The goal of this project was to design a user-friendly app that transforms the traditional vending machine experience into a seamless, connected, and modern digital interaction. The app would allow users to locate vending machines, browse products, make purchases, and even track their orders.

Traditional vending machines often suffer from outdated interfaces, limited payment options, and lack of personalization. Users face common issues such as:

Difficulty locating nearby machines with desired items.

Limited or no cashless payment options.

Lack of feedback on stock availability or machine status.

Simplify the user journey: Provide an intuitive flow for browsing, purchasing, and receiving items.

Enable connectivity: Sync the app with smart vending machines for real-time updates.

Support diverse payment methods: Ensure options for card payments, digital wallets, and QR codes.

Foster engagement: Integrate features like personalized recommendations, loyalty points, and offers

This category details the step-by-step approach taken during the project, including discover & gathering requirement, design, development.

Collecting data to support design decisions. The discovery phase ensures you have a deep understanding of the project before entering the design phase.

Collaborated with designers to create intuitive user interfaces and interactive prototypes. Iteratively refined designs based on user feedback to enhance usability and visual appeal.

Provide all assets needed for implementation. Provide all assets needed for implementation. Provide design assets (Figma/Sketch files, icons, images), Write design annotation documentation for developers, Remain available for technical consultation (may be additional cost).

To design a mobile application that integrates seamlessly with vending machines, providing a connected, intuitive, and user-centric experience for discovering, purchasing, and interacting with products

Displays nearby vending machines with real-time status. Shows available stock, product variety, and operational status.

Rewards System, earn points with every purchase and redeem them for discounts or free items.

Cashless Payments: Support for card payments, e-wallets, and QR codes.

Quick Pay: Save preferred payment methods for one-tap checkout.

Order Confirmation: Visual feedback for successful purchases and item retrieval.

The process of designing a vending machine app provides several important insights into creating user-centric solutions, integrating technology, and balancing business needs. Here are the primary lessons learned:

Focus on a clean, minimalist design that emphasizes the most frequently used features while keeping advanced options accessible but unobtrusive.

Users prefer flexible payment methods, and trust is easily lost with failed transactions or limited options. Integrate multiple secure and widely-used payment gateways, and offer clear feedback during payment processes.

Features like loyalty points create an emotional connection and encourage continued use. Use rewards elements strategically to drive engagement without feeling intrusive.

Balancing business objectives (e.g., increasing sales) with user-centric features is challenging but necessary for long-term success. Design features that enhance user experience while driving business outcomes, such as upselling through recommendations or rewarding loyalty.