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Redefining Pod: Bringing Clarity to an Overbuilt Product

Pod Project Overview

Context

Pod had been in development for years with many contributors across hardware, firmware, backend, & design. By the time I joined Bottle (July 2024), the overall ecosystem (Pod + Waiter App + RMS) had no clear direction and the work had been on-and-off for a long time.

Team at the time :

1 Flutter dev, 1 backend, 2 hardware engineers, 1 QA, Manager, Product Owner, and myself (plus interns I mentored who helped with UI work). Though the lineup seemed to reshuffle every few weeks.

📌 I joined the Pod team in Feb 2025 to bring focus, define an MVP, and lead the design of a usable version that could finally be tested in a real restaurant.

What I Found

  • No shared success metrics , discussions drifted toward abstract visions ("premium like Apple") with no grounding.
  • Product was overbuilt, without validating product market fit, custom OS, custom hardware, custom keyboard, wallet system, etc.
  • Existing interface required unfamiliar gestures; basic usability patterns were missing.

The team had the talent; they just lacked focus and a direction.

Design audit: Screenshots captured to see what we have

Research: Self-order kiosks

Research: Menu manager

Research: Moodboard for visual direction

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What was done

  1. Defined a clear MVP based on successful kiosk patterns (McDonald's, KFC, etc.):

    👉 Onboarding → Browse → Order → Eat → Pay → Complete

  2. Aligned the entire team around two simple guest-facing success metrics:

    • People walking by should instantly understand what Pod is.
    • Guests should easily order, pay, and request help.

  3. Designed the full user flow, high-fidelity prototypes, and updated the Waiter App + RMS to support the Pod journey.

  4. Integrated analytics tools for session replays.

  5. Launched 5 Pods at SipnSkip Lounge on May 16, 2025.

Pod launch May 16, 2025.

Brochoures

Pod and UI

Waiter's tablet app

QR Menu (Where pod won't be available)

RMS Webapp

Employee NFC card

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What We Learned (26 Days of Real Usage)

From weekly on-site visits, waiter interviews, and user observation, after 150+ orders were placed through Pod:

  • Pod was too heavy → one slid off a tray when a waiter tried hauling three at once → replace with lighter prebuilt hardware
  • Battery life only 5–6 hrs → restaurants need 15+ hrs
  • NFC login unreliable → sensor reposition
  • Large groups avoided Pods → need group ordering
  • Devices overheated on rooftop → cooling issue
  • No remote battery monitoring → add system

Me using Pod

Guest feedback clip

Pod Packaging

Assessing a damaged pod

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Impact

  • Pod finally moved from "years of exploration" → real-world product.
  • Team adopted evidence-based decision making.
  • MVP mindset replaced over-building.

Team discussion

Team discussion

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Key Lesson

  • Clarity is the most valuable thing you can bring to a team.
  • Ship something small, observe real behavior, and the right roadmap designs itself.
  • You rarely get a perfect map, figure it out and make the most out of the resources you have.

Contact Information

Email: imkishor24@gmail.com
Phone: +977 9861016552
My Resume