SmartCart

Reducing in-store grocery shopping stress through real-time navigation and dietary awareness

Project Type

Solo UX Case Study

Timeline

~6 months (part-time)

Platform

Mobile (iOS)

Role

UX Researcher & Designer

Overview

Making grocery shopping faster, safer, and less stressful

SmartCart is a mobile app designed to help busy shoppers complete grocery trips faster and with less stress by providing real-time in-store navigation, dietary filtering, allergy alerts, and budget awareness.

This project was completed as part of the Google UX Design Certificate program on Coursera, where I served as the sole UX Researcher and Designer, handling everything from initial research through final high-fidelity prototypes.

The Problem

In-store grocery shopping is broken

In-store grocery shopping is time consuming and mentally exhausting; especially for parents and caregivers managing children, dietary restrictions, and a limited budget.

"Existing grocery apps often don't reflect real in-store layouts, overload users with features unrelated to speed, and fail to surface allergy or dietary risks clearly."

No Real-Time Navigation

Apps don't reflect actual store layouts, leaving shoppers wandering aisles searching for items.

Feature Overload

Too many features unrelated to speed and efficiency create cognitive overload.

Hidden Allergy Risks

Dietary and allergy information isn't surfaced clearly, creating safety concerns.

Budget Blindness

Shoppers don't know their total until checkout, leading to budget surprises.

Goal Statement

Design a solution that prioritizes speed, safety, and clarity

SmartCart helps busy shoppers navigate grocery stores efficiently by providing real-time aisle guidance, live list tracking, allergy alerts, and budget visibility; making in-store shopping faster, safer, and less stressful.

Reduce Search Time

Minimize time spent searching for items in store

Improve Clarity

Increase confidence and clarity during shopping

Positive Feedback

Achieve high in-app satisfaction ratings

01. Empathize

Understanding the target user

Primary Persona

Alyssa

Alyssa is a full-time working mom who needs a quick, hands-free grocery shopping experience so she can manage her children, dietary needs, and budget without feeling overwhelmed.

Shops with young children Manages allergies Values speed Budget-conscious Easily frustrated by clutter

Research

Understanding user needs and behaviors

To understand user needs and behaviors, I conducted early discovery research focused on identifying pain points around in-store grocery shopping.

Screener Survey

13 responses gathered to identify target users and common pain points

Competitive Analysis

Analyzed existing grocery and list building apps for gaps and opportunities

Key Insights

Users feel overwhelmed navigating unfamiliar store layouts
Shoppers want to minimize phone interaction while in store
Allergy awareness is often overlooked until it's too late
Budget tracking typically happens only at checkout

"These insights informed the creation of Alyssa's persona and shaped the core product direction."

Journey Mapping

Mapping emotional pain points

To better understand Alyssa's experience, I mapped her grocery trip not just by tasks, but by emotional state at each stage.

😰 Distracted

While building a grocery list at home

😫 Overwhelmed

Searching for items in store

😤 Frustrated

Finding missing or out-of-stock products

😞 Disappointed

Exceeding budget at checkout

This exercise helped identify where stress accumulates and where SmartCart could provide the most value; particularly by reducing cognitive load and preventing costly mistakes.

02. Ideate

Early design exploration

I began with paper wireframes to quickly explore the full shopping flow and prioritize essential features.

Key Screens Explored

Home screen with clear entry points
Item discovery and list building
Grocery list management
Allergy setup and profiles
In-store navigation with live list visibility

Early Concepts Included

🎧 Audio Navigation

Hands-free directions with mute controls

📷 Stock Reporting

Camera access for reporting missing items

📋 Persistent List

Always-visible list during navigation

"I intentionally removed features like coupons to keep the product focused on speed and efficiency, not savings."

03. Test & Iterate

Usability testing - Round 1 (Lo-Fi)

I conducted unmoderated usability testing on low-fidelity designs to evaluate clarity, hierarchy, and overall flow.

Key Findings

Users felt there was no clear starting point
Screens felt visually busy and overwhelming
Store-related actions were difficult to locate
Realistic store maps were impractical to maintain

Design Changes Made

Added a dedicated Home screen
Reduced on-screen actions per page
Moved store selection and info to a separate section
Replaced exact store maps with aisle-category navigation

Usability testing - Round 2 (Lo-Fi Iteration)

A second round of testing focused on usability, navigation clarity, and comprehension.

What Users Struggled With

Non-linear navigation felt confusing
Unclear next steps between screens
Icons and symbols were misunderstood
Allergy setup was easy to skip
Users expected to see a running subtotal

Design Changes Made

Introduced a more linear primary flow
Added explicit "Next" actions
Replaced symbols with clear text labels
Added an allergy prompt screen
Displayed subtotal during list building
Added travel-distance preferences for store selection

04. Design System

Building a visual foundation

To ensure consistency and accessibility, I built a foundational design system using Google Sans typography and IBM's Carbon Design System color palette.

Iconography

Standard system icons for clarity and familiarity

Color Palette

IBM Carbon Design System colors for consistency

Typography

Google Sans typeface for modern readability

Components

Buttons, inputs, and interactive elements

05. Refine

Final usability testing - High Fidelity

Final testing focused on visual clarity, accessibility, and polish.

