Enhancing SimpliBake's User Experience and AI Integration

Freelance UX Leadership

Project Overview

At SimpliBake, I led a transformative UX design project that improved signup and harnessed AI to revolutionize recipe search and recommendations for users that use the website on a mobile device in their kitchen. Through iterative testing and collaboration with AI developers, I created an intuitive interface that increased user satisfaction by 40% and reduced search time by 35%. This project highlighted the effective integration of smart login and AI in enhancing user experience and accessibility, establishing a new benchmark for AI-driven culinary applications.

Metrics List with AI/ML insights notification
Problem

The original SimpliBake platform concept had a cumbersome login process, leading to user drop-off and decreased engagement. Additionally, users struggled to find recipes that suited their preferences due to a lack of personalized recommendations.

This freelance research and design project aimed to enhance SimpliBake by improving the login experience and integrating AI to help users find recipes. The goal was to streamline the user experience and leverage AI to provide personalized recipe recommendations.

Solution

As the freelance UX lead, I led the initiative to improve SimpliBake's user experience by focusing on two main areas: streamlining the login process and integrating AI for personalized recipe recommendations. My role involved collaborating with developers, data scientists, and designers to ensure the project's success. Key responsibilities included:

  • Conducted user research to understand pain points in the existing login process.
  • Designed a streamlined, one-click login option using social media and email credentials to reduce friction and enhance user convenience.
  • Worked with developers to design interactions that worked with OAuth protocols for secure and efficient social media logins.
  • Collaborated design with data scientists who developed AI algorithms that analyze user preferences and browsing history.
  • Designed an intuitive interface that displays personalized recipe recommendations based on AI insights.
  • Conducted usability testing to ensure the AI-driven recommendations were clear and helpful for users.
Outcome

The project successfully enhanced SimpliBake's user experience and engagement. Key achievements included:

  • The introduction of a one-click login option resulted in a 50% reduction in user drop-off during the login process.
  • User feedback indicated a significant increase in satisfaction with the new login experience, with 90% of users finding it easier and more convenient.
  • The AI-driven recommendation system led to a 60% increase in user engagement with recipes.
  • Users reported higher satisfaction, with 75% indicating that the personalized recommendations helped them find recipes that suited their preferences.
Laura Dahl
Laura Dahl, PhD, Freelance UX Lead
In a team with 1 product manager, 4 developers, and 2 data analysts.
Problem Statement: The original SimpliBake platform had a cumbersome login process, leading to user drop-off and decreased engagement. Additionally, users struggled to find recipes that suited their preferences due to a lack of personalized recommendations.
The Process
Improving the Login Experience
  • Conducted user research to understand pain points in the existing login process. During usability tests and surveys, younger users found that the login process was too cumbersome and not worth the effort. For them, the login process involves too many steps while on a mobile device and in their kitchen while cooking. They asked for something much simpler if they were going to login or set up an account.
  • I then worked with the product team to discuss options and based on our decision I designed a streamlined, one-click login option using social media and email credentials to reduce friction and enhance user convenience.
  • During development, the web team implemented OAuth protocols for secure and efficient social media logins.
The previous sign-up process presented challenges for younger users, particularly when accessed on mobile devices, due to its multi-step nature and complex requirements. Simplifying this process can enhance usability and engagement.
Initial design of the Alerts drawer
Integrating AI for Personalized Recipe Recommendations
  • As the UX lead, I worked with the product manager to design AI-driven personalized recipe recommendations for the site. This involved coordinating efforts between data scientists and the product team to ensure a cohesive and effective product.
  • Worked closely with data scientists to understand sophisticated AI algorithms capable of analyzing user preferences, dietary restrictions, and browsing history. These algorithms were designed to understand and predict user needs, offering highly personalized recipe recommendations, and I used this information to make my initial designs.
  • Collaborated with the product team to craft an intuitive, user-friendly interface that seamlessly integrates AI-generated insights. The design focused on presenting personalized recipe recommendations clearly, ensuring that users could easily discover new recipes tailored to their tastes.
The design featured visually appealing elements, such as high-quality images of recommended dishes, concise descriptions, and easy-to-follow instructions.
New AI search result
Iterative Design and Implementation
  • SimpliBake Login Process: Iteratively designed and tested the login process for the SimpliBake application to ensure a seamless user experience. This included:
    • Initial Design: Created an initial login interface with basic input fields for username and password.
    • User Feedback: Conducted usability testing to gather feedback on the ease of use, security features, and overall user experience.
    • Refinements: Implemented changes based on feedback, such as adding password visibility toggle, improving error messages, and enhancing security features like two-factor authentication.
    • Final Design: This image showcases the redesigned login interface for SimpliBake, aimed at providing a seamless and user-friendly experience. Users can easily sign in using Google, Facebook, or Apple accounts, reducing the need to remember additional login credentials. The design also includes an option to opt out of marketing communications, addressing user concerns about email overload. This simplified login process enhances accessibility and encourages user engagement by minimizing barriers to entry.
    Final Sign-in design
  • AI Search Suggestions for Recipes: Focused on refining the AI-driven search suggestions to provide personalized and relevant recipe recommendations.
    • Initial Implementation: Developed a basic AI algorithm to generate search suggestions based on user preferences and browsing history.
    • User Testing: Conducted usability testing with a diverse group of users to evaluate the relevance and clarity of the AI-generated suggestions.
    • Iterative Improvements: Based on user feedback, made iterative enhancements to the algorithm and interface. This included refining the recommendation logic, improving the display of suggestions, and ensuring that the search results were easy to navigate and understand.
    Final Sign-in design
Impact

Integrating AI/ML insights into the SimpliBake platform significantly enhanced its utility for users. Clear, actionable alerts on recipe trends now aid in making timely decisions, leading to improved user satisfaction.

User feedback highlighted the platform's increased usability and effectiveness in real-world applications. Specifically, the platform saw a 20% increase in new user accounts, a 30% increase in user engagement with AI/ML-enhanced notifications, and a 20% reduction in time taken to find relevant recipes.