Foodle
2022
Team
Carolyn Milton,
Nirkhunan Kuppuram
Social
Discipline
UX/UI
Strategy
People often crave new culinary experiences, but finding a dining companion willing to explore unfamiliar or adventurous food can be challenging. Existing food-focused apps primarily concentrate on ordering meals or finding restaurants, neglecting the social aspect of shared food exploration.
Solution
Foodle, a mobile app, aims to connect users who share a passion for trying new and exciting food experiences. By combining the swiping mechanic of popular dating apps with a focus on food preferences, Foodle facilitates connections between adventurous eaters.
Research
Target Audience
Our target audience consists of young, adventurous food lovers (ages 22-35) who are eager to explore beyond typical dining. They are actively seeking like-minded companions to share unique and exciting culinary adventures with.
Design Process
User Research
-
Conducted interviews and surveys with potential users to understand their foodpreferences, motivations for trying new foods,pain points when seeking culinary companions.
- Analysed existing food-focused apps to identify strengths and weeknesses.
Information Architecture
- User onboarding and profile creation with dietary restrictions and cuisine preferences.
- Swipe interface showcasing potential food partners with pictures, bios, and favorite cuisines.
- Chat functionality to connect with matched users and discuss potential food adventures.
- Explore section featuring curated lists of restaurants or food experiences based on user preferences and location.
Wireframing
- Created low-fidelity wireframes to define the layout and functionality of key app screens.
- Focused on intuitive navigation and clear information hierarchy.
Key Features
- Swipe-based Matching: Users swipe left or right on potential food partners based on their profiles and cuisine preferences.
- Detailed Profiles: Users can personalize their profiles by highlighting their culinary adventures, favorite cuisines, and dietary restrictions.
- Chat Functionality: Users can chat with their matches to discuss potential food pairings, restaurant choices, and coordinate outings.
- Explore Section: This curated section suggests restaurants, food experiences, and events based on user preferences and location, inspiring new culinary discoveries.
Outcomes
Foodle caters to adventurous foodies seeking a fun and engaging platform to connect and embark on culinary adventures together. The familiar swipe based interface, reminiscent of popular dating apps, streamlines the matching process, encouraging users to explore potential partners and discover shared culinary interests. Detailed user profiles go beyond basic information, fostering a sense of personality and highlighting shared food preferences and dietary restrictions. This deeper level of connection lays the groundwork for more meaningful matches, ultimately facilitating exciting culinary expeditions with compatible companions.
Future Considerations
- Implementing a review system for both food partners and restaurants to enhance user trust and experience.
- Integrating a reservation system within the app to streamline the dining experience.
- Expanding the app's functionality to incorporate group matching for larger culinary adventures.
Conclusion
Foodle provides a unique solution to the challenge of finding companions for adventurous culinary exploration. By leveraging an intuitive interface and a focus on user preferences, Foodle connects foodies and fosters a community around shared passion for trying new and exciting foods.