User Research Project
Improving the user experience of a popular food delivery app, GrubHub.
During the course of a class, Human-Computer Interaction, in my graduate program, my class was assigned to conduct user research and improve the user experience of an app. My group chose to analysis the food delivery app space, with the goal of improving the user experience of GrubHub. We first researched GrubHub and user groups, and conducted a competitive analysis. We then conducted a user analysis and created personas and scenarios. Finally, we conducted a heuristic analysis and proceeded to make our recommendations. My contributions to this project are noted in each phase of the project, below.
Initial (Expected) User Groups
Our first step in the UX process was to determine our target demographic and expected user groups. As main purpose of GrubHub is fast and convenient food delivery, the main user segments for this app are customers, drivers, restaurant staff, and restaurant owners. For the purpose of this project, our group chose to focus on customer user segments. The experience for the customer consists of selecting, ordering, and paying for their order. After brainstorming as a group, we created the following initial (expected) user groups.
Competitive Analysis
After we outlined our initial (expected) customer user groups, we were instructed to conduct a competitive analysis. In our competitive analysis, we analyzed GrubHub alongside other popular food delivery apps (DoorDash, Uber Eats, Postmates, and Caviar) using the following dimensions: delivery speed and reliability, price and offers, user app experience, customer services, aesthetics of the display, and variety of foods available. Our competitive analysis is shown below. At this stage of the process I was responsible for analyzing Uber Eats. After analyzing the competitors, we created a user flow showing the general process a user completes on each food delivery app.
Essential Food Delivery App Functions - User Flow
User Analysis
Surveys
The first step of our user analysis was to conduct a survey. The main goals of our survey were:
1. Collect demographics (including age, household size, ordering frequency, education, and employment)
2. Find delivery apps commonly used and why users like them
3. Discover how users would rate app aesthetics, customer service, ease of use, dietary considerations/special instructions
4. Collect information on ways users would like the change Grubhub's search and filters
After creating our survey in Qualtrics, each group member sent the survey to friends and family, as well as posted the survey to social media and group forum websites. The results of the led us to redefine our user segments. The survey results are shown below.
Interviews
After conducting the survey and redefining our segments, we each conducted two interviews (each focusing on two different user segments). The goals of our interviews were:
1. Identify Scenarios - identifying specific scenarios of user segment groups would ensure our solutions serve a wide variety of users.
2. Enhance Understanding - specifically of user behaviors in order to develop personas to guide future decisions.
3. Improve Search - enabling us to better serve users with improved filter options for specific needs or preferences.
4. Retool Navigation - enabling us to better support specific user segment needs.
In our interviews, we discussed unknown features, new behaviors, demographics, and user food delivery preparation process. From there, we were each able to create two user personas and scenarios. The two user personas and scenarios I created from my interviews are shown below.
Heuristic Analysis
After conducting our interviews and creating user personas and scenarios, we conducted a heuristic analysis using Nielsen Norman's 10 Usability Heuristics for Interface Design. Using our personas and scenarios, we came up with probable problems with the app, and measured their severity using the following severity scale:
0 - It does not affect usability/user experience
1 - It is only a slight inconvenience
2 - Annoying, but the user can get around it
3 - Frustrating enough to possibly deter future use
4 - Dealbreaker! A user would not use an app with this problem again
Using this scale, as well as direct quotes from our interviews, we were able to identify high priority problems with the app. Three high priority problems are shown below.
Recommendations
The last step of the project was to give our recommendations. Using the same dimensions evaluated in the competitive analysis, we proposed the following recommendations:
Delivery Recommendations
Delivery Address
Ability to set default home address
Ability to delete past addresses
Make address visible from entire homepage
Notify user if away from set delivery location
Delivery Status
Standardize order tracking system among restaurants
notify user if restaurant opts out of tracking system
Pricing Recommendations
Sorting by Price
Fix sorting by "price low to high" by removing $0 GrubHub+ delivery fee from all restaurants (this will allow users without GrubHub+ to use this sort feature)
Price Comparison
Add "compare" button
Add view type to search by individual dish types
Include preview of dish details on main page - no requirement to click on dish for full description
Searching and Sorting Recommendations
Search Preferences
Allow user to set up and save search preferences
Add more search terms to available options
Searching by Multiple Criteria
Add ability to select multiple sorting options
Add check box for priority sorting
Perks Search Filter Results
Display closest match open restaurant instead of closed restaurants - restaurant status should weigh more heavily than search filters
Unsophisticated Search
Enable search within a restaurant page
Fix hierarchy and optimize metadata and ontology - more accurate and precise keyword search
Aesthetics Recommendations
Homepage Layout
Simplify homepage
Shrink "announcement" section
Conduct further user testing regarding user likes and dislikes of homepage
Link vs. Button
Specifically regarding "add more items" link
Revise text link to a button
Change all text links to button
Button should be noticeable and obvious