Project Overview
The R&D team at a major restaurant chain explored how an AR wearable could streamline workflows for kitchen staff, front-line employees, and managers.
As the lead product designer, I worked closely with stakeholders to design and prototype a concept that demonstrated the device’s potential in real-world scenarios.
Timeline
3 Months
Team
2 Product Designers
Product Manager
1 Developer
Role
Lead Product Designer
Tools
Figma
Bezi
XR Browser
Zoom
ClickUp
Platform
AR device
Status
Shipped
Contribution
Primary research
Concept ideation
High-fidelity designs
Prototyping
Problem Context
Restaurant staff often struggle to stay updated on orders, manage prep times, and access key information without leaving their stations.
Traditional tools require frequent movement, which slows productivity and adds stress during busy shifts.
Core Challenge
How might we streamline restaurant operations so staff can access essential information without disrupting their workflow or stepping away from their station?
Research & Insights
We conducted in-store observations to understand real-world workflows and identify friction points across kitchen, front-of-house, and office staff.
We also tested AR devices like Apple Vision Pro and Meta Quest 3 to evaluate comfort, field of view, and design considerations for wearable interfaces.
Research allowed our team to discover "comfort zones" when it came to UI in a wearable AR devices
Given the exploratory nature of this project, we experimented with multiple interaction models to identify the most effective approach for busy restaurant environments:
Exploring Head Gestures
Explored as a potential navigation method but presented challenges in fast-paced environments.
Early design concept that uses hand movements to interact with UI.
Hand Tracking
Designed to enable users to use hand movements to interact with the UI.
Early design concept that used hand tracking to interact with on-screen UI.
Spatial Interactions
Tested interactions that allowed staff to grab, click, and move UI elements using hand motions, providing a more tactile way to manage on-screen information.
Through ongoing iteration and collaboration with stakeholders, we refined the design to focus on the most practical and effective interaction model for restaurant staff.
Early design concept with the ability to pin UI in space.
Voice Commands
Designed to enable users to issue commands and receive feedback hands-free.
Voice-Controlled Command Center
Hands-free navigation empowers users to manage key actions like expanding orders, adjusting priorities, or hiding displays with simple voice prompts.
"Hey Beacon" Voice Assistant
A hands-free helper that listens for prompts like “Show Order List” or “What’s next?”—making key information accessible with just your voice.
Interactive Onboarding Guide
Step-by-step instructions walk users through the device setup and interface, helping them build confidence and get up to speed quickly.
Role-Based Dashboard
A personalized home screen tailored to the user’s selected role, surfacing the most relevant tools and information right from the start.
Smart Notifications Panel
A heads-up display keeps users informed with real-time alerts, offering quick access to details and resolution actions.
Real-Time Metrics Dashboard
A clear, data-driven view into restaurant performance, giving users instant access to key insights that support smarter, faster decisions.
Through close collaboration with developers, we refined the design to ensure the interface was clear, intuitive, and optimized for use in fast-paced restaurant environments. The final solution emphasized voice commands exclusively, allowing for hands-free operation in the busiest of settings. Ultimately, we utilized consistent UI to give the user direction on actions that could be taken to perform specific tasks.
Key Success & Outcome
Delivered a functional prototype on a wearable AR device that reduced unnecessary movement, enabled hands-free access to tools, and addressed key operational pain points.
The prototype provided a clear vision for AR in restaurant workflows and equipped the client to pursue funding. Team overcame hardware limitations through tight collaboration and iterative design, resulting in an intuitive, future-focused solution that showcased the real potential of AR in fast-paced environments.