AinuSavor
Culinary exploration app

Crafting an app to share and celebrate traditional ainu cuisine

Overview

ROLE
Product Design (UX/UI)
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Tools used:
Figma / Midjourney / Adobe Suite

Background

AinuSavor was developed as part of a broader initiative to preserve and share the culinary heritage of the Ainu people, an indigenous group from northern Japan. The Ainu culture, renowned for its deep connection to nature, has a rich culinary tradition that reflects its respect for the environment. However, these unique recipes and techniques have been at risk of disappearing. With growing global interest in indigenous foods and sustainable eating practices, AinuSavor was created to revitalize and share these traditional recipes with a modern audience. The app aims to offer an interactive and accessible platform where users can learn, cook, and explore the Ainu culinary world in their own kitchens.

Problem

The challenge was to create a mobile app, AinuSavor, that would make the traditional Ainu culinary heritage accessible to a modern audience. With the Ainu recipes and techniques at risk of fading away, the app needed to offer a user-friendly interface that catered to a range of culinary skills while maintaining the cultural integrity of the recipes. Additionally, it had to accommodate users' dietary preferences and cooking experience levels, while also providing offline access to content for those with unstable internet connections.

Project Goals

Create an intuitive, engaging app that preserves and shares the unique Ainu culinary traditions. The app should cater to users of various cooking abilities, offer detailed cultural explanations for each recipe, and provide offline access to recipes and cooking videos for greater accessibility.

01 / Empathize - Exploring the user's needs

Overview

  • Research approach

  • Competitive analysis

Research approach
To fully grasp the needs and expectations of users for AinuSavor, I utilized two primary research methods: competitive analysis and user surveys. For the competitive analysis, I examined apps focused on indigenous cuisines and general cooking platforms to understand how traditional recipes are presented. Additionally, I researched user expectations in the culinary and cultural app space to pinpoint trends and areas of improvement.

The goals for my research were:

  • Discover design elements users are familiar with in food and recipe apps.

  • Identify challenges users face when learning traditional cooking techniques.

  • Understand the needs of users interested in indigenous culinary heritage and how they want to engage with these traditions.

Competitive Analysis
To deepen my understanding of the indigenous cuisine app market and user expectations, I conducted a competitive analysis. This analysis focused on both direct competitors offering traditional and indigenous recipes and indirect competitors in the broader culinary app space. The insights gained highlighted common design patterns, industry trends, and areas where existing apps struggle to present traditional content effectively.

03 / Ideate - Creating the framework

Overview

  • User flow

  • Paper wireframes

For the AinuSavor app, the user flow was designed to offer a seamless and enriching experience focused on discovering and cooking traditional Ainu recipes. The journey begins with a welcoming homepage that highlights featured recipes and cultural stories, inviting users to explore the rich culinary heritage of the Ainu people.

Users can easily navigate through key sections, including recipes sorted by difficulty, ingredient, and cultural significance. A search and filter function allows users to quickly find dishes that suit their preferences, including options for dietary restrictions. The app also features a section for users to share their own recipes and cooking experiences, fostering a sense of community engagement.

The wireframe design ensures a user-friendly, responsive interface that works across different devices, while taking accessibility into account for users with various cooking levels and language preferences. The focus is on intuitive navigation, cultural learning, and community participation.

Persona development 01

The Tanaka family, originally from Kyoto, uses a mobile app to explore Ainu recipes and follow cultural events in real time. The father, a cooking enthusiast, and the mother, interested in artisanal traditions, want to integrate elements of Ainu culture into their family activities. Children, curious and enthusiastic, take advantage of the application to discover cultural events adapted to their age. At the same time, they turn to a website for art tutorials and in-depth articles on Ainu culture, allowing them to supplement their knowledge with in-depth resources. This approach provides them with an enriching experience by combining hands-on learning and in-depth cultural content in their family projects.

Persona Development 02

Miyuki Sato is a 32-year-old cultural travel advisor from Tokyo, Japan, with a deep-rooted passion for preserving Ainu culture and traditions. As a cultural enthusiast, she is actively involved in learning about her heritage and enjoys cooking traditional Ainu dishes. Miyuki often hosts cultural workshops at her local community center, sharing her knowledge with both locals and tourists interested in indigenous history. While she is tech-savvy, Miyuki prefers user-friendly, intuitive platforms that help her explore and share Ainu culture without requiring extensive effort.

She loves discovering new recipes but finds it difficult to access detailed information about traditional Ainu dishes and cooking techniques. She seeks an app that not only offers a comprehensive collection of recipes but also provides cultural context for each dish, making the cooking process both educational and enjoyable.

Problems

How might we simplify the recipe search and discovery process for users with varying levels of cooking experience?

How might we provide detailed and culturally rich explanations of Ainu dishes to enhance the learning experience for users ?

How might we make it easier for users to share their own recipes, photos, and cooking experiences while ensuring the process is intuitive and engaging?

“Add a recipe” pages

“Search and share recipe and story” pages

04 / Prototype - Bringing the vision to life !

