Bites

Situation

Small and medium-sized restaurateurs were significantly impacted by the pandemic, and many local culinary traditions remain undervalued due to a lack of visibility. Existing market solutions like TasteAtlas or Mamakoo often lacked deep interaction between producers and consumers or suffered from geographic limitations and outdated information. The goal was to create a digital bridge to generate social and economic impact by promoting typical local products.

Task

The objective was to design and develop a mobile application, Bites, that connects two primary user segments: “Foodies” (active social media users and unconventional travelers) and Restaurateurs (SMEs and local producers). As an HCI-focused project, the task involved defining a seamless navigation flow, creating a modern visual identity, and ensuring high usability across both online and offline scenarios.

Action

• User Research & Segmentation: Identified specific behaviors of “Foodies” (e.g., van life, budget travel) and the needs of restaurateurs to tailor the app’s core features.
• HCI Methodologies & Design:
  • Wireframing & Navigation: Developed a structured interface featuring a geolocated map for dish discovery, a social “Discover” feed (utilizing an Instagram-style “stories” pattern for events), and a marketplace for local bookings.
  • User Experience (UX) Enhancements: Implemented an onboarding process to guide first-time users through the app’s functions.
  • Interface Design: Applied Material 3 design principles to ensure a modern, cohesive, and aesthetically pleasing UI across iOS and Android platforms.
• Technical Implementation for UX: Integrated Google Maps APIs for precise geolocated discovery and used intents to allow effortless transitions between Bites and navigation apps. To ensure a continuous experience, I implemented automatic image caching and local data storage via shared_preferences, enabling offline functionality.
• Architectural Modularization: Followed a modular directory structure (separating data, screens, and reusable widgets) to enhance code maintainability and design consistency.

Result

• Successful MVP Delivery: Produced a fully functional cross-platform MVP (Flutter/Dart) that met all core objectives within the established timeframe.
• User-Centric Impact: Created an application that successfully differentiates itself from competitors by focusing on local food interaction and providing a “client-side independent” experience.
• Scalability: Established a robust, modular architectural foundation that allows for future enhancements, such as backend integration and expanded offline map capabilities.