Role
Researcher, Designer
Timeline
Mar - May 2024
Team
Personal 100%
Advisor
Rachel Silverberg
Skills
User Research
Stroy-telling
UI Design
Tools
Figma
Illustrator
Photoshop
Dine out without a doubt with allerally
Having best friends with vastly different allergies made me wonder, why is it so hard to find allergen information and why does it make eating out with friends so difficult?
Finding a restaurant that safely caters to both a shellfish and severe peanut allergy can feel like a culinary nightmare. Every meal out is stressful: "Has the chef used the same spoon? Is there hidden peanut oil?" This constant vigilance can turn dining from a delightful social occasion into a high-stress operation.
Core Experience Overview
Designed to make eating out with food allergies stress-free and enjoyable.
1. Allergen Badge
The allergen badge design enables users to quickly identify allergy information at a glance, providing clear insights into individuals' allergen restrictions and the restaurant's allergen accommodations.
2. Invite and meeting planning
This feature simplifies scheduling by streamlining invitations and responses, easing group coordination. It also enhances dining safety by allowing users to simultaneously review restaurant and individual allergen information.
3. Allergen community
The app is designed to build a supportive community for individuals with allergies. It features a friends list with visible allergen profiles and a section for sharing trusted restaurant recommendations. This setup enhances dining safety and fosters connections among users, making it easier to enjoy social outings without worry.
4. Window Sticker
Icons for allergens on restaurant windows help double-check safety and allow restaurants to display their allergen information, enhancing transparency and safety.
Design Process
This project is a personal initiative in which I meticulously followed a structured process to ensure its success under the guidance of Professor Rachel.
Problem Framing
We couldn't find a restaurant that accommodated our allergy requirements, so we settled for grabbing a coffee instead.
Faced with this problem, I decided to conduct research to develop a product, whether digital or non-digital, to address this issue that people with allergies face. Before starting my primary research, I reviewed academic literature and read relevant articles. From these articles, I found some interesting facts relevant to allergies:
Source: Food Allergy Research & Education (FARE)
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About 33 million Americans have food allergies, with 1 in 10 adults and 1 in 13 children affected.
Shellfish and peanut allergies affect 8.2 million and 6.1 million people, respectively.
Research
What is it like to live with allergies and what difficulties do people with allergies face in a daily basis?
To tackle this problem, I conducted eight in-depth interviews after distributing questionnaires and receiving 83 replies using Google Forms. I also fully engaged in the experience by avoiding the two most prevalent allergies for two weeks: milk and eggs.
Key Findings: Social discomfort & Dining delays
A. 85% of the survey respondents and intervewees expressed Social Discomfort and Perception
B. Individuals spent 15 minutes explaining their allergies and an additional 40 minutes searching for a restaurant.
Essentially, these individuals' pain points and needs were:
Considering the challenges faced by individuals with food allergies in social settings,
How might we create inclusive social environments that minimize discomfort and empower individuals with food allergies to confidently participate in dining and social gatherings?
Ideation
Brainstorming design ideas: digital & non digital
To address the pain points and needs that users experience, I have brainstormed various ideas, including physical solutions, digital innovations, and modifications to existing products.
Final design concept:
After careful consideration, I have decided to create a mobile app for identifying allergy-friendly restaurants and cafes, as well as implementing allergy stickers on restaurant windows.
Design
A. Information Architecture
I outlined various features to include in the app and designed an information architecture to organize each function and its flow.
B. Low fidelity wireframes and testing
After conducting user testing with 11 participants, I received valuable feedback on the flow and design of the low-fidelity sketches and wireframes. Below is the modified versions of the low fidelity screens.
C. Design
Since Allerally focuses on seamlessly connecting individuals with different allergies for shared dining experiences, I experimented with numerous colors and logo designs to capture its essence. Ultimately, I chose to highlight the double 'L' letters in 'Allerally' and crafted a gradient that melds all the chosen colors, symbolizing unity and diversity.
Final Design
Onboarding Process 🤳
The onboarding process was designed to help users identify their allergies and connect with friends, creating a more personalized and community-oriented experience.
Allergen-based meeting planning / invite sending 📨
Easily invite your friends to schedule a meeting, select a restaurant, date, and provide allergen information.
Ally page with Friends' Favorites 👬👭
Easily manage and access your friends' allergen information and favorite spots for seamless planning and personalized invites.
Easily manage your schedule on your Profile page 😌
Easily manage and access your friends' allergen information and favorite spots for seamless planning and personalized invites.
Explore restaurants with clearly visible allergen information 🌮
Discover restaurants with ease, where allergen information is prominently displayed, helping you make informed dining choices quickly and confidently.
Reflection
Concept Testing
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Due to time constraints and the project outline, I was limited to creating a mobile app. However, during brainstorming, I came up with several fun ideas that I believe could have addressed the problem more effectively.
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I am uncertain whether combining social media features with a food restaurant info and booking service might be too much for a single app, so I think more concept testing would have been beneficial.
Discovering My Passion for UI Design and Health Solutions
This project was my first experience taking a concept from user research all the way to a finished product. I loved the process and learned so much about understanding user needs, solving problems, crafting digital interactive prototypes, and building a brand. It was exhausting but incredibly fun, and it made me realize how much I enjoy creating UI elements and working on health-related challenges.