The Challenge

Problem Statement:
Sarv faced negative reviews from users who struggled with:

• Complicated Recipes: Steps were unclear and unorganized.

• Timing Pressure: Users felt rushed due to poor separation of preparation and cooking instructions.

• Lack of Clarity: Limited visuals and explanations for ingredients and equipment.

Solution

I designed a user-friendly, step-by-step cooking app that eliminates stress by:

1. Separating Preparation and Cooking steps for better time management.

2. Providing visual cues (e.g., images of ingredients and equipment) to reduce guesswork.

3. Creating an intuitive interface that’s easy to navigate for users of all skill levels.

Process: The 5-Day Design Sprint

Day 1: Define the Problem

• Reviewed customer feedback and existing research to identify key pain points.

• Mapped out the user journey, highlighting areas where confusion and frustration occurred.

Day 2: Ideation & Competitive Analysis

• Conducted a lightning demo to explore how competitors approached similar challenges.

• Identified gaps in existing solutions to shape Sarv’s unique value proposition.

• Used the Crazy 8s method to rapidly ideate multiple solutions for the app’s critical screen.

Day 3: Storyboarding

• Created a storyboard for the app’s primary flow, focusing on:

  • Breaking down preparation and cooking steps.

  • Incorporating visual guides for ingredients and equipment.

  • Designing a simple, organized UI to minimize cognitive load.

Day 4: Prototyping

• Developed a low-fidelity prototype to test the key features:

  1. Step-by-step navigation for recipes.

  2. Separation of preparation and cooking sections.

  3. Visual cues for equipment and ingredients.

Day 5: User Testing & Feedback

• Tested the prototype with five users using moderated usability testing.

• Collected feedback and observed user behavior to refine the design.

Key Findings:

• Users appreciated the clean, intuitive interface and separation of steps.

• Positive feedback on the “preparation-first” approach, which eliminated timing stress.

• Suggestions for improvement:

  • Add scrollable tips/help sections.

  • Simplify text for better readability.

  • Enhance navigation clarity to support a seamless user flow.

Outcomes

• Improved User Experience: Users found the new design clear, easy to follow, and less stressful.

• Faster Prototyping: The sprint approach allowed me to quickly move from problem definition to actionable solutions.

• Valuable Insights: Testing revealed critical areas for improvement, such as navigation flow and text readability, which were incorporated into the final design.

What I Learned

1. The Power of Design Sprints: Rapid iteration and focus kept the project aligned with user needs.

2. Early Testing is Key: User feedback significantly shaped the final solution.

3. Clarity is Critical: Organizing information effectively reduces user frustration.

Future Directions

• Add a feature for users to customize recipe steps based on skill level.

• Improve accessibility by incorporating voice-guided instructions.

• Explore AI-driven recommendations for recipe suggestions tailored to user preferences.