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This project is about create a new feature for an app. The APP I choose is Yelp. Aim for app that have an easy to find user base or are easy to download & use. Avoid app that have a hard to immediately access user base. The feature I create is "Make plan" & "Reservation" to help users to organize thier events.

Research

  • APP Audit
  • Research Plan
  • Interview Notes
  • Synthesis

Ideation

  • User Insights
  • Ideation sketching workshop
  • Product Requirements Doc (PRD)
  • Low-fi designs (wireframes)
  • Second round interview note

Hight fidelity

  • Components & Elements
  • Documentary

The aim of the Feature

  • I will add a “Things To Do” or a Schedule/ calendar feature in this app.
  • Share your schedule or plan with your friends. Your friend could edit the schedule in the app too.
  • The navigation bar is too small.
  • Icon is clear.
  • The most of the feature is about car, could be in one category, lack of entertainment.
  • The search bar is out standard.
  • Give a single section to Home Service is waste the space
  • Too many steps to get in the features.
  • The lack of a strong visual hierarchy can make it difficult to prioritize key information
  • The interface may feel uninspiring, especially when attempting to reply to comments or update information.
  • The multiple advertisements, sponsorship lists, and pop-up windows, the interface may feel cluttered. This may distract people's attention from the core content
  • The process of writing and submitting reviews is simple, with easy-to-use rating systems
  • The seamless integration of Google Maps on business pages provides a convenient way for users to visualize business locations and get directions.
  • Only show drive by car and walk way to the place, no trains and bus in the map.

What features of the Yelp app (e.g., reviews, photos, search filters) do users find most useful?

  • The most useful feature is rate the restaurants feature.
  • User could upload photos, videos, commons in the reviews.
  • Rate by the stars are more useful feature in Yelp.
  • Yelp’s focus on allowing both positive and negative reviews gives users a balanced perspective

How does Yelp compare to other review platforms like Google Reviews, TripAdvisor, in terms of user engagement and satisfaction?

Engagement
  • Yelp has highly engaged reviewers, the app’s characteristic is user rate and reviews
  • Google review is inside of the Google Map, the review is not the main point of the app. Google reviews are often used for quick feedback (star ratings), but there’s less incentive for users to leave detailed stories compared to Yelp's format.
  • TripAdvisor is more specialized toward the travel and tourism industry (e.g., hotels, restaurants, attractions), with high engagement in these sectors, especially among travelers.
Saitisfaction
  • Yelp is trusted by users who value detailed, anecdotal reviews from real people, particularly when it comes to local businesses. Yelp's focus on reviews with both positive and negative feedback.
  • Because Google Reviews is integrated into the Google Map and is easily accessible, it benefits from a wide user base, but there are also concerns about the platform's vulnerability to fake reviews or spam.
  • TripAdvisor reviews are generally well-regarded in the travel and tourism space, but the platform has been criticized for some fake reviews, particularly in highly competitive destinations.

What are the strengths and weaknesses of the Yelp app in terms of functionality?

  • The strengths function is rate restaurants.
  • The weakness function is auto services such as car wash, auto repair.
  • Do you use Yelp? If not what platform do you use?
  • How do you navigate Yelp’s app or website to find businesses?
  • What features (e.g., reviews, photos, search filters) do you find most useful?
  • How often do you leave reviews, and what motivates them to do so?
  • How do your behaviors differ between finding restaurants, services, or other business types?
  • How do reviews and photos influence your decision-making?
  • How easy is it for new users to find and use Yelp’s features (e.g., writing reviews, filtering search results)?
  • What challenges do you face while using the Yelp app or website?
  • How satisfied are you with the overall design and navigation of the Yelp app?
  • How satisfied are you with Yelp compared to its competitors in terms of review quality, user experience, and business recommendations?
  • How do you feel add a plan in this app?
  • Do you think it is possible or impossible to make a plan?
  • Do you usually make a plan on your devise?
  • How do you feel the place want to go in the Yelp?
  • What type of input fields, templates, or customization options would you offer users when they create a plan?
  • What core functionality do you think is essential for a "make plan" feature (e.g., setting goals, deadlines, creating tasks)?
  • How would users add businesses, restaurants, or events to their plan? Would they be able to customize details like time, location, or preferences (e.g., vegetarian-friendly)?
  • Would you allow users to set up categories for different types of plans (e.g., a dinner date, a weekend trip, a group outing)?
  • How would you enable users to collaborate on their plans? Would you let them invite friends or share their plan details via social media or messaging apps?

Yuting

“I am not usually add review for the restaurants. But the star evaluate is useful for me.”

Experience

  • I never used Yelp. I only use some Chinese platform such as booking or Trip platform.
  • I think the star evaluate is most useful
  • I never leave reviews. Only once to give a good comment
  • The photo is most important for me. Sometimes the business’s photo is totally different from users.
  • The challenges I faced is I can not compare with the fee in the history. Not show the fee in the past.
  • The landing page is clearly and I can directly search and choose anything I want. The information is clear and directly and detailed. The filter is useful and clearly and give the information directly after I choose.

