Yes, Chef

End-to-end design for a mobile app that nurtures and guides the skill of cooking.

End-to-end design for a mobile app that nurtures and guides the skill of cooking.

OVERVIEW

OVERVIEW

Yes, Chef is a mobile app designed to empower users facilitate their relationship with cooking through lessons that grow a cooking skill set, packaged with resources to meet a user’s specific needs. Yes, Chef includes a gamified approach of learning with a personal skill tracker, learning material, calendar planner and recipe library.

Yes, Chef is a mobile app designed to empower users facilitate their relationship with cooking through lessons that grow a cooking skill set, packaged with resources to meet a user’s specific needs. Yes, Chef includes a gamified approach of learning with a personal skill tracker, learning material, calendar planner and recipe library.

ROLE

ROLE

TIMELINE

TIMELINE

TOOLS

TOOLS

PRODUCT DESIGNER

80 HOURS

80 HOURS

FIGMA - FIGJAM - OPTIMALSORT

FIGMA - FIGJAM - OPTIMALSORT

PROBLEM DISCOVERY

People’s engagement with cooking is often affected by external factors, making the task at hand overwhelming. Learning is a vulnerable and empowering position to be in.

People’s engagement with cooking is often affected by external factors, making the task at hand overwhelming. Learning is a vulnerable and empowering position to be in.

To better understand and facilitate a desire of learning to cook, I looked to discover what would improve a user’s relationship with the task. From early conversations, my eyes were opened to the emotions, barriers and tools that facilitated this personal experience.

To better understand and facilitate a desire of learning to cook, I looked to discover what would improve a user’s relationship with the task. From early conversations, my eyes were opened to the emotions, barriers and tools that facilitated this personal experience.

The question became

The question became

HOW MIGHT WE FOSTER A LEARNING ENVIRONMENT THAT IMPROVES A USER’S EXPERIENCE WITH COOKING?

HOW MIGHT WE FOSTER A LEARNING ENVIRONMENT THAT IMPROVES A USER’S EXPERIENCE WITH COOKING?

Yes, Chef

Yes, Chef

became the solution

became the solution

A place where you can find comfort in your kitchen.

A place where you can find comfort in your kitchen.

Experience your recipe as a journey with your destination in mind

Experience your recipe as a journey with your destination in mind

Progress tracker that keeps users present

Progress tracker that keeps users present

Recipes will be supplemented with checkpoints to review images and videos to ensure a user is on the right path

Recipes will be supplemented with checkpoints to review images and videos to ensure a user is on the right path

Users will have the opportunity to review their recipe with tabs, to ease screen fatigue

Users will have the opportunity to review their recipe with tabs, to ease screen fatigue

Recipes will initiate a progress tracker that moves forward when user’s check a step

Recipes will initiate a progress tracker that moves forward when user’s check a step

Setting up structure for your relationship with food

Setting up structure for your relationship with food

A personal calendar that is thoughtful towards how life decides

A personal calendar that is thoughtful towards how life decides

Users will have a personal calendar that offers a day, a week and a month a glance

Users will have a personal calendar that offers a day, a week and a month a glance

Weekly goals view will help users keep their aspirations and tasks in mind

Weekly goals view will help users keep their aspirations and tasks in mind

Events have the option to upload images, videos, articles or recipes for the user to have necessary sources to better accomplish their tasks

Events have the option to upload images, videos, articles or recipes for the user to have necessary sources to better accomplish their tasks

THE PROCESS

THE PROCESS

RESEARCH

RESEARCH

at a glance

at a glance

I conducted a competitive analysis, user interviews, affinity mapping, user personas and storyboarding to drive my research in developing Yes, Chef. This research emphasized a gap in the industry and passions of cooking, where there is not a mindful connection in resources and one's environment. Through this discovery, Yes, Chef was curated to understand one's limitations while prioritizing a basic need and passion for cooking.

COMPETITIVE ANALYSIS

COMPETITIVE ANALYSIS

Exploring What’s Out There

Exploring What’s Out There

I evaluated other available tools and services in the market, exploring user-interfaces and features, discovering common practices and defining differences.

I evaluated other available tools and services in the market, exploring user-interfaces and features, discovering common practices and defining differences.

USER INTERVIEWS

USER INTERVIEWS

Understanding Our Users

Understanding Our Users

Participants interviewed

6

Age group of

20

20

55

Objectives

1

Understand the lifestyles that learning how to cook compliments

work days, social events, daily enjoyment, self-help, trends

2

Determine common goals users have when cooking their own meals

basic needs, fulfilling experience, dietary needs, health, community

3

Understand the barriers and triggers that hinder one’s ability to explore

income, public health, disabilities, learning, tools

What are some challenges that you face when approaching a new recipe?

What are some challenges that you face when approaching a new recipe?

What are some challenges that you face when approaching a new recipe?

