Picnic
UX Research & Mobile App Design
Task
Come up with an original mobile app concept for a specific target audience and design a prototype for a Building a Tech Startup Class
*note: this is a fictional product
Come up with an original mobile app concept for a specific target audience and design a prototype for a Building a Tech Startup Class
*note: this is a fictional product
Deliverables
Figma prototype of the app’s core features
App promotional video
Figma prototype of the app’s core features
App promotional video
My Role & Timeline
UX/UI designer, UX researcher, Brand Designer, Video Editor
12 weeks
UX/UI designer, UX researcher, Brand Designer, Video Editor
12 weeks
Project Background
Picnic was a transformative 12-week project undertaken for the BAEP 465 Digital Playbook for Entrepreneurs: Creating a Tech Startup class. The task was to pitch an original concept for a high-tech startup. I worked in a team of 5 as the designer to use the design thinking process to come up with the features of our prototype based on users' needs.
Project Background
Picnic was a transformative 12-week project undertaken for the BAEP 465 Digital Playbook for Entrepreneurs: Creating a Tech Startup class. The task was to pitch an original concept for a high-tech startup. I worked in a team of 5 as the designer to use the design thinking process to come up with the features of our prototype based on users' needs.
Introduction to Picnic
The team came up with the hypothesis that Millenials and Gen Z find it a hassle to find the best places to eat with others. Our solution was Picnic, an app that integrates restaurant discovery and social media.
Introduction to Picnic
Conducting User Interviews to Validate Problem Statement
I helped my team conduct user interviews with 13 members of our product’s target market, Millennials and Gen Z who like to go out to eat with others, to understand industry-specific consumer behavior, gauge which features are the most important for our users, and what features are currently missing in the market.
I helped my team conduct user interviews with 13 members of our product’s target market, Millennials and Gen Z who like to go out to eat with others, to understand industry-specific consumer behavior, gauge which features are the most important for our users, and what features are currently missing in the market.
User Personas: The Food Hunter and the Follower
From Interviews to User Stories to Find Hidden Wants and Needs
Based on our target audience and user personas, I came up with a list of 25 user stories from the perspectives of the "food hunters," "followers," food influencers, and Gen Z/Millenials in general.
The Problem: Users face fragmented platforms lacking social-centric approaches for engaging restaurant reviews.
The Problem: Users face fragmented platforms lacking social-centric approaches for engaging restaurant reviews.
Saving a post does not necessarily mean the user will take action to make plans to visit the restaurant. That post may get lost in their messages, requiring repeated exposure to posts about that restaurant before users commit to visiting it. Restaurants would need not one, but several posts about them to go viral before seeing a noticeable increase in customers.
Saving a post does not necessarily mean the user will take action to make plans to visit the restaurant. That post may get lost in their messages, requiring repeated exposure to posts about that restaurant before users commit to visiting it. Restaurants would need not one, but several posts about them to go viral before seeing a noticeable increase in customers.
The Second Hidden Problem: Consumption on Existing Social Media Apps Does Not Prompt Action
How might we streamline the food discovery, dining, and posting processes to prompt action?
How might we streamline the food discovery, dining, and posting processes to prompt action?
The Solution: Adding a Social Element to the Restaurant Research Experience
Creating Wireframes to Emulate Other Familiar Apps
I referenced the user flows from real apps such as Yelp, Instagram, and TikTok when creating the user flows. Using similar features and flows from other apps would not only make Picnic intuitive for first-time users, but it would also ease development using established APIs.
Branding and Design System
Picnic has a red/pink and gold gradient for our logo and branding. These colors are not only attention-grabbing, but they evoke a sense of hunger, perfect for our food social media app. I created two variants of the logo in Adobe Illustrator. To convey a fun and trendy brand image for the younger audience, I integrated a spoon and fork in the logo. Because other social media apps compete for users' attention, I wanted to use bright colors and playful typography to help Picnic stand out with its branding.
Picnic's colors are not only attention-grabbing, but they evoke a sense of hunger, perfect for our food social media app. To convey a fun and trendy brand image for the younger audience, I integrated a spoon and fork in the logo, designed in Adobe Illustrator. Because other social media apps compete for users' attention, I wanted Picnic's branding to stand out from competitors.
Streamlining the Discovery and Messaging Process to Promote Action, Not Just Consumption
In Picnic's app, I streamlined the process of discovery to action. Viewers of the post can see their friends who have been to that restaurant and who have saved it. From there, they can easily invite them out.
In Picnic's app, I streamlined the process of discovery to action. Viewers of the post can see their friends who have been to that restaurant and who have saved it. From there, they can easily invite them out.
Messages Feature to Seamlessly Exchange Suggestions, Share Playlists and Albums, and Make Decisions
We found that many users exchange text messages to engage in the discussion and decision processes. They often go back and forth between several apps such as Google Maps, Yelp, or Instagram, making the process inefficient.
I combined all of those interactions in the Messages feature to streamline the discussion and decision processes within the app.
We found that many users exchange text messages to engage in the discussion and decision processes. They often go back and forth between several apps such as Google Maps, Yelp, or Instagram, making the process inefficient.
I combined all of those interactions in the Messages feature to streamline the discussion and decision processes within the app.
Search Function with Friends-Based Recommendations and Distinct Categories
I integrated a Search feature similar to Yelp that lets the user browse different categories for restaurants and see their locations on the map.
The Friends Map differentiates Picnic from other apps by letting users see the places their friends have gone based on their posts. This can help in the overall research and discussion process since peer recommendation holds the largest influence according to our interviews.
I integrated a Search feature similar to Yelp that lets the user browse different categories for restaurants and see their locations on the map.
The Friends Map lets users see the places their friends have gone based on their posts. This can help in the overall research and discussion process since peer recommendation holds the largest influence according to our interviews.
User Testing to Iterate Upon Features
I drafted several user testing questions on Google Forms for both moderated and unmoderated testing. Questions involved asking them to perform certain tasks and explain their thoughts on the prototype. There were two goals of this user testing:
1. Find out how intuitive and user-friendly the prototype was
2. Find out people's impressions of the app
I then added new features to the app to improve upon the issues that the test subjects found.
Impact and Potential KPIs to Measure Success
When my foodie friends saw this prototype, they were excited by the app and expressed their desire to use it if it became a real app.
If this became a real app, I would track the following metrics to measure the success of the project:
- average time spent on the app per week: indicates that this app satisfies users' needs/wants
- number of posts per day: since this app uses user-generated content, a high volume of posts is needed to let the platform thrive
- average app store ratings: gauges user satisfaction with the app
Since the app's goal is to take plans out of the group chat, I would also interview restaurant owners of viral posts and ask them if they have seen any changes in the number of customers.
When my foodie friends saw this prototype, they were excited by the app and expressed their desire to use it if it became a real app.
If this became a real app, I would track the following metrics to measure the success of the project:
- average time spent on the app per week: indicates that this app satisfies users' needs/wants
- number of posts per day: since this app uses user-generated content, a high volume of posts is needed to let the platform thrive
- average app store ratings: gauges user satisfaction with the app
Since the app's goal is to take plans out of the group chat, I would also interview restaurant owners of viral posts and ask them if they have seen any changes in the number of customers.
