Mealie

1. Redesign
2. Goal and target groups
3. Competitor analysis and key findings
4. User profiles and user goals
5. From brand filters to the design system
6. Use case
7. Final design

Mealie is a comprehensive health and nutrition app designed to empower individuals in achieving their fitness and dietary goals. We are passionate about nutrition and recognize the profound impact a balanced diet tailored to our unique needs can have on our overall well-being. By seamlessly integrating fitness and nutrition, Mealie fosters a holistic approach to health, encouraging users to make more informed choices about their diet and lifestyle. With Mealie, users can not only track their meals but also access personalized workout plans, ensuring a well-rounded approach to their health journey.

1. Redesign

The current version of the app faced limitations in user flexibility and clarity. Users couldn’t customize nutrition sets or set specific goals like weight loss or muscle gain. The auto-generated shopping list lacked adaptability, and the History section lacked context. The graphical view only showed suggested meals, leaving users unsure about their actual consumption.

Nonetheless, we see tremendous potential in Mealie because it has captured the essence of a personal companion app perfectly and sets an example with the influencer feature, which people might be looking for. With this project, our aim is to strengthen the foundation laid by the app with insights gained from the design processes and we integrate existing or derived new functions according to our design vision.

2. Goal and target groups

The goal of this project is to conceptualize and develop a companion mobile application aimed at simplifying the transition to a healthier dietary lifestyle. The app aims to empower users by providing them with the necessary resources and support to make sustainable changes to their eating habits and ultimately achieve their long-term health and fitness goals.

Through a survey, we gained valuable insights into our target audiences and their needs. The app is designed for anyone looking to achieve their health goals with nutrition-related support. It caters to individuals passionate about nutrition and its integration with exercise. It’s for those prioritizing physical well-being, fostering a positive self-image, and emphasizing health consciousness. Moreover, it’s for anyone seeking improved time management in their daily lives, offering consolidated support for meals and nutrition plans without the hassle of scouring the internet. Mealie takes care of it all for you!

3. Competitor analysis and key findings

Compared to competitor apps like MyFitnessPal or YAZIO, Mealie stands out primarily for its inclusion of influencer-inspired nutrition sets, offering a unique feature that distinguishes it from others in the market. Expanding upon this feature would further enhance Mealie’s competitive edge. However, Mealie lacks depth in functionalities such as shopping assistance, cooking instructions, recipes, or personalized tips, which could provide users with greater freedom and utility. Additionally, Mealie does not include a built-in rewards system tailored to personal achievements and milestones, nor does it integrate with social media channels in its core functionality. Read the next chapter to find out why the latter is not considered further in the project scope.

The key findings point to critical areas of general functionality and user guidance where Mealie has potential to improve. First of all, the app’s minimalist design limits user connection, while the absence of feedback mechanisms reduces motivation. Users find personalization cumbersome without automation, and navigating Mealie proves challenging without adequate onboarding. Moreover, user input for preferences and goals could improve satisfaction and retention. Addressing some of these insights could already improve Mealie’s appeal and user experience.

4. User profiles and user goals

The analysis of various user profiles highlights the diverse needs and goals of the target audiences. From a passionate boxer seeking expert nutritional guidance to optimize athletic performance, to a hobby athlete seeking a clear understanding of essential nutrients in his diet, and a nurse striving for a personalized system to maintain a healthier lifestyle – each group presents unique challenges and requirements.

It turns out that a key aspect highlighted by the user profiles is the importance of an adaptable system within the app, allowing users to streamline their daily routines for optimal efficiency. Users value features that accommodate their individual needs, such as providing quick and convenient meal options tailored to their dietary preferences, time constraints, and fitness goals. Moreover, personalized guidance and motivational support emerge as essential components, helping users stay committed to their health and wellness journey. By understanding these requirements, Mealie can design functionalities that empower users to seamlessly integrate healthy habits into their lifestyles.

The process of creating and analyzing these user profiles is crucial for Mealie’s development. By identifying the individual needs and goals of each target group, targeted solutions can be developed to provide users with real value. The formulation of How Might We questions allows for the identification of specific problems and the exploration of creative solutions to best meet user needs.

From profile creation to analysis to the formulation of concrete “How Might We”-questions, this process overall yields valuable insights that support Mealie in developing a user-centered platform that caters to the diverse needs of its users.

5. From brand filters to the first visual cues

From the analysis of the user profiles, it is evident that our design decisions should prioritize the app’s personalizability, time-consciousness, and health orientation. Additionally, providing supportive, sometimes even psychological, assistance, such as encouraging messages upon completing tasks, can significantly impact the long-term success of users’ goals.

In the Kano Model, a coordinate-like model that divides the relevance and satisfaction of features into four quadrants, any manual or contextless input of values and trends outside of the onboarding process is discarded - the app will now automate these processes. The focus of the introduction lies primarily on customizing the meal plan, which algorithmically creates the nutrition and shopping lists. For optimization, user guidance is key, from macro tracking to nutrition set suggestions. However, the key feature lies in the stronger and more personalized and profound integration of influencer sets, which has become a unique selling point for Mealie in the first place.

With the latest insights in hand, there were no obstacles to the initial sketches and wireframes, which iteratively gained detail and refinement, slowly revealing the first candidates for prototype screens. In addition to the initial visual developments, we simultaneously realized the conceptual models of the app to ensure that the progression and implementation of the screens were secured in the long term. This was particularly aided by the information architecture, which organizes the entire app content, and the navigation design, which visually coordinates the user flow through this content. With this safety net of visual and theoretical developments, it was time to take Mealie’s mobile design to the next version.

6. Use case

After inputting specific dietary needs and preferences at the beginning of setup, users are provided with individual tutorials. These tutorials not only explain how to navigate the dashboard view but also demonstrate basic app functions such as the shopping list mode. During meal planning, users have the option to select dishes for the three main meals as well as snacks. These options are curated by the system based on the user’s onboarding information. The app aims to promote optimal intake of macronutrients and calories while preserving long-term goals.

After selecting meals, users can generate a personalized shopping list for the planned meals within a self-selected timeframe. The app doesn’t just consider planning steps but also looks at the holistic experience that comes with nutrition and fitness - that’s the beauty of having a personal companion app!

7. Final design

The three main colors represent primary, secondary, and tertiary. The black color should form the text color on a white background. However, the text color varies depending on the background color of the individual elements and their arrangement.

The typography system was heavily inspired by the official iOS typography guides. By strictly adhering to iOS Safe Spaces, we also reference some of the official iOS font sizes to maintain guideline-compliant proportions between text bodies.

In conclusion, Mealie offers a personalized and user-centric approach to nutrition and fitness, catering to the diverse needs and preferences of its users. With features designed to streamline meal planning, provide nutritional guidance, and support healthy habits, Mealie serves as a reliable companion on the journey towards improved health and well-being. Its intuitive interface, coupled with a commitment to user feedback and continuous improvement, positions Mealie as an indispensable tool for those seeking to achieve their health and fitness goals.