Pie Ink
Pie Ink has utilized the futuristic power of 3-D printing for food. Their ultra-smooth mousse pie can be extruded into unique 3-D shapes that are ready in minutes.
My role in this project involved user research, all of the product design, 3-D illustrations and animations.
Tools
Figma, Illustrator, Adobe After Effects, Photoshop
Skills
Product Design, Design Research, Wireframing,
3-D, Animation, UX/UI,
Duration
8-week brand research and design
2-week app re-design
Team
Farrah Nobles, Joyce, Daniel, Alexus
Overview
Pie Ink has the power of 3-D food printers, there are endless possibilities with this form of printing, yet there is a gap to filled between consumer and baker.
Enter the Pie Ink design interface. The design interface works as both a mobile app to order pies and an in-store ordering tablet.
Objectives
Use 3-D models to show accurate models of pie creations to users before they order.
Allow users to design custom 3-D pies without any experience in design.
Branding
Reasearch
Goal
The goal of the Pie Ink design interface is to allow users to partake in nostalgic game play that results in creating a real dessert. The design of the app was inspired by flash games that had their peak in the early 2000’s. At its essence Pie Ink is a playful brand that puts a modern twist on childlike graphics.
Design Iterations
This app underwent two phases of iterations, The first design was in fall 2022 and the second was in spring 2023.
The re-design of this app also resulted in the re-design of the Pie Ink brand, by using the same 3-D elements inside of the design interface and on the packaging.
User Journey
Download & Sign Up
Users will be targeted through social media platforms that have tech savvy audiences.
Custom Orders
The pie designer interface allows users to design their pie in 3-D. The system walks users through, creating the crust, filling and selecting toppings that can be scaled, flip and change colors.
Pickup or Delivery
Once the user has designed their ideal Pie they can decide to pick it up or have it delivered.
Witness & Share the 3-D Magic
A video receipt of the user’s pie being printed will be sent to as once pie is done. This video is downloadable or shareable on multiple social media platforms.
#PrintYourPie on Instagram
Sharing the video from the user’s email is as easy as one click. Users will be prompted to tag Pie Ink and #PrintyourPie when they post their content. Once shared other users will be interested in the Pie Ink experience.
Design Pie in Store
Large tablets will be available in store to allow users to design their pies on the same interface.
What I learned:
In this project, I learned how to use the 3-D function in Illustrator. I also learned that I did not know how to animate in 3-D so I stuck to the 2-D animations inside after effects. This project really made me realize that interfaces should be as simple as possible when designing a complex product so that the most complicated part (in this case the 3-D pie) shines as the main part of the show. Earlier iterations of this project had gaudy colors and tried too hard to make the entire interface look like candy.
What I would do differently:
I would have loved to design the entire experience inside of the app, I only really had time to design the main ‘pie design’ interface. I would’ve liked to add the cart menus and how to design multiple pies. I also wish I knew how long it took to actually print one of these pies so I could give estimates, but I couldn’t find any information on that.