Copy of Product Design | Autumn Obscura

* Concept, logo, and branding materials designed by Abigail Teodori

* Concept, logo, and branding materials designed by Abigail Teodori

Doodle Book

Overview: DoodleBook is a a mobile app designed as a low-friction creative space where users can quickly capture and save ideas across multiple formats. The goal was to prioritise ease of use while supporting different creative workflows

Problem:
Many creative tools are either:

Goal:

Design a flexible tool that:

Supports both rough and structured creation

Enables fast idea capture across formates

To limited to support more structured creative work

Too complex for quick idea capture

This creates a gap between spontaneous inspiration and intentional creation.

Encourages creativity without pressure or interruption

Maki Meow

Overview: This mobile app was designed for a sushi restaurant to streamline ordering while creating a highly interactive and visual customisation experience. The goal was to reduce wait times while making the ordering process more engaging and intuitive.

Problem: Many restaurants focus on efficiency, but fall short when it comes to customisation. Complex menu items, like sushi rolls or specialty drinks, are often presented as static text or images, making it difficult for users to confidently personalise their order.

Goal:

Create an ordering experience that:

Makes customisation intuitive and visually clear.

Allows users to skip the line through mobile ordering

Reflects a playful and modern brand identity

Maki Meow

Overview: This mobile app was designed for a sushi restaurant to streamline ordering while creating a highly interactive and visual customisation experience. The goal was to reduce wait times while making the ordering process more engaging and intuitive.

Problem: Many restaurants focus on efficiency, but fall short when it comes to customisation. Menu items, like sushi rolls or specialty drinks, are often presented as static text or images, making it difficult for users to confidently personalise their order.

Goal:

Create an ordering experience that:

Makes customisation intuitive and visually clear.

Allows users to skip the line through mobile ordering

Reflects a playful and modern brand identity

Design Decisions:
From Text to Interaction
Replaced traditional dropdown menus with gesture-based controls to reduce cognitive load and increase engagement.

Visual Feedback
Ensured each interaction provides immediate, clear feedback so users understand how their selections affect the final product.

Brand Expression through UI
Used motion and illustration to communicate a playful, modern personality consistent across the experience.

Concept and Interaction Direction:
Introducing interactive controls that transform customisation into a visual experience rather than a text-based one. Instead of relying on dropdowns or long ingredients lists, users engage directly with dynamic UI elements.

Improve clarity around ingredients selection

Make the process feel tactile and engaging

Reinforce the brand's playful tone

Key Features:
Order Ahead
Users can place orders in advance to reduce in-store wait times

Interactive Customisation (Boba Drinks)
A slider allows users to adjust flavour ratios, providing real-time visual feedback

Dynamic Ingredient Selection (Sushi Rolls)
Dials and turntable-style selectors let users browse and choose ingredients such as vegetables, fish, and roll-types. These elements animate as users interact with them, creating a more immersive experience

Illustrated Ingredients
Custom illustrations replace standard menu images, helping reinforce brand identity and set the tone for the user experience.

Usability Testing and Iteration:
I conducted usability testing with three participants to evaluate how intuitive the interactive elements were compared to traditional ordering patterns.

Testing Method

Initial unguided interaction

Follow-up discussion and feedback

Key Insights and Improvements

Novel Interactions require guidance (Sushi Customisation)

Issue: Some users had difficulty determining how to interact with the turntables and sliders in the sushi customisation (e.g. they were unsure of where to click the turntable to pick their vegetables).
Change: Add visual cues (e.g. motion hints, affordance) to indicate interactivity.

Engagement vs. efficiency balance

Issue: Users enjoyed the playful interactions but still prioritised speed
Adjustment: Ensured interactions remained quick and not overly complex.

Illustrated Features

Issue: Users were unsure of what the dial indicating their type of sushi roll meant.
Adjustment: Add labels to customisations.

Reflection : This project explored how interaction design can enhance both usability and brand expression. I learned that while novel UI patterns can increase engagement, they must align with user expectations and remain immediately understandable.

Given more time, I would further refine interaction cues and test with a broader audience to better balance novelty with efficiency.

