Cordiallo

One Stop Ordering and Splitting Application

Cordiallo is an innovative mobile application designed to transform the food ordering and bill-splitting experience for diners. Traditionally, splitting the bill has been a source of frustration and awkwardness, especially in group settings. Additionally, the process of ordering food and interacting with the server often leads to delays and dissatisfaction.

Cordiallo addresses these challenges by minimizing the need for server interaction and empowering diners with full control over their experience. With Cordiallo, users can seamlessly order their food, manage their bill, and split expenses according to their preferences, all from their mobile device. This streamlined approach enhances convenience, reduces friction, and elevates the overall dining experience.

Note: Cordiallo was conceived and designed before the COVID-19 pandemic. Little did we know that just a year later, the need for such contactless solutions would become even more relevant. Apps like Cordiallo have proven to be invaluable in adapting to new dining norms and ensuring a safer, more efficient experience for users.

Design Question

Pre-Research

Diner's User Journey

We mapped the entire dining journey to identify key pain points highlighted in red. Through our analysis, we identified four primary areas for further research: Ordering, Bill Payment, Bill Splitting, and Restaurant Staff.

Research

With a clear understanding of the diner's pain points, it was time to delve deeper into their needs, in-restaurant experiences, behaviors, and expectations.

Research Goals

From our research, we wanted to learn the following:

Our target audience for the research was very broad and open-ended: All kind of diners

Interviews and Surveys

To explore the problem scope and the dining experience, we conducted 8 semi-structured interviews and distributed an online survey, which received 54 responses. For data analysis, we recorded users' voices during the interviews. As for the survey, we adopted a straightforward approach by sharing it with friends and family.

After completing the user research, we analyzed the collected data using affinity mapping.

Research Insights

Interviews Insights

After analyzing the interview data, we uncovered the following insights:

Human Error Due to Memory Load:
Servers often try to memorize dish orders by menu item numbers, leading to negative ordering experiences for diners.

“The server wrote a different menu item number than what we had ordered.” – User Research Participant

Challenges with Seamless Ordering:
Diners who used kiosks or tablets at restaurants like Olive Garden and Chili’s often reported issues with order confirmation.

"I ordered a drink but wasn’t sure if the order went through. We had to call the server to confirm." – User Research Participant

Delays in Receiving the Bill:
Many participants noted long waits during bill payment, especially during peak hours. In mid-sized restaurants, each server is typically assigned to at least three tables, making it difficult to manage all tables without delays.

"Sometimes I’ve spent a lot of time waiting for my check if the restaurant is busy." – User Research Participant

Survey Insights

Competitive Analysis

We reviewed various mobile applications designed to help users order, pay, and split bills at restaurants. However, none of these apps covered the entire ordering and billing process or facilitated direct payments to the restaurant. Additionally, I conducted on-field research by visiting Chili's Bar and Grill to test their table ordering tablets, known as Ziosk—devices developed by TableTop Media for casual dining restaurants.

Solution

Cordiallo is an application designed to integrate seamlessly into any restaurant setting and can be customized to align with the restaurant's brand guidelines. It allows diners to order food, access their billing data, make payments, and instantly split the bill with other diners—all from their phone. By leveraging the restaurant’s point-of-sale (POS) system, users can conveniently view and manage their billing information. The primary goal of Cordiallo is to reduce the need for diner-server interactions, saving time during ordering and payment. Additionally, the app aims to streamline the bill-splitting process and enhance the overall in-restaurant experience.

Design & Testing

Sketching and Low-Fidelity Prototypes

After identifying the key attributes of our solution, we began sketching ideas for our application and brainstorming the most suitable flows for our MVP.

Each team member returned with sketches of their concepts. To refine our ideas, we followed a process of sketching individually, presenting our sketches to the group, giving and receiving feedback, making adjustments, and repeating the cycle until we arrived at the best possible designs.

After sketching our ideas, the team created low-fidelity prototypes to demonstrate the key user flow. Using Balsamiq, we were able to brainstorm the main features without expending too many resources. We then iterated on our wireframe by conducting guerrilla usability testing with the low-fidelity prototypes. With 5 participants completing 5 tasks each, our goal was to validate the solution concept, ensure clarity of components, and assess user efficiency.

User Testing

To test our solution concept, component clarity, and user efficiency, we conducted guerrilla usability testing with 5 participants. We encouraged the users to think aloud as they completed the tasks, allowing us to gain deeper insights into their thought processes and interactions with the prototype.

User Feedback

Users provided positive feedback during the prototype testing, highlighting some minor interface improvements that enhanced the application's user-centric design and visual appeal. Although we had to iterate on some concepts and components, the overall positive response was encouraging and confirmed that we were progressing in the right direction.

Prototype

We began designing high-fidelity prototypes by developing a style guide for the user interface and identifying the major screens of the application. Adobe XD was used for both UI and motion design.

High Fidelity Prototype

Here is an interactive prototype of our solution:

Scenario Walkthrough

Scenario 1

You’ve just installed Cordiallo on your mobile device and completed the onboarding process, including setting up your allergies, payment method, and other essential details. Now, you’re heading to Olive Garden for dinner with your friends Naman and Sanchit.

Scenario 2

After dinner, all three of you decide to split the bill according to each person’s share.

Reflections

Cordiallo is all about bringing people together with minimal tech interference. We focused on streamlining the application to reduce screen time during meals, which required careful logical considerations. We aimed to keep food ordering straightforward, as splitting and paying the bill can be complex. This approach has helped us strike the right balance throughout the application.

Post-COVID, similar apps have gained traction, highlighting the evolving needs and opportunities in this space. With more insights from real-world usage, revisiting user feedback could greatly enhance Cordiallo. If we had more time, we would develop the flow for the restaurant side, as the app operates in a two-way communication mode. Additionally, we’d conduct further usability testing in group settings to address any potential confusion in complex scenarios.