An Special Event Reservation App For an Italian Restaurant: Prezioso
As part of the Google UX Design Certificate program, I completed a solo project that walked me through the full UX design process. The goal was to design an event reservation app for a restaurant. I began by empathizing with users to understand their needs and developed a clear problem statement. A key user pain point was the lack of time and convenience in planning events the traditional way. To address this, the solution introduced pre-built, customizable packages that users could quickly choose from—offering both flexibility and ease. After ideating potential features, I created wireframes and conducted multiple rounds of UX research to identify areas for improvement. I then designed high-fidelity mockups and an interactive prototype in Figma, iterating based on usability testing. Taking on multiple roles—UX designer, researcher, and UI designer—I gained valuable hands-on experience and deepened my understanding of user-centered design.
01
Empathize
After user interviews and creating empathy maps, personas, and journey maps, I identified key user needs for the event reservation app. The target users prefer celebrating special occasions—like birthdays, anniversaries, graduations, and proposals—at restaurants. Their motivations include busy schedules, limited hosting skills, and a preference for dining out experiences.
User Journey Map:
Amanda journey map showed the importance of an special event reservation app.
02
Define
In the Define stage, I conducted a competitive analysis of three apps to understand how they approach event planning and reservations. This helped uncover market gaps and user needs. Using these insights and findings from the Empathize stage, I crafted a clear goal statement. I then used big-picture and close-up storyboards to visualize the user journey and refine the project direction.
03
Ideate
In the Ideate stage, I used Crazy 8s and close-up storyboards to quickly explore and sketch interface ideas. I then created a user flow to outline the app’s structure and identify the necessary screens.
04
Prototype
In the Prototype phase, I turned key sketches into wireframes and built a clickable Figma prototype. I tested it with five users in a moderated study, analyzed feedback using affinity mapping, and prioritized six insights into P0, P1, and P2 to guide the next iteration.
Research Insights
P0
-
Pricing is missing for each package
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Need to also enter a duration for the reservation
P1
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show available time for each package
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Customizable reminder and share/sync ability
P2
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Packages need to be more clearly explained
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Availability calendar need to be view only
05
Design
System
In the Design stage, I built a design system using Atomic Design, defining core elements like typography, colors, and icons in a sticker sheet. I then created high-fidelity screens based on updated flows and included key edge cases like error, empty, and loading states.
06
Test
After finalizing the designs, I built a high-fidelity prototype and ran a moderated usability test with five users. I addressed three key insights from the study and added accessibility improvements to ensure an inclusive experience.
Research Insights
1
Selecting the start time and duration for the event was frustrating
2
The user need a more clear feedback on booking details when they choose a date.
3
The calendar needed to be updated to better inform users about the available dates.
The number of taps was cut in half, and cognitive load reduced by removing the need for mental calculations. Users now choose only from available times, preventing errors upfront.
The design now highlights the selected date more clearly and uses better color contrast to distinguish available from unavailable dates.