Doodle Book

Overview: DoodleBook is a a mobile app designed as a low-friction creative space where users can quickly capture and save ideas across multiple formats. The goal was to prioritise ease of use while supporting different creative workflows

Problem:
Many creative tools are either:

To limited to support more structured creative work

Too complex for quick idea capture

Goal:

Design a flexible tool that:

Enables fast idea capture across formates

This creates a gap between spontaneous inspiration and intentional creation.

Supports both rough and structured creation

Encourages creativity without pressure or interruption

Concept and Interaction Direction:

DoodleBook combines lightweight note-taking with structured creative tools in a single interface. The experience is intentionally calm and minimal, inspired by early 2000s desktop interfaces to evoke focus and reduce the feeling of urgency common in modern apps.

Key Features:
Multi-Format Capture
Users can quickly save ideas through sketching, written notes, and voice memos.

Vector-Based Drawing Tools
The 'Paint' section includes shape and pen tools inspired by design software, allowing users to create more precise illustrations in addition to freehand sketches.

Draw on images
Users can import and annotate images directly, supporting workflows like sketching over references or refining ideas.
User
Creative To-Do Lists + Timer
Users can organise learning or project goals and track focused work sessions with a built-in-timer

Customisable Workspace
Folder colours, icons, and wallpapers can be personalised to create a sense of ownership and comfort.

Cloud Integration
Files can be uploaded and shared via services such as Dropbox to maintain a long-term creative archive

DoodleBook

Overview: DoodleBook is a a mobile app designed as a low-friction creative space where users can quickly capture and save ideas across multiple formats. The goal was to prioritise ease of use while supporting different creative workflows.

Problem:
Many creative tools are either:

To limited to support more structured creative work

Too complex for quick idea capture

This creates a gap between spontaneous inspiration and intentional creation.

Goal:

Design a flexible tool that:

Supports both rough and structured creation

Enables fast idea capture across formats

Encourages creativity without pressure or interruption

Design Decisions:
Flexibility over specialisation
Combined multiple creative tools into one space to reduce friction between different stages of ideation.

Structured + Unstructured Balance
Enabled both quick sketches and precise vector work to support different creative needs.

Calm Interface Design
Used a nostalgic, desktop-inspired UI to counteract the fast-paced, notification-heavy nature of modern apps.

Personalisation as empowerment
Designed customisation features to help users feel ownership over their creative environment.

Reflection : This project explored how digital tools can better support the future spectrum of creativity, from quick ideas to more intentional practice. It also reinforced importance of designing for different creative styles and paces.

Given more time, I would validate which features users rely on most and refine the experience to better balance simplicity with functionality.

Knight's Cafe

Overview: Knights cafe is a mobile app designed to help customers order ahead and reserve space in a cafe built for connection. The goal is to reduce friction in bust schedules while fostering a sense of community among post-grad adults.

Problem: After graduation, social connection becomes harder o maintain due to busy and inconsistent schedules. At the same time, common cafe pain points, like long lines and lack of seating make spontaneous meetups difficult.

Goal:

Design an app that:

Makes it easy to coordinate meetups

Minimises wait times through mobile ordering

Encourages repeat visits through shared experiences

Target Audience

Adults ages 21-35 navigating post-grad life , with limited free time but a desire for social connection/

Knight's Cafe

Overview: Knights cafe is a mobile app designed to help customers order ahead and reserve space in a cafe built for connection. The goal is to reduce friction in busy schedules while fostering a sense of community among post-grad adults.

Problem: After graduation, social connection becomes harder to maintain due to busy and inconsistent schedules. At the same time, common cafe pain points, like long lines and lack of seating make spontaneous meetups difficult.

Goal:

Design an app that:

Makes it easy to coordinate meetups

Minimises wait times through mobile ordering

Encourages repeat visits through shared experiences

Target Audience
Adults ages 21-35 navigating post-grad life , with limited free time but a desire for social connection.

Concept and Interaction Direction:
Knights Cafe is inspired by chess and board game culture, positioning the cafe as a space for intentional gathering.

The physical cafe includes reservable themed tables (e.g. Chess, Yahtzee, Billiards) which are integrated into the app experience.

Key Features:
Order Ahead
Users can place orders in advance to avoid waiting in line

Table Reservations
Reserve specific themed tables based on activity.

Shared Reservations
Users can invite friends and share reservation details directly through the app.
User
Community Events
Browse and join events hosted at the cafe.

