Reducing the burden of restaurant finding for people with disabilities
Reducing the burden of restaurant finding for people with disabilities
UX Design Awards
UX Design Awards
This case study was nominated for the UX Design Awards 2025. Check the nomination here.
This case study was nominated for the UX Design Awards 2025. Check the nomination here.
Timeline
February 2025 –
August 2025
Feb 2025 –Aug 2025
Team
2 Designers
1 PM
Key terms
User Interviews
Affinity diagram
UX Research
Background & Motivation
Introduction
Introduction
This project began in a Wellesley in Product group project, where my team and I wanted to explore how technology could make everyday experiences more inclusive. One of my peers, who is part of the disability community, shared how dining out is often stressful and inaccessible. That personal perspective drove us to the question:
Why is eating at a restaurant still so difficult for people with disabilities?
This project began in a Wellesley in Product group project, where my team and I wanted to explore how technology could make everyday experiences more inclusive. One of my peers, who is part of the disability community, shared how dining out is often stressful and inaccessible. That personal perspective drove us to the question:
Why is eating at a restaurant still so difficult for people with disabilities?
My role
Lead Product Designer
Lead Product Designer
I was responsible for the end-to-end design process. I created the wireframes, built interactive prototypes, and designed the full UI for every page of the app. I also conducted user research and usability testing.
I collaborated closely with my teammates:
With the PM, who managed scheduling and team communication, I coordinated research activities and design milestones.
With the second designer, who developed the first visual identity and business plan, I integrated the branding into the product and ensured the UI aligned with business goals.
I was responsible for the end-to-end design process. I created the wireframes, built interactive prototypes, and designed the full UI for every page of the app. I also conducted user research and usability testing.
I collaborated closely with my teammates:
With the PM, who managed scheduling and team communication, I coordinated research activities and design milestones.
With the second designer, who developed the first visual identity and business plan, I integrated the branding into the product and ensured the UI aligned with business goals.
Problem
Restaurants are Failing People with Disabilities
Restaurants are Failing People with Disabilities
1 in 4 adults in the U.S. lives with a disability, but finding an accessible restaurant is still a frustrating, uncertain process.
1 in 4 adults in the U.S. lives with a disability, but finding an accessible restaurant is still a frustrating, uncertain process.
Dining out is about social connection, inclusion, and independence
Without reliable accessibility information, people with disabilities often miss out on birthdays, dinners with friends, networking opportunities, or even just the freedom of trying a new place.
Current Apps Aren’t Solving the Problem
While accessibility apps exist, they have usability issues:
Burden on the user
Burden on the user
Most apps rely almost entirely on crowd-sourced data. That means people with disabilities are expected to document accessibility after every visit, turning what should be support into extra labor.
Most apps rely almost entirely on crowd-sourced data. That means people with disabilities are expected to document accessibility after every visit, turning what should be support into extra labor.
Small restaurant coverage
Small restaurant coverage
Databases are tiny compared to the real number of restaurants in a city. Many places simply aren’t listed, leaving users with blank maps and few options.
Databases are tiny compared to the real number of restaurants in a city. Many places simply aren’t listed, leaving users with blank maps and few options.
Dining out is about social connection, inclusion, and independence
Dining out is about social connection, inclusion, and independence
Without reliable accessibility information, people with disabilities often miss out on birthdays, dinners with friends, networking opportunities, or even just the freedom of trying a new place.
Current Apps Aren’t Solving the Problem
While accessibility apps exist, they have usability issues:
SOLUTION
Community is key
Community is key
research
How do people with disabilities currently choose restaurants to go to?
How do people with disabilities currently choose restaurants to go to?
To better understand how people with disabilities navigate restaurant choices, I conducted 60-minute semi-structured interviews with five participants who identified as physically disabled or neurodivergent.
To better understand how people with disabilities navigate restaurant choices, I conducted 60-minute semi-structured interviews with five participants who identified as physically disabled or neurodivergent.
Some of the questions asked during the interviews:
Can you walk me through your process of choosing a restaurant?
Have you ever used any apps to assist with accessibility in restaurants? What was helpful about the app and what was not helpful?
Are there any accessibility-related aspects you check before deciding on a place? How do you check?
Some of the questions asked during the interviews:
Can you walk me through your process of choosing a restaurant?
Can you tell me about a restaurant you enjoy going to? What do you like about it?
Have you ever used any apps to assist with accessibility in restaurants?
What was helpful about the app and what was not helpful?
Are there any accessibility-related aspects you check before deciding on a place? How do you check?
Organized the notes, quotes, and data from my research through affinity mapping.
A sneak peek into the affinity mapping
THEME 1
Apps Place the Burden on the Community
Participants described going to restaurants as overwhelming. They added that existing apps worsened this by expecting they would supply the app with information about restaurants.
Design principle: Don’t put the burden of documentation on people with disabilities.
THEME 2
Users feel motivated by helping others they already know
Users trust reviews more when they come from people they know or have seen online before. They also feel more motivated to contribute when they know who they are helping.
Design principle: Foster sense of trust, motivation and community inside the solution.
THEME 3
Photos Speak Louder
Than Words
A “wheelchair accessible” tag is vague. A photo of an entrance or restroom is much more helpful because everyone’s needs are different.
Design principle: Prioritize visual information, reward picture contribution.
