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Tiffy - A subscription based tiffin service application

This case study aims to explore the user interface and user experience design of a tiffin service application. Through the lens of the end-user, I examined the key features and functionalities that are essential for a seamless, intuitive, and engaging experience. The case study will cover the design process from initial research and ideation to wireframing, prototyping, and testing, ultimately resulting in a high-fidelity user interface design that meets the needs and expectations of our target audience.

TOOLS:

Figma, Adobe Indesign, Adobe illustrator

DURATION:

2 Months

PROBLEM STATEMENT

Finding an opportunity as a UX designer to enhance the experience of customers using tiffin services by designing a user-friendly and intuitive digital platform.

Core Idea : Create an application for users that provides a platform to find affordable and healthy homemade food.

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Benefit for Users: An application for tiffin service provides users by providing a convenient way to order homemade meals without cooking or grocery shopping. This saves time and effort and offers access to nutritious and balanced meals, promoting a healthy lifestyle. It is also cost-effective compared to eating out at restaurants, making it an attractive option for budget-conscious users.

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Benefits as Business : A tiffin service application idea can be beneficial as a business due to the rising demand for healthy, affordable, and convenient meal options. By providing homemade meals to customers, the application can tap into this market, offering a unique value proposition. 

Research

Goal Of the research

  • Understanding the existing applications on Tiffin service 

  • Understanding the problem faced by the users while ordering from a tiffin service

  • Understanding the complete journey of the users while they order from tiffin service

  • Understand how the tiffin service providers function

Initial Assumptions

  • Users have to do their own research to find a good tiffin service and confirm their location and food options.

  • Users have to depend on calls and WhatsApp when they have to place, track, confirm their orders

  • Users are facing problems with a few accepted payment methods while ordering.

  • There is no customer service or feedback system when it comes to ordering for through tiffin service

  • Providing users with the ability to track their delivery status and delivery location in real-time would improve their overall experience and satisfaction

  • Users would appreciate a feature that allows them to easily adjust their delivery schedule or cancel orders in case of unexpected changes or conflicts.

Secondary Research

The problem of unhealthy eating habits

In India, quite a number of busy professionals and students ( especially the IT crowd from major cities ) suffer with a variety of health complications —

• According to a research done by National institute of nutrition (ICMR-NIN) shows that most working professionals in India have irregular and unhealthy eating habits leading to health complications such as hypertension, abdominal and central obesity, high blood pressure.
Research publication link (refer to the section 3.10) : https://www.nin.res.in/researchhighlights/2015-16.pdf

• They usually rely on the food from restaurants or ordering food online which badly affects on their monthly expense as well as health.

India's food service market

  • India's food service market is expected to reach USD 79.65 billion by 2028, growing at a CAGR of 11.19 per cent from USD 41.1 billion in 2022, according to a report.

  • Despite over 20 lakh jobs lost during the peak of the COVID-19 pandemic, the industry is expected to reach employment figures of 1 crore by 2025, as per the Food Service and Restaurant Business Report 2022-23, by Francorp and restaurantindia.in.

  • The restaurants and food service market in the country is divided into two segments with the unorganised segment accounting for the major share, the report said, adding that the organised sector also grew at a strong rate between 2014 and 2020.

Competitor Analysis

To know more about the current market and possibilities, I looked at similar products or services to mine and studied them closely to understand the market better and see what opportunities are there.

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The direct competitors I studied were:

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  •  Spice Box

  •  Madhuras Tiffins

  •  Sprink 

  •  Food Darze

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The indirect competitors I studied were:

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  • Swiggy

  • Zomato

Competitor analysis

After conducting a thorough analysis of the competitors, I have diligently attempted to evaluate them based on few important features like Account creation, Payment, Menu etc

Compitetor analysis

Primary Research

User Interviews

To gain firsthand knowledge, I conducted preliminary interviews with users to understand about their needs, preferences and behaviour towards

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  • Finding a tiffin service

  • Subscribing to a tiffin service

  • Making payments while ordering tiffin service

Affinity mapping

Observational Images from the interviews

Validating Assumptions

Assumption

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Users have to do their own research to find a good tiffin service and confirm their location and food options.

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User Statement

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I have shifted to Gandhinagar for my education and it has been very difficult for me to find a good tiffin service according to my taste. I have tried at least 4 tiffin services before settling to the last option. Reasons like Hygiene, Taste, Cost makes me change tiffin service. It consumes a lot of time finding a good option for regular use when it comes to food.

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Assumption

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Users have to depend on calls and WhatsApp when they have to

place, track, confirm their orders

User Statement

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We are a group of 4 people living in a flat and 4 of us order from tiffin service. Four of us have different schedules throughout the day and one person has to take the responsibility of asking confirmation for the tiffin for the upcoming meal. It is exhausting to remember to confirm the meal and also asking confirmation from everyone and also calling them.

Assumption

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Providing users with the ability to track their delivery status and delivery location in real-time would improve their overall experience and satisfaction.

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User Statement

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It is difficult sometimes to track the delivery of the tiffin as we need to call the tiffin provider every 10 min to ask the status.

Research Data Analysis (Affinity Mapping)

After interviewing the users, I had a lot of insightful data that was analyzed by clubbing and categorizing into clusters with similar themes (Affinity Map). This iterative process helped me to synthesize the research data into clear themes for pain points, frustrations of the users.

Affinity mapping

Affinity mapping - Iteration 1

Affinity mapping - Iteration 2

Ideation

Final Feature List

Constraints and Limitations

To simplify the user experience and reduce complexity, I established certain constraints based on individual user needs and potential paths to achieving their goals within the app.

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  • A user cannot subscribe to different tiffin services for the same meal at the same time.

  • There is a limitation in number of pauses based on the number of days the user subscribed

  • If the user is opting for a 1 month subscription plan he can cancel the subscription until a week 

  • As local kitchens cater to users within a close proximity and have dedicated staff for delivery, the delivery process will be managed directly by the kitchen. 

  • The app will generate revenue through commission from kitchens, advertisement sponsorships, and affiliate partnerships.

Information Architecture

User Flow

For visualizing the ideas into the user’s journey, I created a user flow for

  • Ordering tiffins

  • Subscribing to a tiffin service

  • Pausing tiffin service 

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