But first, Coffee
Mobile UX/UI Prototype
But first,
Coffee?
A commuter-focused iOS prototype that streamlines coffee ordering along daily travel routes.
Role:
UX/UI Designer
Duration:
10 weeks
Tools:
Figma, FigJam, Illustrator, Miro
Context:
Masters of Interaction Design
Background
Morning commuting and coffee are tightly connected, but congestion, long queues, and time pressure often turn this routine into a stressful or skipped experience.
This project explores how integrating discovery, ordering, and social coordination into commute routes can reduce friction and improve the start of the day.
THE PROBLEM
Commuters are skipping coffee
— not by choice
Increased stress and decision fatigue during morning commutes
Time wasted at long queues leading to skipped coffee runs
No tools to coordinate shared café trips with colleagues
Limited ability to discover quality cafés along a commute path
THE SOLUTION
A mobile app built for the commuter's rhythm
A mobile app that lets users discover cafés along their route, pre-order in advance, and even ask friends to pick up for them — all with built-in navigation and smart modes for different daily routines.
Target users
A focused look at the commuter behaviours, needs, and pain points that shaped the app experience.
Target Audience
Daily
Commuters
Busy
Workloads
Coffee
Lovers
Core need
A fast reliable coffee experience that fits into the morning commute and less decision fatigue.
Key needs
01
Speed &
low effort
02
Predictability & trust
03
Routine
compatibility
04
Light social accountability
Primary Persona
Patcha Wongchai
Time-pressed commuter
Routine-driven
Behaviour
Plans her morning around a fixed commute and often buys coffee on the way to university or work.
Pain points
Feels rushed when cafes are busy, wait times are unclear, or ordering adds extra stress to her commute.
Opportunity
Help her find nearby cafes, compare wait times, and pre-order coffee without disrupting her route.
Design response
Each feature maps a commuter need into a focused product decision.
01
GOAL
Simplify the
coffee-ordering experience
FEATURE
One tap ordering
Lets users quickly reorder favourites and place an order with fewer steps.
02
GOAL
Help users save
time and
reduce stress
FEATURE
Smart routines & suggestions
Surfaces cafe options based on saved routes, timing, and regular commuting habits.
03
GOAL
Support both
routine and exploration
FEATURE
Integrated navigation
Connects cafe discovery with commute routes so users can choose options that fit their journey.
04
GOAL
Encourage spontaneous, social cafe moments
FEATURE
In-app messaging & pickups
Helps friends or colleagues coordinate shared coffee pickups without switching apps.
Research insights
Key findings that shaped the app’s direction and translated research into design priorities.
Insight 01
Morning coffee is time sensitive
Users treat coffee as part of their commute, not a separate activity, so the experience needs to feel fast, predictable, and low effort.
Insight 02
Uncertainty breaks trust faster than delay
Users are more likely to skip a cafe when wait times feel unclear, even if the café is nearby or preferred.
Insight 03
Cognitive load is highest in the morning
During busy commutes, users prefer saved preferences, repeat orders, and route-based suggestions over manually comparing options.
Insight 04
Social pickups need accountability
Shared coffee runs only feel useful when pickup timing, order status, and responsibility are clearly communicated.
Contributions
End to end UX design
Led the design process from early research insights to a high-fidelity mobile prototype for commuters.
User research & synthesis
Explored commuter routines, coffee habits, pain points, and opportunities around ordering on the go.
Interaction design & prototyping
Designed key flows for cafe discovery, route-based ordering, filtering, checkout, and order pickup.
Usability testing
Tested core user journeys, gathered feedback, and refined navigation, filters, and ordering interactions.
Outcome & Reflection
But first, Coffee resulted in a high-fidelity mobile app concept designed to make coffee ordering easier within a commuter’s morning routine. By combining cafe discovery, route awareness, wait times, and pre-ordering, the project helped users make quicker and more confident decisions on the go.
The project showed me that good commuter UX is not just about speed, but about reducing uncertainty in everyday routines.
01.
Coffee ordering is shaped by time pressure, not just preference
02.
Route-based discovery helps choices feel more practical
03.
Clear wait times reduce uncertainty during busy mornings
04.
Good UX should support routines without disrupting them