Required Modifiers
Many items require the user to select modifiers as part of the ordering workflow, such as choosing a type of milk for a latte. For simpler items like beverages, this is relatively self-explanatory and requires minimal visual guidance. However, these modifications can quickly become overwhelming for more complex items such as pizzas, noodles, or burgers.
Proposed options:
- Clearly indicate whether a modifier group is required or optional
- Provide a visual cue that the “Add to Cart” CTA button is unavailable until all required modifier groups are completed
- Automatically scroll users to incomplete sections if they attempt to continue without finishing all required selections
- Display a state for missing modifiers
- Minimise the amount of modifiers as much as possible
Testing confirmed an overall improvement in completion time, but also revealed that we would need to reduce cognitive load per screen. While removing modifiers isn't realistic from a stakeholder or business standpoint, I recommended separating upsells and bundles/meals so users aren't processing everything at once.
I then had to validate these findings further by running in-person interviews to understand the reasoning behind users behaviour, and A/B testing individual changes to isolate which interventions actually drove the improvement.
