What to Eat Hub - WeightWatchers
What to Eat Hub - WeightWatchers
0-1 Development
I led the design and launch of the What to Eat tab, creating an intuitive tool for 4.5 million members that resulted in a lift of 1.9% in login rates and 2.4% in food tracking, key metrics for program success. Collaborating closely with product managers, user researchers, and engineers, I ensured our vision was brought to life across iOS and Android, launching in October 2023.
I led the design and launch of the What to Eat tab, creating an intuitive tool for 4.5 million members that resulted in a lift of 1.9% in login rates and 2.4% in food tracking, key metrics for program success. Collaborating closely with product managers, user researchers, and engineers, I ensured our vision was brought to life across iOS and Android, launching in October 2023.
Role
Lead Product Designer
Company
WeightWatchers
Date
November 2023
For a diet and lifestyle app like WeightWatchers, guiding members on meal choices is crucial. Yet, our existing app struggled to help users decide what to eat, leading to a confusing and cluttered experience. To address this, I led the design of the new "What to Eat" tab, aiming to create a personalized, intuitive space that helps members make healthier food choices.
The Problem
Food decision-making and tracking are fundamental expectations for our app. However, our previous setup failed to deliver clear guidance and user-friendly tools, making it difficult for members to seamlessly integrate healthy eating into their lifestyles.
Scope & constraints
Navigating a Changing Landscape
The project's scope evolved due to shifting company priorities and leadership changes. Initially planned as a comprehensive tool, the scope was dramatically reduced. I had to adapt quickly while still delivering a valuable product.
Results
New Member Activation and Positive Feedback
The new tab led to a lift of 1.9% in login rates and 2.4% in food tracking. Member feedback has been overwhelmingly positive, with many praising the new interface for its usability and helpfulness.
Solution
Building a Better Food Experience
From the start at WeightWatchers, I championed the need for a more robust food experience. Understanding that food choices are crucial to our members' success, I spearheaded this project after years of research and advocacy.
Research and Brainstorming
I conducted a thorough review of existing food-related features, mapped out the ideal user experience, and analyzed competitors. Stakeholder brainstorming sessions helped refine the core components needed for a successful redesign.
Design Approach
I envisioned a hub with tabs for “Recipes” and “Restaurants”, providing a flexible yet straightforward experience. This approach allowed users to easily access meal ideas and tips, whether they were cooking at home or dining out. This project included a UI facelift, as well as the creation of several features to be housed in this hub such as grocery list, meal planner, and restaurant guides.
Constant communication with stakeholders and our members helped keep this project on track and everyone aligned.
Prototypes were tested with stakeholders and members to gather feedback. Positive reactions from members confirmed we were on the right track and helped fine-tune the design before launch.
Slide from UXR report put together by one of our researchers demonstrating the positive response to the concept and ease of navigation with the prototype. Mockup screen shows mid-fidelity prototype.
Slide from UXR report calling out the "At Home"/"Eating Out" division (later to be the "Recipes"/"Restaurant" division) and how participants appreciated the division and found it easy to navigate.
Slide from UXR report calling out the "Eating Out" (later "Restaurants") tab and the participant positive sentiment around these new offerings.
Adapting to Change
Due to shifting company priorities, we scaled back to a basic MVP, focusing on essential features and planning for future iterations based on user feedback. This phased approach allowed us to deliver a valuable product even with reduced scope.
The Live Experience
Phase 2 of the What to Eat hub launched globally in April of 2024. After launching the MVP and, later, phase 2, we monitored metrics and made iterative improvements. While we saw a lift of 1.9% in login rates and 2.4% in food tracking, recipe views dropped. We adjusted the design to highlight recipes more prominently, ensuring they were easily accessible (phase 3). Plan to launch in November 2024.
What is live in production as of August 2024
Reflections
Navigating through leadership changes and evolving priorities was challenging. If I were to approach this project again, I’d advocate more strongly for sticking to the original vision that had less focus on guides and more focus on recipes and actionable eating tools, supported by member data and detailed reasoning.
What to Eat Hub - WeightWatchers
0-1 Development
I led the design and launch of the What to Eat tab, creating an intuitive tool for 4.5 million members that resulted in a lift of 1.9% in login rates and 2.4% in food tracking, key metrics for program success. Collaborating closely with product managers, user researchers, and engineers, I ensured our vision was brought to life across iOS and Android, launching in October 2023.
