Multicultural Recipes

/01 Research

Understanding Culinary Preferences and Challenges

The study began with surveys conducted with participants and followed by five in-depth interviews. I asked participants general questions about their cooking habits and preferences, such as the types of food they typically prepare and enjoy eating. Two key insights emerged from the findings:

Exploring Multicultural Recipes: 3 out of 5 participants enjoy exploring new recipes, often looking to expand beyond their cultural staples with dishes like Italian pasta or Japanese sushi

Seeking Quick Cooking Solutions: 2 out of 5 respondents prefer very quick and easy recipes, often due to limited cooking time. Additionally, some participants mentioned that the cultural origin of the meal doesn’t matter to them as long as they can find a good and reliable recipe

What Did I Learn?

From the surveys and interviews conducted, I identified the following key insights:

• Many participants are interested in trying multicultural recipes to explore diverse cuisines.

• Quick and easy recipes, ideally under 30 minutes, are highly preferred due to time constraints.

• An application that simplifies the cooking process is essential, especially for people who don’t cook regularly or lack experience in the kitchen.

• Some participants mentioned that the type of meal doesn’t matter to them as long as they can find a good and reliable recipe

/02 Ideation

Inspiration

After completing the research phase, it was time to start brainstorming solutions. One of the initial ideas was to create a product that provides simple and easy recipes. However, I realized that many similar products already exist, making this idea less unique.

To differentiate the solution, I focused on creating a product that allows users to explore meals based on cultural selections. This approach adds a unique aspect to the experience by encouraging users to discover diverse cuisines.

Additionally, I integrated the idea of simplifying recipes while introducing customizable filters, such as cooking time (e.g., meals prepared within 30 minutes). This combination ensures that the product remains both practical and distinctive, catering to users’ varying needs and preferences.

/03 Sketches and High Fidelity Design

/04 Usability Testing

Exploring Preferences and Priorities

Once the prototype was complete, I conducted user testing with 5 participants to gather feedback. I asked targeted questions and observed their interactions to understand what captured their attention first.

The goal was to determine whether they prioritized exploring multicultural meals, how they chose dishes, their preferences for specific cuisines, or how effectively they used filters. These insights from the 5 participants provided valuable clarity on user preferences and priorities.

Feature 1 – Explore Cultural Flavors

I prioritized the “Explore Cultural Flavors” section in the prototype, making it the main focus based on user survey insights. However, during testing, I noticed mixed reactions from participants.

Key Observations:
Majority Behavior: Most participants initially overlooked this section and explored other areas of the app first.
Specific Interest: A few participants immediately gravitated toward this feature, appreciating its focus on cultural exploration and finding it engaging.

While some participants appreciated the cultural filters, others emphasized the importance of visual appeal and ease of finding recipes they’re familiar with or want to try

Feature 2 – Personalize the Meal

The second feature focuses on personalized filters, allowing users to easily find dishes that match their preferences. These filters include parameters such as cooking time, suggested diets, and dish type, making the process of choosing dishes easier.

During testing, many participants found it confusing to customize their search with filters like cooking time, dietary preferences, and dish type. Some expected an ingredient selection feature, while others looked for a general search function.

Cultural Flexibility: Some participants mentioned that they occasionally want to try dishes from other cultures but face challenges due to missing specific ingredients.

Practical Cooking: Others shared that they need more filtering options, such as allergy settings and a search function, to better tailor recipes to their specific needs.

Improvements

I’m focusing on enhancing the visibility of the “Explore Cultural Flavors” section to better engage users. I’ve considered two approaches:

• Increasing its visibility by occasionally recommending meals from different cultures to inspire users to try new cuisines.

• Highlighting high-quality images to make it easier for users to choose meals based on visual appeal.

By testing both strategies, I can determine which approach resonates more with users and drives engagement.

• I also want to add more personalized filter options to improve the user experience. One idea is to introduce a feature during onboarding where users can specify their dietary restrictions or allergens. This would allow me to create a tailored experience for each user right from the start.

• Additionally, I’m exploring the implementation of ingredient-based filtering. This feature would let users search for recipes based on the ingredients they already have, making the app more practical and flexible for everyday cooking needs.

Revision

Based on usability testing findings, I implemented the following revisions

• During user testing, the "Explore Cultural Flavors" section took up a lot of space, but most users weren’t very interested in it, though they noticed it was there.

• Users also requested an option to choose ingredients first, leading me to add the “Pick by Ingredients” feature on the main page for better usability.

• Users struggled to find meals due to the lack of a search function, and the personalization page was rarely used since it acted more like a filter. To address this, I replaced the personalization page with a dedicated search feature and added filters, making it easier and faster for users to discover meals efficiently.

• Based on user feedback, I removed the personalized page and incorporated personalization options, such as selecting allergies or preferred cultural meals, into the onboarding process

Next Step

For this prototype, I want to understand:

How users prefer to find meals:
Do they often search for meals based on the ingredients they have?
How frequently do they look for culturally inspired meals?

The onboarding experience:
Test whether the onboarding process helps users easily set their preferences and creates a smooth, personalized experience.

Search and navigation improvements:
Assess how the new search feature and better navigation help users quickly and efficiently find the meals they’re looking for.