THE CHALLENGE
The goal was to help the OpenTable App build trust among existing users by increasing reviews in the app. The focus was on enhancing the app to allow users to connect with friends and see their latest restaurant reviews, a feature that was missing. The main objective was to encourage more successful bookings and give users the confidence to reserve a table based on their friends' recommendations.
MY ROLE
1. Usability Audit
2. Competitor Benchmarking
3. Mapping the existing and improved user flow.
4. Information Architecture
5. Wireframing
6. Hi-fidelity prototype with Autolayout
7. Interactive components.
8. Writing a usability testing script.
9. Conducting a usability test using Maze
THE PROBLEM
The OpenTable app didn’t have an option for existing users to connect with friends and check their latest reviews on restaurants. For this case study, I aimed to make it possible for users to see the restaurant reviews of their friends.
THE SOLUTION
The solution involves designing a brand new screen dedicated to friends' reviews. I've made it user-friendly, using more white space and clear calls to action, allowing users to filter reviews from their existing friends or even invite new friends to join the app.
This feature isn't just about adding friends, it's about weaving their trusted opinions into your decision-making process.
USABILITY REVIEW
While evaluating the app's usability, I noticed some problems like white icons being hard to see on pictures, too much red on important buttons, and it wasn't always clear what you could click on. This helped me think of better ways to make the app easier to use. I picked a newer font, used less red to make it clearer where to click, and made sure clickable parts stood out more.
BUSINESS & USER FRUSTRATIONS
Users found the layout difficult to follow, especially on the restaurant screen, where the abundance of options made it hard to know where to look, resulting in a frustrating navigation experience. Another key issue was the confusion on how to move to the next screen. For instance, when on the Reviews screen, users needed to click again to see All Reviews, leading to an unnecessary number of clicks and, therefore, wasting time.
COMPETITOR BENCHMARKING
I conducted a competitor benchmarking of an indirect and direct competitor (Yelp and Google) to ensure that the experience would match the industry standard.
IDEATION
Mind mapping proved to be a valuable tool for brainstorming, through which I realized the potential to introduce a new feature that allows users to connect with friends. This concept eventually evolved into "Friend Card."
On another note, I also saw an opportunity to enhance the user experience by enabling users to easily filter reviews to display only those written by friends.
USER FLOWS
I streamlined the Review user flow by removing one step, so users can go straight to All Reviews. This made room for a more valuable addition—checking Friends' reviews. This shows how cutting back can lead to better features, making the app not just simpler but also more meaningful to use.
Existing user flow
Improved user flow
USABILITY TEST
Once the prototype was ready, it was time to create a simple script for a moderated test. The testers received the script through Maze, a handy tool for testing. To give them context, I wrote a clear introduction.
Let's talk about the tasks they had to do:
1. Burger Quest
Imagine you're on the hunt for a new burger place to eat. Your goal is to find a restaurant that has pictures of their delicious food and book a table.
2. Whispers from Friends
Now, think about finding out what your friends have said about a restaurant. How would you go about doing that?
3. The Friend-Recruit Challenge
You want to get more of your friends to review restaurants on OpenTable. How would you convince them to join?
After each task, I asked a simple question: "Did you have any frustrations completing this task?".
One of the testers, for example, shared his experience by saying, "I thought inviting friends would be in general settings and not in the restaurant view. I tried searching in the first screen and in the profile picture."
That answer was one of the valuable pieces of feedback I received from testers. The overall response was quite positive! If I had more time, I'd definitely continue to integrate their feedback into the prototype because their input plays a significant role creating a better user experience.
THE CHALLENGE
The goal was to help the OpenTable App build trust among existing users by increasing reviews in the app. The focus was on enhancing the app to allow users to connect with friends and see their latest restaurant reviews, a feature that was missing. The main objective was to encourage more successful bookings and give users the confidence to reserve a table based on their friends' recommendations.
MY ROLE
1. Usability Audit
2. Competitor Benchmarking
3. Mapping the existing and improved user flow.
4. Information Architecture
5. Wireframing
6. Hi-fidelity prototype with Autolayout
7. Interactive components.
8. Writing a usability testing script.
9. Conducting a usability test using Maze
THE PROBLEM
The OpenTable app didn’t have an option for existing users to connect with friends and check their latest reviews on restaurants. For this case study, I aimed to make it possible for users to see the restaurant reviews of their friends.
THE SOLUTION
The solution involves designing a brand new screen dedicated to friends' reviews. I've made it user-friendly, using more white space and clear calls to action, allowing users to filter reviews from their existing friends or even invite new friends to join the app.
This feature isn't just about adding friends, it's about weaving their trusted opinions into your decision-making process.
USABILITY REVIEW
While evaluating the app's usability, I noticed some problems like white icons being hard to see on pictures, too much red on important buttons, and it wasn't always clear what you could click on. This helped me think of better ways to make the app easier to use. I picked a newer font, used less red to make it clearer where to click, and made sure clickable parts stood out more.
BUSINESS & USER FRUSTRATIONS
Users found the layout difficult to follow, especially on the restaurant screen, where the abundance of options made it hard to know where to look, resulting in a frustrating navigation experience. Another key issue was the confusion on how to move to the next screen. For instance, when on the Reviews screen, users needed to click again to see All Reviews, leading to an unnecessary number of clicks and, therefore, wasting time.
COMPETITOR BENCHMARKING
I conducted a competitor benchmarking of an indirect and direct competitor (Yelp and Google) to ensure that the experience would match the industry standard.
IDEATION
Mind mapping proved to be a valuable tool for brainstorming, through which I realized the potential to introduce a new feature that allows users to connect with friends. This concept eventually evolved into "Friend Card."
On another note, I also saw an opportunity to enhance the user experience by enabling users to easily filter reviews to display only those written by friends.
USER FLOWS
I streamlined the Review user flow by removing one step, so users can go straight to All Reviews. This made room for a more valuable addition—checking Friends' reviews. This shows how cutting back can lead to better features, making the app not just simpler but also more meaningful to use.
Existing user flow
Improved user flow
USABILITY TEST
Once the prototype was ready, it was time to create a simple script for a moderated test. The testers received the script through Maze, a handy tool for testing. To give them context, I wrote a clear introduction.
Let's talk about the tasks they had to do:
1. Burger Quest
Imagine you're on the hunt for a new burger place to eat. Your goal is to find a restaurant that has pictures of their delicious food and book a table.
2. Whispers from Friends
Now, think about finding out what your friends have said about a restaurant. How would you go about doing that?
3. The Friend-Recruit Challenge
You want to get more of your friends to review restaurants on OpenTable. How would you convince them to join?
After each task, I asked a simple question: "Did you have any frustrations completing this task?".
One of the testers, for example, shared his experience by saying, "I thought inviting friends would be in general settings and not in the restaurant view. I tried searching in the first screen and in the profile picture."
That answer was one of the valuable pieces of feedback I received from testers. The overall response was quite positive! If I had more time, I'd definitely continue to integrate their feedback into the prototype because their input plays a significant role creating a better user experience.
I work as a digital product designer, specializing in developing communication systems, primarily in web design and branding across commercial, cultural, and artistic fields.
Currently living in Berlin.
Portfolio and CV are available on request.
talineiman@gmail.com
(+49) 163 197 6119
I work as a digital product designer, specializing in developing communication systems, primarily in web design and branding across commercial, cultural, and artistic fields.
Currently living in Berlin.
Portfolio and CV are available on request.
talineiman@gmail.com
(+49) 163 197 6119