iloafyou Bakery
iloafyou LIC is a micro-bakery based in New York City, specializing in handcrafted sourdough bread and artisanal baked goods. To support the bakery’s growing presence, I led the end-to-end process of creating a responsive website. Through user research, UX strategy, and iterative design, I developed a digital experience tailored to the needs of both the business and its community.
PROBLEM
Need for a Digital Presence
Iloafyou is a newly launched micro-bakery that mainly promotes through social media, which limits its growth. To support the bakery’s expansion and build a more professional online presence, a dedicated, user-friendly website was needed.
SOLUTION
Creating a User-Friendly Website
Micro is an app that makes learning easy, even with a busy lifestyle. Through short, engaging lessons from books and podcasts, it helps users turn idle screen time into an opportunity for growth and knowledge.
Design Process
EMPATHIZE
Understanding the Users
To better understand iloafyou's customers and competitors, I began by conducting competitive analysis and user interviews, which provided valuable insights that informed the design direction.
Research Goals:
- Identify iloafyou’s target audience.
- Understand what attracts potential customers to the business.
- Analyze the strengths and weaknesses of iLoafYou’s competitors.
- Determine the key needs and expectations of the target audience, both online and offline.
Competitive Analysis
I analyzed several competing bakeries to evaluate their strengths and weaknesses. This competitive analysis provided crucial insights that will help identify opportunities to enhance user experience and reveal weaknesses that we aim to avoid.
User Interviews
To better understand iloafyou’s target audience, I spoke with potential customers about their experiences with visiting different bakeries and ordering online. I asked open-ended questions to learn more about their needs so I can meet them successfully.
I interviewed five people remotely, each for about 15 minutes. Some of the questions I asked included:
- What motivates you to try a new local food business?
- What factors influence your decision on which bakery to order from?
- How do you feel when you shop for bakery products online (e.g., excited, uncertain, confident)?
Empathy Map
After finishing these interviews, I created an empathy map to gather all of the experiences and insights I gained from each individual.
Insights
Clear Visuals and Content
Users need clear photos and ingredient details to confidently choose what to order.
Seamless Experience
Users expect a seamless, intuitive experience navigating and ordering through the website.
DEFINE
User Persona
Based on competitive analysis and user interviews, I created a user persona to represent iloafyou’s ideal customer. This persona highlights key needs, goals, and frustrations to guide a more user-centered and effective design. Meet Amy.
Project Goals
After getting to know our target user, Amy, I narrowed down the main problems to solve—making it easier for her to explore the menu, understand what sets iloafyou apart, and view product details online. I turned these insights into clear project goals, which guided the direction of the design.
IDEATE
Developing a Solution
After identifying our goals, it was time to develop our solutions that would enhance Amy’s user experience.
- Detailed Menu + Email Sign-Up
A clear menu with photos, ingredients, and prices helps users browse easily. An email sign-up keeps users updated on new items that match their tastes. - Showcasing Product Highlights
Featuring fresh ingredients, artisan techniques, and customer reviews highlights what makes iloafyou stand out. - Product Catalog + Instagram Gallery
A visual catalog with clear descriptions and an Instagram-powered gallery gives users a direct view of the bakery’s products.
Site Map
To ensure a logical and easy-to-navigate structure for the website, I created a site map that focuses on the prioritized solutions.
User Flow
Next, I aimed to gain a deeper understanding of Amy's journey by creating user flows that mapped out her interactions with the website. These flows accounted for the different decisions she might make and the various choices she would encounter in certain scenarios.
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Low-Fidelity Wireframes
Now it was time to begin wireframing and bringing these ideas to life. The low-fidelity designs provided an early look at how the website could function, showcasing how key features and project goals would be achieved.
PROTYPING & TESTING
Mid-Fidelity Wireframes
After completing the low-fidelity wireframes, I moved on to mid-fidelity designs to create a clickable prototype for user testing. I digitized them on Sketch and optimized the layout for multiple screen sizes to ensure a smooth experience across devices.
Usability Testing
After creating my prototype, I brought back the same participants for usability testing to observe how they interacted with the design and identify areas for improvement.
I gave users specific tasks—like finding a menu item, subscribing for updates, or browsing the product gallery—and watched in real time over Zoom as they completed them. I took notes on where users hesitated, spent too much time, or skipped over content, and noted their pain points throughout the experience. I don't like the dashes
Affinity Map
I synthesized these findings into an affinity map using FigJam, incorporating user quotes, observations, and insights from their experiences to better understand how they interacted with the prototype and where improvements were needed.
Iterations
As I developed the app, I created a consistent design system to keep the experience clean and cohesive. I chose readable font pairings and selected colors that support both visual appeal and usability. Accessibility was also a priority, with choices like high contrast and touch-friendly elements to ensure the app is usable for everyone.
High Fidelity Wireframes
SOLUTION
Final Prototype
CONCLUSION
Key Takeaways
What I Learned
Creating Micro made me realize how important it is to have a clear purpose behind what you’re building. Research played a big role in helping me understand the audience I was designing for and making decisions that actually supported their needs. As someone who also struggles with screen time and wanting to use it more meaningfully, I wanted Micro to be a simple solution for people like me—to make learning feel easier and more intentional.
Next Steps
I want to keep developing Micro and test it on a larger scale, doing more in-depth interviews, usability testing, and surveys. I’m also excited to improve features like AI recommendations and add new ones, like streak tracking, to help keep users motivated.
