Introduction
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In the heart of Seattle, Cafe Turko stands as a testament to the rich flavors and cultural heritage of Turkish cuisine. Since its inception in 2012, it has offered a slice of Turkey through its delectable dishes and warm, inviting atmosphere. However, the global pandemic posed unprecedented challenges, significantly impacting the traditional dine-in service. This case study details our journey to transform Cafe Turko’s online presence, focusing on a seamless online ordering and food pickup experience, adapting to the changing dining habits, and ensuring the business's resilience.
Project Scope
Objective
To overhaul Cafe Turko's website, prioritizing a user-friendly online ordering and pickup system to navigate the challenges brought on by COVID-19, enhance customer engagement, and drive online sales.
Challenges
Navigational complexities and usability issues on the existing website.
Outdated design, unclear ordering instructions, and lack of visual appeal.
The need to shift customer behavior towards online ordering due to pandemic restrictions.
pandemic restrictions
Navigational complexities
Unclear ordering instructions
Research and Discovery
Usability Testing
Initial analysis through usability testing unveiled critical user experience issues. Participants expressed difficulties in navigation, finding specific information, and understanding the process for online orders and pickups.
Challenges
Navigational complexities and usability issues on the existing website.
Outdated design, unclear ordering instructions, and lack of visual appeal.
The need to shift customer behavior towards online ordering due to pandemic restrictions.
Heuristic Evaluation
Utilizing Jakob Nielsen’s ten usability heuristics, we identified key areas where the website fell short, such as inconsistency, poor error management, and a lack of aesthetic and minimalist design.
Competitive Analysis
By examining competitors, we gained insights into effective practices in online ordering systems. This analysis highlighted the importance of a streamlined ordering process, engaging visual design, and clear navigational cues.
Yelp Reviews
We also meticulously review feedback from our actual users on Yelp, closely examining their comments to identify any reported issues or inconveniences. This process ensures we understand and address the real-world experiences of our customers, continuously improving our service based on their valuable insights
Strategy and Definition
Business research leads us to understand the significant activities of the café. This research leads us to define two principal activities: catering and take-out services, besides reservation and delivery. Pick up process was one of the problems and issues that users faced, so we tackled that. We define the pickup process to improve the user experience. And then the ideate.
User Persona Development
We crafted detailed personas to embody our target audience, focusing on their behaviors, needs, and motivations. These personas guided our design decisions, ensuring we remained user-focused.
Problem Identification
We distilled our findings into actionable insights, pinpointing the primary issues to tackle: confusing site navigation, outdated aesthetics, and a convoluted online ordering process.
Confusing site navigation
Outdated aesthetic
Online ordering process
Development
Card Sorting and Site Map Reconfiguration
Through card sorting exercises with users, we reorganized the site's content to align with user expectations, significantly improving site navigation.
User Flow Redesign
We redesigned the user flow to ensure a logical, seamless path through the site, from landing page to final order confirmation.
Design and Implementation
Sketches and Wireframes
Usability Testing and Iteration
Continual testing with users allowed us to refine and validate our design choices, ensuring the final product was both intuitive and engaging.
Delivery
High-Fidelity Prototype
The culmination of our efforts was a sophisticated high-fidelity prototype that embodied our vision for a revamped Cafe Turko online experience. It featured a modern, user-friendly interface, a visually appealing menu, and an efficient ordering system.
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Outcomes and Learnings
Enhanced User Navigation
A reimagined site structure and intuitive navigation system minimized user frustration and enhanced the overall user experience.
Visually Engaging Menu Design
The menu overhaul made browsing and ordering a visual delight, encouraging users to explore and order more.
Optimized Online Ordering and Pickup
The new system streamlined the ordering process, making it straightforward for users to place and pick up orders, thereby increasing online sales.
Valuing User Feedback
Continuous engagement with users throughout the design process proved invaluable, offering insights that significantly influenced the final design.
Future Directions
Post-launch, we plan to continue refining the website, addressing any emerging user needs or technological advancements.
Further research will explore optimizing the catering experience and incorporating dietary filters to cater to a broader audience.
The success of this project reinforced the importance of teamwork and the diverse skill sets within the design team.
