Case Study
DineSurf
Restaurant Management Dashboard Case Study
Though Dinesurf is known for making reservations for Diners, one of the Start-ups larger goal is to enable restaurants to connect better with current and potential Diners, build and sustain loyalty, manage all restaurant and reservation activities and processes, etc
Role
Product Designer
Timeline
3 months
Platform
Web Application
Team
Product managers, UX/UI designer, software developers, QA tester, business analysts
01 — OVERVIEW
Project Overview
Client: Dinesurf
Project Duration: 3 months
Team: Product managers, UX/UI designer, software developers, QA tester, business analysts
Objectives
Understand why Vendors were abandoning their accounts on our dashboard and create a way to reduce the churn rate
Learn about any pain points Vendors encounter when using the webapp and what improvements they might make.
What are the features you expect from our webapp and what features would you love to see
My role: Product Designer, User flow, Visual design, Hi-fi prototype, User testing, Design hand-off
Discovery phase, the foundation of the process…
Feels a bit generic, but to start off the project my Team and I had to go through a number of meetings with Internal Stakeholders mostly Restaurant Vendors which were our core target users. This phase helped us map out what we needed to do, basically giving the process more of a defined direction.
Stakeholder Interview…
With our objective in mind we moved on to have a meeting with Stakeholders to better understand the business goals and how best that can be achieved, also ensuring it doesn't infringe on the main objective of the project which is to improve the overall user experience of the product, We also had to engage with internal stakeholders to understand technical constraints, and compliance requirements. All of these is to ensure alignment between user needs and business objectives.
User Research…
We conducted extensive user research on 7 users that fit the target audience, the research involved interviews, and usability testing with already exiting users, the research was done both in-person and on calls(WhatsApp Video calls or Meet). Key findings included:
02 — PROBLEM STATEMENT
The Problem
Concerning Findings
- Lack of hierarchy and structure: The original User interface was very difficult to navigate and understand because of the unclear visual hierarchy.
- Poor on-boarding: For the users that were not too tech savvy, a proper on-boarding process had to be introduced to reduce the gap and remove bumpers from the experience.
- Outdated and inconsistent design system:The original User interface had too many inconsistencies, from icons to typography.
"What are the features you expect from our dashboard and what features would you love to see"
03 — GOALS & SUCCESS METRICS
Design Goals
- Objective 1: Understand why Vendors were abandoning their accounts on our dashboard and create a way to reduce the churn rate.
- Objective 2: Learn about any pain points Vendors encounter when using the webapp and what improvements they might make.
- Objective 3: What are the features you expect from our webapp and what features would you love to see.
- Research Insight: Users in this category had mostly consistent requirements, they desired intuitive navigation, personalised financial insights, quick and easy access to frequent transactions, and seamless customer support.
Our Goals and insights
Through our research, surveys and interviews we were able to set out some goals and discover the pain points, not only was this going to narrow down the design process, it also made it easier for us to know what our target users cared about and where to put effort. Through more research and interviews we were truly able find out more inconveniences on the webapp. Here’s a breakdown of some insights gotten;
Study details
- Performance Indicators
- Time on task
- Ease of navigation
- User error rates
- Task completion
Problem solving through design thinking… We have discovered the major pain points of our dashboard and we have now defined our problems and the solutions to these problems. We now move forward with creating a design that could tackle these problems in an intuitive way and also synthesise our solutions properly with the already existing design
04 — DESIGN
Design
Designing with a direction in mind…
Knowing that Menu creation was causing a lot of friction for restaurants, I allocated ample time into making sure that the experience and the flow for the re-designed version could make Menu creation and allocation easier for Restaurants. We made several iterations to the original design in other to really hit the nail in the head.
"What was their journey like when they signed up on our?"
"What frustrated Vendors the most while on our Dashboard?"
"What are the features you expect from our dashboard and what features would you love to see"
Stakeholder Interview… With our objective in mind we moved on to have a meeting with Stakeholders to better understand the business goals and how best that can be achieved, also ensuring it doesn't infringe on the main objective of the project which is to improve the overall user experience of the product, We also had to engage with internal stakeholders to understand technical constraints, and compliance requirements. All of these is to ensure alignment between user needs and business objectives.
How do we reduce friction in menu creation for restaurant vendors?
Solution
Knowing that Menu creation was causing a lot of friction for restaurants, I allocated ample time into making sure that the experience and the flow for the re-designed version could make Menu creation and allocation easier for Restaurants.
How do we simplify profile editing on the Dinesurf dashboard?
Solution
Another painpoint Restaurants experienced was the profile editing feature on the Dinesurf dashboard, the process had to be simplified and easier to read through.
How do we reduce bumpers for less tech-savvy vendors?
Solution
To reduce bumpers, myself and the Team implimeneted a simplified onboarding process that captures everything the Restaurants would need to get started.
What business outcome did the redesign unlock for Dinesurf?
Solution
The improved vendor experience and enhanced operational efficiency translated into higher subscription rates and increased loyalty among restaurant partners, contributing directly to Dinesurf's revenue growth.
Another painpoint Restaurants experienced was the profile editing feature on the Dinesurf dashboard, the process had to be simplified and easier to read through.
To reduce bumpers, myself and the Team implimeneted a simplified onboarding process that captures everything the Restaurants would need to get started.
Impacts & Accomplishments… The design of the Dinesurf restaurant management dashboard significantly enhanced the operational efficiency and overall quality of work for restaurant vendors. By integrating user-friendly interfaces and streamlined processes, the dashboard allowed vendors to manage reservations, orders, inventory, and customer feedback effortlessly. This comprehensive tool reduced the administrative burden, minimized errors, and improved accuracy in daily operations. Consequently, vendors experienced smoother workflows, quicker turnaround times, and increased customer satisfaction, leading to better service delivery and operational excellence.
Profit for Dinesurf… The improved vendor experience and enhanced operational efficiency translated into higher subscription rates and increased loyalty among restaurant partners The increase in client retention and acquisition directly contributed to Dinesurf's revenue growth, establishing the company as a leader in the restaurant management technology space.
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