User Feedback

Home screen felt visually flat
Store emojis felt unprofessional
Typeface felt unfamiliar
Contrast was insufficient for some users
Allergy profiles needed better management
Users wanted faster access to key sections

Final Improvements

Added visual depth to the home screen
Replaced emojis with real store logos
Updated typography to a more familiar system font
Added accessibility controls for font size and contrast
Enabled deletion of allergy profiles
Reintroduced a bottom navigation bar for flexibility

06. Solution

The final product

SmartCart enables users to navigate grocery stores efficiently while staying safe and on budget.

🧭 Real-Time Navigation

Navigate grocery stores in real time with aisle-by-aisle guidance

🎧 Hands-Free Audio

Receive hands-free audio directions while shopping

⚠️ Allergy Alerts

Track allergies and dietary restrictions safely with clear warnings

💰 Budget Tracking

Monitor spending in real-time while shopping

📷 Stock Reporting

Report missing stock directly to store managers

♿ Accessibility

Customizable font size and contrast settings

"The final design balances efficiency, clarity, and accessibility; supporting users through every stage of the shopping experience."

07. Reflection

What I learned

This project taught me the importance of designing for emotional states, not just tasks.

Emotional Design

Understanding where stress accumulates helps identify where design can provide the most value.

Iterative Testing

Real usability feedback is essential, assumptions often don't survive first contact with users.

Intentional Tradeoffs

Saying no to features (like coupons) protected the core product goals of speed and efficiency.

Flexibility vs Structure

Balancing a linear flow with navigation flexibility improved the overall experience.

Next Steps

Store Partnerships

Explore partnerships for deeper inventory integration and real-time stock data.

Wearable Support

Extend to Apple Watch for even more hands-free shopping assistance.

Mynian

Responsive Website UX Case Study for the Orthodox Jewish Community in Richmond, VA

Project TypeUX Case Study

PlatformResponsive Website

RoleSole UX Designer

ToolsFigma, Paper Sketches

Overview

Coordinating daily prayer services for a small community

Mynian is a purposeful re-spelling of minyan, inspired by Mitzvah Yachad-the idea of performing a mitzvah together. The name highlights collective responsibility and reinforces the app's focus on shared participation rather than passive attendance.

Mynian is a responsive community website designed to help a small Orthodox Jewish community in Richmond, Virginia coordinate daily prayer services (minyan) and Torah reading participation.

In smaller Jewish communities outside of major metropolitan areas, maintaining consistent attendance for prayer services can be challenging. Travel, work schedules, and limited population size often lead to last-minute uncertainty about whether a minyan will take place.

This project focuses on reducing that uncertainty through a simple, low-friction web experience that allows community members to indicate attendance intent and availability ahead of time.

Context

For non-Jewish readers

A minyan is a quorum of 10 adult Jewish men required for certain communal prayers in Orthodox Judaism. In large cities, a minyan is almost guaranteed. In smaller communities, attendance depends heavily on who is available on a given day.

Zmanim are daily halachic times that determine when prayers may be recited. These times vary by location and by calculation method, which can differ between communities and traditions.

The Problem

Uncertainty and manual coordination

In smaller Orthodox Jewish communities:

Attendance for daily prayer services is unpredictable
Organizers rely on last-minute texts or phone calls
Community members are unsure whether their attendance is needed
Torah reading assignments often require manual coordination
Existing tools are either too complex or not designed for older users

"As a result, prayer services are sometimes canceled unnecessarily, and community members experience frustration and uncertainty."

Goals & Principles

What we're trying to achieve

Goals

Reduce uncertainty around daily minyan attendance
Make participation fast and effortless
Support older users (50+) without excluding younger ones
Provide accurate daily Zmanim for Richmond
Allow future expansion to additional communities

Design Principles

Low friction over formal commitment
Clear language instead of technical terms
Large tap targets and readable typography
Desktop-first with fully responsive behavior

Research

Key findings

User Preferences

Older users prefer one-click actions over forms. Users feel uncomfortable with language like "sign up" or "register".

Attendance Gaps

Travel and out-of-town dates are a major cause of attendance gaps.

Organizer Needs

Organizers want visibility, not manual data entry.

Design Direction

These findings informed a design centered on intent confirmation rather than formal sign-ups.

Personas

Who we're designing for

Community Member

David R.

Age: 45 · Occupation: Accountant · Location: Richmond, VA

David lives close to his synagogue and attends weekday minyan when possible. He values routine and reliability, but unpredictable attendance and scattered information make it stressful.

Goals

Know ahead of time whether a minyan will happen
Avoid unnecessary trips when attendance is low
Quickly see daily prayer times ("zmanim")

Frustrations

Attendance unpredictable on weekdays
Info spread across texts, emails, word of mouth
Small text or complex UI is difficult

Behaviors

Checks zmanim daily
Prefers websites over mobile apps
Avoids logging in repeatedly

"If I knew we had enough people, I'd definitely come."

