workabout

Case Study Research,
UX and Visual Design

Fresh Market

stakeholder interview

Need to determine:
The best way to collect orders from the customer.

The range of offerings, with a focus on lunch.

How much to charge and the willingness to offer samples of the product.
“People come physically into the store to pick up hot lunch; we suspect more people would think of us as a lunch option if we had a delivery service option.”
Read Full Interview

competitive research

It’s not surprising that the meal kit subscription business model is popular—the competitive market casts a wide net over many demographics.
Key Observations:
Offerings are generally limited to 2 or 4 adults (not individuals, children or odd numbers).
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A less expensive plan is deceptive, since the shipping fees are often overlooked.
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Very few meal kits offer lunch or snacks.
View Spreadsheet

COMPETITOR TESTING AND OBSERVATION

My approach to Fresh Market’s product was based on common themes that emerged from my competitor testing and observation.
Participant Likes:
• good value
• quality food
• easy usability
Participant Dislikes:
• paying for shipping
• too many steps
• lack of variation

COMPETITive Analysis

My research pushed me to investigate other meal delivery services more deeply, in order to unveil some truths about Fresh Market. Meal delivery services generally aim at busy households that want to ease the burden of decision-making and execution of homemade dinner. Fresh Market’s distinction as a grocery store has many pros and cons.
Strengths:
Greater selection/range of food.
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Successful deli and staff dedicated to preparing food.
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Existing and loyal customer base that shop in store.
Weaknesses:
Grocery store brands aren’t associated with meal kit delivery.
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Needs a delivery method.
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Lacks glamorous appeal of a traditional meal kit.
View Full Document

User interviews

I recruited 3 research participants, based on their shared interest in meal kits. The interviews, conducted on Zoom, provided honest, direct and diverse insights.
Participant One:
Lives with boyfriend and occasionally cooks.
“We want to try different things.”
Participant Two:
Mother of two children, doesn’t like to cook and open to meal kits.
“If it were cheaper I’d do it every week.”
Participant Three:
Father of two children, likes to cook but skeptical about meal kits.
“I like to open the fridge, grab a couple things, and I’m done.”

affinity mapping

Affinity mapping allowed me to visualize all of the data  collected from several research methods. Common themes emerged: cost, nutrition, user experience, convenience, and lifestyle. I distilled everything into 3 priorities:

Highest:
Saving time/fewer steps win
Second:
Customization
Later:
Good value

User personas

I built two User Personas, based on analyzing the affinity mapping exercise. This helps visualize the type of person utilizing Fresh Market.
Melanie
Health-conscious milennial
34 F
“I’ll only spend more than $10 on lunch if it’s a salad from Sweet Green—not some other sad soggy salad.”
Goals:
To cook/prepare more food at home.
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To eat only fresh, healthy, well-balanced whole food.
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To order/get food in minimal steps.
Frustrations:
Meal kits tend to skimp on vegetables—annoyed with too much pasta.
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Too many pricing options are confusing.
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Hates long prep times.
Ruth
Exhausted working mother
48 F
“I like to open the fridge, grab a couple things, and I’m done.”
Goals:
To eat traditional meals that are easy to prepare.
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To customize protein options for meals.
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To have a ready-made, easy-to-grab (and store) meal ready to eat for lunch.
Frustrations:
Prepared foods have a short shelf-life (can’t stock up  in advance).
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Meal kits are too expensive to subscribe full-time, also need to order a certain amount to get free shipping.
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Makes too many decisions on a weekly basis.

User stories

I divided user stories into two categories: one for new customers and one for existing customers. I selected the most important stories, based on my research, to create user flows.
“I am a new user,
I want to try a sample,
so I can try without committing yet.”
“I am an existing user,
I want to edit my order,
so I can change my mind
about what I want.”

story mapping

Story Mapping forced me to view actionable items in a different way, by prioritizing the importance. It helped break down my User Flows so I could better understand what I need to build the product. I felt more confident knowing that pieces that I need to comprise an experience.


priority guide

Writing a Priority Guide revealed the scope of the Fresh Market product, while focusing on areas that need the most attention for user testing. With the user in mind, I focused my attention on crafting content the proper language and tone. Adding microcopy also took user error into account.

sketches and wireframes

I encountered a few holes in my sketches as I was building my initial wireframes. I understand the iterative nature of UX, so naturally, these revelations were pretty gratifying. It was a challenge to solve complicated logistical issues, however, the tedious work paid off. There were also a handful of content/copy issues that I had to consider, in order to make the product easier to navigate.

low fidelity prototype and user testing

With my prototype, I brought my wireframes to life and opened the door for user testing.
Key Observations:
Refine the style of forms and labels, so they are easier to digest and ensure that users are likely to complete/continue.

Take states and interactivity into account, so the user can clearly understand when actions are being taken.

Feedback and confirmation will instill user confidence and trust: There needs to be more obvious communication from the product to the customer, once an action or change has been taken.

branding and styles

I created a preference test to see which combination of branding and style was the most popular. I landed on an orange/yellow color palette, with the pairing of typefaces Work Sans and Merriweather.
Option One:
Option Two:
Option Three:
Mood Board:
Color Palette:
Typography:

components

Based on my visual foundations, I built components to help streamline the design of my second prototype.

high fidelity prototype and user testing

For this prototype I tested the following:
1. Show me how to browse recipes
2. Show me how much plans cost
3. Show me how you can get a sample
4. Show me how to sign up and place your first order for the upcoming week
5. Show me how to cancel the next week
Key Observations:
The language or verbiage that is used is extremely important. The diction of “menu,” “meal,” and “recipe,” for example. Also, more explanation is needed in general, so people understand how the product works.

Accessibility issue with a very light color.

Skipping is not necessary, since weekly orders default as being skipped.
View Prototype
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