Cuisino Primary Function: Tshehetso ea Qeto ea Lijo e Papali by Yi Chen

Cuisino Primary Function: Tshehetso ea Qeto ea Lijo e Papali by Yi Chen is a highly esteemed winner of the very prestigious 2026 Moputso oa Tšepe oa A' Design Award in Moralo wa Theknoloji ya Mehala, Diaplikeishene le Softwere Competition Category.

TšepeMohala· 2026

Cuisino Primary Function: Tshehetso ea Qeto ea Lijo e Papali

by Yi Chen

Moputso oa Tšepe oa A' Design Award Winner in Mohala Category

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The Design

About Cuisino Primary Function: Tshehetso ea Qeto ea Lijo e Papali

Book Text: Cuisino e hlahisa liqeto tsa lijo bocha e le moetlo o papali, e fetola likhetho tsa kamehla ho ba linako tsa thabo. Ka ho sebelisa saekholoji ea boitshwaro le UI e papali, e fokotsa mokhathala oa liqeto 'me e matlafatsa basebelisi ho ja ka bophelo bo botle ntle le khatello ea maikutlo. E bululetsoe ke lipapali tse bonolo le liapplication tsa bophelo bo botle, sebopeho sa interface se tataisa ho ja ka kelohloko ka litšebelisano tse nyenyane, meputso ea tsoelo-pele, le sistimi ea pono e khutsisang. Boiphihlelo bona bo etsa hore phepo e se ke ea ba boitaolo haholo empa e be ho aha mekhoa e thabisang.

The Recognition

About the Moputso oa Tšepe oa A' Design Award

Cuisino Primary Function: Tshehetso ea Qeto ea Lijo e Papali ke mohapi oa Moputso oa Tšepe oa A' Design Award, kananelo e hlomphehang e fuoang meralo e metle e finyellang litlhoko tsa porofeshenale le tsa indasteri tse lebelletsoeng ho lintho tse hlahisitsoeng tse entsoeng hantle. Bahapi ba Tšepe ba bontša bokhoni bo boholo, bokhethehi bo phahameng, kutloisiso ea litsebi le bokhoni ba boqapi ba baqapi ba bona. Cuisino Primary Function: Tshehetso ea Qeto ea Lijo e Papali e lebelletsoe ho ba ntho e hlahisitsoeng e hlomphuoang haholo, e ratoang le e ratehang, e sebetsang le e nang le mehopolo e mecha. Moralo ona o hapileng Moputso oa Tšepe oa A' Design Award o kenyelletsa mekhoa e metle ka ho fetesisa ea indasteri mme o na le litšobotsi tsa theknoloji tse nang le bokhoni tse amanang le tsebo le talenta. Ka lebaka la botlalo ba eona, Cuisino Primary Function: Tshehetso ea Qeto ea Lijo e Papali e tšoanelehela tlhompho mme e entsoe ho fana ka ntlafatso ea bophelo e thusang ho etsa hore lefatše le be sebaka se molemo.

Behind the Design

Press Kit

Credits, team members and technical details provided by the designer.

Unique Properties: Cuisino transforms everyday food choices into a delightful, gamified ritual. By combining behavioral psychology with playful UI, it reduces decision fatigue and empowers users to make healthy choices without stress. Each interaction feels like a mini-game, turning anxiety into agency.
Dimensions & Packaging: Cuisino is a non-physical digital design project. The prototype consists of 5 main experience flows with modular components and was built in 1920×1080 and 375×812 px formats. It includes mobile-first wireframes, user journey animations, and a set of customizable onboarding and decision-making modules.
Tags: food decision, playful UX, gamified onboarding, ritual design, digital wellbeing, health habit, casual interface, behavior design, meal planning, emotional interface
Production Technology: Cuisino was realized using a combination of Figma, XD, Illustrator, and After Effects. The design process emphasized visual storytelling, modular components, and interactive mockups. UI animations were prototyped to simulate a casino-inspired experience, with gradient transitions, randomized elements, and playful micro-interactions. The final assets were exported for responsive screen sizes and optimized for both pitch decks and demo presentations.
Design Challenge: The main challenge was balancing delight with depth—how to ensure user agency while gently guiding behavior. Visually, it was difficult to simulate randomness without overwhelming users. Conceptually, the hardest part was resisting utilitarian UX patterns and instead designing for emotion, play, and imperfection—qualities often neglected in food or wellness apps.
Research: This design began as speculative UX research into how decision fatigue affects food habits in urban environments. Methods included desk research, self-tracking experiments, and behavioral mapping of casual food apps. Tools used were Figma, Notion, and visual diarying. Key insights: most food apps overload users with options and assume strong intrinsic motivation. Cuisino rethinks this by embedding habit into gamified rituals, making healthy choices fun, not forced.
Inspiration: Cuisino was inspired by the overwhelming feeling of choice in urban food culture. As a designer living in New York, I saw how indecision and anxiety affected meal planning. By borrowing mechanics from casinos and mobile games, I aimed to create a joyful and structured decision ritual.
Project Duration: The project was initiated during Covid19 in New York City and completed in June 2025. The design was developed independently as a speculative yet functional UX concept and presented via digital channels.
Operation Flow: Users begin by selecting a goal or mood, then receive dynamic suggestions through playful modules like spin wheels, quick picks, and progress meters. Gamified cards and micro-interactions reduce choice fatigue while reinforcing healthy routines. The experience blends randomness with structure, encouraging consistent use while maintaining delight.
Patents: Patent pending.
Copyrights belong to Yi Chen, 2025.
Team Members: Designer: Yi Chen
Image Credits: Image #1: Designer Yi Chen, Cuisino, 2025.