Kit Coffee

Kit Coffee is your friendly neighborhood Orange County coffee shop and eatery, rooted in community, they offer a place of gathering for neighbors and visitors. Their brand provides a comforting experience, from their quality of coffee to their range of pastries and meals. They have a strong local and social media presence, but could use more attention to their website.

I introduce a new approach to branding, visual layout, and information architecture, along with improvements their online ordering system.

Kit Coffee is your friendly neighborhood Orange County coffee shop and eatery, rooted in community, they offer a place of gathering for neighbors and visitors. Their brand provides a comforting experience, from their quality of coffee to their range of pastries and meals. They have a strong local and social media presence, but could use more attention to their website.

I introduce a new approach to branding, visual layout, and information architecture, along with improvements their online ordering system.

I created a responsive website design that introduces new branding and features to boost website traffic, leading users to an improved online ordering experience.

UX RESEARCH

WEB DESIGN

BRANDING

THE PROBLEM

Sam loves going to Kit Coffee, for their warm and inviting in-person environment and delicious coffee. She online orders for convenience, often struggling with the confusing lay out. It takes her several uses to learn the ordering system.

THE QUESTION

HOW MIGHT WE IMPROVE A USER'S ONLINE ORDERING EXPERIENCE VIA WEBSITE AND MOBILE?

HOW MIGHT WE IMPROVE A USER'S ONLINE ORDERING EXPERIENCE VIA WEBSITE AND MOBILE?

To better understand how to improve Sam's user experience, I looked to discover users relationships with website navigation and online ordering. I explored the topics of speed, convenience, customization, accessibility and purchase decision, both virtual and in-person, in building effective and efficient design

THE SOLUTION

Updating Kit Coffee's Online Ordering System

Updating Kit Coffee's Online Ordering System

I approached the design interface with the intention to improve user experience through organization influenced by information archictecture, visual layout and user feedback.

I approached the design interface with the intention to improve user experience through organization influenced by information archictecture, visual layout and user feedback.

ENHANCE USABILITY AND VISUAL CLARITY

Intuitive interface offers streamlined navigation

Intuitive interface offers streamlined navigation

Users can access past orders with a single click

Visual hierarchy and search bar improves browsing and ordering

Real-time order tracking provides live updates on order status, ensuring transparency and timing

ENGAGING, USER-FRIENDLY OFFERING DISCOVERY

Updated menu exploration with clear, defined categories and product pages

Users can easily explore new drinks, specials and favorites with rich imagery, detailed descriptions and recommendations to encourage discovery.

This feature is designed to reflect the visual identity of Kit Coffee’s brand, using consistent colors, fonts and aesthetics that mirror their welcoming and community-focused vibe.

THE RESEARCH

I conducted a user interviews, user surveys, and affinity mapping to support producing a competitive analysis, user personas and storyboarding, which allowed me to discover key patterns, compassionate centered solutions, and strategic design decisions.

OBJECTIVES

1

Understand what a user prioritizes when browsing and selecting a product to order

2

Discover common obstacles and pain points that hinders a user’s online ordering experience

3

3

Gain insight on how online experiences contribute to a brand’s relationship with users

USER INTERVIEWS, SURVEYS, AND MAPPING

From conducting these user research studies, I gathered insight on personal experiences, pain points, and overall patterns amongst my participants. I discovered over-arching themes that contributed to user prioritizations such as time, convenience, and meeting their goals. This data was able to narrow down areas of focus, which transformed into intentional design decisions applied to my wireframes and prototypes.

KEY RESEARCH INSIGHTS

COMPETITIVE ANALYSIS

I evaluated other competitive brands in the market, exploring user-interfaces, design strategies, and features, discovering common practices and defining differences between Starbucks, Stereoscope Coffee Co., and BetterBuzz Coffee Roasters.

I evaluated other competitive brands in the market, exploring user-interfaces, design strategies, and features, discovering common practices and defining differences between Starbucks, Stereoscope Coffee Co., and BetterBuzz Coffee Roasters.

USER PERSONAS

Defining personas captured our users in their routines, priorities, and pain points that empowered future design decisions.

STORYBOARDING

Gathering information, patterns, and needs from research participants, creating a story helped consider not only a routine but the beginning thoughts to task flows and user flows.

TASK AND USER FLOWS

Seeking to implement structure before designing, these flows provided me direction to getting closer to a solution. Envisioning the path defined answering the problem.

TASK FLOWS

TASK FLOWS

USER FLOWS

USER FLOWS

LOW FIDELITY WIREFRAMES

DEFINING BRANDING AND VISUAL IDENTITY

I drew inspiration from Kit Coffee's existing branding that is present throughout their storefront and social media, seeking to capture brand consistency across all of their touch points.

USER INTERFACE KIT

I transformed the initial mood board and style tile to produce a brand identity and visual system that incorporated soft colors, organic shapes, and inviting imagery.

USER INTERFACE KIT

When developing a visual system, I utilized brand elements of color and organic shapes into buttons and icons. From there, I designed components that followed scale guidelines to ensure consistency throughout features.

