Coup
Affordable and Transparent Delivery App for College Students
Project Overview
College students increasingly rely on food delivery apps to manage their busy schedules and limited budgets. However, these apps often come with high, non-transparent fees and unreliable tracking, leading to stress for students trying to balance their studies, work, and social lives. Recognizing this gap, I set out to create a more affordable and transparent delivery solution tailored specifically to the needs of college students.
Defining The Problem
Problem
It all begins with an idea. Maybe you want to launch a business. Maybe you want to turn a hobby into something more. Or maybe you have a creative project to share with the world. Whatever it is, how you tell your story online can make all the difference.
Solution
Don’t worry about sounding professional. Sound like you. There are over 1.5 billion websites out there, but your story is what’s going to separate this one from the rest. If you read the words back and don’t hear your own voice in your head, that’s a good sign you still have more work to do.
My Role
Sole UI/UX Designer and Researcher
Process
Research
Ideation
Evalution
Reflection
Tools
Figma
Figjam
Zoom
Slack
Research
Direct Storytelling
To better understand these pain points, I interviewed 3 college students who frequently use delivery apps. I used direct storytelling to allow participants to share their experiences freely and narrate their journeys using these apps.
Key Insights:
Budget Issues: All users cited food expenses as their biggest concern, often prioritizing price over quality.
High Delivery Fees: The delivery fees were not transparent, leading to unexpected costs.
Tracking Problems: Users had trouble accurately tracking their food and contacting drivers, which added to their frustrations.
Affinity Mapping
After gathering insights from user interviews, I utilized affinity mapping to organize the feedback into common themes and pain points. This method allowed me to visualize relationships between different user needs and concerns, ultimately clarifying the main issues that needed addressing.
Key Findings from Affinity Mapping:
Budget Constraints: Multiple users emphasized the importance of affordability and transparency in pricing.
Navigation Issues: Many participants highlighted difficulties in navigating existing apps, particularly when trying to find the filter function.
Order Tracking Frustrations: Concerns about how to track orders and communicate with drivers emerged as significant pain points.
This exercise helped refine my understanding of the users’ needs and priorities, providing a solid foundation for the next steps in the design process.
Information Architecture (IA)
After understanding the core problems, I designed an Information Architecture (IA) diagram to structure the app’s functionality in a way that prioritizes ease of navigation for college students. The IA diagram organized features like:
Search and Filters: Easy access to filters for delivery/pickup, discounts, and distance.
Order Tracking: A streamlined flow for tracking orders and communicating with delivery drivers.
Budget-Focused Categories: A section specifically designed for food options under a certain budget to make it easier for students to find affordable meals.
The IA diagram helped define the foundation of the app and ensure that every feature was logically organized to reduce confusion and enhance usability.
Ideation
I began with low fidelity of the core functions focusing on affordability, transparency, and ease of tracking.
Low-Fidelity
High-Fidelity Wireframes
The wireframes transitioned into a High-fidelity prototype, incorporating more detail while keeping the student experience at the forefront. Special attention was given to features like the filter function and order tracking, which were crucial in solving the user problems identified.
Prototyping
After finalizing the mid-fidelity wireframes, I transitioned into creating an interactive prototype. This prototype integrated the detailed designs from the wireframes and allowed users to navigate through the app as they would in a real-world scenario. It included interactive elements like
Filter Options: Users could test out the filtering functions for delivery, pickup, and discounts.
Make an order:
Order Tracking: The prototype simulated the order tracking feature to gauge user reactions and gather feedback.
Evaluation
Usability Test Results
Issue Identified:
The filter function, a critical feature for helping users customize their food search, was difficult for users to find. As a result:
Users were unable to find the filter at all
They couldn’t set mileage preferences or apply discounts.
None of the participants completed the task due to these navigation issues.
Final Solution
Based on the usability test findings and the updated IA, I revised the design to provide a more user-friendly experience:
Prominent Filter Function: The filter now appears at the top of the screen with bold, clear labels for delivery, pickup, mileage, and discount options.
Organized Filters: Delivery, pickup, and other filter options are now grouped into easy-to-navigate sections to minimize confusion.
Enhanced Visual Hierarchy: Key functions like filtering and tracking are visually emphasized using color contrast and size.
These changes address the issues found in the usability test and ensure that the app meets the needs of budget-conscious students. The final solution provides clarity, efficiency, and better control over food ordering and tracking.
Before
After
Next Step
Looking ahead, I plan to implement additional usability tests to further refine the app. Gathering feedback from a broader user base will help ensure that the solution is adaptable to diverse student needs. Additionally, I aim to explore ways to integrate features that promote cost transparency and efficient order tracking.
Reflection
Designing the delivery app for college students was a valuable experience. I learned the importance of understanding user needs through direct storytelling interviews, which revealed significant challenges related to budget constraints and transparency.
Using affinity mapping helped me organize feedback and identify key pain points that shaped my design decisions. Transitioning from mid-fidelity wireframes to a prototype highlighted the impact of usability testing, demonstrating that small design elements can greatly affect user experience. While designing the home screen with the filter, I initially thought it would be intuitive for users to navigate, but I realized that design and usability can be two completely different things.
This project emphasized the value of an iterative design process and collaboration, enriching my understanding and refining the final solution. Overall, it reinforced my commitment to user-centered design, and I look forward to applying these insights in future projects.