Food Ordering and Kitchen Display System, LMOS
Revamping the Collaborative Workspaces for Data Scientists
Project Overview
As the sole UX Designer at Hanul.ai, I designed the first development phase of LMOS, a self-ordering kiosk system, for Android operating systems.
Challenge & Goal
Lawrence Fish Market’s current order collection process of phone calls and manual order-taking constantly requires staff to check incoming orders while working in the kitchen. This unorganized procedure resulted in inconsistent restaurant operations and service quality. Therefore, I devised self-serve kiosk system that allows staff to focus on food preparation while enabling customers to place orders independently.
Timeline
November 2023 - Present
Team
Product Manager
Software Engineer
Role
User Research
Wireframes
Prototypes
Data Analysis
Feature Development
Tools
Figma
Flutter
The Outcome
LMOS is a cloud-based restaurant management system that includes self-ordering kiosk and kitchen display that keeps orders synced with a link between front and back of house.
Menu Item Entry
  • Restaurant staff can enter menu items through the LMOS Menu Entering System.
  • After adding a menu item to the cart, customers can check out instantly.
Adding to Cart
  • Customers can instantly add their desired menu by clicking on the cart icon on the home screen.
  • Or add to the cart after deciding the quantity of each menu item.
Check Out
  • Customers can manage the orders before checking out.
  • After adding a menu item to the cart, customers can check out instantly.
Kitchen Display System
  • Once the menu item is checked out, the order ticket is sent to the back of the house.
  • Chefs can immediately oversee order fulfillment and completion.
Research
User Interview
I conducted an online survey with 23 customers and in-depth interviews with 3 chefs. I also had a chance to have follow-up interviews with 8 participants from the survey.
Design Opportunities
Through survey responses and and user interview, we identified problems and categorized into three problem areas:
Limited ordering channels
Some icons in the sidebar may not be immediately recognizable to all users
Lack of consistency in manual order receipt
Traditional hand-written ticket is prone to human errors in order and is a time-consuming process.
Simultaneous order receipt and preparation
Chefs are overwhelmed of multitask between order taking and meal preparation
Design Principles
Based on our user research result, I have defined the opportunity areas for this project.
Implement a system to broaden access points
Create a digital system that integrates dispersed ordering and receiving experiences
Automate order reception process
Expedite order entry process to minimize error and miscommunication between front-of-house staff and kitchen personnel
Connect front and back of house to keep orders flowing.
Let the chefs keep orders synced with a direct link between front and back of house
First Phase Development
Based on the user research result, I created two user flows to compare the restaurant’s manual ordering system with a digital ordering system, highlighting the improvements offered by digitization.
Userflow
Based on the user research result, I created two user flows to compare the restaurant’s manual ordering system with a digital ordering system, highlighting the improvements offered by digitization.
Function 1.
Detailed Menu Items
After selecting each category, users can see detailed view of desired menu item with a full description and a larger image. For example, selecting "Sushi" filters the items to display sushi options in a grid, showing names, brief descriptions, prices, and images.
    Function 2.
    Adding Items to Cart
    Users can add items directly to the cart by clicking the cart icon next to each item. Alternatively, users can add items after adjusting quantity in the detailed item view — the cart icon in the navigation bar updates with the number of items added.
      Function 3.
      Sending Orders to Kitchen
      Once users check out in the cart, the order is processed by sending order ticket to the kitchen display, where chefs can see a summary of all incoming pending orders.
        Function 4.
        Kitchen Display System
        Chefs can start preparing an order by clicking the "Start" button, which changes the order status to "In process." During preparation, chefs can pause the order if needed, indicated by a "Pause" button replacing the "Start" button. After the preparation, chefs mark the order as "Done," updating the order status to indicate completion.
          Assessment
          Based on the beta testing results, I am working on fixing errors and adjusting any changes in our design.
          Beta Testing

          After our first phase of development, I conducted beta testing with the chefs and customers to uncover as many bugs or usability issues as possible in a controlled setting.
          Test Result
          Through beta testing with customers, we have achieved the following impacts.
          52%⬆︎
          Chefs' Time Spent on Order Preparation
          67%⬆︎
          Order Accuracy
          57%⬆︎
          Customer Time Spent on Ordering on Kiosk System
          Improvement Space
          I have identified the following improvement spaces from the beta testers.
          Lower page depth in kiosk and kitchen display system
          Reduce the number of pages in both systems to allow both customers and chefs spend less time on carrying out ordering and fulfilling
          Enable staff to modify orders in KDS
          Allow chefs track and manage incoming and fulfilled orders to ensure order consistency and resolve customer complaints
          Inform customer’s order status
          After each order fulfillment, chefs had to call out customers' name
          Second Phase Development
          UI Change 1.
          Menu Ordering
          The updated interface includes a "My Order" sidebar that dynamically updates with selected items, showing item details, quantities, and total cost. This sidebar allows users to review and modify their order before checkout quickly.
          Initial Design
          Updated Design
          UI Change 2.
          Automatic Order Detail Display in KDS
          The refined Kitchen Display introduces a "Current Order" and "Archived" tab system, clearly separating active and completed orders. From the testing, I identified a problem due to the absence of the received menu item list. I had the order list automatically displayed so that chefs don’t need to leave stains on the kitchen display screen.
          New Function 1.
          Order Archives
          The new "Archived" tab stores completed orders and shows similar details. Chefs can restore archived orders to the current order list using the "Restore to Current Order" button. This allows for efficient tracking and management of orders, ensuring clear organization and easy access to both active and past orders.
          New Function 2.
          Order Status Text Message
          Upon checkout, customers receive a confirmation message on their mobile device, providing the order number and estimated preparation time. Once a chef marks an order as "Done," customers receive a notification on their mobile device indicating that their order is ready for pickup.
          Hi-fidelity Design Development
          Design System
          To convey clear information, I created LMOS design system. Since different elements were needed, I managed the rule and designated data and card types.
          Hi-fidelity screens
          Main explanation
          Next Steps
          LMOS system is still in progress of developing new features. For our second phase of development, our team plans to present following features.
          Order Edit Before Meal Preparation
          Some customers wish they could change their orders after submission. Our team will work on implementing customer order edits before chefs fulfill received orders.
          Mobile Version
          To scale our service for different use cases, we will implement mobile version of LMOS.
          Reporting and Analytics
          To empower a restaurant owner make more informed business decision, we will comprehensive data analysis tool.