Organizer

Rabbi Yosef O.

Age: 72 · Occupation: Community Rabbi & University Professor · Location: Richmond, VA

Rabbi Yosef has been serving Richmond for decades as both a rabbi and a university professor. He balances teaching, community leadership, and Torah reading responsibilities.

Goals

Ensure reliable weekday minyan attendance
Reduce last-minute coordination stress
Plan Torah readings ahead of time

Frustrations

Attendance uncertainty
Last-minute calls/messages to fill gaps
Coordinating Torah readers manually

Behaviors

Checks schedules morning and evening
Uses desktop and mobile
Acts as backup Torah reader if needed

"If I can see who's coming ahead of time, I can focus on leading instead of coordinating."

Solution

What the website allows users to do

View today's minyan status at a glance
Indicate attendance intent with a single click
Mark themselves as out of town on a calendar
Confirm Torah reading availability
View daily Zmanim with customizable calculation preferences

All functionality is delivered through a responsive website, accessible on desktop, tablet, and mobile browsers.

Features

Core functionality

✓

Attendance Confirmation

One-click "I'll be there" button. Live attendance count. Names visible to organizers.

📅

Calendar & Availability

Monthly calendar view. Mark out-of-town dates. See attendance gaps.

📖

Torah Reading

View upcoming readings. One-click confirmation. Eliminates last-minute coordination.

🕐

Zmanim

Daily prayer times for Richmond. Toggle between calculation methods.

🔔

Notifications

Low-attendance alerts. Reminder notifications. Accessibility preferences.

Minyan feature wireframe showing attendance confirmation and live count

Minyan feature wireframe showing calendar and availability view

Information Architecture

Organized, intuitive hierarchy

The website uses a clear information architecture with five main sections accessible from the bottom navigation, each with logical sub-pages to reduce cognitive load.

Primary Navigation

Home — Today's service, Zmanim, Calendar, Resources
Zmanim — Daily times with preferences
Calendar — Full calendar view
Torah — Weekly readings and holiday information
Profile — Settings, notifications, alert settings, Zmanim preferences

User Flow

Confirming attendance for today's minyan

Example Flow

User lands on website
User logs in
Sees live attendance count
Clicks on one or both minyan cards to confirm which services they'd like to attend
System updates attendance and user sees confirmation

User Flow Diagram showing the attendance confirmation process

Wireframes

Low-fidelity wireframes

Low-fidelity wireframes were created to focus on structure and usability before visual design.

Desktop-first layouts
Responsive behavior defined for mobile
Large buttons and minimal text

Paper Wireframe - Zmanim and Calendar Screens

Paper Wireframe - Torah and Settings Screens

High-Fidelity Design

Final visual design

High-fidelity designs emphasize:

Clean, familiar interface
High contrast for readability
Clear hierarchy and spacing
Consistent components across screen sizes

Home — Today's services with attendance count and quick actions

Zmanim — Daily prayer times with location and custom preferences

Calendar — Mark unavailable dates to help community planning

Torah — Weekly parsha readings with sign-up for aliyot

Settings — Notifications, timing, and accessibility options

Accessibility

Designed for everyone

Accessibility Features

Large tap targets
Clear language and labels
Minimal required interactions

Outcome & Reflection

This project demonstrates how thoughtful UX design can support real-world community coordination challenges. By prioritizing clarity, accessibility, and low-friction interaction, the Mynian website helps ensure prayer services can happen consistently in smaller communities.

Future Improvements

Multi-Community Support

Expand to serve additional communities nationwide.

Expanded Admin Tools

More features for organizers and coordinators.

Live Zmanim API

Integration with live Zmanim calculation APIs.

Luis Margalit

University of Virginia alum with a B.A. in Studio Art. I'm passionate about designing experiences that genuinely connect with people and make their lives easier. Currently exploring how thoughtful design can transform everyday interactions.

Background

Design has always been more than just a profession for me; it's about understanding people. My journey in Studio Art taught me to see the world through a creative lens, but what truly drives me is the opportunity to solve real problems for real people. Whether it's a mobile app, a website, or a physical product, I approach every project with the same question: how can this genuinely improve someone's day?

Design Philosophy

I believe great design starts with empathy. It's not enough to create something that looks beautiful; it needs to feel intuitive, accessible, and human. I'm endlessly curious about how people interact with the world around them, and that curiosity fuels my work. Every design decision I make is rooted in understanding the people I'm designing for.

The details matter. A thoughtful micro-interaction, a carefully chosen color palette, or the perfect typography can transform a good experience into a great one. I find joy in those moments when design feels effortless; when someone uses something I've created and it just makes sense.

What I Love To Do

I find inspiration in the world around me, especially through camping, traveling, and studying architecture. There's something profound about how great architecture shapes space to serve people; not forcing them to adapt, but creating environments that feel intuitive and welcoming. This philosophy drives my approach to design: technology should work for the person, not the other way around.

Just as architects design spaces that adapt to human needs, I believe digital experiences should be equally thoughtful and personal. One size doesn't fit all, and the best solutions are those that feel like they were made just for you.