 2: Ensuring User Trust and Safety
Solution: Given that food sharing involves trust, I incorporated rating systems and meal reviews to provide transparency. Each meal listing included ratings, delivery times, and user feedback, making it easier for buyers to make informed decisions.
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Challenge 3: Simplifying the Order Process
Solution: By designing a clear call-to-action and intuitive order flow, I minimized the steps required to purchase a meal. Features like real-time delivery estimates and order tracking added transparency, making the buying process smooth and hassle-free.
6. Key Features
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Meal Listing Page:
A clean and scannable page where users can quickly find and select meals based on delivery time, ratings, and price.
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Seller Dashboard:
Chefs can easily post meals, manage orders, and respond to customer feedback, all from a simple dashboard interface.
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Real-Time Delivery Tracking:
Buyers can see real-time delivery estimates, ensuring transparency and reducing uncertainty about their order status.
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Seamless Switching Between Buyer and Seller Accounts:
Users can toggle between their buyer and seller accounts with ease, making the platform flexible and multifunctional.
7. User Interface (UI) Design
I designed a visually clean and approachable interface. The interface balances clarity and warmth, using a color palette that feels inviting, while maintaining visual hierarchy to make important information (e.g., delivery time, ratings, and cost) easily scannable. Key actions, like "Request a Meal" or "Post a Meal," are clearly visible to enhance user engagement. I paid close attention to ensuring that users can quickly switch between buying and selling modes.
Micro Interactions
8. Prototype
9. Reflection
Share-A-Meal was a rewarding project where I applied my skills in user research, UX/UI design, and cross-functional collaboration to deliver a meaningful product. Working within a startup environment allowed me to grow as a product designer by taking on multiple roles and balancing both creative and strategic responsibilities. This experience sharpened my ability to deliver user-centered designs while ensuring business goals were met, making me a more adaptable and effective designer.