Google Restaurants

Isabella Melo
25 de ago. de 2024
4 min de leitura

Atualizado: 22 de out. de 2024

Year: 2024

Project: UX/UI Design

This project began as part of the UX/UI specialization course at Edit Lisbon.

As part of our brief, we were tasked with designing a new feature for an app that could make a meaningful impact on the restaurant industry.

The goal was to create something that not only addressed current gaps in the market but also improved the overall user experience in a significant way.

Discovery

Desk Research

Initial desk research played a key role in helping us understand both the market and the target users, as well as helping us form some early ideas.

We found that the market for dietary restriction solutions is growing, but there's still a lot of work to be done to really meet the needs of people with such restrictions.

One big issue we discovered is that people with dietary restrictions often struggle to find reliable information about restaurants and menus that cater to them. This insight guided us throughout the project.

Our next steps focused on validating or refuting this observation, while also exploring the social routines of individuals with dietary restrictions.

Survey (13 questions, 63 responses)

Objective: we mainly wanted to know if there are a great number of people that have dietary restrictions and how those people navigate social life. Here are the main takeouts:

40% say they have some dietary restrictions;
84.1% go to restaurants at least once a week;

We wanted to understand people's habits regarding socializing with friends and family and how they approach choosing a restaurant to go to (especially if they have a dietary restriction or know someone who does).

54% prefer eating at restaurants rather than at a friend's house
but 44% say they have difficulty finding reliable places for friends, family, or themselves that take their dietary restrictions into account

Regarding dining out at restaurants, the main difficulties were:

Restaurant staff not being knowledgeable about dietary restrictions;
Not trusting the information provided by the restaurant;
Ending up always eating at the same place.

After that, we wanted to know where people usually go for restaurant indications and 39% say they go to Google Maps to discover new restaurants.

Persona

Considering this information, we designed two personas that reflect our target users and will lead us through the project.

Alice, 22, Portuguese

Person without any dietary restriction.

What does she want: to easily find good and reliable places to eat with friends and family who have some dietary restriction.

Pedro, 32, Portuguease

Person with dietary restriction

What does he want: to eat out with variety and safety. He is tired of always eating the same thing and going to the same place when he goes out with family and friends.

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Interview (3 people)

Objective: To understand which features users prioritize in a food recommendation app and to gather additional insights on the topic.

Target Audience: Individuals with dietary restrictions or those who are close to someone with such needs.

Insights: These users mainly seek enhanced filtering options, custom icons for specific restrictions, and tools that help build a community.

Conclusion

The key takeaways from the discovery phase are:

Many individuals with dietary restrictions find that restaurants do not adequately address their needs.
These individuals face challenges in socializing due to uncertainty about where they can eat safely.
There is a strong desire for inclusivity and a significant need for assurance when dining out.

Strategy

Competitive Analysis

We analyzed brands like The Fork, Find Me Gluten Free, and DigIn. We observed that these brands feature advanced filtering systems, community-building elements, and information on food safety for individuals with dietary restrictions.

The Fork provides personalized recommendations, detailed menus with ingredient and price information, and reviews from the community.

On Find Me Gluten Free, safety is a top priority and a central criterion for evaluation.

Google Maps Analysis

Based on our research, we also explored potential improvements for Google Maps, which is the most popular tool for restaurant searches.

Currently, to find a gluten-free restaurant for example, users must enter the term manually in the search bar. Although there are some filters, there is no specific option for dietary restrictions. Additionally, while Google Maps provides helpful details about each restaurant, it does not include information relevant to dietary needs.

New product - Google Restaurants

To address this, we decided to develop a solution that offers information on restaurants and menu options suitable for everyone, including those with dietary restrictions.

This new app would enhance Google Maps by providing an optimized search experience for dietary needs and would be integrated alongside other Google apps.

User Flow and features

The user flow was designed to clarify our priorities and deeply understand the user experience within our app.

For the MVP, we concentrated on the essential features marked in yellow, which we determined as the main priorities for our solution:

An extensive and detailed restaurant filter.
Icons that clearly communicate the safety level of restaurants for various dietary restrictions.
Thorough menus with well-defined ingredients and allergens.
A review system that builds a sense of community.
A dual verification process where both reviews and restaurant management can confirm the safety of food for dietary restrictions.

Design

For the wireframes, we were inspired by apps like Google Travel and Google Arts & Culture to ensure our product aligns smoothly with the Google ecosystem. The primary challenge was to create a design that is both straightforward and well-organized while incorporating all the essential new information for users.

UI Kit

Prototype

Discovery

Usability Test (6 people)

To ensure the success of our solution, we performed a usability test comparing Google Maps with our new Google Restaurants app.

Final Thoughts

This project was a valuable opportunity for me to practice creating UI Kits and deepen my understanding of UI best practices. It was also my first experience conducting a usability test, which was crucial for learning the process and refining my approach.

We faced some challenges during the project, particularly around how to present the information effectively and deciding which details would be most valuable to users. Our goal was to create a high-quality product that remained simple and precise. In the end, we gained a lot of insight into the best practices to follow and those to avoid.

Thank you :)

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