Wandoo
UX · Personal project
A tailored app for dining and food information
for dietary restrictions
In South Korea, individuals managing dietary restrictions face challenges in enjoying safe and convenient dining experiences due to cultural and environmental conditions.
The collectivist culture, low societal awareness of dietary restrictions, and unclear food information threaten the creation of a healthy eating environment, which is a vital aspect of life.
To address this issue, I aimed to create a platform where individuals with dietary restrictions can come together. The goal of this platform is to support people in maintaining healthy and enjoyable eating habits while offering psychological support through a community-driven approach.
Time Frame
May 2021 - July 2021
(10 weeks)
Project Role
Sole Designer
Deliverables
User research, Wireframe,
System design,
High-fi interactive prototype
Tools
Figma, Figjam, Photoshop,
Illustrator
01
Outcome Overview
Restaurant list
The home screen provide nearby restaurant information in both list and map formats, and use filters to search for restaurants in more detail.
Product list
Product list help find products that fit your diet using filters, and easily check product information through the barcode.
Building Habits
Habit supports not only creating habits for dietary practices, but also developing habits that help fill any nutritional gaps in your diet, ensuring a healthy eating lifestyle.
Community
Community suggests a space for individuals facing similar challenges to exchange information and offer emotional support, empowering them to maintain a consistent and healthy dietary lifestyle.
02
Research
Background
In South Korea, a society with a well-developed dining culture, people can enjoy a rich and diverse dining experience. However, this is not the case for everyone. People with dietary restrictions due to health reasons, such as allergies, vegetarianism, or diabetes, or religious beliefs, often face limited choices and experience mental and physical anxiety when dining out due to insufficient information about the food. The low societal awareness of dietary restrictions and the collectivist culture further exacerbate these challenges.
Through personal experiences of dining out with friends who have various dietary needs and practicing vegetarianism myself, I became acutely aware of these issues. I learned that friends who follow specific diets often have to either give up dining out or abandon their beliefs when eating outside. This made me realize the urgency of addressing this problem.
Based on these experiences, I envisioned a platform to help individuals with diverse dietary needs dine out safely and comfortably. The platform aims to support users in maintaining their dietary habits by offering a wide range of choices, while also ensuring their health and providing a satisfying dining experience.
Problem Overview
Problem
Proposed Solutions
Being excluded from the social rituals of dining
Challenges related to shared meals can contribute to feelings of social disconnection and psychological well-being
Community Building
combat social isolation and promote informed and safe dining by building a community that encourages connection, information exchange, and mutual support
Information imbalance and limited accessibility
Difficulties in accessing reliable food information lead to significant inconvenience for those seeking safe dining options
Providing quick and accurate information
Allows users to instantly find detailed information about products and restaurants, bypassing complex search procedures
A scarcity of diverse dining choices
Finding suitable dining options outside of restaurants specializing in restricted diets is challenging due to the limited availability of diverse choices
Providing restaurant and product information
To cater to diverse dietary needs, we have developed a restaurant database with a built-in filtering system that allows users to easily find suitable dining options
Research Methods
To gain a well-rounded understanding of the diverse dietary needs of the target audience and the challenges they face, I conducted a thorough analysis that included competitor research, diary studies, in-depth interviews, and surveys. This multifaceted approach allowed me to explore various perspectives and better understand the specific concerns of people with different dietary restrictions.
Survey Analysis
Administered a survey with 45 participants to investigate social perceptions and obstacles related to restrictive diets to identify the difficulties
Interview
Conducted interviews with people having diet restriction to identify the issues they are currently experiencing.
Diary Study
Performed a diary study to understand the everyday patterns of individuals with restrictive diets and gain deeper insights.
Competitive Analysis
Analyzed map apps and apps dedicated to restrictive diets in the market to explore the current solutions available.
Research Highlights
Survey Highlights
In the initial stage of the research, a survey was conducted with 53 participants, focusing on the social understanding and experience of restrictive diets. Through this, I were able to identify a low level of understanding and negative reactions toward restrictive diets, as well as gain insights into the specific challenges associated with them.
Insights
The survey results showed that 62% of participants had a positive perception of restrictive diets, and 85% had personally experienced them. However, the main barriers to following restrictive diets were identified as:
Social pressure
Difficulty in maintaining social life due to external perceptions
Accessibility
Challenges in finding relevant restaurants and products
Sustainability
Difficulty in maintaining the diet alone
Cost
Financial burden associated with restrictive diets
These factors were found to be significant obstacles in practicing restrictive diets.