Cafe Music Integration
Users can view currently playing songs and contribute to a shared cafe playlist, designed to solve the common frustration of not being able to identify music in loud environments.

Usability Testing and Iteration:
I conducted usability testing with three first-time users to evaluate navigation clarity, feature discoverability, and overall usability.

Testing Method

Initial unmoderated interaction (no guidance)

Follow-up with prompts and feedback discussion

Key Insights and Improvements

Navigaation clarity

Issue: Users hesitated when trying to locate reservations
Change: Simplified navigation and made the reservation call-to-action more prominent.

Scroll Fatigue (Daily Special Drink)

Issue: Users preferred if they didn't have to scroll up and down so far to review their order.
Change: Place an order button both at the top and bottom of product page to allow user to send their item straight to the cart upon review.

Reservation sharing

Issue: Users were unsure how to invite others.
Adjustment: Streamlined the sharing flow and improved affordances

Positive feedback

Users responded well to the concept of themed tables and the community-focused experience.

Reflection : This project helped me explore how digital tools can support real-world connection. Through testing, I learned the importance of prioritising clarity over feature density, especially when introducing multiple interactive elements.

Given more time, I would expand testing to a broader user group and further refine feature prioritisation based on usage patterns.

* Concept, logo, and branding materials designed by Abigail Teodori

* Concept, logo, and branding materials designed by Abigail Teodori

Doodle Book

Overview: DoodleBook is a a mobile app designed as a low-friction creative space where users can quickly capture and save ideas across multiple formats. The goal was to prioritise ease of use while supporting different creative workflows

Problem: Many creative tools are either:

Goal: Design a flexible tool that:​

​

​Supports both rough and structured creation

​

Enables fast idea capture across formates​

​

​To limited to support more structured creative work

​

​Too complex for quick idea capture

​​This creates a gap between spontaneous inspiration and intentional creation.

​

Encourages creativity without pressure or interruption

Maki Meow

Overview: This mobile app was designed for a sushi restaurant to streamline ordering while creating a highly interactive and visual customisation experience. The goal was to reduce wait times while making the ordering process more engaging and intuitive.

Problem: Many restaurants focus on efficiency, but fall short when it comes to customisation. Complex menu items, like sushi rolls or specialty drinks, are often presented as static text or images, making it difficult for users to confidently personalise their order.

Goal: Create an ordering experience that:​​

​

​Makes customisation intuitive and visually clear.

​

​Allows users to skip the line through mobile ordering

​

Reflects a playful and modern brand identity

Maki Meow

Overview: This mobile app was designed for a sushi restaurant to streamline ordering while creating a highly interactive and visual customisation experience. The goal was to reduce wait times while making the ordering process more engaging and intuitive.

Problem: Many restaurants focus on efficiency, but fall short when it comes to customisation. Menu items, like sushi rolls or specialty drinks, are often presented as static text or images, making it difficult for users to confidently personalise their order.

Goal: Create an ordering experience that:​​

​

​Makes customisation intuitive and visually clear.

​

​Allows users to skip the line through mobile ordering

​

Reflects a playful and modern brand identity

Concept and Interaction Direction: Introducing interactive controls that transform customisation into a visual experience rather than a text-based one. Instead of relying on dropdowns or long ingredients lists, users engage directly with dynamic UI elements.

​

Improve clarity around ingredients selection

​

Make the process feel tactile and engaging

​

Reinforce the brand's playful tone

Usability Testing and Iteration: I conducted usability testing with three participants to evaluate how intuitive the interactive elements were compared to traditional ordering patterns. Testing Method

​

Initial unguided interaction

​

Follow-up discussion and feedback

Key Insights and Improvements

​

Novel Interactions require guidance (Sushi Customisation)

​ Issue: Some users had difficulty determining how to interact with the turntables and sliders in the sushi customisation (e.g. they were unsure of where to click the turntable to pick their vegetables). Change: Add visual cues (e.g. motion hints, affordance) to indicate interactivity.

​

Engagement vs. efficiency balance

​ Issue: Users enjoyed the playful interactions but still prioritised speed Adjustment: Ensured interactions remained quick and not overly complex.

​

Illustrated Features

​ Issue: Users were unsure of what the dial indicating their type of sushi roll meant. Adjustment: Add labels to customisations.