Overview

  • Wireframes

  • Branding

  • Final Design

Wireframes and low fidelity prototype

For the wireframes of AinuSavor, the focus was on creating an intuitive layout that would streamline the cooking and cultural exploration experience. The initial wireframes emphasized ease of navigation, ensuring users could quickly access Ainu recipes, learn about cultural practices, and share their own culinary creations. Feedback was collected during the wireframe review process, revealing the need to simplify recipe search and improve layout consistency for better accessibility. These insights led to refined user journeys, enhancing both the visual appeal and functionality of the app.

Low fidelity prototype usability test

The low-fidelity prototype was tested with five participants to gather insights into usability and potential areas for improvement. Key findings included:

  • Recipe accessibility: Users found it challenging to locate specific recipes. Streamlining search options and adding filters based on ingredients and cooking levels was suggested.

  • Cultural engagement: Participants showed interest in learning more about Ainu culture alongside recipes. Incorporating brief cultural notes and storytelling within the app was recommended to enhance the user experience.

  • Community interaction: The process of sharing recipes was confusing for some users. Simplifying this process and making it more intuitive would encourage more user-generated content and community engagement.

Branding

For AinuSavor, the branding approach focused on blending the culinary traditions of the Ainu people with modern design principles. The logo draws inspiration from traditional Ainu patterns, incorporating elements that symbolize nourishment and cultural heritage. I selected the same tonal palette than the website logo. The rounded, minimalistic design of the logo ensures it remains clean and recognizable across both app interfaces and social media. This approach reflects the app's mission to honor Ainu culture while being accessible to a contemporary audience.

02 / Define - Establishing the user's needs and problems

Overview

  • Persona development

  • Problem statements

Final Design

Profile

Incorporation of video content: Add and optimize video tutorials and cultural content to enrich the user experience and provide a more immersive learning experience about Ainu culture.

Ongoing user feedback collection: Establish a feedback system to continuously gather user insights and make iterative improvements based on real-world usage and preferences.

Reflections & Take-aways

Impact :

The designs for AinuSavor significantly enhanced user interaction with Ainu cuisine, as highlighted by user feedback. One participant remarked, "The app made discovering and sharing Ainu recipes a delight, and I love the cultural context it provides."

What I learned :

This project underscored the value of user-centered design and iterative testing. Feedback from real users revealed how crucial it is to address pain points and enhance usability. I learned that even minor adjustments can have a substantial impact on the overall experience, and incorporating user insights early in the design process leads to more effective and engaging solutions.

Login and Profile Features

For the AinuSavor app, the login and profile pages are designed to offer a user-friendly and personalized experience across all devices.

Seamless Login - The login page features a simple and clean design, with options for quick sign-in via email or social media accounts. The process is streamlined to minimize user effort and time.

Personalized Profile - Customizable settings allow users to manage their preferences and cooking skill levels.

Cultural Integration - The profile page includes features for users to explore their contributions to the community, such as shared recipes and feedback on cultural content. This encourages active participation and personal connection with Ainu culture.

Next steps

05 / Test - Time to test !

Overview

  • Usability Test Plan

  • Usability Test Goals

  • Usability Test Findings

  • Next Steps

User testing

With the prototype of AinuSavor ready, we have entered the critical user testing phase. I have developed a comprehensive usability testing plan and will conduct one-on-one interviews with participants to gather detailed feedback. To guide the testing, I prepared a set of interview questions aimed at both qualitative and quantitative insights.

Usability test goals:

  • Assess how easily users can search for and share recipes and stories related to Ainu culture.

  • Evaluate the effectiveness of the user interface in facilitating smooth navigation and interaction.

  • Identify areas for improvement based on user feedback to enhance overall usability and user experience.

Usability testing results

Conducting one-on-one user interviews provided valuable insights into how participants interact with the AinuSavor app. Observing their behavior and reactions helped pinpoint areas of success and aspects needing improvement. Here’s a summary of the findings:

Wins :

  • Users found the recipe and story search features intuitive and effective.

  • The overall design and look of the app were well-received, contributing to a clear and enjoyable user experience.

  • Navigation within the app was straightforward and easy for users to follow.

Opportunities:

  • Implement a photo upload flow to streamline sharing features.

  • Enhance the navigation with color indicators to show the selected page.

  • Increase text size in certain areas for improved readability.


Search and Share Features

Search functionality - The search page of AinuSavor is designed to help users quickly find recipes and stories related to Ainu culture. The search bar is prominently placed, with advanced filters allowing users to refine results by ingredients, dish types, or cultural significance. The design ensures that users can effortlessly locate the content they are interested in, making the discovery process efficient and enjoyable.

Recipe sharing - The share recipe page is intuitive and user-friendly, enabling users to upload and share their own Ainu recipes. It features an easy-to-navigate form where users can input ingredients, instructions, and cultural background. A user-friendly interface encourages interaction and allows for the inclusion of personal notes and photos to enrich the shared content.