Stage One
Explored the problem space and identified possible solutions.
Contents
UX DESIGN
Shopping For Overseas Products
This project was completed during a recent university trimester. We began by identifying a real-world problem we were experiencing and designed an app as a solution.
Stage Two
Developed the chosen solution into a working prototype.
Stage Three
Tested the prototype and iterated based on feedback.
Written: 04/06/2025
Discovery
Problem
Problem Statement: How might we conveniently discover and access international food and drink while preserving their cultural and emotional value?
Who’s Affected
Travellers
Want to relive flavours from abroad.
Immigrants & Students
Miss a taste of home.
Food Lovers
Chase authentic ingredients.
Hosts & Explorers
Introduce others to new cuisines.
Where & When It Happens
At Home
Cooking or planning meals.
Occasions
Cultural holidays & special events.
Out & About
Restaurants & independent grocers.
Online
Browsing, communities & events.
Why It Matters
Food is personal—tied to memory, identity, and loved ones. People want a sense of home, to recreate joyful meals, to share meaningful flavours, and often view overseas goods as higher quality or healthier.
The Five Whys
Why do people seek overseas products?
Emotional connection, nostalgia, authenticity, and perceived quality.
Why do they have to seek them out?
Not widely available in major chains.
Why don’t supermarkets stock them?
Limited demand, shipping/storage costs, logistical complexity.
Why not order online?
Long delivery times, high shipping, customs friction, inconsistent availability.
Why not use substitutes?
Authenticity matters—replicas miss the taste/emotional value.
Personas
Marcus
Reconnecting with culture through food.
Sophie
Recreates meals from travels for friends/family.
Nathan
Navigates diet & identity via online food trends.
Despite differences, all three share a frustration: authentic overseas food is hard to access, inconvenient, and often expensive.
Concepts
Design Challenge
How might we create a digital platform that helps people in Australia access international grocery items more easily—while addressing pricing, availability, language, and discoverability?
Key Goals
Accessibility
Make overseas products easier to find and buy.
Authenticity
Preserve cultural value & true product details.
Efficiency
Speed up search and decision-making.
Business Friendly
Help small shops list stock with minimal effort.
Essential Features
Interactive map with distance & hours
Search + filters (cuisine, product, diet, distance)
Save items to account (translation or later)
Product pages with details, ingredients, price, availability
Contact actions: call, directions, map links
Supportive Features
Community reviews and “thumbs up”
Similar product suggestions
Bulk buy savings
Barcode scanner
Forums & recipe integration
Comparative Inspiration
Google Maps
Clear UI, live info.
Uber Eats
Card layouts with price & distance.
Woolworths
Smart filtering by cuisine/category/diet.
Vitamin Sites
Ingredient transparency & alternatives.
Business Integration
Reduce friction for small businesses with a simple back office: search a global product DB, select stocked items, set price, and appear on the customer map—no heavy inventory sync required.
Wireframe Progression
Dual flows for shoppers and businesses were tested with Marcus, Sophie, and Nathan. Final wires emphasised simple navigation, clear product presentation, and fast access to actions (contact, stockists, price).
Design & Prototype
Navigation prioritises search and local results.
Product cards surface key info: price, distance, tags.
Map/list toggle supports scanning and comparison.
Prominent language switcher (globe icon) for quick changes.
Clear iconography and dietary tags (vegan, spicy, halal).
Testing & Next Steps
User Testing
In-person usability tests with five participants from a multicultural pharmacy team (think-aloud protocol).
Bishoy (35–40)
Well-traveled home cook.
Paula (40–45)
Portuguese at home; global cuisine fan.
Ben (18–20)
Frequent traveller.
Danielle (20–25)
Complex food allergies.
Oliver (30–35)
Cantonese at home; shops Asian grocers.
Tasks Tested
Change language from Arabic to English.
Sign up for an account.
Find “Pocari Sweat”, locate nearby, decide next action.
Hypotheses & Success Criteria
- TaskHypothesisSuccess Criteria
- Language ChangeUsers use the globe iconSwitch to English easily
- Sign-UpFlow is clear & discoverableFind & complete sign-up
- Product SearchMap + list aid quick findLocate, compare, decide
Key Findings
Map/List Placement
Users expected list at the bottom (Uber/Google Maps pattern).
Stock Clarity
Users still wanted to call stores to confirm stock.
Clickable GPS
GPS box wasn’t obviously interactive.
Sign-Up Affordance
“Log in” didn’t feel dual-purpose.
Favourites
“Shopping List” idea resonated.
Product Details
Preferred from search results, not map pins.
Iterations
Moved log-in/sign-up to a clearer button on the right.
Added a Shopping List page that updates dynamically.
Enlarged and centred the search bar.
Reworked GPS/map flow with a visible, clickable list toggle.
Surfaced product info earlier—directly from search results.
Added dietary tag icons (vegan, spicy, halal, etc.).
Improved clarity of navigation, store details, and availability.
Final Display
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