Partner: Neotaste
How we identified NeoTaste's high-leverage features in 14 days
I led a 14-day design sprint for NeoTaste, turning competing ideas into a validated product roadmap. This saved months of unproven development for a platform with millions of users.
From assumptions to answers in 14 days
Neotaste wanted to boost engagement but had competing ideas about what to improve. I ran a focused design sprint, conducting user interviews, mapping friction points, and testing concepts to find what would actually move the needle.
User Research
Deep-dived into user behavior to surface the real pain points in discovery and booking
Opportunity Mapping
Mapped the product landscape to identify highest-leverage opportunities
Concept Testing
Prototyped two competing concepts to test engagement and retention
User Validation
Validated with real users to learn which approach resonated
Prioritized Roadmap
Delivered a prioritized roadmap so the team knew exactly what to build next
Instead of sinking months into features with uncertain impact, the sprint gave Neotaste evidence-backed clarity on what would truly move the needle, plus a prototype their team could confidently build from.
Two blockers killing growth
Through early user interviews, I discovered two critical blockers hurting Neotaste's growth. These weren't just UX issues. They were business problems directly impacting retention and viral loops.
Discovery felt overwhelming
Users faced cognitive overload and couldn't find places that matched their taste. Generic recommendations drove people away instead of pulling them in.
Invites weren't working
Users defaulted to Google Maps to coordinate with friends, breaking the growth loop and keeping sharing outside the app entirely.
Smarter discovery
Users wanted more control and less noise. I tested a progressive taste profile and smarter saved places to make discovery feel personal, and worth coming back to.
Progressive taste profile for personalized discovery
Beyond the feed
Great discovery doesn't stop at the home screen. I designed proactive touchpoints that bring users back at the right moment — weekly picks, map exploration, and smart notifications.
Curated weekly picks
Personalized restaurant recommendations delivered every week, surfacing places that match your actual taste — not just popularity.
Reasons you'll love it
Each pick comes with a personalized reason — not just a star rating, but why this specific place fits your preferences.
Discovery on the map
See curated spots around you with distance, vibe, and availability — so you can make decisions on the go.
Smart proximity alerts
When you walk near a recommended spot, Neotaste surfaces a live notification with distance and details — no searching needed.
Curated weekly picks
Personalized restaurant recommendations delivered every week, surfacing places that match your actual taste — not just popularity.
Reasons you'll love it
Each pick comes with a personalized reason — not just a star rating, but why this specific place fits your preferences.
Discovery on the map
See curated spots around you with distance, vibe, and availability — so you can make decisions on the go.
Smart proximity alerts
When you walk near a recommended spot, Neotaste surfaces a live notification with distance and details — no searching needed.
Monday, March 10
9:41
You're near a recommended spot
Neotaste · now
Jino's Ramen
From your weekly picks
5
min away
Reimagining invites
Invites were key to growth, but felt buried. Users wanted easier sharing, clearer entry points, and the option to involve friends at the moment of booking. I tested quick wins alongside deeper structural changes.
Other concepts tested
Before converging on a direction, I explored several competing concepts to stress-test different engagement models and validate which patterns resonated most with users.
What the sprint delivered
In 14 days, I went from open questions to a validated product strategy. The team walked away with clear priorities, tested prototypes, and the confidence to ship.
Replaced guesswork with a validated, prioritized feature plan the team could build with confidence
Identified the two core blockers killing retention and growth through structured user research
Tested two competing concepts with real users and pinpointed the winning approach
Saved months of building unproven features by validating assumptions before any code was written
The Journey
2 weeks
Understand
Mapped the existing product, interviewed stakeholders, and identified key friction points
Diverge
Generated dozens of solutions through structured ideation and competitive analysis
Converge
Voted on the highest-impact concepts and storyboarded the target experience
Prototype
Built a high-fidelity interactive prototype of the redesigned discovery flow
Test & Deliver
Validated with real users and delivered a prioritized feature roadmap
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UX Design