Role
Lead Product Designer
Company
WeightWatchers
Date
November 2023
For a diet and lifestyle app like WeightWatchers, guiding members on meal choices is crucial. Yet, our existing app struggled to help users decide what to eat, leading to a confusing and cluttered experience. To address this, I led the design of the new "What to Eat" tab, aiming to create a personalized, intuitive space that helps members make healthier food choices.
The Problem
Food decision-making and tracking are fundamental expectations for our app. However, our previous setup failed to deliver clear guidance and user-friendly tools, making it difficult for members to seamlessly integrate healthy eating into their lifestyles.
Scope & constraints
Navigating a Changing Landscape
The project's scope evolved due to shifting company priorities and leadership changes. Initially planned as a comprehensive tool, the scope was dramatically reduced. I had to adapt quickly while still delivering a valuable product.
Results
New Member Activation and Positive Feedback
The new tab led to a lift of 1.9% in login rates and 2.4% in food tracking. Member feedback has been overwhelmingly positive, with many praising the new interface for its usability and helpfulness.
Solution
Building a Better Food Experience
From the start at WeightWatchers, I championed the need for a more robust food experience. Understanding that food choices are crucial to our members' success, I spearheaded this project after years of research and advocacy.
Research and Brainstorming
I conducted a thorough review of existing food-related features, mapped out the ideal user experience, and analyzed competitors. Stakeholder brainstorming sessions helped refine the core components needed for a successful redesign.
Design Approach
I envisioned a hub with tabs for “Recipes” and “Restaurants”, providing a flexible yet straightforward experience. This approach allowed users to easily access meal ideas and tips, whether they were cooking at home or dining out. This project included a UI facelift, as well as the creation of several features to be housed in this hub such as grocery list, meal planner, and restaurant guides.
Constant communication with stakeholders and our members helped keep this project on track and everyone aligned.
Prototypes were tested with stakeholders and members to gather feedback. Positive reactions from members confirmed we were on the right track and helped fine-tune the design before launch.
Slide from UXR report put together by one of our researchers demonstrating the positive response to the concept and ease of navigation with the prototype. Mockup screen shows mid-fidelity prototype.
Slide from UXR report calling out the "At Home"/"Eating Out" division (later to be the "Recipes"/"Restaurant" division) and how participants appreciated the division and found it easy to navigate.
Slide from UXR report calling out the "Eating Out" (later "Restaurants") tab and the participant positive sentiment around these new offerings.
Reflections
Navigating through leadership changes and evolving priorities was challenging. If I were to approach this project again, I’d advocate more strongly for sticking to the original vision that had less focus on guides and more focus on recipes and actionable eating tools, supported by member data and detailed reasoning.
Adapting to Change
Due to shifting company priorities, we scaled back to a basic MVP, focusing on essential features and planning for future iterations based on user feedback. This phased approach allowed us to deliver a valuable product even with reduced scope.
The Live Experience
Phase 2 of the What to Eat hub launched globally in April of 2024. After launching the MVP and, later, phase 2, we monitored metrics and made iterative improvements. While we saw a lift of 1.9% in login rates and 2.4% in food tracking, recipe views dropped. We adjusted the design to highlight recipes more prominently, ensuring they were easily accessible (phase 3). Plan to launch in November 2024.
What is live in production as of August 2024
What to Eat Hub - WeightWatchers
What to Eat Hub - WeightWatchers
0-1 Development
0-1 Development
I led the design and launch of the What to Eat tab, creating an intuitive tool for 4.5 million members that resulted in a lift of 1.9% in login rates and 2.4% in food tracking, key metrics for program success. Collaborating closely with product managers, user researchers, and engineers, I ensured our vision was brought to life across iOS and Android, launching in October 2023.
I led the design and launch of the What to Eat tab, creating an intuitive tool for 4.5 million members that resulted in a lift of 1.9% in login rates and 2.4% in food tracking, key metrics for program success. Collaborating closely with product managers, user researchers, and engineers, I ensured our vision was brought to life across iOS and Android, launching in October 2023.
Role
Lead Product Designer
Company
WeightWatchers
Date
November 2023