Tablz summer 23
Tablz summer 23
Creating a smooth restaurant discovery experience for customers by designing Tablz’s search and booking flow from 0 - 1
Creating a smooth restaurant discovery experience for customers by designing Tablz’s search and booking flow from 0 - 1
Creating a smooth restaurant discovery experience for customers by designing Tablz’s search and booking flow from 0 - 1
Summary
Summary
Summary
timeline
timeline
12 Weeks
12 Weeks
role
role
Lead Designer
Lead Designer
process
process
UX Research
Interface Design
User Interviews
Design System
UX Research
Interface Design
User Interviews
Design System
Tablz is a restaurant booking portal leveraging 3D technology to showcase tables in a more immersive, visual format.
During my 4-month internship, I co-led the design of a web-app that lets customers discover restaurants using visual previews and seamlessly book a table—all centralized rather than through disparate restaurant sites.
Tablz is a restaurant booking portal leveraging 3D technology to showcase tables in a more immersive, visual format.
During my 4-month internship, I co-led the design of a web-app that lets customers discover restaurants using visual previews and seamlessly book a table—all centralized rather than through disparate restaurant sites.
Result
Result
Result
Over the time of 3 months, I rebranded and redesigned the whole platform and shipped it, contributing to 30% user growth within 1 month and a 25% increase of adoption rate.
Over the time of 3 months, I rebranded and redesigned the whole platform and shipped it, contributing to 30% user growth within 1 month and a 25% increase of adoption rate.
User Growth
User Growth
30%
new users starts using Data Platform after the 2 weeks of the first launch
new users starts using Data Platform after the 2 weeks of the first launch
Task Completion
Task Completion
27%
increase in completing the task of requesting a data asset from landing page
increase in completing the task of requesting a data asset from landing page
01
01
01
Define
Define
Define
Tablz's current product - 3-directional portal for restaurants - is underused
Tablz's current product - 3-directional portal for restaurants - is underused
Tablz’s current product, 3DR, allows users to explore the full 3D view of a restaurant before booking a table. However, The technology was severely underused. Most users still booked tables through Google Maps links instead of exploring inside the product. This showed that the immersive 3D feature wasn’t integrated into the core booking journey, and needed to be rethought to make discovery feel more engaging and natural.
Tablz’s current product, 3DR, allows users to explore the full 3D view of a restaurant before booking a table. However, The technology was severely underused. Most users still booked tables through Google Maps links instead of exploring inside the product. This showed that the immersive 3D feature wasn’t integrated into the core booking journey, and needed to be rethought to make discovery feel more engaging and natural.
Hence, we asked…
Hence, we asked…
How Might We
How Might We
Help users explore and reserve tables based on experience preferences?
Help users explore and reserve tables based on experience preferences?
Help users explore and reserve tables based on experience preferences?
How Might We
How Might We
Design a platform that highlights restaurant ambience while enabling efficient booking?
Design a platform that highlights restaurant ambience while enabling efficient booking?
Design a platform that highlights restaurant ambience while enabling efficient booking?
02
02
02
Research
Research
Research
Understanding user personas
Understanding user personas
Diving into our ideation process, we interviewed 9 users across 3 personas: Experience Seekers, Occasion Planners, and Business Diners.
Diving into our ideation process, we interviewed 9 users across 3 personas: Experience Seekers, Occasion Planners, and Business Diners.
🥐️🍽️
Experience Seeker
Experience Seeker always seek out unique and immersive dining experiences to satisfy a craving for adventure and novelty.
Experience Seeker always seek out unique and immersive dining experiences to satisfy a craving for adventure and novelty.
📅
Occasion Planner
With a passion for creating unique experiences, Occasion Planner is constantly seeking out exciting venues to add to their list of go-to locations.
With a passion for creating unique experiences, Occasion Planner is constantly seeking out exciting venues to add to their list of go-to locations.
👩💼💻
Business Diner
With a focus on impressing clients and colleagues, Business Diner seeks out restaurants that offer a professional atmosphere, as well as high-quality food.
With a focus on impressing clients and colleagues, Business Diner seeks out restaurants that offer a professional atmosphere, as well as high-quality food.
Research insights
Research insights
Based on the interviews, we gathered the following insights, which will help us to define our HMW statements for ideation:
Based on the interviews, we gathered the following insights, which will help us to define our HMW statements for ideation:
7/9
7/9
7/9
of respondents find current reservation platforms complicated
of respondents find current reservation platforms complicated
8/9
8/9
8/9
uses location and pricing filters to help them narrow selections
uses location and pricing filters to help them narrow selections
6/9
6/9
6/9
of respondents find visual of restaurant helpful for selections
of respondents find visual of restaurant helpful for selections
5/9
5/9
5/9
do not prefer to open external link to reserve a table
do not prefer to open external link to reserve a table
Card sorting: deciding on 3 flow - landing, search and booking
Card sorting: deciding on 3 flow - landing, search and booking
We developed the information architecture through a card sorting exercise, grouping features into must-haves, nice-to-haves, and backlog. User interviews highlighted the need for effective filters and search parameters, so we included them on both the landing and search results pages. After several iterations, the team agreed on the final set of filter options.
