Designing an Eco-Friendly Dining Experience through Research-Driven Innovation for a Global Platform
(Case #5)
UX Research ⁕ UI Design ⁕ Prototyping ⁕ Art Direction
01 一一 03
Yelp is an online platform where users review and discover local businesses, helping diners make informed choices.
(Details)
Design project in progress
Client
Yelp Inc.
Location
San Francisco, California, United States
Category
Online Advertising B2B, B2C
Year
2024
Deliverables
Research, Labelling, Prototype, Concept
In collaboration with Yelp, our team participated in the 2024 Yelp Design Challenge aimed at addressing sustainable dining practices. The challenge aligned with the U.N. Goal for responsible consumption and production, seeking to explore how restaurants can offer more sustainable dining experiences, thus allowing diners to make environmentally conscious decisions.
MY ROLE
As the Lead Product Designer, I spearheaded brainstorming innovative solutions, led design discussions, and facilitated collaboration across the team.
WHAT I DID
UX Research
Prototype
Design System
Mobile app Design
IN COLLABORATION WITH
Ayushi - Scrum Master (PM)
Candice - Designer & Research
Cecilia UX Researcher
Katherine - UX Researcher
This project was a 3 - Months Design Sprint that required a rapid creative process to streamline the experience as quickly as possible.
OBJECTIVE
How might we enable restaurants to offer more sustainable dining experiences so that diners can make more environmentally conscious decisions on where to eat?
Explore how to empower diners and restaurants to make eco-friendly decisions through better communication and user engagement.
RESEARCH
Our research process combined both secondary and primary research to understand the motivations, barriers, and behaviors of both diners and restaurant owners regarding sustainability.
Research Goals
01
To understand restaurants’ motivations and barriers to implementing green practices in food preparation and service and exploring diners' attitudes and behaviours towards eco-friendly dining options.
02
To identify effective strategies and interventions that can enable restaurants to offer more sustainable dining experiences, thereby allowing diners to make environmentally conscious decisions.
Methodology
Secondary Research: We analyzed existing literature on green dining practices, eco-friendly consumer behaviors, and the challenges restaurants face when implementing sustainable options.
Primary Research: We interviewed 5 restaurant decision-makers and 6 diners, focusing on Millennials and Gen Z. These insights helped us understand key factors influencing dining choices and the cost challenges faced by small to medium-sized restaurants.
Interviews
01
Interviewed 5 Restaurant owners in GTA, all of them are restaurant decision makers.
02
Interviewed 6 diners Gen Z (18-26 years) and Millennials (27-42 years), all of them dine out on weekly basis
Key Research Questions
Some of the questions asked that gave us most of our quantitative data are listed as follow
Q1
What factors influence diners' choices regarding eco-friendly dining?
Q2
What barriers do restaurants face in implementing sustainable practices?
Q3
How can effective communication bridge the gap between diners' expectations and restaurant practices?
INSIGHTS
Our research revealed several key insights that shaped our ideation and design approach:
01
Sustainability Is Not A Priority, But A Catalyst For Dining Experiences
Diners prioritize taste and price, but eco-friendly practices can significantly enhance their overall dining experience and influence their future decisions. While sustainability may not be the top priority, it can act as a catalyst for loyalty
02
It’s Tough To Go Green For Small To Medium-sized Establishments
Small to medium-sized establishments face significant cost challenges in adopting sustainable practices, despite a willingness to align with consumer preferences, especially those of Millennials and Gen Z
03
Eco-friendliness action is a shared perception
Millennials and Gen Z share a strong perception of the importance of sustainability in dining, valuing actions like using biodegradable materials and offering organic or vegan options:
Use of sustainable materials (e.g. utensils)
Effective food waste management
Provide fresh, organic or vegan ingredient
Minimizing the use of plastic
Minimizing the use of disposable utensils/containers
04
Subtle promotion is good, but we care more about transparency
Diners expressed a desire for transparency. Instead of vague eco-labels, they prefer detailed explanations about sustainability efforts through visible actions, such as clear labeling on menus or staff providing explanations
SOLUTION
Based on our research findings, we proposed several solutions to address the identified gaps between diner expectations and restaurant capabilities:
Communication with Diners
Eco-Friendly Labeling Framework
Create a standardized framework that highlight sustainable practices. For example, clearly label dishes with information on organic, locally sourced, or vegan ingredients, and use symbols to indicate sustainable choices. The idea is to develop a certification system or labels for restaurants that actively implement and showcase sustainable practices to the diners.
01
Improve restaurant filtering for sustainable dining with standardized framework (Yelp/Google Maps)
02
Menu design and labeling with a standardized framework for restaurants that highlight sustainable practices.
03
Integrate QR codes on menus that link to videos or infographics/digital displays explaining the restaurant's eco-friendly initiatives.
Communication with Business
Gamification and Engagement
Create a system that integrates both the eco supplier finder database and the sustainable market information & trend signals. Based on our finding, some independent restaurant owners might not know the market potential for sustainable dining. The idea is to ensure communication between the two components, allowing restaurant owners to access supplier information and market insights to save some costs
01
Provide a location-based filtering system for restaurants to easily discover and connect with local, sustainable suppliers.
02
Inform smaller restaurant owners about market potential and trends in sustainable dining, helping them make informed business decisions.
Engage Restaurants and Diners
Interactive Storytelling
Restaurants are invited to join the platform, where they can present their eco-friendly approaches, menu sustainability, and commitment to responsible practices. Diners, on the other hand, can explore these profiles, gain insights into the green efforts of their favourite restaurants, and share feedback.
01
Implement a loyalty program that rewards customers for engaging in eco-friendly behaviours, such as bringing their own containers, choosing plant-based menu options, or participating in recycling programs at the restaurant.
02
Enhance the dining experience through gamification, rewarding diners with points, badges, or discounts when they opt for sustainable choices.
PROTOTYPE
We developed wireframes and user flows that integrated these solutions into Yelp’s platform, focusing on three key aspects:
01
New filter categories - To help users find eco-friendly restaurants quickly and easily.
02
Transparent communication - Highlighting restaurants’ efforts to adopt green practices via clear labeling and additional in-app information
03
Gamified user interactions - Allowing diners to earn rewards and explore personalized restaurant recommendations based on their sustainability preferences.
Gamfication
Process Flow
The Game Concept
This game leverages interactive storytelling game to educate players on sustainable practices, guided by the 6 criteria:
Level 1
Ingredient Selection Level
Level 2
Eco-Conscious Dining Tools Level
Level 3
Eco-Conscious Dining Tools Level
Level 4
Energy Saving Level
Level 5
Food Waste Management Level
Level 6
Pollution & Chemical Reduction
It aims to inspire real-world behavioural changes by learning about environmental impact throughout the game.
Please note that the project is in progress, iteration are going on
CONCLUSION
