The Recipe App

My role: Lead UX Designer
Timeline: 3 months, 2022
Collaborated with: Product and Engineering
Platforms: Mobile, Desktop

Introduction

This project was part of a design agency engagement for a culinary startup focused on helping users discover, organize, and cook everyday meals more easily. The goal was to design a mobile-first experience that simplified recipe discovery while promoting healthy, affordable cooking habits.

As the UX designer, I led the project from research through high-fidelity design, focusing on usability, personalization, and visual clarity.

Problem

Home cooks found it time-consuming and frustrating to find recipes that matched their lifestyle, dietary needs, and available ingredients. Many relied on scattered notes, bookmarks, or social media videos that were difficult to organize, revisit, or follow consistently.

Hypothesis

If users could access personalized, easy-to-follow recipes in a single app, they would cook more frequently, waste less food, and feel more confident in the kitchen.

Design Process

I followed a structured design process centered on understanding user needs, identifying opportunities, and iterating through solutions. The work moved from research and synthesis into ideation, low-fidelity exploration, high-fidelity design, and usability testing.

Research

To better understand cooking behaviors and decision-making, I created a research plan that combined surveys, interviews, and competitor analysis. The goal was to uncover where users struggled most when discovering and following recipes and to identify opportunities to simplify the overall experience.

Survey Findings

From a survey of 40 participants, several clear trends emerged:

90% wanted faster access to home-cooked meal ideas
70% preferred meals that took under 30 minutes to prepare
Many wanted nutritional filters or budget-friendly recommendations
85% relied on recipe videos over written instructions

Interview Findings

Follow-up interviews revealed additional insights:

Users often searched for recipes on YouTube but struggled to find them again later
Many wanted recipes that were easy to follow without rewatching entire videos
Existing cooking apps were perceived as overly complex and time-consuming

Sara
34 Years old | Realtor

Goals:

Eat healthy and try new meals
Save time on meal prep
Stay within a budget

Frustrations:

Repeating the same meals every week
Recipes with too many ingredients
Complicated interfaces that slow her down

Ideation

Based on research insights, I brainstormed solutions focused on simplifying discovery and reducing friction:

Short onboarding flow to quickly capture user preferences
Personalized recipe feed that updated based on habits and saved meals
Video-supported recipe view with step-by-step instructions for visual learners

Low Fidelity Wireframes

I created low-fidelity wireframes to validate core flows and usability. The layouts prioritized simple navigation, fast search, and lightweight filtering to help users quickly find relevant recipes without feeling overwhelmed.

High Fidelity Wireframes

After incorporating feedback, I developed high-fidelity designs that emphasized rich photography, clear hierarchy, and intuitive interactions. The visual system was designed to feel inviting while keeping focus on recipe content and actions.

Personalized Onboarding

To make the experience feel personal from the start, I designed an onboarding flow that captured cooking preferences, dietary needs, and time constraints. Using rule-based personalization logic, the app generated a tailored recipe feed that balanced variety with familiarity.

Testing and Evaluations

I conducted usability testing with 12 potential users to evaluate clarity, engagement, and navigation. Participants rated the experience 9.2 out of 10 for ease of use and visual appeal. Feedback confirmed that users valued the simple layout, recipe variety, and ability to filter content based on personal goals.

What I Learned

This project reinforced the importance of reducing cognitive load in everyday experiences. By focusing on personalization, clear navigation, and visual clarity, we helped users move from inspiration to action more quickly. It also highlighted how small design decisions, such as onboarding questions and content hierarchy, can significantly impact long-term engagement and confidence.