What Makes Mobile-App Design Inclusive?
5 UX Tips from a Café Ordering App
Mobile app design goes far beyond how things look. It’s about how smoothly users can achieve what they came for. In my recent project, Saturday Café, I explored how a seemingly simple café-ordering app could go beyond the basics of “tap and order.” The goal was to design an experience that felt personal, intuitive, and human. Here are five UX lessons from that process that can make any mobile app design truly great.
1) Start with Empathy
A café app may let users order coffee but what about labelling their cup when dozens of identical ones are lined up? What about directly messaging the chef about an allergy, or requesting table service when dining in?
These questions surfaced during the empathise stage of my design process. By understanding real user frustrations and daily scenarios, I uncovered opportunities that most apps miss.
Tip: Always begin with empathy. Observe, ask, and listen before designing. The strongest features are born from real user pain points, not assumptions.
Image: Andre's Journey Map.
2) Define the REAL issues
Once you’ve gathered insights, define a clear problem statement. For Saturday Café, the challenge wasn’t just “make ordering easier.” It was:
“How might we create a seamless café experience that bridges the gap between in-store and mobile interactions?”
Defining this focus kept every design choice purposeful, from layout to notifications.
Tip: A focused problem statement ensures your design solves something meaningful, not just something functional.
Image: Hand-drawn wireframe.
3) Ideate beyond the Obvious
With the right problem defined, it’s time to ideate, and not just on UI. I explored concepts like personalised cup labelling, in-app allergy alerts, and real-time chef messaging. These ideas turned a simple ordering app into a richer, more human experience.
Tip: Push your brainstorming beyond standard patterns. Ask: “What would delight users, not just serve them?”
Image: Ideation.
4) Prototype & Make it Tangible
Sketching ideas is one thing; prototyping them brings clarity. I built interactive mockups to test different ordering flows, from choosing items to confirming pickup or table service. Early prototypes revealed usability issues that weren’t obvious on paper.
Tip: Don’t wait for perfection. Create low-fidelity prototypes early to test your assumptions before investing time in full development.
Image: Coloured wireframe.
5) Test, Learn, & Iterate
Finally, testing transformed the design. Real users highlighted friction points, like unclear allergy options or confusing pickup messages, that informed the next iteration.
Tip: Testing isn’t the end; it’s part of an ongoing cycle. Each round of feedback moves your design closer to effortless usability.
Image: App mockups.
Bringing it all together
The best mobile app designs are built on empathy, clarity, and iteration. They turn everyday actions, like ordering coffee, into experiences that feel personal and effortless.
By following the Google UX process, Empathise, Define, Ideate, Prototype, and Test, you can transform even the simplest app into something delightful and user-centred.