Dinemate
Dinemate
DineMate is an app for restaurant reservations, targeted at individuals, with a special focus on group planning and social interaction. The main difference from standard reservation services is the ability to easily organize outings for yourself or a group of friends or colleagues, using built-in features for coordination, voting, chats, and bill splitting.
DineMate is an app for restaurant reservations, targeted at individuals, with a special focus on group planning and social interaction. The main difference from standard reservation services is the ability to easily organize outings for yourself or a group of friends or colleagues, using built-in features for coordination, voting, chats, and bill splitting.
Type
Mobile app
Duration
2 months
Year
2024
Project overview
Project overview
Task
Task
Design a mobile application that allows users to discover, save, and book restaurants while seamlessly coordinating with friends. Lead the design process from concept to high-fidelity prototypes, focusing on intuitive navigation, social features, and a personalized user experience.
Design a mobile application that allows users to discover, save, and book restaurants while seamlessly coordinating with friends. Lead the design process from concept to high-fidelity prototypes, focusing on intuitive navigation, social features, and a personalized user experience.
Process
Process
Below you can see the design process an how I solved this task.
Below you can see the design process an how I solved this task.
Discovery
Discovery
Problem statement
Problem statement
DineMate addresses the chaos of group planning, forgotten favorites, and scattered dining choices by bringing everything you need — friends’ recommendations, personalized suggestions, and seamless reservations — into one app.
DineMate addresses the chaos of group planning, forgotten favorites, and scattered dining choices by bringing everything you need — friends’ recommendations, personalized suggestions, and seamless reservations — into one app.
Competitor analysis
Competitor analysis
A competitive analysis was conducted to explore existing apps and platforms that help users discover, save, and book restaurants. This analysis provided valuable insights into both effective solutions and market gaps. Many existing solutions offer extensive restaurant listings, user reviews, and convenient reservation options. However, they lack strong social features — users cannot easily see friends’ favorite spots, coordinate plans, or share experiences within the app. Other platforms provide rich user-generated content and reviews but fall short in personalized recommendations and efficient group planning. Some have powerful planning tools, but they are focused on accommodations rather than dining experiences.
These insights helped clarify which features to adopt, what to improve, and where our product could provide a simpler, more unified experience.
A competitive analysis was conducted to explore existing apps and platforms that help users discover, save, and book restaurants. This analysis provided valuable insights into both effective solutions and market gaps. Many existing solutions offer extensive restaurant listings, user reviews, and convenient reservation options. However, they lack strong social features — users cannot easily see friends’ favorite spots, coordinate plans, or share experiences within the app. Other platforms provide rich user-generated content and reviews but fall short in personalized recommendations and efficient group planning. Some have powerful planning tools, but they are focused on accommodations rather than dining experiences.
These insights helped clarify which features to adopt, what to improve, and where our product could provide a simpler, more unified experience.
User survey
User survey
A user survey was conducted to better understand how people currently plan group outings, discover new restaurants, and organize their favorite dining spots. The goal was to uncover their current habits, preferred apps or tools, and identify pain points in their existing dining experiences.
A user survey was conducted to better understand how people currently plan group outings, discover new restaurants, and organize their favorite dining spots. The goal was to uncover their current habits, preferred apps or tools, and identify pain points in their existing dining experiences.
In-depth interviews
In-depth interviews
Based on the insights gathered from the six in-depth interviews and the results of the survey, I developed targeted solutions to address the identified challenges.
Based on the insights gathered from the six in-depth interviews and the results of the survey, I developed targeted solutions to address the identified challenges.
DEFINE
DEFINE
User persona
User persona
I made User persona to understand the needs of users for developing a successful product.
This step enabled me to identify and communicate user needs efficiently. In addition, it helped me to focus on my efforts and build empathy.
I made User persona to understand the needs of users for developing a successful product.
This step enabled me to identify and communicate user needs efficiently. In addition, it helped me to focus on my efforts and build empathy.
Information architecture
Information architecture
This project implemented thoughtful approaches that helped create a clear structure for the application. The entire architecture is built with a focus on logic, consistency, and accuracy. Each module is carefully designed and placed in the appropriate context so that no detail is overlooked.
This project implemented thoughtful approaches that helped create a clear structure for the application. The entire architecture is built with a focus on logic, consistency, and accuracy. Each module is carefully designed and placed in the appropriate context so that no detail is overlooked.
CJM
CJM
Creating the CJM for DineMate helped identify how the core user persona moves through each stage — from discovering the app to completing a reservation and dining experience.
This process enabled a more accurate prediction of user behaviors, needs, and emotions, using a persona-based approach. It was a crucial step for DineMate, as the product is built with a strong focus on user-centered decisions.
Creating the CJM for DineMate helped identify how the core user persona moves through each stage — from discovering the app to completing a reservation and dining experience.
This process enabled a more accurate prediction of user behaviors, needs, and emotions, using a persona-based approach. It was a crucial step for DineMate, as the product is built with a strong focus on user-centered decisions.
