Pod MVP Design and Launch for Bottle
kishor kumar khadka
Context
Pod had been in development for years with many contributors across hardware, firmware, backend, & design. By the time I joined Bottle (July 2024), the overall ecosystem (Pod + Waiter App + RMS) had no clear direction and the work had been on-and-off for a long time.
Team at the time:
1 Flutter dev, 1 backend, 2 hardware engineers, 1 QA, Manager, Product Owner, and myself (plus interns I mentored who helped with UI work). Though the lineup seemed to reshuffle every few weeks.
I joined the Pod team in Feb 2025 to bring focus, define an MVP, and lead the design of a usable version that could finally be tested in a real restaurant.
What I found
No shared success metrics , discussions drifted toward abstract visions ("premium like Apple") with no grounding.
Product was overbuilt, without validating product market fit, custom OS, custom hardware, custom keyboard, wallet system, etc.
Existing interface required unfamiliar gestures; basic usability patterns were missing.
The team had the talent; they just lacked focus and a direction.
Design audit: Screenshots captured to see what we have
Research: Menu manager
Research: Self-order kiosks
Research: Moodboard for visual direction
What was done
Defined a clear MVP based on successful kiosk patterns (McDonald's, KFC, etc.):
👉 Onboarding → Browse → Order → Eat → Pay → Complete
Aligned the entire team around two simple guest-facing success metrics:
People walking by should instantly understand what Pod is.
Guests should easily order, pay, and request help.
Designed the full user flow, high-fidelity prototypes, and updated the Waiter App + RMS to support the Pod journey.
Integrated analytics tools for session replays.
Launched 5 Pods at SipnSkip Lounge on May 16, 2025.
Pod launch May 16, 2025
Brochoures design
Pod and UI
Waiter's tablet app design
QR Menu design
Restaurant management Webapp Design
NFC Cards Design for access to Staff portal in Pod
What We Learnt (26 Days of Real Usage)
From weekly on-site visits, waiter interviews, and user observation, after 150+ orders were placed through Pod:
Pod was too heavy → one slid off a tray when a waiter tried hauling three at once → replace with lighter prebuilt hardware
Battery life only 5–6 hrs → restaurants need 15+ hrs
NFC login unreliable → sensor reposition
Large groups avoided Pods → need group ordering
Devices overheated on rooftop → cooling issue
No remote battery monitoring → add system
Kishor using pod/Engineer Inspecting a damaged pod
Guest reviewing Pod
Impact
Pod finally moved from "years of exploration" → real-world product.
Team adopted evidence-based decision making.
MVP mindset replaced over-building.
Team Discussion
Read better view here
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Posted Dec 2, 2025
Led design and MVP development of 'Pod' for real-world testing in restaurants.
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Timeline
Feb 1, 2025 - May 16, 2025
Clients
Bottle
