Usability Evaluation
In today's fast-paced world, mobile ordering, pickup, and delivery apps have become an integral part of our lives. They provide convenience, efficiency, and a means to access a wide range of products and services. This case study delves into assessing and improving the user experience of the DoorDash mobile app, with a specific focus on grocery shopping and scheduling orders for future dates.
The primary objective of this study was to evaluate the usability of the DoorDash application and understand user experiences, especially in the context of grocery shopping.
The goals and objectives included:
Objective
Some key insights I discovered
Making sense of it all
user personas
thematic ANALYSIS
How familiar are you with DoorDash?
I asked questions like
How easy is it for you to find the grocery stores and groceries you're interested in on the app?
Have you encountered any challenges, frustrations, or limitations when using DoorDash?
Usability Assessment
User Experience Evaluation
Insights Collection
Team members
Methods
My role
Overview
• Amirta Natarajan • Danny Varghese • Saksham Rajput • Sneha Sivasubramanian • Sridharan Murugesan
Research synthesis, Surveys and Interviews, user persona, Affinity diagramming, think aloud, qualitative Data analysis
and system usablity survey (sUS)
The study targeted 12 participants, primarily belonging to the Millennial and Gen Z age groups.
Target Audience
Preference for in person grocery store shopping
Reliance on reviews and ratings
Importance for communication
High delivery fees
Simplification of app interface
Expand coverage to more grocery stores.
Search Filters are often used
Users emphasized in-person grocery shopping, the significance of reviews and communication, while urging lower delivery fees and improved app simplicity and coverage.
tHINK ALOUD
Key Issues
SUS Evaluation
Findings from sus scores
Recommendations
Task 1
Ordering Dietary Items: This task was chosen to assess how easily users could navigate the app to select specific dietary items, which is a common use case. Participants were tasked with ordering specific grocery items, including free-range eggs and the cheapest available chicken breast.
We gave two tasks for the users to perform.
Task 2
Scheduling Orders for Future Dates: a feature that DoorDash offers to users. This task was chosen to gauge the usefulness of this feature, the overall experience of scheduling orders, any potential challenges, and any additional feedback users might have regarding this functionality.
Inefficient Search
Multiple carts confusion
Filter Issues
Confusing App Navigation
UI Clutter
Scheduling Option Issues
An average score of 72.5 is above the industry standard average of 68. This suggests that, overall, the DoorDash application offers a relatively positive user experience. However, considering the standard deviation of 14.02, there's noticeable variability in the experiences of participants, indicating some inconsistencies in user satisfaction. Scores below 68 are typically viewed as below average, whereas scores above 68 are usually considered above average. With DoorDash scoring 72.5, it's positioned favorably, but there's room for improvement, especially when noting the potential usability challenges mentioned in the findings
Product Search Awareness: When participants were informed about specific search functionalities to find dietary items, they used it efficiently. This insight suggests that some users might need preliminary guidance or onboarding to harness the full potential of the app's search capabilities.
Navigation to Scheduling: Participants exhibited diverse navigational patterns while scheduling orders for future dates. Despite this variance, the majority found the system intuitively structured, echoing sentiments that DoorDash was easy to navigate.
Task Flow Familiarity: DoorDash's stature as a widely recognized application means many users are already attuned to its workflow. This prior knowledge was evident in our study, where most participants experienced minimal cognitive load and errors during tasks, underscoring the app's learnability and frequent usability.
Categorization and Features: While interacting with product categories or employing features like scheduling, some participants bypassed primary options, delving deeper into secondary or "more options." This behavior highlights possible inconsistencies or lack of clarity in the app's feature presentation.
Feedback & Confirmation Needs: Participants often sought real-time feedback or confirmation while performing tasks, such as scheduling orders. This frequent checking suggests a potential gap in the app's feedback mechanisms or the visibility of task confirmations.
Sorting Options: Implement clearer and more accessible sorting options for products and stores.
User Guidance: Enhance user guidance and cues, particularly concerning scheduling.
Consistency in Scheduling: Ensure scheduling options are consistent across different platforms (Android and iOS).
Simplified UI: Work on decluttering the homepage and improving categorization to make the user interface less overwhelming.
Streamlined Navigation: Enhance navigation through the inclusion of tooltips and tutorials.
Search Enhancement: Improve the search algorithm for more accurate and relevant results.
User-Friendly Filters: Redesign and optimize filters for ease of use, addressing issues like non-resetting filters.
Cart Management: Simplify cart management, especially concerning multi-store orders, to avoid confusion.
Visible Scheduling: Improve the visibility of scheduling options within the app to make it more user-friendly
In my role as a research synthesis specialist, I engage in comprehensive data collection and interpretation through methods such as thematic analysis, think-aloud sessions, and interviews, employing sUS (System Usability Scale) analysis to inform a holistic understanding of the research findings.
