TYPE
Independent redesign project
ROLE
UX Researcher, UI/UX Designer
DURATION
4 months
TOOLS
Figma, UXTweak, Lovable
PROJECT OVERVIEW
Why consistent logging of food breaks down
Cronometer offers detailed nutrition data, but routine logging can require users to search through dense screens, interpret unfamiliar options and repeat the same actions each day.
Small frictions matter because food logging is a high-frequency habit. When each entry demands extra thought or several steps, consistency becomes harder to maintain.
This project focused on reducing effort in repeated logging while preserving the accuracy and detail users rely on.
USER INTERVIEWS
Logging food requires more thinking than it should
ANALYSIS OF COMPETITORS
Patterns among competitors that enable faster logging of food
I reviewed competing nutrition and habit-tracking products to identify patterns that make repeated tasks easier to find, understand and complete.
INFORMATION ARCHITECTURE
Users prioritise logging over creation
While sketching the primary Add flow, I needed clearer evidence about which actions users expected to find there. A card sort with seven participants showed that logging actions were consistently prioritised over creation tasks.
IDEATION AND SKETCHING
Translating user needs into sketches and wireframes
I translated the interview findings, competitor patterns and card-sort results into four principles, then developed the strongest ideas into low-fidelity wireframes for usability testing.
I then translated these into low-fidelity sketches to explore alternative layouts, interaction patterns, and information hierarchies before committing to high-fidelity designs.
View the full ideation process →
WIREFRAMES AND PROTOTYPES
From concepts to a testable experience
These wireframes focused on testing:
a meal-first logging flow as an initial approach,
a quick entry feature for faster manual logging,
a contextual toolbar for high-frequency actions like move, copy, and delete,
a restructured search experience for faster access to recent and frequent foods
simplified flows for creating custom foods, meals, and recipes.
These concepts were connected into a low-fidelity prototype and tested to identify friction points before moving into high-fidelity designs.
USABILITY TESTING
The prototype felt easier overall, but friction remained in key interactions
The same five participants who completed the exploratory interviews returned to test the low-fidelity prototype. Because all five had already used Cronometer for one month, I could compare their ratings of the original app and the prototype.
All five participants rated the low fidelity prototype higher, suggesting that the redesigned flows made everyday logging feel clearer and more manageable..
Although perceived ease improved for every participant, testing still revealed friction in certain interactions:
= participant affected ,
= not affected
(total number =5)
FINDING O1
I introduced a separate Quick Entry feature after identifying similar shortcuts in competitor apps. During testing, all five participants found it unintuitive, too manual and difficult to locate.
EXPLORED REDESIGN
Remove the shortcut and simplify the core flow
Rather than refine a separate feature that duplicated manual entry, I removed the Quick Entry feature and reduced effort within the main Add Food flow. Essential fields were prioritised, while detailed nutrition information was placed behind progressive disclosure.
EXPLORED REDESIGN
Make language explicit and consistent
I replaced vague terms with task-specific microcopy and used the same language across related steps, reducing the need to interpret what each field or action meant.
FINDING O3
Users wanted familiar foods surfaced first
Participants wanted recent and frequently logged foods to appear before broader search results. Familiar entries helped them recognise what they needed instead of recalling exact names or repeating routine steps.
EXPLORED REDESIGN
Make food the starting point for logging
I replaced the meal-first sequence with a food-first flow. Contextually relevant recent and frequent foods appear first, while meal placement and additional details follow after selection.
FINDING O4
Although follow-up actions were surfaced contextually in the low-fidelity prototype, participants found the interface confusing or unlike interaction patterns they were familiar with.
One participant also questioned what would happen after selecting actions such as Copy or Move.
EXPLORED REDESIGN
Make the contextual action state more familiar and easier to interpret
I retained long-press as the entry point, but refined the selected state and contextual toolbar to create clearer hierarchy and stronger feedback about what was selected and which actions were available.
I also developed explicit destination and confirmation states for Move, responding to the uncertainty raised during testing.
ACCESSIBILITY REFINEMENTS
Reducing competition for attention
Beyond issues identified in low-fidelity testing, I refined the diary using findings from the initial app review and accessibility assessment. I consolidated the energy summary, removed visual competition, and strengthened the hierarchy of meals and entries.
