Time
October 30, 2022
-
May 25, 2023
Team
Tiffany
Frank C
Alice Chien
Ted
Role
User research, User flow, Market analysis, Rapid prototyping
Feast
By Fist
By Fist
Patent-pending AR technology to offer you instant meal portion control.
Problem discovery
Unlike apps that rely on dull calorie counting, FeastByFist introduces an intuitive approach: portion control by fists. Users can enjoy their favourite foods mindfully, stay within 12 fists a day, and develop sustainable habits while savouring every bite.
However, the product faced a challenge in conveying this concept, as many people didn't see any benefit from switching to this new product.
Our solutions
An app that keeps users motivated and on track.
Effortless, precise tracking with joy.
Adding Sparkle to the Login Page
Aligned with the brand's theme, The Feast. We've introduced MFA login options, eliminating the need to enter a username and password each time.
Mindful Dashboard
Neutral colour mark "Regular Meals," while vibrant yellow highlights "Guilty Pleasures." Rather than harsh warnings, we emphasise what foods brings joy to them.
Navigation
A clear, structured menu guides users effortlessly.
Happiness Through Nutrition
Users can track fullness and mood changes, inspiring future meals.
Easy and Precise: AR Portion Detection
Simplified camera interface for easy portion sizing, with AR tech for enhanced accuracy.
Achieves at a Glance
Fulfilment drives motivation. Track daily meal consistency to stay on course toward long-term goals.
Gallery to Help You Find the Right Food
A photo gallery that not only showcases appetisers but also lets users order based on 'fullness,' aligning with food control goals.
The Process
Reviewing the product
The concept is great but what's the problems?
I first reviewed the user flow of the current product. Despite having few screens, I quickly noticed usability challenges caused by an unintuitive structure and inconsistencies.
Original flow
- Snap Your Meal: Take a photo, and patent-pending AR technology calculates the portion size in real-time.
- View Portion Size: Instantly see portion sizes displayed as circles or fists.
- Adjust Size: Fine-tune the detected area to match the food you want to record.
- Select Food Type: Save portions under one of four categories.
- Track Stats: View a dashboard with detailed data on portions and consumption.
- Meal Gallery: Browse a time-ordered gallery with fist counts for each meal.
- Daily Progress: View your daily total fists and food categories displayed as bar charts.
- Compare Progress: Switch between dates to compare your consumption trends.
- Profile Access: Access your profile through the Settings page.
- Free Trial Model: Enjoy full access for 14 days. After the trial, subscribe monthly or yearly to continue saving photos.
Presumed issues:
- Unclear Goal: First-time users don’t understand the purpose of the circle when taking a photo or why they need to choose different sizes.
- Deficient UI Visibility: The fist shape indicator is hard to discern, and emojis without text lack clarity.
- Lack of Control: The empty state sample may confuse users about whether the data is theirs.
- Inconsistent Design: Colours lack consistency and meaning, while layers fail to prioritise components effectively.
- Subscription Confusion: The subscription page doesn’t clearly differentiate between the free trial and paid options.
- Lack of Appeal: Information isn’t visually engaging or well-organised.
Business goals
Find the realm that we can stand out.
Finding a Niche
Most apps rely on calorie counting for portion control, which can feel tedious and demotivating. This fresh approach simplifies the process, replacing numbers with an intuitive, engaging way to manage portions.
USP Analysis
- AR Tech: Precise, objective portion calculation.
- Streamlined: No need for manual data input.
- User Storytelling: Track personal progress in an inspiring, empathetic way.
- Incentive: Visualise progress with a circle indicator to motivate users toward their goal.
Goal Setting
Understanding the business value of the app was essential. I held several meetings with the client, focusing on achievable goals. By asking questions about core values and market analysis, I gained a clear business perspective, aligning my work with their goals. I identified their unique advantages, defined the target audience, and used a specific market benchmark for guidance.
Potential Market
According to the World Population Review's Obesity Rates by Country 2022, the U.S. has an obesity rate of 36.2%, ranking 14th globally. This highlights a need for a simpler, more accessible approach to healthy eating, free from the constraints of calorie counting.
Value
A straightforward solution for efficient diet control, designed for everyday use.
Main Audience
Individuals in the U.S. struggling with obesity and seeking to improve their health.
Advantages
Simple to use, with precise calculations.
Understanding users
Before diving into the solution, let’s explore what people think.
User Research: Contextual Inquiry
To gain deeper insights from real users, I conducted three contextual inquiries, each taking place in the comfort of the participant's home. Two participants were office workers, and the third was a postgraduate student from SoU.
This approach allowed me to observe users' real-time behaviours in their natural environment, helping them feel at ease and express themselves authentically. Without imposing predefined scenarios or tasks, participants freely interacted with the product, following their own paths. This provided genuine, unfiltered insights into how they naturally engage with the product.
Market analysis
What's we can learn from the main trend?
Calorie Mama
Automatically count calories by taking food photos.
MyFitnessPal
Tracks diet and exercise.
Identifying the Pain Points
Thinking about the rough solutions first so we can start diving into the more complex problems.
Improve The Page Structure
After identifying the necessary solutions, I redesigned the app’s page structure. The original design had "Settings" in the tab bar, which distracted users from exploring key features. Additionally, "Profile" was only accessible from the dashboard, limiting user access. To improve this, I rearranged the tab bar and added a profile shortcut on every page, allowing users easy access anytime.
User Journey Map
Identify low and high points, failures to set expectations, unnecessary or too long steps, channel transitions, and moments of truth.
At this stage, I focused on a broad user base rather than a specific audience, targeting people already familiar with other diet apps. The main challenge was how to encourage them to switch from their current tool to this new one.
Iteration with collaborating
Constant improvements by discussing with teammates
Information architecture
After laying the groundwork for the project, I began creating the app's skeletons and flow. By presenting these visuals to my client, they gained a clearer understanding of the concept.
Catch up on the progress weekly
This project was conducted online. I advised my client that all team members should attend bi-weekly meetings to ensure smooth progress and minimise gaps. Despite being in different time zones, we managed to stay aligned throughout the development process. However, communication was limited to video meetings, which occasionally led to minor misinterpretations. Compared to on-site projects, this required additional patience and time to clarify issues effectively.
The final MVP product
Integrated a healthy mindset into the product, encouraging balanced choices every step of the way.
Sharing the knowledge
After signup, we share relevant insights about the upcoming plan. Our quick, engaging intro encourages balance: enjoy your snacks guilt-free while keeping to the 12-fists-a-day guideline.
Guide to the journey
First-time users are gently guided with soft markers, showing them what to do next."
Optimised the core feature
The camera and save interface have been simplified for lightweight, hassle-free style for everyday usage.
Accessible tracking
Health isn’t just about body weight. We make it easy for users to track their waist measurements effortlessly.
Flexible data views
Expand the time range to help users focus on long-term goals.
Post-Meal nudge
Instead of interrupting users during their meal, we send a gentle reminder to complete the remaining questions later.
What food makes you happiest
The food gallery isn’t just for inspiration—it lets users sort meals by fullness and mood to find the perfect dish for their vibe.
Project takeaways
Clean and speedy is a key when it comes to fully remote collaboration.
- Learned effective communication and collaboration skills across various departments.
- Tackling issues with colleagues from different time zones requires more patience and empathy than on-site teamwork.
- Be mindful that even small gaps between departments can cause misconceptions and delay progress.
- Fast-paced startups must balance both timelines and efficiency.
- Be confident in your decisions after thorough investigation; otherwise, the product team may lose direction.
- In remote collaboration, always be transparent with all information related to product development. There are no exceptions for guessing.