User Experience (UX) research is a crucial component of the design process that involves understanding users' behaviors, needs, and motivations through various qualitative and quantitative methods.

Why UX research?

By understanding the target audience, UX research helps identify pain points, usability issues, and opportunities for improvement, ultimately leading to more effective and satisfying user experiences. It minimizes the risk of developing solutions that may not resonate with users and ensures that design decisions are informed by real-world data rather than assumptions. UX research contributes to increased user satisfaction, engagement, and the overall success of a product or service in a competitive market.

Research Methods used in this project

Combining both quantitative and qualitative approaches offers a more holistic understanding of the user experience and helps ensure that design decisions are well-informed and user-centric. These are the methods that were included during the user experience research of this project.

• Survey

• Interview

• Competitor Analysis

Survey

Surveys can be an important and valuable part of UX research, especially when seeking to gather quantitative data and insights from a large number of users. To eliminate the chances of sampling bias, a diverse group of people(a total of 41) were included in the survey including working professionals, students, as well as homemakers.

The following are the questions asked in the survey.

1. How often do you hire a cook?

2. What are the most important factors to you when hiring a cook?

3. What challenges have you faced when hiring a cook in the past?

4. Would you be interested in using a cook hiring app?

5. What features would you like to see in a cook hiring app?

6. What method of booking will you prefer?

7. What method of payment would you choose?

8. how much would you like to spend per month on cook?

9. Would You like to book cooks for events or small gatherings through an app?

The report from the survey is depicted in the image below.

Interview

To gain a richer understanding of user attitudes, motivations, and behaviors, two interviews were conducted.

Participant A- IT professional, stays in Bangalore

Participant B- Homemaker, stays in Barmer Rajasthan

Below are the open-ended questions posed to participants during the interviews.

1. What specific qualities or skills do you look for when hiring a cook for your kitchen?

2. When reviewing cook candidates' applications or resumes, what information is most critical for you to see?

3. Are there any specific concerns or considerations you have when it comes to the safety and reliability of cooks or chefs you hire?

4. What are your main concerns or reservations when it comes to using a digital platform to hire cooks? Are there any potential challenges you foresee?

5. How important is it to be able to read reviews and see photos of a home cook before booking?

6. Regarding using a cook hiring app, what features or tools do you think would be most valuable in streamlining the hiring process?

Major findings-

• The biggest problem in finding a home cook is trust. That's why many people choose cooks who live nearby because they already know them.

• Participants prefer the cook who can speak the same language as theirs.

• Only online Mode of Payment can be an issue for elderly or not tech-savvy people.

Competitor Analysis

Studying and understanding competitors is crucial for gaining insights into industry standards, identifying best practices, and recognizing areas for differentiation.

Competitor analysis encompassed the examination of both direct and indirect competitors, as outlined in the following section.

Reviews of Competitors

• Direct Competitors (Coox, Chefcart,Cookzy)

• Indirect Competitor (Book My Bai, Urban Company)

User Pain-Points

1. Inadequate Communication: Applications should enhance communication between cooks and employers to prevent misunderstandings and ensure a mutually beneficial arrangement.

2. Slot Availability Issues: When an app fails to clearly convey available time slots, it hinders efficient booking and time management. This can result in frustration, wasted time, and missed opportunities for both cooks and clients.

3. Unresponsive Customer Support: When the app's support team is unresponsive, unhelpful, or provides inaccurate information, it leaves users, including cooks and employers, feeling frustrated, confused, and potentially facing financial losses.

4. Lack of Filtering and Sorting: An app lacking filtering or sorting options makes it challenging for users to identify cooks who best match their requirements.

5. Inconsistent or Confusing Navigation: Poor navigation can lead to user dissatisfaction, app abandonment, and difficulty in locating suitable cooks.

6. Insufficient Cook Information: Due to limited information, users of cook-hiring apps may risk hiring unqualified, inexperienced, or unreliable cooks.

Conclusion

The UX research conducted for the Cook Hiring App has provided valuable insights that will significantly contribute to enhancing the user experience. Through a combination of surveys, interviews, and competitor analysis, a comprehensive understanding of the target audience's needs, preferences, and pain points was gained in the context of hiring cooks. The findings have guided the refinement of the app's interface, features, and overall functionality. Key considerations include streamlining the application process, emphasizing clear communication channels between employers and cooks, and ensuring a user-friendly platform accessible to individuals with varying levels of technological proficiency.