MEATER
The MEATER app, together with the MEATER thermometer will change the way you cook your meals.
ROLE & RESPONSIBILITY
UX/UI Designer
User Research, Interaction, Visual Design
Apr 2023 – Present
OVERVIEW
MEATER is the world’s first Wireless Smart Meat Thermometer that can help you cook meats perfectly every time. The MEATER app, together with the MEATER meat thermometer will change the way you cook your meals, and make it a new and exciting experience. Using patented software algorithms, the MEATER app will give you cook time estimates, and guide you towards the juiciest steak, chicken, turkey, fish or other cut of meat that you’ve ever cooked.
MAIN OBJECTIVE
These features were important for us to improve in order to make it simple and clear for our app end users.
We determined that our app dashboard should distinguish between normal or custom cook and master class cook. A large portion of our users are found to be getting confused between normal and master class cook.
We found out that our app should display the charging details as an overlay to give more information about the status and remaining time.
Updated the spot light UI to make it more engaging and useful for the end users.
Updated the information centre design making it more user friendly and understandable for end users.
COMPETITIVE ANALYSIS
So far, there were no comparable functionalities, so my research was based on the complaints raised by our customers through our support wizard, internal feedback & my knowledge about the system.
Also, general advantages and disadvantages of these functionalities and the question of how a new layout could be integrated into the existing design was an important part of the research.
REDESIGN PROCESS
Double Diamond Approach:
Followed Double Diamond design approach to tackle challenges in four phases: Discover /Research, Define, Develop & Deliver.
Discovery Phase – Divergent Thinking:
During this phase, I aimed to gain a deep understanding of the problem by exploring user and business needs. I conducted internal meetings with stakeholders, higher management and other relevant teams to uncover the valuable insights.
Internal Feedback:
I arranged face to face meetings with higher management, engineering teams and support team to get their point of view and i reviewed the complaints locked by our end users. I also ran collective meetings among different teams to brain storm the idea and understand the dynamics fully. It helped me refine the existing functionality.
Findings from the internal and customers feedbacks.
Internal Findings
- When a customer starts masterclass cooking and a normal / custom cooking simultaneously then there is no distinction between normal cook and master class cook.
- We want to make the masterclass a more premium looking service. So our customer can engage more with the master class and later we can add a subscription service to it.
- Add more items into the dashboard UI that are relatable with master class.
- Adopt the existing design style. It will also make it easier for developers to develop within the timeline.
- The existing UI does not match with the functionality. It has more of a news tab look and feel. We want to focus more on the spotlight.
- Our app should display the charging info as an overlay to give more information about the status and remaining cook time.
Customers Feedback
- Customers cannot distinguish between a normal cook and a master class cook at first glance.
- Customers are much more interested in knowing the remaining cook time.
Define Phase – Convergent Thinking:
At the define phase I summarized the findings and prioritized the most critical areas that needed to be addressed. I conducted brainstorming sessions to organize and categorize ideas. By grouping related concepts, it makes it easy to identify patterns, insights, and potential solutions.
Develop Phase – Divergent Thinking:
With a clear focus on the problem statement I entered into the development phase. The goal was to take what I know and come up with multiple ways to potentially solve the problem and test it to validate findings.
Iteration:
Based on all of our findings, i narrowed my focus into the following areas for potential improvement of our UI.
- Improve the look and feel of the UI.
- Add relevant items into the UI tile to make it more connecting.
- Add a charging UI having the information.
- Improve the spot light UI.
Sketches:
With sketches the general structure of the UI could easily be tested. It is quick and easy to take everybody’s feedback without much effort, adjustments could be made before going into the much more costly digital implementation.
Deliver Phase – Convergent Thinking:
In the final phase I developed a Hi-Fi prototype that presents all the details and functionalities that will meet what the user needs. This phase also involved refining and validating the design solutions through testing and user’s feedback.
Clickable prototypes:
After some paper prototyping adjustments and wireframes, I created high-fidelity prototypes, which I supplemented with clickability using Figma. Again, user tests have been conducted to validate the structure of the user interface and functionality. In addition, I asked feedback questions, which led to further improvements.