Doodle Book

Overview: DoodleBook is a a mobile app designed as a low-friction creative space where users can quickly capture and save ideas across multiple formats. The goal was to prioritise ease of use while supporting different creative workflows

Problem: Many creative tools are either:

​

​To limited to support more structured creative work

​

​Too complex for quick idea capture

Goal: Design a flexible tool that:​

​

Enables fast idea capture across formates​

​​This creates a gap between spontaneous inspiration and intentional creation.

​

​Supports both rough and structured creation

​

Encourages creativity without pressure or interruption

Concept and Interaction Direction: DoodleBook combines lightweight note-taking with structured creative tools in a single interface. The experience is intentionally calm and minimal, inspired by early 2000s desktop interfaces to evoke focus and reduce the feeling of urgency common in modern apps.

DoodleBook

Overview: DoodleBook is a a mobile app designed as a low-friction creative space where users can quickly capture and save ideas across multiple formats. The goal was to prioritise ease of use while supporting different creative workflows.

Problem: Many creative tools are either:

​

​To limited to support more structured creative work

Problem:
Many creative tools are either:

Goal:

Design a flexible tool that:

Supports both rough and structured creation

Enables fast idea capture across formates

To limited to support more structured creative work

Too complex for quick idea capture

This creates a gap between spontaneous inspiration and intentional creation.

Goal:

Create an ordering experience that:

Makes customisation intuitive and visually clear.

Allows users to skip the line through mobile ordering

Goal:

Create an ordering experience that:

Makes customisation intuitive and visually clear.

Allows users to skip the line through mobile ordering

Concept and Interaction Direction:
Introducing interactive controls that transform customisation into a visual experience rather than a text-based one. Instead of relying on dropdowns or long ingredients lists, users engage directly with dynamic UI elements.

Usability Testing and Iteration:
I conducted usability testing with three participants to evaluate how intuitive the interactive elements were compared to traditional ordering patterns.

Testing Method

Issue: Some users had difficulty determining how to interact with the turntables and sliders in the sushi customisation (e.g. they were unsure of where to click the turntable to pick their vegetables).
Change: Add visual cues (e.g. motion hints, affordance) to indicate interactivity.

Issue: Users enjoyed the playful interactions but still prioritised speed
Adjustment: Ensured interactions remained quick and not overly complex.

Issue: Users were unsure of what the dial indicating their type of sushi roll meant.
Adjustment: Add labels to customisations.

Problem:
Many creative tools are either:

To limited to support more structured creative work

Too complex for quick idea capture

Goal:

Design a flexible tool that:

Enables fast idea capture across formates

This creates a gap between spontaneous inspiration and intentional creation.

Supports both rough and structured creation

Concept and Interaction Direction:

DoodleBook combines lightweight note-taking with structured creative tools in a single interface. The experience is intentionally calm and minimal, inspired by early 2000s desktop interfaces to evoke focus and reduce the feeling of urgency common in modern apps.

Problem:
Many creative tools are either:

To limited to support more structured creative work

Too complex for quick idea capture

This creates a gap between spontaneous inspiration and intentional creation.

Goal:

Design a flexible tool that:

Supports both rough and structured creation

Enables fast idea capture across formats

Goal:

Design an app that:

Makes it easy to coordinate meetups

Minimises wait times through mobile ordering

Target Audience

Goal:

Design an app that:

Makes it easy to coordinate meetups

Minimises wait times through mobile ordering

Target Audience
Adults ages 21-35 navigating post-grad life , with limited free time but a desire for social connection.

Concept and Interaction Direction:
Knights Cafe is inspired by chess and board game culture, positioning the cafe as a space for intentional gathering.

The physical cafe includes reservable themed tables (e.g. Chess, Yahtzee, Billiards) which are integrated into the app experience.

Usability Testing and Iteration:
I conducted usability testing with three first-time users to evaluate navigation clarity, feature discoverability, and overall usability.

Testing Method

Issue: Users hesitated when trying to locate reservations
Change: Simplified navigation and made the reservation call-to-action more prominent.

Issue: Users preferred if they didn't have to scroll up and down so far to review their order.
Change: Place an order button both at the top and bottom of product page to allow user to send their item straight to the cart upon review.

Issue: Users were unsure how to invite others.
Adjustment: Streamlined the sharing flow and improved affordances

Users responded well to the concept of themed tables and the community-focused experience.