OVERVIEW
Increasing customer satisfaction by improving the ordering experience with new digital experiences
Ssong's Hotdog, a global Korean fast-food chain in the United States, Japan, Vietnam, and China, sought to broaden appeal by improving customer experience (CX).
In a capstone experience through the UMD iConsultancy, my team and I used the Design Sprint methodology to iterate and test ways to enhance CX across five sprints, resulting in two new digital experiences.
Timeline
September 2022 - May 2023
8 months
Roles
Product Designer Graphic Designer UX Researcher Facilitator
Team
4 Product Designers
Deliverables
Wireframes, Design System, High-Fidelity Mockups, Interactive Prototypes, Brand Guidelines, User Testing
PROBLEM SPACE
The restaurant faces frustrated customers and hesitant newcomers
Key stakeholders identified ongoing pain points in customers' experiences that leave them dissatisfied with their food service. Additionally, they observed that American consumers were hesitant to engage with foreign cultures. Therefore, we wondered how we might improve the customer experience and promote Korean culture?
SOLUTION
Speed up the ordering process and keep customers engaged after food purchase
Scan-to-Order
Skip the line and order from your phone with redesigned mobile ordering.
Minigames
Keep customers busy and connected with the brand with Korean themed minigames.
PROCESS
The Design Sprint methodology would help us create multiple ideas
Given our predetermined timeframe, we opted to use the Design Sprint methodology to develop meaningful solutions in a short amount of time. Our sprints were extended from the typical one-week timeframe to four to five weeks per sprint and were modified depending on our needs.
PHASE 1
DISCOVER
Exploring the customer journey and business workflow of Ssong’s Hotdog
We met with our stakeholders to delve deeper into the business goals and objectives of Ssong's. From this dialogue, we identified a significant pain point experienced by customers – the expectation of waiting at least 10 minutes before their food is ready. This revelation opened up an opportunity for us to explore strategies aimed at keeping customers satisfied during extended wait times.
IDEATION
How might we keep the customer happy after the ten-minute wait expectation?
Each team member brainstormed a solution to address wait times through storyboard sketches. As a gamer, I thought of using a mobile game to pass the time. Therefore, my proposal involved offering customers a "community challenge," which was a minigame they could play to compete for rewards while waiting for their food.
SPRINT 1 PROTOTYPE
We decided our solution would be the community challenge minigame
Our stakeholders approved my community challenge minigame idea, excited about its potential to build a sense of community and customer loyalty at Ssong's. Therefore, I worked alongside another team member to develop a prototype for the concept.
TESTING
Key Insights
Upon ordering, customers enjoyed the idea of a minigame and easily understood the concept.
The minigame could be used for marketing, as interactive activities generally have a wide appeal.
External factors contribute to customer interaction, such as social influence.
Some customers were not interested in the minigame and prioritized their food.
The concept of playing a minigame while waiting for food was generally well received by customers
We tested our prototype with seven customers who had recently placed an order at a Ssong’s Hotdog location. I took on an observational role, watching them fiddle with our prototype as I took notes. Later, we organized the data into an affinity diagram to better understand the feedback.
NEXT STEPS
How might we improve the minigame and use it to promote Korean culture?
Our minigame, a clone of the popular game Wordle, surprisingly got mixed feedback. Therefore, we decided to start fresh with an original game idea. In addition to generating new game ideas, we also thought about how this minigame could help customers ease into engaging with Korean culture.
ITERATING ON SPRINT 1
Each team member sketched their ideas for new Korean themed mobile games
We each came up with game ideas with mobile game design in mind and agreed to make them Korean themed to promote Korean culture. One of my ideas was a matching-battle game where players compete to match patterns as quickly as possible.
After communicating with Ssong’s marketing team, I learned that Instagram Reels showing the Korean hotdog making process were popular. That’s when it clicked; my next proposal would be “Cooking With Ssong’s,” a series of minigames that simulate the process of making a Korean hotdog, inspired by Cooking Mama.
SPRINT 2 PROTOTYPE
Cooking With Ssong’s and Red Light Green Light were our standout ideas
Our team and stakeholders liked Cooking With Ssong’s and Red Light Green Light as great mobile games to promote Korean culture. We also saw potential in adding elements from the Doodling Design Challenge. Therefore, I collaborated with another designer to bring Cooking With Ssong’s to life.
Red Light Green Light
Cooking With Ssong’s
TESTING
Both games were generally well received, with more users preferring Red Light Green Light
We conducted virtual usability testing and A/B testing with seven individuals, with our goal being to gather feedback on the quality of the games. This testing session also validated my design decision that customers would prefer a points-based game over voting.