THEME 1
Apps place the burden on the community
Participants described going to restaurants as overwhelming. They added that existing apps worsened this by expecting they would supply the app with information about restaurants.
THEME 2
They feel motivated by helping others they already know
Users trust reviews more when they come from people they know or have seen online before. They also feel more motivated to contribute when they know who they are helping.
THEME 3
Photos speak louder than words
A “wheelchair accessible” tag is vague. A photo of an entrance or restroom is much more helpful because everyone’s needs are different.
Design principle: Don’t put the burden of documentation on people with disabilities.
Design principle: Foster sense of trust, motivation and community inside the solution.
Design principle: Prioritize visual information, reward picture contribution.
COMPETITIVE ANALYSIS + THE GAP
The competition had few restaurants listed, little reviews, and no motivation for the user to contribute
The competition had few restaurants listed, little reviews, and no motivation for the user to contribute
Drawbacks and Reframing the Problem
I realized that our initial idea would only repeat the same harmful cycle.
I realized that our initial idea would only repeat the same harmful cycle.
Initially, our plan was also to rely on people with disabilities to provide accessibility reviews. Through research, I realized this model already existed, and it was one of the main flaws in current accessibility apps. So I pivoted.
I considered:
Initially, our plan was also to rely on people with disabilities to provide accessibility reviews. Through research, I realized this model already existed, and it was one of the main flaws in current accessibility apps. So I pivoted.
I considered:
Understanding the Journey Behind Dining Out
User Journey Map
User Journey Map
A sneak peek into the user journey
(full version on desktop view)
User Flow
User Flow
A sneak peek into the user flow
(full version on desktop view)
iterations
Early designs
Early designs
The designs have went through at least 10 iterations per screen.
The designs have went through at least 10 iterations per screen.
In May 2025, we submitted our early screens to the UX Design Awards, where our case study was nominated 🥳🎉. Check our nomination here.
In May 2025, we submitted our early screens to the UX Design Awards, where our case study was nominated 🥳🎉. Check our nomination here.
Testing + improvements
Testing + improvements
Because we did not have time to conduct user testings before the competition deadline, I decided to keep working on the project and conducted further testings and iterations over the summer of 2025!
Because we did not have time to conduct user testings before the competition deadline, I decided to keep working on the project and conducted further testings and iterations over the summer of 2025!
the Final screens
Final designs
Final designs
The prototype
IMPACT + SUCCESS
Impact of DineAble
While I did not conduct large-scale measurement, the design solutions directly addressed the core problems identified in research:
While I did not conduct large-scale measurement, the design solutions directly addressed the core problems identified in research:
Shifted the burden away from users
Shifted the burden away from users
We designed DineAble to reduce the pressure on people with disabilities by creating new contribution models, leveraging volunteers and community members to share accessibility data.
Fostering trust and community
Fostering trust and community
By connecting people to each other, the app makes accessibility information more trustworthy and motivates users to contribute. This builds long-term retention and increases contributions over time.
Supporting sustainable engagement
Supporting sustainable engagement
Features like forums and multimedia reviews motivate participation beyond one-time input, making the app more useful over time.
CONCLUSION
CONCLUSION
What I Learned
What I Learned
Let your research speak
Before this project, I had little experience conducting user research before starting the design phase. I entered this project with an idea of the product I wanted to build, only to realize through research that my assumptions did not align with the needs of my users. This forced me to step back, listen, and reframe the direction of the project. It became the most challenging part of the process, but also the most rewarding, showing me how much stronger a design becomes when guided by real user voices.
Let your research speak
Before this project, I had little experience conducting user research before starting the design phase. I entered this project with an idea of the product I wanted to build, only to realize through research that my assumptions did not align with the needs of my users. This forced me to step back, listen, and reframe the direction of the project. It became the most challenging part of the process, but also the most rewarding, showing me how much stronger a design becomes when guided by real user voices.
Accessibility is not only for disabled people
Designing with people with disabilities required deep empathy to truly listen to their pain points and build a product that could help. Along the way, I learned that designing for people with disabilities doesn’t just benefit one population, it benefits everyone. Features that support disabled users also make dining out easier for older adults, parents with strollers, or anyone facing temporary injuries.
Accessibility is not only for disabled people
Designing with people with disabilities required deep empathy to truly listen to their pain points and build a product that could help. Along the way, I learned that designing for people with disabilities doesn’t just benefit one population, it benefits everyone. Features that support disabled users also make dining out easier for older adults, parents with strollers, or anyone facing temporary injuries.
Future
Add Multimedia Reviews
Let users add short videos or voice notes in addition to photos, especially helpful for those who find typing hard or want to show context visually.
Improve privacy and safety
Enable anonymous posting and add filtering for harmful comments to foster a safe community.
Improve Trust through Transparency
Add contributor profiles, review verification systems, and badges for accessibility advocacy, to make reviews more credible and people feel safe using them.
Add Multimedia Reviews
Let users add short videos or voice notes in addition to photos, especially helpful for those who find typing hard or want to show context visually.
Improve privacy and safety
Enable anonymous posting and add filtering for harmful comments to foster a safe community.
Improve Trust through Transparency
Add contributor profiles, review verification systems, and badges for accessibility advocacy, to make reviews more credible and people feel safe using them.