UX CASE STUDY
Nagano Japanese Steakhouse Website Redesign
The Challenge at a Glance
Nagano Japanese Steakhouse has earned a loyal following for its high-quality sushi and authentic Japanese cuisine, but its online presence wasn’t doing the food justice. The original website featured a bare-bones menu with no visuals, minimal context, and little incentive for users to engage or place an order. With no imagery, unclear dish details, and a lack of user-centered design, potential customers were often left guessing- and hesitating.
This redesign set out to change that by making the menu experience more visual, informative, and user-friendly. By focusing on what users actually care about- clear images, ingredient transparency, pricing clarity, and a layout that reflects the brand’s authenticity- the new site bridges the gap between digital browsing and real-world dining. This case study explores the strategy behind the transformation, grounded in user research and design thinking, and demonstrates how visual storytelling and intuitive design can elevate trust, drive engagement, and increase both online and in-person visits.
Guiding the Redesign: Key Research Questions
Before diving into the redesign, I identified core questions to better understand user behavior, preferences, and expectations when browsing restaurant menus online.
Showcase high-quality, realistic food imagery to build trust and enhance decision-making— especially for unfamiliar dishes.
Include clear, detailed descriptions and ingredient lists to give users confidence in their selections and accommodate dietary preferences.
Highlight pricing and combo details up front, helping users quickly assess value without digging through clutter.
Ensure full mobile responsiveness and accessibility, eliminating the frustration of broken PDFs or hard-to-navigate formats.
Incorporate social proof through reviews and authentic customer photos, boosting credibility and encouraging first-time visits.
Designing with Intention
The goal of this project was to elevate the Nagano Japanese Steakhouse digital experience by transforming a static, text-heavy menu into a visually rich, user-friendly interface. The redesign aimed to reflect the authenticity of the cuisine, enhance user engagement, and streamline the path to online ordering- ultimately encouraging more confident customer decisions and increasing both digital and in-person traffic.
The Road to Refinement
This project moved through a focused six-week sprint— where research, iteration, and design unfolded with clear milestones. Below is a snapshot of the intentional progression from exploration to execution.
Building the Vision
Research Methods
Finding
the
Voices
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That
Matter
Finding the Voices • That Matter
Behind the Clicks
To design with clarity and impact, I first had to understand how users think, feel, and interact with restaurant menus online. This section breaks down the approach I used to uncover the insights that shaped every design decision.
Participant Characteristics Demographics: 20-40 years old: Lives locally Behaviors: Uses a mobile devices, Orders food online, Dines out frequently, Uses Google for unavailable images Characteristics: Sushi lovers, Tech-savvy
Recruitment Methods
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I reached out to individuals in my network who fit the user profile to participate directly in the research.
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Participants were referred by trusted peers, ensuring genuine and relevant feedback from real diners.
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I used digital channels to connect with users who actively browse and engage with restaurant content online.
Affinity Map & Problem Statement
I used the affinity map to group feedback from user interviews into clear themes — frustrations, expectations, and behaviors. These insights shaped a focused problem statement and gave me a grounded direction for the redesign. Every layout, interaction, and visual cue was a response to real user needs, not guesswork.
“I just want to know what’s good— if the menu’s confusing, I’m out.”
SWOT Analysis
Strengths
Opportunities
Threats
Weaknesses
How I Used These Insights
I translated the SWOT insights into practical design decisions that prioritized user experience and business goals. By analyzing real-world strengths and gaps, I created solutions tailored to the restaurant’s identity— grounded in data, guided by strategy, and focused on results.
Analyzing M&M Hibachi Express
M&M Hibachi Express is doing a lot right— great food, fast service, solid pricing. But the customer experience wasn’t matching up online. This SWOT gave me the clarity to lean into what works and redesign around what needed work. Clean, strategic, and true to the brand.
Analyzing McDonald’s
McDonald’s is a global powerhouse with reach, speed, and pricing on lock— but even giants have blind spots. This SWOT helped me analyze where brand perception, consistency, and sustainability fall short, and how smaller brands can carve out space by doing what McDonald’s won’t. Strategy is chess, not checkers.
Designing for Real People
I created user personas by synthesizing insights from user interviews, affinity mapping, and the SWOT analysis. Each persona represents key behaviors, needs, and frustrations identified in the research. These profiles helped guide the redesign process — especially when mapping user flows — ensuring that every screen was built to serve real user goals and expectations.
USER PERSONAS
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USER PERSONAS ⋆
User Flows: From Insight to Action
Feature Focus: Essentials & Enhancements
VISUAL FOUNDATIONS
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Wireframes at Work
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VISUAL FOUNDATIONS ⋆ Wireframes at Work ⋆
Lo-Fi Wireframes
The blueprint phase. Quick, raw, and functional- this is where structure meets strategy, laying down the foundation for a seamless user experience.
Mid-Fi Wireframes
Refined edges, clearer paths. Visual hierarchy takes shape, and the layout begins to speak with intention. Less guess work, more direction.
Hi-Fi Wireframes
The full vision realized. Every pixel purposeful, every element aligned. This is where design meets emotion- polished, branded, and ready to engage.
Prototypes
Bringing it all to life- these fully functional prototypes walk through both user flows, showcasing real interactions, transitions, and features grounded in actual user insights.
The Last Bite
The redesign of Nagano Japanese Steakhouse’s mobile site addressed key frustrations around menu clarity, trust-building, and ordering flow. By grounding every decision in real user feedback, competitive analysis, and restaurant-specific insights, I was able to deliver a solution that feels intuitive, visually inviting, and aligned with what today’s diners actually want. This project reflects my ability to translate research into a focused, high-impact digital experience.