SavourIt
SavourIt helps users create a shortlist of meal options from nearby restaurants
Problem Background
We’ve all been there at some point, holding our phones, strolling through restaurants and menus for what seems like hours trying to figure out what to eat and what to order today. The good news is it’s not your fault and you’re not alone. In fact, there’s scientific evidence to back it up.
According to a study published in the journal “Nature Human Behaviour”, the pesky indecisiveness is called "choice overload," It happens because the brain is faced with an overwhelming amount of options and therefore struggles to make a decision.
Research Insights
While conducting our own user research amongst young adults (millennials):
63% said that they also have a hard time figuring out what to order online:
“There are a lot of choices, it makes the options overwhelming. If there were fewer options I’d probably make a decision faster”
“There are just too many choices. Unless I’m actually craving something in particular it’s hard to choose”
“Figuring out what to eat is stressful for me. I could spend hours on UberEats browsing through different options ”
31% said they would find it helpful if there was a way to narrow down the food options.
When asked what the most important factors they consider when ordering out, 45% of respondents mentioned “mood/state of mind while another 19% stated budget.
Solution Explanation
Based on our target users’ painpoints, we knew we wanted to work on an easy way to determine what to eat based on their mood/states of mind and budget.
Lofi & Hifi Mockups
Iterative Design Learnings
After we showcased our prototype to the users again, we learned that:
- We needed to streamline the questions asked to make the journey shorter
- There should be an option to skip questions that were not relevant to users
Technical implementation
Where is it hosted?
The backend and the API is hosted on Render.com
What is your tech stack?
Backend : Rails/Laravel/Wordpress
Front: React
Technical challenges
What was the hardest part of development?
Scrolling data from Uber
Does your app have any scaling issues?
Yes, currently only the English language is supported.
We have a free account with our host, so we are limited in service
Technical implementation
Where is it hosted?
The Frontend is hosted on Expo.dev
What is your tech stack?
React Native/Expo
Technical challenges
What was the hardest part of development?
It will definitely be making the app responsive on multiple devices on both IOS and Android. Also implementing the logic to display the right data from backend.
Does your app have any scaling issues?
Yes, we cant currently create builds for IOS since it requires having a paid developer account.
Learnings
Product Manager Learnings:
Sophiat Bello
Co.Lab was a great learning experience for me, especially coming from a non-tech background.
- I worked with developers and designers for the first time on a project
- I learned how to bring to life everything I previously learned in the SPRINT, creating user stories, product spec, conducting research and testing usability
- I strengthened my interpersonal abilities in managing the team and driving us towards our common goal.
Designer Learnings:
Odinaka Onuigbo
Working with a cross functional team at CoLab was a great chance for me to be circumspect in my design decisions.
- I learned to collaborate and take into consideration the technical limitations of design ideas
- I improved my communication skills. I had to constantly keep my PM and team members up to date with my challenges and problems.
- Designing in close communication with a developer meant keeping them up to date with my product vision. This was a new frontier for me in my design career.
Designer Learnings:
Jo Sturdivant
- Adapting to an Established Team: Joining the team in week 6 of 8 was challenging, as I had to quickly adapt to existing workflows, dynamics, and goals. This mirrors real-world situations where you often integrate into teams mid-project, and flexibility is essential.
- Work-Blocking for Efficiency: With only two weeks to complete the project, I learned the importance of a structured work-blocking system. This approach allowed me to manage my time effectively and meet deadlines under pressure.
- Making Data-Driven Design Decisions: Unlike my past projects, I had to rely on research conducted by others. This was a valuable experience in using pre-existing data to guide design decisions, helping me focus on the core insights without starting from scratch.
Developer Learnings:
Jihane Haddad
The Co.Lab experience was interesting. This is the first time that I collaborated with non-technical profiles. The topic selected is very interesting and challenging and I strengthened my technical knowledge. I also appreciated the meetings with the mentors, it allowed me to open up my perspectives.
Developer Learnings:
Vanady Beard
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As the back-end developer, I learned how important it is to create efficient and reliable systems that support the entire application. This experience also taught me the importance of optimising the database and ensuring the backend is scalable and easy to maintain.
Developer Learnings:
Stephen Asiedu
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As a back-end developer, I've come to understand the importance of being familiar with various database systems and modules. This knowledge enables me to build diverse applications and maintain versatility in my work. I've also learned that the responsibility for making the right choices rests on my shoulders, guided by my best judgement.
Developer Learnings:
Wisdom Ekpotu
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This has been a great experience so far.
- I have gotten better at collaborating with a cross functional team.
- During this period I learnt a lot about building cross platform applications with additional complexity.
- Also how to make engineering decisions on what tools/pakages to use.
Developer Learnings:
Maurquise Williams
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- Process of Creating an MVP: Developing a Minimum Viable Product (MVP) taught me how to focus on delivering core functionalities balancing between essential features and avoiding scope creep.
- Collaboration in a Real-World Tech Setting: This experience taught me how to collaborate efficiently in a fast-paced tech environment, keeping the team aligned and productive, even while working remotely across time zones.
- Sharpening Critical Thinking and Problem-Solving Skills: This experience honed my ability to think critically and solve problems efficiently. By tackling challenges and finding quick solutions, I sharpened my decision-making and troubleshooting skills in a dynamic, real-world setting.
Developer Learnings:
Jeremiah Williams
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All in all this experience was very awesome I learned that in coding with others being transparent is key
Developers Learnings:
Justin Farley
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I learned how important communication is when working with a team. Communication provides understanding, advice, ideas, and much more. While working with the product team, I’ve found that communication keeps everything flowing smoothly. Working with a team also showed me that every member brings something different to the table and we all have to work together in order to align and meet our end goal.