Recommend

  • I feel good for add a plan feature in this app.
  • If I have all my planer of the time in a feature, it is convenience for me.
  • I use Apple Note to type by myself. If I have too many notes, I cannot find the one I want.
  • Make it looks like Google Calendar. Strait forward and simple. Make it as location in the plan not time line.
  • Let the plan looks more organize.
  • It is better add businesses, restaurants, or events to the plan customize details as time.
  • I allow users to set up categories for different types of plans
  • I would like share the plan with my friends.

Jeniffer

“I usually check the photo first, I want to see if the restaurant look good, I also want to see the menu and how the dishes looks like.”

Experience

  • I am using Yelp APP.
  • The most useful feature for this app is I can see the restaurant photo and food photo for the specific restaurant. I can search the restaurant I want in the search filter.
  • I never leave a review
  • Photo is important for me and influence my decision-making
  • The challenge is there are many advertisements in the app.
  • It has anything I want and satisfy my requirement. It show any options for any choice
  • I am not use other rate app.

Recommend

  • The plan feature will useful for the people who need it.
  • I add salary day in the calendar. If I have many things to do, I will make plan.
  • I never make a plan.
  • It could remind you the events before 15 minutes.
  • Deadline of the plan is important for me.
  • Time and location is more important. I search preference in the search page.
  • It could add a filter for the events.
  • I would like to share plan with my friends.

Iris

“If I do not make a plan, I cannot go out.”

Experience

  • I do not use Yelp. But I use Google map
  • Photo is important for me. I want to know how the menu looks like and make sure what I want to order
  • I am not usually write review. If I feel a good service I would like give reviews
  • I look the review first before I want to a restaurant after I will check the photo.
  • Review is not be trust because some business give gift if I give good review.
  • The satisfied of use the app is could look at the photo and have range number is important and clearly to see the evaluate.

Recommend

  • I think make a plan is possible. I must make sure where I go and make plan that I will go out.
  • I use Apple Note and Notion to make plan.
  • The input of the make plan feature could be afferent, has category or group, add interesting hash tag, icon.
  • Creating tasks could be a core functionality do you think is essential for a "make plan" feature.
  • I preffer more detail to the date
  • I allow users to set up categories for different types of plans mix them and depends on how the user need it.
  • I would like collaborate friend into the plan.

Irene

“I want to share my plan with friends that let them know the information of the restaurants.”

Experience

  • I used Yelp before but I never use it right now.
  • I reviewed by food, general, easy to navigate make reservation how long to wait.
  • I look at the star first then review, Not leave reviews sometime if give point or dessert
  • The photo is important to see the restaurant environment
  • Some restaurant do not have reservation. I want to see ow may waitlist right now. Register the waitlist and see how long how many should I wait.
  • The menu photo is clear and information for the food.

Recommend

  • It nice to give notification for the events.
  • Make plan feature is possible but I do not make plan. Research similar restaurant is possible too.
  • Deadline is core functionality is essential for a "make plan" feature
  • Category the restaurant and options by location, best place based on personalize.
  • I allow users to set up categories for different types of plans for big group.
  • I would like send the link to the friends show friends icon in the feature.

User Insights

Users need photos in the reviews to see how the restaurant and food looks like

All of them think photo is the most part in the reviews, they check the photo first then the text. Also, the star value is important too that is obvious to see how the evaluate of the restaurants. User need to see the information of the waitlist such as how many people in the, how long should be wait, also they want to reserve the waitlist.

Users need a clear plan in the app to organize the events.

Some people need a plan for the trip because they want their plan more clearly and organized. Some app do not show all plans, they should check one by one is inconvenience. Make a plan feature is really helpful to has a organized plan. Allowing users to plan activities, events, or itineraries directly within the app. Planning an outing, trip, or group activity requires users to explore different options, which naturally leads to longer session times and more interactions with app content.

Users want to share their plan with friends.

It is important for user to share plan with friend. It help to create a multiple events to a group of people that everyone could see it and do not need send the location or time one by one. User think time and location is important for the plan. Also user need a map or direction for the plan.

Ideation sketching workshop

How might we approach designing the user interface for the "make plan" feature to make it intuitive and easy to use?

How might we create the "make plan" feature integrate with Yelp’s existing search and filter capabilities? For example, could users filter restaurants or events based on factors like price range, dietary restrictions, or ambiance when creating a plan?

How might we incorporate Yelp’s booking functionality (for reservations, appointments, etc.) into the "make plan" feature? Would users be able to make reservations directly through the plan?

How might we allow "make plan" feature share with multiple people to contribute to a plan (e.g., voting on restaurants, suggesting activities)? How would you design this collaborative aspect?

User Flow

Journey Map

Lo-fi Version 1

Lo-fi Version 2

Lo-fi Version 3