Master Class Dashboard:
Cooking with master class is now more user friendly. End user can distinguish between normal cook and master class cook. The UI for master class has relevant assets making it clear.
MEATER Spotlight:
MEATER spotlight UI is more engaging and user friendly for the end users and gives more spotlight look and feel than a simple news tab.
Fast Charging Overlay:
MEATER app now displays the charging details as an overlay to give more information about the status and remaining time.
Information Centre:
All the technical details have now been displayed in the information centre. The UI is more user friendly and understandable by the end user.
Usability Testing:
After creating high-fidelity prototypes, I conducted a usability test in this phase to validate the design decisions and observe the end user’s behaviour. I tried to relate it with how the end user’s will act and feel with the actual application or functionality when it will roll out in a live environment. I created the task list and also the feedback questions and carried out the usability test with the help of clickable prototypes on a smartphone.
During Test - Think Aloud Protocol
I conducted the usability testing and followed think aloud protocol. I followed the traditional approach where participants can speak while during the task performance.I as an observer used the active intervention method in which we intervene if the participants get stuck.
Pre-defined tasks
– Login your app and start the master class cook.
– In master class before adding the device, check the battery status.
– On the app dashboard UI edit the master class cook.
– Find the product knowledge videos.
– Read the technical details about probe and cloud connection on the information centre.
Feed-back questions
– How did you find the overall experiment?
– Was it easier for you to check the battery status?
– How did you find the “edit master class cook” task?
– Did you find the product knowledge videos easily?
– Were information centre details easily understandable?
A/B Testing:
After getting the positive response from usability testing, I ran one round of A/B testing with different groups to see whether the end users prefer the old design or the improved version and which one has more click-through rate.
Responses:
Overall participants feedback was positive. I have mentioned various responses recorded against usability testing and A/B testing.
Usability Testing
A/B Testing
Participant 1:
– The overall experiment was very well planned and easy to perform.
– Guidance was required to check the battery status.
– Easier to edit the master class cook.
– Easier to find product knowledge videos.
– Easily readable details on the information centre.
Participant 2:
– The overall experiment was smooth and the tasks were clearly defined.
– Performed the master class cook task without any problem.
– Easily found the battery status.
– Easily found product knowledge videos.
– Information centre was simply understandable.
Participant 3:
– Faced no issues during the experiment, it was laid out very well.
– Completed the master class cook task without any problem. Just asked for guidance on how to add devices during the task.
– Editing the master class cook task was easily conducted.
– Find product knowledge videos easily under the spotlight.
– Didn’t realise the probe CTA is touchable to read the probe details, other than that everything was understandable.
Participant 1:
– Found the updated master class cook tile more relevant than the older design.
– The updated master class cook tile looks more premium.
– The updated spotlight tab design now gives more meaning as the name suggests than the older design.
– The new information centre design is more understandable now.
Participant 2:
– The new master class tile looks more premium.
– The dark mode of the master class tile looks better than the light mode.
– The spotlight tab design is better now.
– The information centre design is more user friendly.
Participant 3:
– The step no, step desc, progress bar and chef’s hat make it clear that this tile is for master class.
– The updated master class cook tile gives a more premium look and feel.
– The updated spotlight tab looks more relevant now.
– The updated information centre design was clear. Didn’t get the idea of touchable CTA for probe at first glance but accessed the probe details after looking at the design attentively.
DESIGN SYSTEM
The visual design was developed by iterating the previous style guidelines. The brand identity has been taken into the account to give consistent look and feel.
COLOR PALETTES
ICONS
TYPOGRAPHY
ONGOING ITERATION
Master class
Currently working on the new approach of master class. This approach is in progress. Created the lo-fi and clickable prototype to evaluate it with the internal management and internal teams. I will also run a usability test round with the participants to gather their feedbacks. After getting the desired results i will convert the clickable prototype into a complete hi-fi design and we will roll out this new approach into the live.
NEXT STEP
FUTURE RELEASE
For our future release we are working on re-designing the other bits of the app. We have been briefed on upcoming functionalities and working on the digital assets and user interface are in progress i.e re-structuring the app dashboard etc.