Improving the custom ordering experience for a small bakery

Summary

Small bakeries often rely on direct messages to manage custom orders, which can lead to confusion, mistakes, and missed details.
This case study explores how a structured, mobile-first ordering flow can help customers place custom bakery orders with confidence, while giving the business a clearer and more organized way to manage incoming requests.

Role

UX designer,

User Research,

User interface design and

prototyping for

mobile & website

UX designer,

User Research,

User interface design and

prototyping for

mobile & website

Tools

Figma

Duration

July-November

Introduction

Many small bakeries operate without a physical store and rely on direct communication to receive custom orders. As these businesses grow, managing orders efficiently becomes increasingly challenging.

Understanding the problem

Pain:
A small bakery without a physical store relies on Instagram and text messages to receive orders, forcing customers to manually describe their requests, which creates friction and confusion.

Consequence:
Customers lose interest or cancel orders, while the business faces errors, missed details, and inefficient order management.

Need:
A structured and intuitive ordering experience that allows customers to easily place custom orders while providing the business with clear and reliable information.

How might we?

. . . help customers place a custom bakery order without having to manually describe every detail?

. . . give customers confidence that their order was received and understood correctly?

. . . guide customers through the ordering process to ensure all necessary information is provided?

. . . help the bakery manage and track incoming orders more efficiently?

Ideating solutions

Guided ordening flow

A step-by-step ordering flow that guides customers through key decisions such as product type, size, flavor, and date.
This reduces the need for manual descriptions and helps ensure all required information is collected.

Why:
Guided flows reduce cognitive load and prevent missing details, especially for first-time users.

Guided ordening flow

Why:
Guided flows reduce cognitive load and prevent missing details, especially for first-time users.

Guided ordening flow

Why:
Guided flows reduce cognitive load and prevent missing details, especially for first-time users.

Structured customization options

Instead of free-text messages, customers select from predefined options with limited flexibility where necessary.
This maintains personalization while keeping orders clear and consistent.

Why:
Structured inputs minimize errors while still allowing custom requests.

Order summary and confirmation

Before submitting the order, users review a clear summary of their selections, including delivery date and customization details.

Why:
This builds trust and reduces misunderstandings between customers and the bakery.

Centralized order overview for the business

Orders are presented in a single, organized view that allows the bakery to easily review, confirm, and track requests.

Why:
Centralizing orders improves operational efficiency and reduces the risk of missed or forgotten requests.

The solution

Ordering flow

The solution focuses on a mobile-first ordering flow that replaces manual messaging with a structured and intuitive experience, reducing errors for customers and improving order management for the business.

Reflection

Users need reassurance throughout the ordering process, especially when placing custom orders without direct communication. Clear summaries and order tracking played a key role in building trust.
This project reinforced the importance of guiding users step by step to reduce cognitive load and prevent missing information, particularly in mobile experiences.
In a future iteration, I would validate the flow through usability testing with real users and explore ways to further personalize the experience without increasing complexity.

Thank you for reading!

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