Context

During the challenging period of the Covid-19 pandemic, I was part of the Minitable team that launched the Scan Table product, a pioneering solution designed to modernize the dining experience and address unique operational challenges. This product enabled dine-in customers to scan QR codes placed on their tables and seamlessly order food via their smartphones, enhancing convenience and minimizing physical contact. 

Despite the initial success, we faced demands for integration with existing Point-of-Sale (POS) systems. Realizing that partnerships and standalone POS development were time-consuming and unrealistic respectively, we opted for a strategic interface upgrade as a quick and cost-effective solution.

User Pain Point

Despite restaurants tolerating the need to manually transfer orders between systems, they found the original interface challenging to navigate, particularly during peak times with multiple active orders. 

The ever-changing order of the table list, triggered by incoming orders, often led to staff inadvertently clicking on the wrong table. This hindered efficient service, leading to guest complaints about delays. It became clear that addressing these interface issues was crucial for enhancing user experience and restaurant efficiency.

Junling’s Solution

Through extensive interviews and onsite observations of restaurant staff using Scan Table, I identified opportunities for improvement to optimize user experience and operational efficiency. My proposed enhancements include:

• To-Do List Widget: A feature to provide an overview of task progress, answering critical questions like, 'How many upcoming orders need attention?' and 'What tasks were just completed?'.

• Order Preview Widget: A function enabling users to review and dispatch the earliest order to the kitchen with a single click.

In addition, I streamlined the various table statuses (i.e., 'Empty,' 'In Service,' 'Closed') and retained only the essential functions and buttons for user interaction on the interface.

These proposed improvements are driven by a deep understanding of end-users' needs and a commitment to facilitating a smoother, more intuitive user experience.

Junling’s Tasks

• Leadership: Led the team of a back-end software developer and an Android App developer to enhance the interface

• Product Analysis: Performed in-depth product analysis through clients interviews and onsite observations, gaining insights to guide design improvements

• UX & UI Design: Independently designed user experience and interface enhancements, emphasizing intuitive navigation and efficient operation.

• Documentation: Wrote functional requirements and user stories 

• Quality Assurance: Conducted testing and QA sessions, identifying areas for refinement and ensuring the delivery of a high-quality product 

• Communication: Hosted internal meetings and QA sessions to familiarize the sales and customer support teams with the new features, fostering comprehensive understanding across the organization

• Collaboration: Worked with an assistant to develop an external tutorial slide, effectively communicating updates and changes to our clients 

Results

• Successfully delivered the interface upgrade within a one-month timeframe

• The upgrade reduced staff order management time by one third, improving operational efficiency

• User satisfaction with the product increased by 15% as a result of the improvement