User Testing
Key Themes: Red Light Green Light
I like the inspiration and simplicity of the game.
I would like to receive rewards without signing in.
I want instructions to be improved.
Key Themes: Cooking With Ssong’s
I like clear and concise instructions.
Interactions in games are fun as long as there aren’t many of them.
I like the customization and relevance of the game to Ssong’s Hotdog.
A/B Testing
DESIGN CHANGES
Our designs were improved based on the feedback we received
Clear Instructions
Providing instructions on how to play the game before playing. A common theme we discovered was that clear and concise instructions were preferred.
Points System
Measuring success with points instead of the amount of votes received. Testing revealed that a points-based game was favored.
Optional Log-in
Allowing to play the community challenge minigame without the need of an account. Your performance will only be saved if you make an account.
Less Interactions
Only involving two kinds of interactions within gameplay for Cooking With Ssong’s. It was overwhelming for some how many interactions were required to play previously.
PHASE 2
SHIFTING FOCUS
Enhancing the ordering experience by introducing a scan-to-order feature for customers
With the community challenge minigame idea complete, we decided to turn our attention to the actual ordering experience. Our prototype from the first sprint simulated the process of scanning to order to access the community challenge. Because the reception to the idea was positive, we wanted to further develop the concept.
Considerations
How might we avoid the problem of mismatching locations?
How might we simplify the ordering process through scan-to-order?
How might we make the scan-to-order feature recognizable?
HEURISTIC EVALUATION
There were 31 usability issues in Ssong’s Hotdog’s online ordering system
To make the most of Ssong’s resources, we decided to implement a scan-to-order feature in their current online ordering system. This not only allowed for a revamp of the system but also paved the way for a user-friendly experience. Before we began our redesign, we conducted a heuristic evaluation, setting the stage for a seamless and improved ordering process.
BRAINSTORM
How can we redesign the online ordering system to be more user-friendly?
Keeping the issues in mind, each of us sketched ideas to improve the ordering system. In a prior talk with stakeholders, they mentioned Ssong’s using Clover, a point of sales system. I found out Clover has a scan-to-order feature and recommended designing around it.
SPRINT 3 PROTOTYPE
New online ordering system
In this sprint, stakeholders stepped back, letting our team explore our brainstormed ideas. As we sifted through the possibilities, we handpicked the best features to implement. Afterward, we split into pairs: one teammate and I focused on the menu, while the other two tackled the checkout section.
Key Features
Scan credit card and digital wallets
Detailed menu item cards
Location Banner
Show selected customization items
Provide queue number
TESTING
We received overwhelmingly positive feedback for the scan-to-order feature and redesigned online ordering
We went back to Ssong’s Hotdog for a second round of testing with six new customers. While leading the usability testing, I faced some challenges due to language barriers. Despite this, we found that customers liked the scan-to-order feature and the new online ordering look.
Key Themes
I like the feature of showing toppings and want it to be visible.
I recognized the online ordering system and liked several features.
I like features that let me skip the line and order quickly.
I like to order online when there is a line and I don’t want to ask questions.
FURTHER ITERATION
Increasing the quality of the visual design
When we originally developed the prototype, we prioritized usability. Now that our design was validated, we concentrated on enhancing the visual design. I worked on the visual design of the queue number, the presentation of the community challenge, as well as the copywriting for the text-alert notifications.
Checkout and Menu
Queue + Community Challenge
Customization
HANDOFF
HANDOFF
Final Solutions
Scan-to-Order Online Ordering
Cooking With Ssong’s
Red Light Green Light
Design System
Developed to help our stakeholder maintain brand consistency moving forward across different platforms.
SUCCESS METRICS
How I would measure the outcome of these solutions
Customer Engagement
Are customers using the scan-to-order feature?
Are customers playing the community challenge minigames?
Sales
Was there an increase in food purchases?
REFLECTION
Challenges
Planning for the Unexpected: During usability testing, users interacted with our prototypes in ways we did not expect. It’s important to be ready to adapt to these unexpected happenings.
Working With Stakeholders: Our stakeholder was difficult to reach during a sprint. Because they were involved in the design process, we had to take the direction of the sprint into our own hands.
Fast Pace: The nature of design sprints means the process is moving fast. Therefore, its important to do your best to keep up.
Learnings
Design Systems: Learning how to create a cohesive design system that can be replicable.
Cross-Functional Collaboration: Working with people who have various roles within a team, such as marketing, developers, designers, and the CEO himself.
Consistent Communication: Making decisions on behalf of a team as design lead and communicating my thought process regularly.
Design Sprinting: Using a new methodology to rapidly brainstorm and test solutions.
