Glutenless
CASE STUDY
Finding safe, delicious food options as a Celiac is a constant challenge. My personal project, Glutenless, connects users with gluten-free restaurants, groceries, and recipes - all in one app.
ROLE
Lead Designer
TIMELINE
1 month
KEY SKILLS
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User research methods
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Design system creation, including visual styles and components
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Translating user needs into product features
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​Interaction design focused on an intuitive information architecture
The Problem
Despite the growing awareness of Celiac disease, it can still be difficult to find restaurants and grocery stores that cater to those following a gluten-free diet. Immense planning is required to eat completely gluten-free, with problems arising due to complicated labels, uninformative menus, cross-contamination, and confusion with waitstaff.
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As someone recently diagnosed with Celiac, this topic is of particular importance to me. I've found the online Celiac community to be an incredible resource, however I quickly learned that many others had similar struggles to myself. Gluten-free information often feels scattered, unreliable, and overwhelming. And while there are some digital solutions to this in the marketplace, there is no one-stop shop for all three categories of gluten-free-eating: restaurants, grocery shopping, and recipes to cook at home.​​
THE
GOAL
Connect Celiacs with gluten free restaurants, groceries, and recipes through an easy-to-use, beautiful mobile application, thereby reducing the burden of gluten-free research and "eating anxiety" for users.
User Research
Results from a brief survey shared in local gluten-free Facebook communities confirmed some of my initial hypotheses. Restaurants and grocery shopping were reportedly most difficult to navigate, with gluten-free recipes reported as being easier to find organically through online communities and social media pages.
60%
of respondents found it to be very difficult or extremely difficult to discover new gluten-free restaurants
90%
of respondents rely on online communities to find new gluten-free restaurants
95%
of respondents experienced some difficulty when grocery shopping for gluten-free products
55%
of respondents use a mobile app to help them navigate eating gluten-free
Additionally, I was able to sit down for an interview with Jason Elmore, the founder of the leading gluten-free mobile app "Find Me Gluten Free." We discussed what he's learned about the unique needs of his app's user base over the years, and how Find Me Gluten Free designs its features to support them.
​Some key takeaways:
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Users are interested in both satisfaction ratings as well as food-safety ratings. Just because something tastes good, doesn't mean it was gluten-free!
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​Any features that can help Celiacs communicate their dietary needs with waitstaff are game-changers
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Filtering reviews based on the individual's unique dietary needs​ can help users narrow down their search
Lo-Fi Wireframes
Homescreen with relevant restaurants, groceries, recipes
Profile with "my diet info" and easy translation features
Restaurant details with reviews and available
menus
Grocery highlights including where to purchase
Color, Shape, and UI Iteration
First, I started with iterating on a logo that represented Glutenless. I started with a typical "gluten free" symbol, and took a modern twist.
I then experimented with colors and styles to find the right fit for the app's aesthetic. Three options were evaluated, and Style Concept 2 was selected as it provided a timeless, confident vibe.
Visual Styles and Components
To efficiently create high fidelity designs, I established a design system for Glutenless which helped maintain consistency across the app.
The Solution
A one-stop shop for Celiacs to access restaurants, groceries, and recipes that are safe and delicious.