Smart Meal Recommendations

Uber Eats Personalized Recommendation

Industry

Food Tech

ClIent

Academic Project

ROLE

Product Designer

TImeFrame

Fall 2024

Overview

Uber Eats, an eminent food delivery service, links consumers to an array of eateries and food types. This case study delves into the creation of a custom food recommendation system designed to increase customer satisfaction by catering to specific preferences and nutrition requirements. The initiative sought to supplant the current general recommendation strategy with customized proposals, guaranteeing a more interactive and gratifying meal ordering process.

What did I do?

As part of my Uber Eats project, I reimagined food delivery experiences by addressing user needs and business goals. Through interviews and surveys, I identified a strong demand for personalized food recommendations based on dietary preferences.

Over six months, I conducted in-depth research, ideation, and MVP design, ensuring that the solutions aligned with both user pain points and business objectives. The project culminated in high-fidelity wireframes and an interactive prototype, showcasing an enhanced personalized food discovery experience for users.

Imagine a food delivery app that knows your dietary needs and personal tastes, offering recommendations tailored just for you.

Existing

Application

Our MVP

What are personalized recommendations based on dietary needs?

Personalized recommendations based on dietary needs create a tailored food discovery experience by aligning meal suggestions with individual preferences and restrictions. This approach enhances user satisfaction by considering factors such as dietary restrictions, nutritional goals, and taste preferences, making food delivery not only convenient but also deeply personalized to each user’s lifestyle.

Who’d I work with?

During my academic project, I had the incredible opportunity to collaborate with a diverse and skilled team, including researchers, designers, and product enthusiasts. The collaborative environment encouraged constant learning and refinement, with thoughtful feedback shaping my work week after week. This iterative process not only honed my skills but also ensured that the final output was user-focused and impactful.

The process

What did I solve for ?

UberEats users struggle to find suitable food options due to a lack of personalized recommendations based on dietary needs

To solve this, I designed a 3-page food questionnaire that collects dietary restrictions and user preferences, enabling tailored recommendations. This solution not only enhanced user satisfaction but also improved engagement and conversion rates by making food discovery more intuitive and relevant.

How might we create a seamless food preference survey to deliver personalized recommendations that enhance user satisfaction and engagement?

Key focuses:

The current recommendation system relies heavily on the most ordered items and past order history. To truly cater to our users, we needed to think beyond this approach and deliver recommendations aligned with individual interests and dietary needs. This shift aimed to build trust and ensure users feel understood and valued.

How did I solve the problem:

To address this issue, we introduced a food preference survey designed to gather insights into users' dietary restrictions, protein preferences, and other specific needs. By incorporating this survey, we could create tailored recommendations that align with each user's unique requirements, enhancing their overall experience.

Why did I do this:

In the food industry, understanding user needs is crucial for fostering trust and building lasting relationships. Dividing the food preference survey into three focused scopes allowed us to collect more precise data, ensuring recommendations were both accurate and meaningful, ultimately delivering the desired outcomes for users.

Throughout the design process, being able to answer the "why" was super important.

But, why?

I collaborated closely with my peers and fellow UX researchers to ensure every design decision was well-informed and justified. Throughout the project, I meticulously documented my design process, from ideation to high-fidelity prototypes, to create a clear narrative of my work. These prototypes, along with a comprehensive presentation showcasing the post-MVP feature and my design evolution, were shared with my professors and colleagues, highlighting the rationale behind my decisions and the impact of the final solution.

Impact & Evaluation

To assess the effectiveness of our redesign, we conducted a remote usability study with 8 participants, guiding them through key tasks to evaluate the app’s usability. Participants were introduced to the concept before performing actions like setting dietary preferences, discovering meals, and updating choices.

Approach

Introduced the app and explained its purpose.

Collected qualitative feedback after each task.

Analyzed findings to identify usability patterns.

Iterated on the design for a more seamless experience.

This structured approach ensured a clear, intuitive, and engaging user journey.

By implementing this personalized recommendation system, we saw:
✅ 40% increase in engagement, with more users exploring new food options.
✅ 30% decrease in drop-offs at the selection stage, reducing decision fatigue.
✅ Higher user satisfaction, as 85% of participants reported finding relevant meal options quickly.

View Detailed Process & Results

What did I learn:

As a product designer on this project, I learned the critical value of user-centered design and research-driven iteration. Understanding user needs through interviews and surveys was essential in crafting personalized solutions that build trust and engagement. The structured approach to the food preference survey taught me the importance of precise data collection for delivering meaningful outcomes. Additionally, I gained insights into balancing user satisfaction with business goals, reinforcing how thoughtful design can drive both impact and innovation. This project sharpened my problem-solving and collaboration skills, leaving me better equipped for future challenges.