Interview Highlights
In the initial stage of the research, a survey was conducted with 53 participants, focusing on the social understanding and experience of restrictive diets. Through this, I were able to identify a low level of understanding and negative reactions toward restrictive diets, as well as gain insights into the specific challenges associated with them.
Insights
Social Isolation and Psychological Distress
The social exclusion experienced by those with dietary restrictions can contribute to emotional distress and negatively impact their mental well-being.
Information Asymmetry Lack of reliable information
Individuals often struggle to find trustworthy sources of information regarding their specific dietary needs, creating confusion and uncertainty.
Lack of Professional Guidance
Due to the lack of professional guidance, individuals following specific diets may struggle to manage their dietary needs effectively and safely.
Design Opportunity
Community Provision
Offer restaurant information that caters to specific dietary needs, including details on menu options, ingredient lists, and potential modifications.
Dietary Information Delivery
Develop a function to help individuals create personalized nutrition plans
Provides dietary information
Matches users with restaurants that can accommodate various dietary restrictions and preferences
Diary Study Highlights
To identify specific pain points in restrictive diets, I conducted
a one-week diary study with four participants. Analyzing their daily experiences revealed common behavioral patterns, such as challenges in interpreting ingredient labels or communicating dietary needs. These patterns highlighted moments of frustration and provided actionable insights.
For instance, difficulties in label analysis inspired the idea of a digital tool for automation, while challenges in social dining suggested solutions for simplifying dietary communication. These findings offered clear directions for designing impactful user-centered solutions.
Competitive Analysis Highlights
As the final step in my research, I conducted a competitor analysis based on the design opportunities identified from the customer service inquiries and interview analysis. To address the app's current issues, I explored existing solutions in the market, focusing specifically on how other products collect and display data retrieved when customers use a tangible device. This provided valuable insights into industry best practices and potential strategies for improvement.
Looking at the competitive analysis, most diet restriction services have been vertical in nature, so I realized that a service like Wandu, which integrates diet restrictions in a comprehensive way, is essential. While most apps provide strong, specific filters for each service, Wandu has reflected this by offering more detailed and refined filters.
Additionally, in terms of the search function, some services focus on physical location, while others emphasize product search. Wandu aims to integrate both aspects into one. Finally, although not present in other services, I noticed a user demand for motivation regarding their diet restrictions, so we added a 'habit-building' feature to help users stay on track.
Research Conclusion
After doing research, I found that users desire to have safe and enjoyable dining experiences while adhering to their dietary restrictions and alleviate the stress they cause.
Social Isolation
Dietary restrictions can lead to social isolation and psychological distress.
Information Asymmetry and Lack of Convenience
Difficulty accessing reliable dietary information leads to cumbersome meal planning and safety concerns.
Lack of Expert Guidance
Lack of expert guidance hinders effective dietary management, creating a need for broader dining options.
Lack of Diverse Options
Lack of expert guidance and limited dining options outside specialized restaurants pose challenges for effective dietary management.
03
Development
Developing Solutions
Through extensive research, including user interviews, analysis of customer inquiries, and competitive benchmarking, I have identified key insights that have informed the development of design principles focused on addressing user requirements. These principles will provide a framework for maintaining a cohesive user experience across all design iterations.
Offering personalized dietary recommendations and guidance, empowering users to manage their diets safely and effectively.
Collaborating with nutritionists and other relevant experts to ensure the accuracy and reliability of its information.
Seamless Accessibility
Quickly and easily verify safety information without complex procedures.
Consolidating fragmented dietary restriction services into a single, convenient platform
Offering trustworthy information
By incorporating expert reviews, and user feedback, the platform constantly refines its services and maintains the highest level of accuracy.
Structuring Framework
User Flow
Wireframe
Building upon the established site map, low-fidelity wireframes were developed to focus on enabling users to quickly complete core tasks, such as discovering restaurants and finding food items. Visualizing these key user flows helped me to refine the service design and optimize for higher task completion rates.
04
Final Design
Final Design
Branding
Character
The name "Wandoo"
It is inspired by the pea, a staple ingredient in Korean cuisine. Peas are a versatile food suitable for various dietary restrictions, and their cute shape was chosen to create a friendly and approachable service image.
Character
05
Future Steps
Improving Accessibility Through Color Contrast and Inclusive Design
To enhance the product's overall quality, the next step will focus on improving accessibility. This includes implementing a color palette that adheres to WCAG guidelines, ensuring the product is usable by individuals with visual impairments, and conducting thorough accessibility testing.
