Designing a Coffee Brewing Assistant for Home Baristas
To boost engagement on a specialty coffee e-commerce app, I collaborated with the product team and an in-house barista to design an interactive brewing assistant for manual methods like Hario V60, Chemex, and AeroPress.
The Problem
Manual coffee brewing can be intimidating for beginners. Between the complex jargon, multiple pour steps, and the need for precision, users often feel overwhelmed and give up. We wanted to create a simple, guided brewing experience that would engage users and build trust with the app.
Discovery & Research
Partnered with our in-house barista to explore the real brewing process and uncover user friction points
Shadowed live brewing sessions using V60, Chemex, AeroPress, and French Press to understand brewing nuances
Pinpointed key beginner struggles: unclear ratios, confusing timers, and scattered recipes
Audited competitor timer and recipe tools to benchmark usability and identify gaps in the market
Ideation & Design
Sketched user flows for browsing, selecting, and following brew recipes with minimal friction
Collaborated with a barista to define clear, accurate steps tailored to beginners
Designed an interactive timer with dynamic prompts and flexible controls (pause, skip, restart)
Created a modular UI system to support multiple brew methods, with calming visuals and easy-to-follow steps
This was one of the most fun and hands-on projects I’ve worked on. From testing brewing methods to simplifying detailed processes into a guided digital experience, it allowed me to blend research, empathy, and interaction design into something people now use every day.