Introduction

I founded a startup company here in Nigeria called ChowDown .My friend and I decided to create a startup company that solved logistical issues in Nigeria, and she served as the non-technical founder. The company is a food and grocery ordering and delivery service. The idea for the project came about because of the way the logistics service in Nigeria is and the lack of accountability most of them have. We discovered that we needed to build something that solved many issues users were facing, such as real-time order tracking, a rating system, restaurant food menus, etc.

ChowDown is a single platform that connects restaurants with customers. They can share their food menus and prices while customers can browse through, search, order, pay, and wait for their order. Through ChowDown, users can also track riders in real-time as they work to deliver their order and they can also contact them through the mobile app.

The Challenge

Food delivery apps are often cluttered and confusing, leading to a frustrating user experience. With Chowdown, the goal was simple: make ordering food as easy and fast as possible by focusing on a clean, intuitive design.

Approach

Research Phase

User Interviews

We conducted user interviews to understand common pain points with existing food delivery platforms. The main complaints included slow interfaces, too many steps to place an order, and unclear delivery tracking.

Click here to view the results

We conducted 21 interviews with various respondents and the results of the interviews gave us an insight into what we needed to implement in our design. Most of the respondents complained about how slow the delivery was for them and how cold their order was when it was finally delivered to them. We saw this as a major problem that we should solve for the users, it could be solved in three ways i.e. via the app, through the delivery riders that we will use, and finally through government agencies that control logistics companies. We also know that the state of the roads in Nigeria is a major problem.

Competitive Analysis

We conducted a competitive analysis of four different food platforms to understand their feature set and why people patronize their brands in Nigeria. These brands were Glovo, FoodCourt, ChowDeck, and Jumia Foods. We tried to understand their strength, weaknesses, and their target audience. Below are some of the things we discovered about them.

User Persona

We created three user personas through our user interviews which we feel represent our target audience better and this helped us understand their pain points and needs.

Due to certain limitations with Framer, I couldn't get the file to zoom but you can click here to view the user personas.

How Might We Questions

These questions were created based on the users

• How might we create a food ordering platform that is so intuitive and user-friendly that anyone, regardless of tech experience, can easily order food?

• How might we design a seamless delivery experience that tracks orders in real time and provides transparent communication with drivers?

• How might we personalize the food ordering experience to accommodate different dietary needs, preferences, and budgets?

• How might we differentiate our service from existing competitors in the market?

• How might we create a platform that promotes diversity and inclusion by featuring restaurants from various cuisines and backgrounds?

Ideation

User Flow Map

This was the user flow map that we came up with

To view the full User flow map. Please click here

Information Architecture

We created the information architecture on Miro to help organize the app features and improve overall ease of use.

Wireframes

Throughout our research, we were able to come up with various wireframes but these are the few that I could only get for the project.

Solution

Fast Ordering Process:
Chowdown’s design reduced the steps needed to place an order. We focused on clear navigation and quick, simple actions to allow users to order in under a minute.

Real-Time Delivery Updates:
Transparency was key. Users could track their food's journey in real-time, from preparation to delivery, removing the uncertainty often found in other apps.

Design & Development:

Working with a team of 3 developers and 1 designer, we designed a streamlined user experience. From a fast, minimal-order flow to real-time delivery updates, every feature was built to simplify the process. We rapidly prototyped and iterated the design based on user feedback.

Click here for an interactive prototype

Results

The Chowdown platform launched to positive feedback, with users noting faster ordering and smoother navigation.

• 50% faster order placement compared to competitors

• 90% of users appreciated real-time delivery tracking

• User satisfaction rating: 94%

Learnings

• Simplicity Drives Success: Reducing steps in the ordering process improved user satisfaction and reduced drop-offs.

• Transparency is Key: Real-time updates built trust and confidence in the platform.

• Team Collaboration: Working closely with developers and designers allowed us to quickly iterate and solve usability issues before launch.

Pause in Development

Despite the early success, we temporarily halted development to refocus on key areas such as scalability and funding. We recognized that to deliver a truly sustainable product in the long run, we needed to optimize our infrastructure and secure the necessary resources to support growth.