The Problem

After hearing great things about the food and ambiance of this new local Mediterranean/Persian infusion restaurant, I was intrigued to learn more and decided to check out their website. After a few clicks, I quickly realized that major improvements were needed. I tried to send an email through the website's contact link, which was broken, so after adding a “checking email link” to my list of improvements, I called the restaurant directly and set up a meeting with the owner.

During our meeting, I shared my thoughts and ideas on how to improve their website. He shared that a nonprofessional friend created the website using a Shopify template.

I was impressed by the owner's enthusiasm and willingness to make changes to their business. It was good timing, and I felt humbled when he gave me positive feedback on my first round of high-fidelity screens and asked me to take the project to the end and ship my designs to their live website.

The Process

The core of my process for this project was research, testing & collaboration with the client, aiming to create a new user-centric design while staying relevant to market requirements.

User Interviews

During a busy lunch at the restaurant, I approached customers willing to talk. Some preferred to schedule interviews for another time. I recruited five participants: three during their meal and two at their convenience. Both sets of interviews provided valuable insights for my research.

Market Research

In assessing competitors, I aimed to criteria based on thorough research, prioritizing the intersection of business and user needs. This ensured a comprehensive evaluation that illuminated the most prominent aspects crucial for success.

Tree Testing

To decide on the new sitemap, I used Optimal Workshop for a tree testing exercise with 7 participants. The results helped me edit and rearrange the information architecture, leading 
to an improved sitemap

User Journey

To keep up with the users' needs throughout the project, I created two personas—Dave and Amin based on the information from research. Amin represents those familiar with the restaurant's food type, while Dave represents the food adventurers who would be trying the food for the first time. I assumed these two groups would represent the general demographics of website visitors.

I also created a few storyboards to visualize users interacting with the website, capturing insights for my solution through this empathetic process.

Developing Prototypes

Having all the above in hand, I felt comfortable moving on to Figma for wireframes. However, before high-fidelity screens for testing, I set another meeting with the client to discuss my suggestions on visual styling. Our Final Decisions are listed Below:

• The right shades of blue and gold were chosen for the website

• The color selection was inspired by the restaurant’s interior and was evaluated for the best accessibility

• The client's original logo was modified by removing the fork, as it appeared disproportionate and was not cohesive with the navbar design

• It was decided to incorporate the fork as a separate element in the interface design

Post-Iteration Screens

A new customer is planning to dine-in at Heaven on A Fork

New/ returning customer is planning a dine-in

Returning /new customer planning a delivery order

Customer uses the new catering page to plan their order

Responsive screens

Next Steps