EXAMPLES

EXAMPLES

USABILITY TESTING RESULTS

Participants completed 2 tasks, where we observed and discussed their train of thought, movement patterns and enjoyment of the experienced. Based on their feedback and findings, I prioritized improving direction and existing design.

DESIGNS REIMAGINED

Through usability tests and participant conversations, I was able to discover areas that could improve like the online ordering system. I was able to add new features like a search bar and improve the overall user-interface.

A GAP IN VISUAL IDENTITY

Connect Experiences

Connect Experiences

Kit Coffee's in-person and social media identity differed from their website, this was an opportunity to align their branding.

I crafted a visual framework of the website, aiming to incorporate colors and organic shapes that better communicated their in-store persona.

BEFORE

AFTER

DEFINING CATEGORIES

Influencing Choices

Influencing Choices

I transformed existing features into a new visual layout, prioritizing information architecture and product offerings.

Reviewing the original menu, the organization method could be repetitive, as customizations were offered as their own individual item. For example, there is latte (hot) and a latte (cold) selections. This would extend unnecessary scroll time and choice overload.

BEFORE

AFTER

MY USUAL, PLEASE

Meeting User Needs

Meeting User Needs

Reviewing the original order customization, options were offered to change the original offering. For example, if a user selected “Latte (Iced)”, the customization additionally offered buttons for “No Ice” or “(-) Ice”, changing the order to a hot latte. In addition, there was extra copy to buttons like “(ADD) Vanilla”. These options made customization take more time and create confusion.

I included images of the order along the way, to better visualize the order for the user’s engagement.

BEFORE

AFTER

ARE WE THERE YET?

Check Out Faster, Timed Right

Refining the existing features, I added a call to action for directions for the user to initiate google or apple maps.

When it came to the order pick-up and live tracking, I utilized icons to better communicate the information. For example, there is an icon of a car to demonstrate the user’s drive to the location.

BEFORE

AFTER

FINAL PRODUCT

Creating Something We're Proud Of

Creating Something We're Proud Of

Create an online order for pick up, with customization, live-tracking, and map directions.

Create an online order for pick up, with customization, live-tracking, and map directions.

Explore Prototype

Explore the online menu, organized into categories, each having a detailed product page.

Explore the online menu, organized into categories, each having a detailed product page.

Explore Prototype

ADDED FEATURES & PRINCIPLES

Search Bar

Provide users the opportunity to find exactly what they're looking for


Live Order Tracking

Planning the commute efficiently, knowing how much time is needed to pick up


Past Orders

Quick button to reorder a go-to favorite


Google/Apple Map Integration

Ability to direct to destination after ordering, beginning the commute


Brand and Visual Identity

Reimagining branding of in-person to virtual, incorporating organic colors and shapes


Information Architecture

The menu made easier, creating categories to easily browse


IMPACT & TAKEAWAYS

DESIGNING FOR CONTEXT, NOT JUST USERS

DESIGNING FOR CONTEXT, NOT JUST USERS

To truly understand this product and it's users, it was important to recognize the context and situation in which it was relevant. Where, when, and how users interact with this product was critical beyond understanding who they are. This deeper dive allowed me to imagine a morning routine or a leisurely visit, both of which helped me to design for efficiency and curiosity.

To truly understand this product and it's users, it was important to recognize the context and situation in which it was relevant. Where, when, and how users interact with this product was critical beyond understanding who they are. This deeper dive allowed me to imagine a morning routine or a leisurely visit, both of which helped me to design for efficiency and curiosity.

BALANCING BUSINESS GOALS AND USER NEEDS

BALANCING BUSINESS GOALS AND USER NEEDS

My goals had addressed gaps in Kit Coffee's digital online presence, in both branding and user-experience. Not only was I working towards an improved system, my goal was to improve the experience while boosting brand awareness and website traffic. It was important to make space for both, which was achievable through rebuilding the brand from in-person, physical experiences and defining information architecture.

My goals had addressed gaps in Kit Coffee's digital online presence, in both branding and user-experience. Not only was I working towards an improved system, my goal was to improve the experience while boosting brand awareness and website traffic. It was important to make space for both, which was achievable through rebuilding the brand from in-person, physical experiences and defining information architecture.

BRANDING IS PERSONAL

A change to brand identity can be vulnerable. There's are existing sub-identities, even if they are not necessarily in harmony. I learned to be conscious of this, making an effort to honor these identities in their transformation. In addition, I learned to be more feature-forward in the interface like integrating Apple maps, search bars, icons, customization opportunities, etc.

NEXT STEPS

Begin performance monitoring to gauge effectiveness of design through tracking website traffic and online orders, reviewing metrics like time spent on site, conversion rates and bounce rates.

Begin performance monitoring to gauge effectiveness of design through tracking website traffic and online orders, reviewing metrics like time spent on site, conversion rates and bounce rates.

Develop a digital marketing strategy with SEO and Social Media, developing features and integrations that compliment those avenues.

Develop a digital marketing strategy with SEO and Social Media, developing features and integrations that compliment those avenues.

Made with coffee and care

©2025 Portfolio by Julieann Bui

Made with coffee and care

©2025 Portfolio by Julieann Bui

Made with coffee and care

©2025 Portfolio by Julieann Bui