Streamline your coffee run with Starbucks' new Group Order feature - convenience brewed, just for you and your crew.

ROLE
UX/Researcher
UX/UI Designer
Project type
Add a feature
project year
March - April 2024
View Prototype

Project Background

As both a Starbucks employee and customer, I observed that placing large group orders was often a frustrating experience for users. The process was time-consuming, involved managing multiple forms of payment, and lacked clear order details, leading to frequent mix-ups. To address these pain points, I proposed and designed a new feature for the Starbucks mobile app: Group Ordering. This feature aims to streamline the experience, allowing users to easily coordinate orders for multiple people while enhancing overall convenience.

Research

Understanding the Problem

To validate the need for a group ordering feature, I conducted interviews with five Starbucks app users aged 25-42. Through these interviews, I identified common pain points when placing large orders, including:

  • Difficulty ensuring that customized orders are correct due to varying preferences and dietary restrictions.
  • Challenges in managing payments, including delays in reimbursement and tracking who has paid.
  • The process of collecting orders involved time-consuming back-and-forth communication.
  • Issues with picking up large orders, leading to confusion and mix-ups.

Competitor Analysis

In addition to user interviews, I conducted a competitive analysis of Starbucks’ main rivals, including McDonald's and Dunkin' Donuts. While none of these competitors offer group ordering within their apps, third-party delivery platforms like Uber Eats and DoorDash do. However, using these platforms means users forfeit the opportunity to earn Starbucks rewards, making it clear that adding this feature directly to the Starbucks app would drive more business and customer loyalty.

Competitive Analysis Full Report

Affinity Map

To synthesize the valuable insights gathered from user interviews, I organized the feedback into an affinity map. This visual representation allowed us to identify common themes and pain points, guiding the next steps in my design process.

Define

Problem Statement

Starbucks is known for providing convenience and quality, but group orders have been a pain point for many users. How might we streamline the group ordering process to make it more efficient and enjoyable for everyone involved?

User Persona & Journey Mapping

Based on the insights gathered from my research, I created a user persona that reflected the needs and behaviors of typical Starbucks customers who often place group orders. I also developed a user journey map to visualize the experience from start to finish, ensuring a seamless and engaging interaction throughout the process.

User Persona
User Journey Map

I brainstormed product features and prioritized them based on necessity: those essential for a successful launch, those that would be nice to include if time permits, and those that can be added in future updates.

Prioritized Features

Using Whimsical, I created a user flow to illustrate how users will interact with the app, outlining the steps and actions needed to ensure a seamless and successful experience with the group ordering feature.

Design

Low-fidelity wireframes

To kick off the design process, I created low-fidelity wireframes, focusing on key screens that would showcase the group ordering feature. These wireframes helped establish the overall structure of the feature, ensuring it aligned with user expectations.

Low-fidelity Wireframes
Full Figma File

High-fidelity Screens

After testing and refining the low-fidelity designs, I used the Starbucks Material Design System to create high-fidelity wireframes. These screens brought the feature to life, integrating seamlessly with the existing Starbucks app interface while maintaining the brand’s familiar aesthetic.

High-fidelity Wireframes
Full Figma File

Prototyping

I then built a clickable prototype in Figma, focusing on the group order flow. The prototype included critical interactions such as adding multiple participants, customizing individual orders, and managing payments within the app.

Test

Usability Testing

To validate the design, I conducted usability tests with five users aged 22-55. The goal was to ensure that the group ordering feature was intuitive and easy to use. The tests revealed several insights:

  • Difficulty in ensuring that customized orders are correct, especially with multiple participants' preferences and dietary restrictions.
  • Challenges in managing payments, including delayed reimbursements and keeping track of who has paid.
  • The process of collecting orders and payments often involves time-consuming back-and-forth communication.
  • Issues with picking up large orders and ensuring everyone receives the correct item without mix-ups.

Iterations

Based on the feedback from usability testing, I made several key adjustments to the design.

Figure 1
Figure 2
Problem (Figure 1)

Users suggested that there should be a way to go back to the home screen.

Solution (Figure 2)

My solution was to add the backspace "<" icon to ensure users can exit out of the screen.

Figure 1
Figure 2
Problem (Figure 1)

Users suggested that there should be a visual process of their order.

Solution (Figure 2)

My solution was to add a progress bar so users can easily track their order status.

Final Thoughts

For the next step for this project, I would perform another round of usability tests and delve deeper into developing a feature for splitting payments and loyalty points.

This product presented a unique challenge and was immensely rewarding; integrating new features into an already well-designed app was no small feat. My previous experience as both an employee and a customer at Starbucks enhanced my enjoyment and engagement with this project. Working on the Starbucks app reinforced the significance of adhering to brand design guidelines, and I am eager to continue growing as a UX designer in the future.

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