Case Study:
Kids' Table
Parents encounter numerous challenges while raising their children. They often find themselves too busy to prepare meals consistently or wish to treat their family to a nice lunch or dinner. However, selecting a restaurant isn't as simple as picking the first one you see the trendy spot you've seen on social media. It's more complicated because everyone has a say in what sounds appealing and what atmosphere fits the mood.
As a father of two boys under five, I've experienced the difficulties of dining out with my kids. My wife and I always pack activities to keep them entertained or opt for restaurants we've deemed kid-friendly. I began to wonder, "Are we the only family struggling with outings?" After chatting with some friends, I discovered that many families face the same challenges.
Research & Data
Participants were required to meet the minimum criteria of being parents, guardians, or caretakers of children aged between 2 months and 8 years. This was as it addressed both ends of the spectrum and the expectations in between. Children from 0 to 18 months often need car seats or strollers, which can pose challenges for restaurants. Conversely, children aged 18 months to 8 years may not yet have the mental capacity to entertain themselves.
As I embarked on this project, I initially believed that the participants' responses would vary only slightly and that the solution to the problem would be clear. However, once I started analyzing the data from each interview, it became apparent that each participant was quite distinct, making it challenging to formulate tasks for the solution.
I developed an affinity map to identify the key concerns of the parents in this case study. I categorized the relevant data into six groups that would be the most beneficial.
I identified three key categories that would provide the most valuable insights: the factors that influence family outings, the current ways information is gathered, and the most important considerations when going out with children under the age of 8.
Wireframes
I decided to create a digital application to best serve this user group. This app will provide information about restaurants that cater to parents with young children. Applications are a familiar medium for accessing various databases, and this user group generally knows how to navigate them.
I created a paper mock-up of the application based on the wireframes and tested it with a user. During the testing, I identified several issues that needed to be addressed in developing a high-fidelity product.
-
The screens lacked exit points for users wanting to return to the previous screen.
-
The homepage was overly minimalist, requiring users to rely on a search feature to access the database.
-
The restaurant list was too cramped and didn't provide sufficient relevant information for users to make informed choices.
-
The buttons were unclear, ambiguous, or failed to offer useful information.
-
The "map" screen was unnecessary for the final presentation.
Hi-Fidelity Prototype
I consolidated the data from the affinity map and created a persona to reflect a potential user of this application.
The usability test I conducted led to significant changes in the overall structure and the number of screens in my high-fidelity mock-up. On the homepage, I eliminated the scrolling feature for daily recommendations and introduced new functionalities. I enhanced the "daily recommendation" section by including a brief overview of each restaurant, allowing users to visualize and read a short description. Additionally, I implemented a vertical scrolling feature for categories, enabling quick navigation, and creating more space between restaurants on the selections page. I also added back buttons for easier navigation to previous screens.
I had the two participants of the study test the high-fidelity prototype. Overall, the high-fidelity prototype received positive feedback but two areas could be improved. Both participants noted that there is too much text in the descriptions primarily on the results page and would rather have brief descriptions with keywords associated with the pictures. One participant pointed out that the rating system was too light and they wished there was more of a contrast between the stars and the descriptions.
​
I will make both of these changes moving forward with this application concept. As this is a case study that is close to my life experience I will continue to research the needs of parents of young children and improve on this design.