1) Empathize & Define

Speaking with the client, I questioned, understood, and identified the restaurant's problems during this pandemic environment. Together we concluded that;

• there online presence is poor

• no official website

• no online menu

• poor experiences with delivery services

​ By identifying these weak points, I offered my client a digital solution that would potentially solve their problems and help their business during this challenging time.

2) Research & Ideate

A research phase was initiated to understand how people eat out at a new restaurant in this current pandemic climate. I interviewed five people asking questions about their restaurant picking process. ​ My findings gave me insight into the lengthy background checking process consumers go through when deciding if they want to eat at a restaurant for the first time. All individuals said they liked to google the restaurant’s digital profile to get an understanding of what the restaurant is all about looking for;

• Types of food

• Prices

• Reviews

• Pick Up

• Out-Door Dining

• Location

• Reservations

• Delivery

• Online Ordering

• Photos

• Videos

• Ratings

​ 5/5 people said they usually do this research on their phones. ​ With these findings, I have concluded that a restaurant's online presence is crucial to win over new customers. Restaurants need to have strong google search results, reviews, menus, photos, and websites to win customers during this pandemic climate.

3) Design and Prototype

The objective behind the design of this website is to provide the user with everything they need to know about the restaurant in 30 seconds. Based on my research, I was able to identify some common questions people have when they first visit a new restaurant's website.

• Where are they located?

• What do they serve?

• What is on their menu?

• When do they serve dinner?

• Do they have online ordering or delivery?

• What are their hours?

• Do I need reservations?

I want to provide the viewer an intuitive and easy-to-use digital experience that provides them with all the information they need to be encouraged to dine at the restaurant.

Desktop Hi-Fi Wireframes

Market standard web design principles influenced the high-fidelity mockup. Whitespace and minimalism were at the core of the prototyping process to give the user what they were looking for when visiting the website. Branding colors and styles were incorporated and approved.

Mobile Hi-Fi Wireframes

4) Test

User tests were done at several stages in the design and prototype process. I tested with several people who worked at the restaurant for user feedback and picking up on operational bugs. These tests entailed a run-through of the website and online ordering application. Including several test orders and scenario tasks to ensure we were meeting the user's expectations. Changes were made accordingly. We focused on improving the online ordering platform by adding professional photos and food descriptions for each item. A two-button call to action was implemented at the footer of every page to increase the probability that the user will view the menu or make an online order. With that, we noticed that a user would select either of the two buttons when viewing the footer section of the webpage. These additions improved the usability and effectiveness of the website.

5) Implement

The website was launched at www.hamidoseafood.com. I implemented a standard SEO strategy to get it listed on google. ​ Within the first three months of launch; 1000+ unique traffic views to the site $4,000+ worth of online orders were placed Ranked #1 on Google with "Hamido Seafood" keywords

Project Learnings

​

This project has given me first-hand insight into the restaurant industry and its consumer demand for digital products and services.

When Hamido's website launched, traffic came immediately, concluding that consumers had been looking for the site all along. In the first month, online orders on the website kicked off strong and even stronger in the later months with returning customers.

​

These digital products are becoming the norm as they help restaurants maintain and acquire new customers online. Online ordering platforms create a new income stream for the business and increase overall daily sales.

I conclude that this project was a success. Given the project constraints, I delivered a digital solution that has delivered the results that I intended.

If I had more time on this project, I would spend it testing and analyzing how customers interact with the site three months after launch and improve accordingly.