me&u - Catalogue
Role
Lead Product Designer (Scalability squad)
(1 x PD, 1 x PM, 1 x Tech Lead, 2 Devs, 1 x QA)
Timeline
2-3 sprints in FY 2022-2023
The Challenge
A vital component of the me&u experience is its dynamic catalogue (menu of products). The catalogue stores food and drink products along with modifiers. As the business scaled and took on larger groups like Merivale, Pacific Concepts, and ALH, there arose a need to redesign this catalogue to cater to ensuing projects, namely POS (point of sale) sync with the catalogue, brand catalogue (single menu across a brand), and bulk menu management. We needed to update the system so we could handle the work coming down the pipe.
The catalogue's setup was a logistical nightmare. Manual and time-consuming, it took weeks to onboard new venues and groups. The task was clear: we needed to overhaul the catalogue, streamline onboarding, and lay the groundwork for future features.
Company
me&u
An Australian firm pioneering seamless table-side ordering and payment solutions to transform the hospitality experience.
Tools
Figma, Figjam, Storybook, Hotjar, Google suite, Metro Retro, Jira, Confluence
Before
After
Research and discovery
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User Interviews: User research was a crucial component of the redesign process. Through a series of interviews and stakeholder interactions, I learned that assumptions based on customer statements could lead to inconsistencies. This insight helped shape the project's direction, ensuring that the redesign was in line with user needs and expectations.
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User Shadowing: Observed staff interactions with the me&u platform and went onsite to help set up venues to understand the painpoints.
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Hotjar Analysis: Tracked user behaviors and interface interactions.
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Venue Assessment: Analysed venue feedback and identified recurring issues.
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Competitor Analysis: Looked into how online menu companies of all types structured their menu building process for venues and groups
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Discovery: On how the catalogue is linked in the eco system and how this could change and what the knock on effects would be of such changes
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Technical Integration & API Work: A significant part of the project involved understanding the limitations and possibilities presented by our data and APIs. I worked closely with our developers to make informed design decisions that were both innovative and technically feasible.
Conflict Resolution
Conflict resolution was another essential aspect of the project. For instance, when faced with an aggressive response from a tech lead, I facilitated a civil conversation to realign our goals and remind us that we are on the same team, working towards the same objective and worked with him to get to a resolution that was good for the product and the team.
Prototyping & Tech Integration
Developed low to high-fidelity prototypes to visualise and test design concepts. Worked in tandem with the tech lead to ensure designs were not only user-centric but also optimised for system performance.
The main challenge in this epic was balancing user experience with technical limitations. An example of this was the decision of how data should be ingested from the brand menu to the venue menu. From a UX perspective, triggering the update in one place made sense, as it allowed for a more straightforward process for users. However, due to server limitations, we had to opt for a less user-friendly solution, which was to have updates made inside each venue. This was a significant roadblock, as it went against our UX goals, but as a product designer, I had to navigate through these challenges and make the best decision given the constraints.
Testing & Iteration
To ensure the catalogue met both user needs and technical requirements, extensive testing and iteration were essential components of our design process. User testing sessions were conducted to gather insights on usability, functionality, data clarity, and performance.
Through these sessions, we gained valuable insights, such as:
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Usability: While the new layout was deemed more intuitive and easier to navigate than its predecessor, users wanted more visibility for certain key features, like the update button for syncing menus from the brand to individual venues.
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Functionality: The new design effectively streamlined the process of updating menus across multiple venues. However, users expressed a desire for additional features, such as a bulk edit option to make changes across multiple menus simultaneously.
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Data Clarity: Users requested clearer data representation, specifically visual cues to easily differentiate between the brand catalogue and the individual venue menus.
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Performance: Some users reported slower load times when navigating between menus, highlighting the need for further optimisation to handle large amounts of data efficiently.
Each of these insights was crucial in refining the final design of the catalogue. They also pointed out areas for future improvements and additional features that could further elevate the user experience. We conducted multiple design iterations based on this feedback, ensuring that the final product not only met user expectations but also aligned with our technical capabilities and business objectives.
Initial roll out
Reflection
The catalogue redesign project was an invaluable learning experience that highlighted the importance of a user-centric approach, strong collaboration, and adaptability in the face of changing requirements. It also underscored the importance of effective stakeholder management and conflict resolution. These insights have been instrumental in shaping my approach to product design and have further solidified my commitment to delivering products that I am proud to have my name associated with.
Overall achievements
Faster Onboarding: The revamped catalogue significantly cut down onboarding times, allowing venues to quickly set up and start using me&u's service.
Self-Reliant Venues: With a more intuitive design, venues could manage their catalogues independently, reducing their reliance on our internal team.
Platform for Growth: The redesigned catalogue laid the groundwork for upcoming features, such as POS sync, brand catalogues, and bulk menu management.
This also provided a unique selling point against competitors like Mr. Yum.