Chowly

In the ever-evolving landscape of the restaurant industry, the year 2023 marked a pivotal moment as I undertook the challenge of redesigning and re-strategizing Chowly's Restaurant Control Center. At the heart of this initiative was a commitment to enhance the functionality and simplify user experience of a critical tool in Chowly's user's technology stack.

Chowly's Restaurant Control Center serves as a central hub, providing comprehensive access to online order data across all restaurant locations and delivery platforms. Far more than a platform for reconciling costs and commissions, this tool empowers restaurant owners and operators with invaluable data insights and management tools. The real-time tactical information enables on-the-fly decision-making, while the ability to analyze long-term strategic trends empowers businesses to make informed choices that significantly impact their bottom line.

The pre-redesign problem with the Restaurant Control Center lay in the lack of an intuitive user experience, resulting in user dropoff, confusion, and ultimately, a lack of retention. Users faced challenges navigating the platform, encountering complexities in both management and data features that hindered efficient use. The cumbersome interface and convoluted workflows contributed to frustration, prompting users to disengage and seek alternative solutions. This lack of intuitiveness not only led to a decrease in user retention but also hindered the platform's effectiveness in delivering timely and actionable insights, undermining its value to restaurant owners and operators. Addressing these issues became the central focus of the redesign initiative.

To inform the redesign process, a comprehensive research and discovery phase was initiated, incorporating both quantitative and qualitative methods. Implementation of Heap analytics provided valuable insights into user behavior over several months, offering a nuanced understanding of how users interacted with the Restaurant Control Center. This quantitative data was complemented by user interviews, where outreach efforts targeted diverse user segments. These interviews delved into specific pain points, preferences, and user expectations, contributing qualitative perspectives to inform the design decisions. Additionally, a thorough examination of users' technology stacks was conducted to conduct a competitive analysis. This involved scrutinizing digital touchpoints beyond the Restaurant Control Center, gaining a holistic view of users' interactions within their broader technological ecosystem. The amalgamation of quantitative analytics, qualitative insights from user interviews, and a comprehensive competitive analysis formed a robust foundation for shaping the subsequent design strategy.

The core design goals for the redevelopment of Chowly's Restaurant Control Center in 2023 were centered on simplifying both management and data features to enhance usability and operational efficiency. The primary focus was on making the platform more user-friendly by creating an intuitive interface accessible to users of varying technical expertise. Streamlining management processes involved reimagining workflows and consolidating functions, while optimizing data accessibility aimed to present real-time insights in a clear and digestible manner. A pivotal aspect was the commitment to reducing action time, ensuring that users could accomplish tasks swiftly, thereby boosting overall operational efficiency. The platform's ability to provide quick access to critical data for informed decision-making further solidified its value, making it an indispensable tool that contributed to the long-term success of the restaurants utilizing Chowly's services.

After conducting a thorough analysis of the research findings, the ideation phase centered around a hypothesis that emphasized the development of a simple and intuitive interface for the Restaurant Control Center. The goal was to create an environment where users could navigate swiftly, execute actions efficiently, and establish a robust navigation paradigm memory. This hypothesis aimed to address the identified challenges by placing user experience at the forefront, guiding the conceptualization of design elements that prioritize ease of use. The ideation process involved brainstorming and conceptualizing features that aligned with the overarching objective of fostering a positive and memorable user interaction, contributing to the formation of a design strategy focused on enhancing usability and building a lasting connection with users.

Collaborating closely with leadership, product management, and engineering stakeholders, the design and iteration process unfolded through multiple phases. Engaging in iterative cycles, I sought validation for requirements and technology considerations at each step. This collaborative approach ensured alignment with strategic goals and technical feasibility. To enhance usability and gather crucial feedback, Maze, a tool for rapid usability testing, was employed. This facilitated testing with both internal and external users, providing valuable insights that informed subsequent design iterations. The iterative design process, marked by continuous refinement and validation, allowed for a dynamic and responsive approach to address emerging insights and requirements.

The final solution emerged as a validated, user-focused, intuitive design that empowered users to navigate their experiences swiftly. Through a rigorous iterative process and collaboration with key stakeholders, the design achieved a delicate balance between simplicity and functionality. Users could efficiently accomplish tasks with an interface that prioritized clarity and ease of use. Notably, the design left room for organic discovery, allowing users to explore features naturally without compromising efficiency.

Integral to the success of the final solution was the implementation of a powerful and dynamic design system. Tailored to accommodate user-specific feature flags, this design system offered a flexible framework that allowed for personalized user experiences. Feature flags enabled the platform to evolve in response to user feedback and changing requirements, ensuring a continuously optimized and relevant user interface. The culmination of these efforts resulted in a revamped Restaurant Control Center that not only met user expectations but also exceeded them, contributing to heightened user satisfaction and retention.

The redesigned Restaurant Control Center yielded significant positive outcomes, manifesting in notable improvements across various key metrics. Weekly and monthly active user metrics experienced a substantial uptick, indicating increased user engagement and ongoing utilization of the platform. This surge in user activity directly correlated with a boost in overall retention, reflecting the success of the design in cultivating a more enduring connection with users.

One of the most impactful changes was the substantial reduction in time spent on actionable flows within the platform. The streamlined design and optimized workflows resulted in a more efficient user experience, allowing restaurant owners and operators to complete tasks swiftly. This not only enhanced operational efficiency but also contributed to a higher level of user satisfaction.

Looking forward, further considerations for the Restaurant Control Center include the integration of machine learning models to harness the potential of order data. By leveraging advanced analytics, the platform can gain deeper insights into user behaviors, preferences, and market trends. This strategic addition allows for the development of time-based recommendations, offering personalized and actionable insights to restaurant owners and operators. These recommendations, powered by machine learning algorithms, aim to not only enhance operational efficiency but also contribute to increased revenue and value for users.