Enhancing user experience in Just Eat Takeaway's order tracking system

What were the main problems?

To understand where opportunities and challenges lay, it was important to start from observed problems with our platform (screenshot below).

1. The limitations of our old order tracking screen were limiting our ability to implement enhancements effectively. With Just Eat Takeaway.com expanding its delivery services to include groceries, electronics, and even toys, our previous tracking system became insufficiently scalable to accommodate this new dynamic.

2. Placing an order should be a carefree, positive, and above all, reliable experience. We wanted to be more empathetic and supportive throughout the order tracking experience

3. We identified the need to enhance the information customers received while awaiting their orders. We noticed that users often had an inaccurate understanding of what was happening, partly due to the order statuses we provided. These statuses varied depending on the order type, restaurant-provided updates, and other factors. We wanted to be more consistent, clearer, and reliable, regardless of the order type.

Improving our order status experience

The order tracking screen centers around Estimated Time of Arrival (ETA) and order updates, forming users' mental models based on expectations and past experiences. However, answers from users during research highlighted inconsistencies due to various types of order updates being provided. For orders delivered by partners with their own couriers, limited updates were available, leading to ambiguity. In contrast, orders delivered by Just Eat's couriers had detailed logistics-focused statuses, contributing to an inconsistent experience.

To address this, we redesigned order statuses to strike a balance between transparency and clarity. Through iterations, we established a core process for every order, simplifying it to key steps and providing detailed information in sub-statuses. For example, 'Awaiting confirmation' was replaced with proactive outreach for unconfirmed orders to maintain a positive experience. A/B testing validated these adjustments, ensuring effective deployment globally and reducing customer service queries.

Improved order details

Further down the screen, we made improvements to the order details. For example, we changed the receipt to only display essential information. We found that the majority of users required a brief overview of their order, but just a small percentage needed a comprehensive breakdown of the receipt. By showing a summary of the order, we reduce content overload, while allowing customers in need of a full receipt breakdown to access this with a simple tap.

Enhanced tracking experience

Many customers like to track their delivery on the map. But sometimes, seeing the order getting closer can also make people feel nervous. For example, in busy cities, customers often wait by their windows until the courier arrives, then rush to the door.

To make tracking easier and less stressful, we simplified the map design. We also added route predictions so customers can better guess when their order will arrive. And we made it clearer when orders are grouped together.

The importance of accessible order tracking

We prioritised inclusivity and accessibility in our designs, ensuring that users from diverse backgrounds and contexts can easily navigate the after orders screen. We made sure the implementation supported features like enlarged fonts, high contrast levels and 'reduced motion' settings, benefiting users with visual impairments and sensitivity to motion. We also tailored our apps to accommodate both large and small screens, as well as dark mode.

For instance, user feedback revealed challenges faced by those using enlarged fonts, especially when accessing the order tracking screen where the live tracking map became difficult to use. To address such issues, we proactively considered user needs from the outset and conducted thorough testing throughout development