KENZØ Web Application
Case Study
Project Overview
Problem: Trying to live a healthy lifestyle today can be challenging. From busy work schedules to families to having a life in general, when is there time? So much research and planning goes into living healthily that it can get overwhelming and time-consuming, especially if there is no clear starting point or path to follow.
Solution: KENZØ - an AI-based website and app where users can take the stress out of planning a healthy lifestyle. Users can have an open conversation with MAIA to browse a recipe database, create a meal plan and a workout plan based on given criteria, and a grocery list that can be transferred seamlessly to the user’s preferred store or delivery system.
Impact: An AI-based platform that takes the stress and challenges out of users lives trying to live a healthier lifestyle.
Background: In the UT at Austin UX/UI Bootcamp, this was the final project we had to present before graduating. Our task was implementing AI into any website or app idea our group decided on.
My Role: Project Manager & UX/UI App Designer
Timeline: October 19, 2023-November 15, 2023
Competitor Analysis
Direct Competitors
CarbManager
Advantages
Assist in meal planning and recipes
Videos discussing health, nutrition, and exercise
Offers free and subscription-based options
Disadvantages
Focuses on the keto diet only
Options are limited if you do not have a subscription
NutriSystem
Advantages
Brand longevity and trust of customers
Brand recognition and sponsorships
Has an app (NuMi) that aids in tracking progress
Disadvantages
High pricing
Doesn’t allow input of substitutions
One size fits all approach to dieting
Indirect Competitors
MyFitnessPal
Disadvantages
Relies on user-generated content for its food database
Users may find the app's focus on calorie counting to be overly restrictive
Advantages
Onboarding accounts for activity level
Tracks weight, exercise, and water consumption
Noom
Advantages
Collects and analyzes user data to provide insights into their behaviors and habits
Offers highly personalized plans for each user
Disadvantages
Focuses on tracking and categorizing food but doesn't provide structured meal plans or recipes
Subscription-based; relatively expensive
Survey & User Interviews
Our team planned to interview users based on the survey data we received. We created a survey with 12 questions regarding users’ knowledge of health-based apps and AI, current health routines, and their comfort with AI-based platforms. We received 30 responses.
From those 30 responses, we interviewed 11 users with in-depth questioning regarding their current health routines, app and website knowledge, AI knowledge, and opinions on health-based platforms aiding diet and exercise. With the interviews, we determined any pain points or barriers that users face when using health and AI-based platforms.
Interview Plan
Most users we interviewed want to lose weight, do not follow strict diets but have either dieted or calorie counted before, and do not follow a routine in terms of exercise and diet but would be open to trying it if it was easier for them to accomplish.
Affinity Diagram
User Insights
“Keeping track of your meals and calories is helpful when you are working towards a specific goal.”
“I feel better when I eat healthy and workout, so that keeps me motivated.”
“I like to cook easy, non-complicated recipes, especially since I’m only cooking for 2 people.”
User Persona
From the interview data, a user persona was created. We debated creating two different personas, but we eventually decided on only one since the end goal for each persona would have been the same.
Meet Kara
27
Data Analyst
Austin, TX
Was very an active athletic in school
Living on her own with her kitchen for the first time
Demographics
Kara is a 27-year-old recent college graduate learning to navigate the “real world.” She was active and healthy in high school and undergraduate because she played sports.
Since graduating from graduate school and transitioning to the “real world,” she has found it challenging to juggle work-life balance, and maintaining a healthy lifestyle has become complicated.
She wants to get back on track by finding healthy recipes that meet her dietary needs and preferences, having her meals and exercise routine planned out for her, and having her groceries sent to her preferred store so she can pick them up after a busy day at work.
Biography
She wants healthy recipes with a meal plan to implement them
She needs a fitness routine that she enjoys
She needs to order her groceries for pick-up because of her busy schedule
Goals & Needs
Pain Points
Feels overwhelmed researching healthy foods
Planning meals & grocery shopping take up too much time
Creating & sticking to a workout routine can be challenging without structure
What would Kara want?
Recipe database with recipes that meet her specific criteria of needs.
A chat feature with the AI to easily talk to if she needs anything.
A favorites button & page to easily access recipes & workouts she enjoyed.
“Add to Grocery List” button for easy transfer to pick-up her groceries.
Videos for workouts so she knows how to properly do them.
Feature Prioritization Matrix
Our team jotted down our ideas for website and app features separately. We then placed them on the Prioritization Matrix to decide which features we would focus on the most.
Value Proposition
KENZØ is a meal-and-workout-planning web application with a built-in virtual assistant, MAIA. KENZØ helps users solve the problem of planning and living a healthy lifestyle in this busy world.
We’re better because we allow users to easily create meal and workout plans through AI-generated assistance, a grocery list that transfers to their preferred grocery store, and digestible information for even the most beginner users.
We’re believable because our AI assistant has high-quality data, delivers content using retrieval augmented generation, and uses the most reliable generative tools.
Initial App Sketches
It's time to get my hands dirty! I drew up a few screens for the app design that I thought would be a good starting point for my partner and me to create mid-fi wireframes. Considering what Kara would need in the app design, I drew the homepage, the meal plan page, and the grocery page.
Mid-Fi Wireframes
Home
MAIA Chat
Workout Plan
Favorites
Grocery List
Recipes
Meal Plan
Mid-Fi Usability Testing
My partner and I tested 5 users on our mid-fi app design to get their opinions on the layout, name, features, functions, and any other feedback they had for us. Many of our users were very helpful in our testing, even leading us to change the name of our platform because of negative feedback.
Mid-Fi Testing Insights
Change the name and branding to make it less food-specific
Add a calendar to the homepage of app
Make favorites alphabetical order + add a search bar
Change the MAIA chat button. Users didn’t understand the “Ā”
Mid-Fi Iterations
Change Platform Name
Update MAIA Chat Button
Add a Search Bar + Alphabetize Favorites
Add a Calendar to Home
High-Fi Usability Testing
After iterating on the mid-fi design, it was time to test the high-fi design with our same users to get their feedback on the changes! The users had 3 tasks to complete while testing so we could determine whether or not they successfully tested. We also allowed the users to give additional feedback.
Usability Test Tasks
Open a chat session with Maia and progress through a full chat flow.
Open up Recipe Favorites and find Chia Seed Pudding.
Complete the Self-Paced Workout version of the “Weights” workout.
High-Fi Testing Insights
Loved the name change & colors!
Add nutrition information to the recipe page.
Add a pause workout button for workouts with MAIA
Add a MAIA message that covers what she can help with
High-Fi Iterations
Add Nutrition Information to Recipe Page
Add a “Pause” Button on MAIA Workout
Add a MAIA Message
Final Prototype High-Fi App Mockups
Home
Meal Plan
Recipes
Workout Plan
Self-Paced Workout
MAIA Guided Workout
Grocery List
MAIA Chat
MAIA Reply
Main Favorites
Recipe Overview
Conclusion
KENZØ was the last project I completed in my UX Bootcamp. I enjoyed being the project manager for another project and helping my peers. Although there were a few hiccups with my group not finishing tasks in the time I assigned, I was able to talk to my team and help them complete the designs that they were not able to finish before presenting.
This project is one that I am very proud of, not only because it was my last project but because I believe it showcases how much I have grown as a designer and project manager throughout my time at the bootcamp. My team and I received amazing feedback when we presented our design, and I was able to answer all the questions that were asked by peers, guests, and teachers.