The Idea
Could an app that offers robust grocery listing features and the ability to find the best price for items on a list enhance the grocery shopping experience?
Research 1.0
Survey
For relevance I surveyed 54 potential users from a wide range of backgrounds and parts of the U.S.A. using fast.typeform.com.
(I asked 5 Questions: 1 qualifying, 3 open, and also for their name.)
(I asked 5 Questions: 1 qualifying, 3 open, and also for their name.)
Results
What's on their mind?
Making Sense of Things
I constructed a Mental Model to find more nourishing insights about grocery shoppers. I found that:
Supporting Research
Corroborative Surveys
Looking at what other surveys found about grocery shopping patterns I found general alignment with my findings as well as further insights.
Grocery list builders, price comparison, and recipe searches are relevant features for the app.
To view research sources go to:
http://www.progressivegrocer.com/top-stories/headlines/shopper-behavior/id38956/women-dominate-grocery-shopping-study/
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/femail/article-2204502/Mothers-make-19-trips-supermarket-month.html
http://www.groceryheadquarters.com/2013/06/ksc-kreate-provides-grocery-shopper-insights/
http://www.supermarketguru.com/the-lempert-report/shoppers-love-their-phones!.html
http://business.time.com/2013/10/08/the-grocery-store-may-be-on-its-death-bed/
http://www.consumerreports.org/cro/supermarkets/buying-guide.htm
http://www.icn-net.com/docs/12086_FMIN_Trends2012_v5.pdf
2013_SymphonyEYC_Shopper_Research.pdf
Competitive Insights
A look at 21 competitors offered great insight into the primary features that the app could offer users.
The top competitors were Grocery IQ & Food on The Table
To view research sources go to:
http://abcnews.go.com/Business/grocery-shopping-apps-save-time-money/story?id=19715447#5
http://www.thekitchn.com/5-free-iphone-apps-that-make-grocery-shopping-a-little-easier-195449
http://ipod.about.com/od/bestiphoneapps/tp/6-Time-Saving-Iphone-Grocery-List-Apps.htm
http://ipod.about.com/library/RCA-2013/bl-RCA-2013-Finalists-Shopping.htm
http://mashable.com/2012/09/07/apps-organize-grocery-list/
And the Apple App Store
http://ipod.about.com/od/bestiphoneapps/tp/6-Time-Saving-Iphone-Grocery-List-Apps.htm
Hypothesis
If the app provides an easy to use grocery list builder that allows users to find the best prices for the items on their list and expedites their shopping experience it will become the most used grocery app.
Personas
Molding the insights from the research into human form.
Research 2.0
Designs
With clear user goals established I set out to create the first designs and prototype for Grocery Guru, the emerging app.
As the user flow evolved the annotations on the sketches documented each step of the process leading to Prototype 1.
User Tests (1st Round)
I conducted four user tests. All participants were smartphone owners and used their phones for a wide variety of tasks with high frequency. The test was done with a paper prototype.
Three major findings:
Prototype 2
Built on real user input from the tests Prototype 2 went digital on Omnigraffle. Here are sample wireframes:
User Tests (2nd Round)
I conducted three user tests. All participants were smartphone owners and used their phones for a wide variety of tasks with high frequency. I used printouts of the Prototype 2 design for the test.
As in the 1st round the tasks focus on testing the easy to use grocery list builder and the best prices search tool.
Three major findings:
Conclusion
Takeaways
Takeaways
The Grocery Guru app project elicited lots of excitement from user test participants I'll let them tell you what was exciting
for them.
User Test 1 Participants:
User Test 2 Participants:
Envisioning the final form with some mock ups.
Magical Features
I peeled my scalp looking for novel ways to enhance the app's offerings. Although participants were more comfortable using familiar methods to make their lists, it still made sense to offer some magical features.
So here is a sampling of two of these features.
The Starter List:
List Market Mapping:
Final Thoughts
In alignment with my hypothesis, an easy to use grocery list builder and the ability to find the best prices on lists and/or items are highly valued by consumers. Grocery Guru managed to expedite the shopping experience and test participants were excited about the prospect of using such an app.
Grocery Guru attempts to meet users at their needs. Features line up to user goals enhancing and facilitating the grocery shopping experience by leveraging shopping behaviors. But although it's evolved from an apparently simple concept there's always more work to be done.
For more information on the research trail for magical feature possibilities:
http://www.minyanville.com/sectors/technology/articles/The-Biggest-iPhone-5S-Feature-Nobodys/9/18/2013/id/51810?refresh=1
http://www.informationweek.com/personal-tech/geo-location/top-gps-apps-for-the-iphone-2013-editi/240146807
http://www.minyanville.com/sectors/technology/articles/The-Biggest-iPhone-5S-Feature-Nobodys/9/18/2013/id/51810?refresh=1
http://www.informationweek.com/personal-tech/geo-location/top-gps-apps-for-the-iphone-2013-editi/240146807
http://www.rawstory.com/rs/2013/06/08/how-supermarkets-get-your-data-and-what-they-do-with-it/
https://mocana.com/blog/2012/06/29/gps-locationization-inside-buildings/
https://support.google.com/gmm/answer/1685827?hl=en&topic=1685871
http://3dincites.com/2012/09/solving-wireless-challenges-at-imaps/
http://forums.macrumors.com/showthread.php?t=1267078
http://www.icn-net.com/docs/12086_FMIN_Trends2012_v5.pdf
http://www.bargainteers.com/tag/imaps/
As well as the iOS 7 Technology and Human Interface Guidelines
https://mocana.com/blog/2012/06/29/gps-locationization-inside-buildings/
https://support.google.com/gmm/answer/1685827?hl=en&topic=1685871
http://3dincites.com/2012/09/solving-wireless-challenges-at-imaps/
http://forums.macrumors.com/showthread.php?t=1267078
http://www.icn-net.com/docs/12086_FMIN_Trends2012_v5.pdf
http://www.bargainteers.com/tag/imaps/
As well as the iOS 7 Technology and Human Interface Guidelines