  • May

    is a recent graduate student, always on-the-go and has to find methods that meet her needs

  • Charlie

    lives in a big city, takes care of himself and his dog, decades of working experience

  • Kerri

    loves to cook with a family to take care of, always eager to experience more

  • May

    is a recent graduate student, always on-the-go and has to find methods that meet her needs

  • Charlie

    lives in a big city, takes care of himself and his dog, decades of working experience

  • Kerri

    loves to cook with a family to take care of, always eager to experience more

May

is a recent graduate student, always on-the-go and has to find methods that meet her needs

Charlie

lives in a big city, takes care of himself and his dog, decades of working experience

Kerri

loves to cook with a family to take care of, always eager to experience more

I discovered these insights

GENERATING USER PERSONAS

Insights into Personas

Insights into Personas

USER STORYBOARDING

Telling A Story

Telling A Story

After understanding the user and their needs, it was time to understand design requirements to prepare how to better fulfill their goals.

AFFINITY MAP

AFFINITY MAP

Discovering Patterns

Discovering Patterns

Once the qualitative and quantitative research was observed, it was time to track patterns that contributed to the insights discovered.

TOPICS EXPLORED

DESIGN GOALS

DESIGN GOALS

Communicate Visually & Thoughtfully

Communicate Visually & Thoughtfully

Taking what I learned from our participants, both users and personas, I began to transform my learning objectives into design goals. There was a need to foster learning in an engaging but resourceful way.

Taking what I learned from our participants, both users and personas, I began to transform my learning objectives into design goals. There was a need to foster learning in an engaging but resourceful way.

USER FLOWS

USER FLOWS

Implementing Structure

Implementing Structure

LOW FIDELITY WIREFRAMES

LOW FIDELITY WIREFRAMES

BRANDING

BRANDING

Approaching Design

Approaching Design

UI COMPONENTS

USABILITY TESTING

USABILITY TESTING

1, 2 Testing

1, 2 Testing

Participants were asked to complete 2 tasks, where we observed and discussed their train of thought, movement patterns and enjoyment of the experience. Based on their feedback, I was able to prioritize providing better direction and access to key information.

Participants were asked to complete 2 tasks, where we observed and discussed their train of thought, movement patterns and enjoyment of the experience. Based on their feedback, I was able to prioritize providing better direction and access to key information.

IMPROVED COMPOSITION

Balancing Screen Composition & Clear Active/Inactive States

Balancing Screen Composition & Clear Active/Inactive States

Set “trend” tag buttons to one color, to avoid confusion

Adjusted scaling of objects to better improve readability and use of space

CHECKPOINT REVAMPED

Providing Better Direction with Resource Display

Created a “Check Point” button to initiate media pop up to display resources for user to ensure they’re on the right track

Removed navigation bar to lessen cognitive load and improve composition on specific features like recipes, calendars, goals, etc.

Transformed progress bar to be sticky, staying with the user and screen as they move forward.

ADDING PURPOSE

Text Display Where It Counts

Text Display Where It Counts

I drew inspiration from fill forms to provide better purpose to the notes sections, adding in examples of what user’s could input.

I drew inspiration from fill forms to provide better purpose to the notes sections, adding in examples of what user’s could input.

POWER OF ICONS

Focus on a “Less is More” Approach to Icons

I focused one icon to communicate, the arrow, symbolizing opening/closing and editing a feature. This would lessen cognitive load, improve intuitive learning and enable trust in the user.

Titles were added in on the screens to better display and communicate purpose

WHERE INFORMATION ARCHITECTURE HAS A PLACE

Providing Direction with Information Architecture and Native App in Mind

Created a “Sync My Calendar” option to create a relationship between our product and the native app, enabling users with an easier path to engage with the platform daily.

“Your Week At A Glance” transformed to include more common calendar features like viewing your day or monthly calendar.

FINAL PRODUCT

FINAL PRODUCT

Created Something We’re Proud Of

Created Something We’re Proud Of

Discovering & Completing A Recipe

Discovering & Completing A Recipe

Viewing & Editing Calendar Feature

Viewing & Editing Calendar Feature

Viewing & Editing Calendar Feature

TAKEAWAYS

This project started with a simple goal of empowering users in their journey of learning. It was vital to acknowledge that user’s approach learning differently and how that would influence meeting their needs.


Through user interviews, competitive analysis and information architecture, I was able to discover improved design for this product. I gained insight on accessibility in this market and industry, recognizing barriers such as familiar budgeting, gauging food readiness, and access to kitchen tools.


I wanted to build a product that would help guide learning but provide users with paths that worked best for them, ultimately nurturing their relationship with cooking.

My next steps

Developing a lesson plan to demonstrate user’s learning progress and how that integrates into skill leveling.

Through behavioral research, create a user profile creation quiz, to help further integrate personalized data for improved user experience.

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