We developed the information architecture through a card sorting exercise, grouping features into must-haves, nice-to-haves, and backlog. User interviews highlighted the need for effective filters and search parameters, so we included them on both the landing and search results pages. After several iterations, the team agreed on the final set of filter options.
Developing design goals from card sorting - focusing on search flow
Developing design goals from card sorting - focusing on search flow
Summarizing the objectives of the design and the research conducted, we established three main design flows:
Summarizing the objectives of the design and the research conducted, we established three main design flows:
01 landing flow
01 landing flow
01 landing flow
Highlights the unique dining experiences of each restaurant to inspire exploration
Highlights the unique dining experiences of each restaurant to inspire exploration
02 Search flow
02 Search flow
02 Search flow
Separates restaurant and table views while integrating the 3D portal for immersive discovery
Separates restaurant and table views while integrating the 3D portal for immersive discovery
03 Booking flow
03 Booking flow
03 Booking flow
Provide clear, detailed information to support confident and seamless reservations
Provide clear, detailed information to support confident and seamless reservations
I focused on designing the Search flow, which included structuring filters, defining restaurant/table views, and integrating the 3D portal into exploration.
I focused on designing the Search flow, which included structuring filters, defining restaurant/table views, and integrating the 3D portal into exploration.
03
03
03
Design
iterations
Design
iterations
Design
iterations
Restaurant vs. Table view: combined or separate?
Restaurant vs. Table view: combined or separate?
For the restaurant search flow that I led the design for, I explored two patterns: a combined restaurant/table view and a separate view. The team loved Design B—separate views made everything clearer with dedicated filters and features, while still letting users preview tables right from the restaurant page for easy, flexible booking.
For the restaurant search flow that I led the design for, I explored two patterns: a combined restaurant/table view and a separate view. The team loved Design B—separate views made everything clearer with dedicated filters and features, while still letting users preview tables right from the restaurant page for easy, flexible booking.
04
04
04
Solutions
Solutions
Solutions
Switching between restaurant and table view
Switching between restaurant and table view
By toggling between the restaurant view and table view, users can easily explore all options that match their search parameters.
They can then choose to click on the 3D View button, which opens an immersive portal to preview either the entire restaurant or a specific table.
By toggling between the restaurant view and table view, users can easily explore all options that match their search parameters.
They can then choose to click on the 3D View button, which opens an immersive portal to preview either the entire restaurant or a specific table.
Restaurant filter vs. Table filter
Restaurant filter vs. Table filter
Based on the differences between the two views, I tailored the filters to match user needs.
For the restaurant view, filters include cuisine, price, accommodation, and experience (e.g., live music or game nights).
For the table view, filters include dynamic pricing, vibe (e.g., spacious or private), and seating.
Based on the differences between the two views, I tailored the filters to match user needs.
For the restaurant view, filters include cuisine, price, accommodation, and experience (e.g., live music or game nights).
For the table view, filters include dynamic pricing, vibe (e.g., spacious or private), and seating.
04
04
04
Takeaways
Takeaways
Takeaways
My learnings
My learnings
Conducting user interviews
Conducting user interviews
Conducting user interviews
This was my first attempt at user interviews, where I explored user needs through recruiting participants, creating interview plans, and writing scripts. Along the way, I tried methods like laddering and started to build a foundation for asking better questions.
This was my first attempt at user interviews, where I explored user needs through recruiting participants, creating interview plans, and writing scripts. Along the way, I tried methods like laddering and started to build a foundation for asking better questions.
Organizing Workflows
Organizing Workflows
Organizing Workflows
I learned that designing isn’t only about aiming for the perfect long-term solution. Coming up with practical, short-term fixes that address immediate user pain points can be just as impactful.
I learned that designing isn’t only about aiming for the perfect long-term solution. Coming up with practical, short-term fixes that address immediate user pain points can be just as impactful.
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Back to All Work
Back to All Work
Back to All Work
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⤒
Back to Top
Back to Top
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© Clara Liu, 2025 with love, matcha and anxiety.
Thanks for stopping by!
Connect or say hi @
↗
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© Clara Liu, 2025 with love, matcha and anxiety.
Thanks for stopping by!
Connect or say hi @
↗
↗
© Clara Liu, 2025 with love, matcha and anxiety.
Thanks for stopping by!
Connect or say hi @
↗
↗
© Clara Liu, 2025 with love, matcha and anxiety.