Designing an In-House Dispatch System for a National Restaurant Chain
A national restaurant chain brought on our team to move their third-party delivery operations in-house, aiming to streamline dispatching, improve service quality, and develop a scalable food delivery platform. I led the end-to-end design of a web-based dispatch application that enhanced and automated order delivery management, empowering restaurant managers to oversee food delivery more efficiently and reliably. I collaborated with product managers, business analysts, developers, and stakeholders to envision and deliver a seamless and efficient solution.
This initiative aimed to not only reduce reliance on third-party tools but also allow the business to introduce features tailored to their operational complexity. The long-term goal was to scale the delivery solution across all restaurant locations nationwide.
UX/UI Design
National Restaurant Chain
Figma | Miro | Jira
Information Architecture | Task Flows | Wireframes | Prototype
Business Goals
01
Transition from third-party delivery and driver applications to a fully owned internal platform.
02
Improve dispatch efficiency by automating workflows and eliminating manual order assignment to level up the end-to-end delivery experience.
03
Create a scalable delivery experience that is seamlessly used across all restaurants, nationwide.
Understanding the Current State
I was brought onto the project after the initial research phase had concluded and began by thoroughly reviewing all discovery artifacts—including stakeholder interviews, workflow analyses, and technical understanding. This foundational work provided insight into the challenges and pain points with the current workflow and systems.
During the discovery phase three persona types were defined:
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Restaurant Manager
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Delivery Driver
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Customer
The manager persona became my primary focus, as they would be the primary user of the dispatch interface. These personas guided my design decisions throughout the project.
Research Findings
01
Restaurant managers relied heavily on manual dispatching due to unreliable auto-assignment features.
02
The existing system was not designed for the restaurant’s specific workflows, leading to widespread workarounds and a cluttered interface.
03
Glitches in the system created errors in order assignment to drivers.
03
In-store employees would sometimes have to manually manipulate the ETAs to update the timing on the customer facing application to avoid customer dissatisfaction.
These findings highlighted the need for a more intuitive, purpose-built solution to support day-to-day operations.
Design Strategy and Execution
With a clear understanding of the business goals and technical constraints, I led the design process of the dispatch application from early conceptualization through handoff and build support. My goal was to create a solution that not only met user needs but also aligned with operational realities and development constraints.
I began by defining the information architecture, mapping out the system’s core structure based on stakeholder input and the future-state vision. From there, I created detailed task flows to analyze the primary actions and error handling—prioritizing clarity, speed, and minimal friction.
Low-fidelity Wireframes
To visualize and validate functionality early in the process, I designed low-fidelity wireframes in Figma, which served as conversation starters with both the product and engineering teams. These wireframes helped us quickly test layout hypotheses, align on interactions, and resolve feasibility questions before investing in visual polish.
Throughout the process, I played an active role in facilitating cross-functional reviews, guiding conversations to balance user experience with business needs. I iterated based on feedback, advocating for solutions that addressed real pain points while respecting implementation constraints.
Design Vision Workshop
At the midpoint of the project, the team and I led a design vision & prioritization Workshop onsite with stakeholders and team leaders. This session gave the team space to think beyond MVP constraints, surface longer-term feature ideas, and strengthen client engagement. We also spent the session revisiting tabled features to assess as a team which would be prioritized in upcoming sprints. The two day workshop made sure the internal team and stakeholders were aligned on features, and helped re-energize the project and uncover opportunities to future-proof the system.
Maturing the Designs
As the designs evolved based on feedback from stakeholders and restaurant managers, I collaborated with a visual designer and a third-party agency to translate the experience into high-fidelity wireframes and prototypes, ensuring consistency with the company’s existing design system. We designed for both desktop and tablet use, anticipating varied use contexts within restaurants.
During development, I shifted into a consultative role, partnering closely with engineers to maintain design integrity and resolve edge cases. I also helped orchestrate a live simulation at HQ, where drivers tested the dispatch and delivery workflow in real-world conditions. This surfaced key usability improvements, which I incorporated in the final iterations.
Results
The wireframes and prototypes were completed to the client's satisfaction and handed off seamlessly for development. Our work positioned the restaurant to fully own its delivery operations—enhancing quality, improving efficiency, and unlocking new revenue potential.