DESIGN
DESIGN
UI Kit
UI Kit
Onboarding & Autorization
Onboarding & Autorization
Quick and easy app login via phone number, email, or social accounts. Onboarding is integrated with authentication to minimize login time.
Quick and easy app login via phone number, email, or social accounts. Onboarding is integrated with authentication to minimize login time.
Exploring venues
Exploring venues
DineMate offers a smooth end-to-end experience for discovering and booking restaurants. Users can explore personalized suggestions, apply filters by preferences, and view results in list or map format. Each venue page includes detailed info, photos, menus with dietary tags, and friends’ insights. Booking a table is quick with a date, time, and guest selector, while integrated maps and visual galleries help users plan confidently — whether dining solo or organizing group outings.
DineMate offers a smooth end-to-end experience for discovering and booking restaurants. Users can explore personalized suggestions, apply filters by preferences, and view results in list or map format. Each venue page includes detailed info, photos, menus with dietary tags, and friends’ insights. Booking a table is quick with a date, time, and guest selector, while integrated maps and visual galleries help users plan confidently — whether dining solo or organizing group outings.
Booking a table
Booking a table
This flow showcases DineMate’s seamless group reservation and pre-order experience. Users can select a table, invite friends, pre-order dishes, and specify occasion details. The app supports transparent cost splitting, tip selection, and multiple payment methods. After booking, users receive an e-ticket, can access order details, chat with the group, and navigate to the venue — making group dining fully coordinated and stress-free.
This flow showcases DineMate’s seamless group reservation and pre-order experience. Users can select a table, invite friends, pre-order dishes, and specify occasion details. The app supports transparent cost splitting, tip selection, and multiple payment methods. After booking, users receive an e-ticket, can access order details, chat with the group, and navigate to the venue — making group dining fully coordinated and stress-free.
Chat
Chat
The chat feature enables users to communicate with their group, manage active reservations, and coordinate plans using built-in tools like polls for date selection and shared restaurant galleries —streamlining group decision-making in one place.
The chat feature enables users to communicate with their group, manage active reservations, and coordinate plans using built-in tools like polls for date selection and shared restaurant galleries —streamlining group decision-making in one place.
Favorites
Favorites
The user can add places to personal or shared albums, search and view collections of favorites, and book selected restaurants directly from the favorites list.
The user can add places to personal or shared albums, search and view collections of favorites, and book selected restaurants directly from the favorites list.
Profile
Profile
A user profile section of the app where users can share restaurant reviews, manage followers, connect with friends via social platforms or contacts, and adjust account settings. The profile includes separate tabs for feed, photos, reviews, and insights to organize the user's activity.
A user profile section of the app where users can share restaurant reviews, manage followers, connect with friends via social platforms or contacts, and adjust account settings. The profile includes separate tabs for feed, photos, reviews, and insights to organize the user's activity.
Test
Test
Usabillity testing results
Usabillity testing
results
Usabillity testing results
A total of 10 participants took part in the usability testing of Dinemate — 4 sessions were moderated, and 6 were unmoderated. Each participant was asked to complete a full reservation flow to assess the clarity, efficiency, and intuitiveness of key features.
The journey began with allowing location access, followed by using the search bar to explore restaurants and applying relevant filters. Users then selected a date and time for their booking, viewed a restaurant’s profile, and went through the reservation process. They invited friends, selected a table, and pre-ordered a dish. After completing the payment, participants checked their booking in the reservations section and accessed the group chat. The final step involved creating a poll within the chat to agree on a new date after one guest couldn’t attend as planned.
All participants were able to successfully complete the assigned tasks, demonstrating that the core user flows are intuitive and accessible.
A total of 10 participants took part in the usability testing of Dinemate — 4 sessions were moderated, and 6 were unmoderated. Each participant was asked to complete a full reservation flow to assess the clarity, efficiency, and intuitiveness of key features.
The journey began with allowing location access, followed by using the search bar to explore restaurants and applying relevant filters. Users then selected a date and time for their booking, viewed a restaurant’s profile, and went through the reservation process. They invited friends, selected a table, and pre-ordered a dish. After completing the payment, participants checked their booking in the reservations section and accessed the group chat. The final step involved creating a poll within the chat to agree on a new date after one guest couldn’t attend as planned.
All participants were able to successfully complete the assigned tasks, demonstrating that the core user flows are intuitive and accessible.
Outcome
Outcome
Working on Dinemate helped me grow as a designer by combining UX research, interface design, and real user testing into one cohesive process. Mapping the user journey and testing with participants gave me valuable insights into how people interact with group booking flows, chat features, and pre-ordering. It was especially rewarding to translate user needs into intuitive, mobile-first solutions. This project strengthened my ability to approach complex interactions with clarity and design with both functionality and experience in mind.
Working on Dinemate helped me grow as a designer by combining UX research, interface design, and real user testing into one cohesive process. Mapping the user journey and testing with participants gave me valuable insights into how people interact with group booking flows, chat features, and pre-ordering. It was especially rewarding to translate user needs into intuitive, mobile-first solutions. This project strengthened my ability to approach complex interactions with clarity and design with both functionality and experience in mind.
