CoChef
iPad | UX & Visual DesignA cooking app that divides recipes into tasks suited for parents and children; making it easy and fun for families to cook together!
Problem
Cooking is a great way to spend time together, parents enjoy it and most children want to help out in the kitchen. The problem is that it can be hard for parents to find time and suitable tasks, many worry about the sharp knives and hot fires.
Another problem is that there is not enough good information on healthy eating. The information that exist is either too complex and technical or full of contradicting opinions. As a result it seems no one knows what a healthy diet actually is.
Another problem is that there is not enough good information on healthy eating. The information that exist is either too complex and technical or full of contradicting opinions. As a result it seems no one knows what a healthy diet actually is.
Look & Feel
The carrot and pepper guide you through the app with handy tips and reminders. Kids love storytelling and the characters will spark their imagination, creating a playful and engaging learning experience.
I love the illustrations by Astrid and wanted the interface to reflect their playfulness, making it feel more like a game than a cooking app. Static or standard transitions would not cut it, so I created custom animations for the on-boarding and navigation using Principle. Button- and screen titles were hand-drawn to tie in with the rest of the interface.
I love the illustrations by Astrid and wanted the interface to reflect their playfulness, making it feel more like a game than a cooking app. Static or standard transitions would not cut it, so I created custom animations for the on-boarding and navigation using Principle. Button- and screen titles were hand-drawn to tie in with the rest of the interface.
Process
We set out to improve and rebuild an existing prototype, going back to the drawing board and redefining the scope and features for a MVP (minimum viable product). First with pen and paper, then with quick keynote prototypes and finally with interactive prototypes and user testing.
When I developed my own app I got some ideas of how to improve my design workflow by defining text styles and colours globally. If one parameter changes all objects with that style will change. I structured the design in the same way, making full use of symbols in Sketch. The otherwise time-consuming process of creating individual tasks for each recipe was now a matter of minutes.
When I developed my own app I got some ideas of how to improve my design workflow by defining text styles and colours globally. If one parameter changes all objects with that style will change. I structured the design in the same way, making full use of symbols in Sketch. The otherwise time-consuming process of creating individual tasks for each recipe was now a matter of minutes.
Solution
The main thing that sets CoChef apart from other cooking apps is the cooking timeline, a split-view with actionable tasks. You progress through the timeline as you check off tasks, learning cooking techniques along the way. The app also teaches kids what it means to eat healthy and to recognise the ingredients by checking them off before starting to cook.
I experimented a lot with the behaviour of the timeline. My goal was to minimise interactions and let the app sit in the background. Instead of scrolling through a long list of tasks, you are only presented with the active ones, and when checked off the next step will animate into view.
I experimented a lot with the behaviour of the timeline. My goal was to minimise interactions and let the app sit in the background. Instead of scrolling through a long list of tasks, you are only presented with the active ones, and when checked off the next step will animate into view.
Result
CoChef has been recognised by experts from the Youth Food Movement in the Netherlands. The first version is being tested and can be downloaded from the AppStore. It contains the recipe for spaghetti bolognese with more recipes being added in the future.
Grab it while it’s hot!
