Designing for Decisions, Not Reading
- 01Intro to the directory
- 02Where dense product UIs fail users
- 03The insight that reframed the design
- 04Transformation in action
Orlando Cafés Directory
Designing for Decisions, Not Reading
Beat 01
Orlando Cafés Directory
A personal guide to every cafe I’ve visited across Central Florida. Built solo as a passion project, and a sandbox for rethinking how dense product UIs can drive quick, confident decisions.
Beat 02
Too much reading, not enough clarity
The original experience required users to read through dense text to understand if a cafe fit their needs.
- Long paragraphs buried key decision info
- No clear hierarchy of what matters (noise, seating, wifi)
- Hard to compare cafes quickly
- Slowed down decision-making
Beat 03
Users aren’t reading, they’re scanning
People choosing a cafe are making quick, context-driven decisions (study, work, vibe).
- “Can I work here?” is answered in seconds or they bounce
- Key signals = noise, seating, wifi, vibe
- Visual cues outperform paragraphs
- Content needs to behave like a filter, not a story
Beat 04
From paragraphs → structured signals
Reframed the experience into a modular, bento-style layout that surfaces decisions instantly.
- Bento grid for chunked information
- Text → visual components (badges, bars, tags)
- Grouped into “At a Glance”, “Vibe”, “Favorites”
- Decision-first hierarchy over storytelling
Beat 05
Faster decisions, more confident choices
The new structure aligns with how users actually evaluate cafes in real life.
- Key info understood in seconds
- Easier comparison across cafes
- Reduced reliance on long-form reading
- Feels curated, not overwhelming