Samira Soltani
A Foodie-Restaurant App
with Augmented Reality Feature
Project Overview
Role:
UX researcher and Designer
Year:
Jan 2022- Apr 2022
Tools:
Figma, Canva, Google Workspace​​​​
Team Size:
4 people
Objective:
Designing an application as a one-stop solution for curious foodies who want to know about everything from ingredients, taste, and quality, to real-life dining experience.
Introduction:
This innovative app is designed to satisfy the curiosity of passionate food lovers. From concept to creation, Foodies was developed with extensive market and user research, pinpointing the needs of those who crave not only flavour but a deeper understanding of their culinary experiences. This app uses Augmented Reality to create a more realistic experience for our users who are able to see food items in their more authentic form.
Background:
OWL Foodies is a collaborative project developed for an entrepreneurship course in the Master of Digital Media program. Throughout this initiative, we hands-on experience from concept to a market-ready product. This included conducting market and user research, creating a persona, pitching, prototyping in Figma, testing, and showcasing the final project in a video presentation to a panel of startup advisors.
Key Contributions:
Concept Development:
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Defined core features, focusing on AR integration to enhance user interaction with food visuals.
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Crafted a unique selling point for OWL Foodies to appeal to food enthusiasts.
User Research:
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Conducted surveys and interviews to understand user interest in AR for dining experiences.
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Collaborated in creating a detailed persona to represent target user preferences and goals.
Design:
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Developed user journey maps to optimize the flow of AR interactions within the app.
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Designed interactive wireframes and high-fidelity prototypes in Figma for user-friendly interfaces.
Prototyping & Testing:
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Built a prototype for user testing and gathered feedback on usability and realism.
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Implemented frontend design with Figma, ensuring elements aligned with core user needs.
Presentation & Documentation:
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Collaborated in creating a final video presentation showcasing project goals, features, and user benefits.
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Participated in Q&A after presentation with startup advisors, focusing on AR's role in enriching food exploration.
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This video is included in the final presentation to startup advisors, detailing the app's features, with a voiceover by me.
Development Process
Workflow:
Concept Ideation:
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Brainstormed app vision, identifying AR as a core feature for enhanced food exploration.
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Defined the target audience and unique value proposition.
Market & User Research:
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Conducted competitor analysis and surveyed potential users for insights.
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Developed personas and empathy maps to represent key user motivations.
Design & Prototyping:
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Created user journey maps and wireframes to structure app flow.
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Designed high-fidelity prototypes in Figma, integrating AR visuals for realistic previews.
Development:
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Built initial frontend structure with HTML, CSS, and JavaScript for basic functionality.
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Incorporated AR features to create interactive food item previews.
Testing & Feedback:
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Conducted user testing sessions to evaluate usability and AR experience.
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Iterated designs and prototypes based on feedback for refinement.
Final Presentation:
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Prepared a video demonstration highlighting app features and user benefits.
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Presented the project to startup advisors, focusing on market potential and user experience.
Challenges & Solutions:
Challenge: Communicating the Unique Value of AR in Dining Experiences
Solution: Highlighted user research insights showing demand for visual authenticity in dining, using storytelling and visual aids to convey the AR concept’s appeal.
Challenge: Balancing Concept Scope with Feasibility for Presentation.
Solution: Focused on a clear, realistic prototype, refining the visual flow to showcase how the AR concept would function, without needing a full 3D model integration.
Future Work:
OWL Foodies aims to integrate fully interactive 3D models to bring food previews to life, allowing users to experience dishes in an even more realistic form. We plan to explore advanced AR technologies that support seamless user interaction, enhancing immersion without compromising app performance. Additional features, such as personalized food recommendations and collaborative user reviews, would add further value, creating a comprehensive and engaging platform for food enthusiasts. Continuous user feedback and testing will guide these developments, ensuring that the app evolves in line with user needs and technological advancements.