Minipass, product management

Minipass iOS

June 2023

Introduction

Minitable is a startup technology company that specializes in providing restaurant management systems. We offer SaaS services to thousands of restaurants in the North American market, including waitlist and reservation systems, contactless ordering, and POS systems.

In January 2022, I joined the team as a product manager and took on the responsibility of independently leading the development of the new customer App, Minipass. Through strategic planning, development, and iterative processes, I successfully drove the growth of Minipass, resulting in over 100k organic downloads, 500k session starts, and 3M user engagements within just 10 months of its initial release.

Responsibility

As the Product Lead for Minipass, I handle multiple roles encompassing product management, product design, QA testing, operations, marketing, and project management. I collaborate with stakeholders and directly communicate with cross-functional teams to ensure seamless monthly product delivery. Leveraging tools such as Trello, Jira, Monday, Figma, Sketch, GA4, Firebase, and App Store Connect, I successfully delivered over 10 significant features across three major front-ends with limited resources.

Target Users

98% of the Minipass user base is using the iOS system, predominantly in major cities, catering to young professionals aged 18-45 who enjoy Asian cuisine and seek social connections. We have positioned ourselves as their go-to app, aligning design and features with their preferences and lifestyle.

My product management experience is deeply rooted in the entire lifecycle of Minipass, from its early ideation to its latest transition. I have built it step by step, fueled by my passion for user-centric design and my motivation to solve problems. I have witnessed its ups and downs, and through this journey, I have gained invaluable insights into the business world and what it takes for a product to thrive in it.

Let's take a closer look at the journey that Minipass and I embarked on together.

[Raise] Schedule & Merchant Profile 2022.3-2022.8

⭐️⭐️⭐️ “Building a product from scratch and achieving rapid growth as a Product Manager.”

Insight
While Minitable's waitlist/reservation system had amassed a million user base over the years, consumer schedule management remained fragmented, with individual web pages, and the untapped business value of user data.

Strategy
We focused on enhancing Minipass with itinerary management functionality and streamlining the user flow for adding and managing trips. We initially launched a minimum viable product (MVP) with essential dining trip management capabilities to quickly introduce the product, followed by subsequent updates that included features like merchant profiles and trip history.

Product Management
During the 5-month period leading up to the initial release, Minipass underwent three significant iterations, advancing from version 0.5 to 1.5. With a small team, including a part-time designer and a part-time front-end engineer, I collaborated closely with them, gaining valuable insights as a "full-stack" product manager. Leveraging my design and coding background, I quickly grasped the end-to-end process and built strong relationships within the team.

To drive early adoption, we implemented a seamless one-click sign-in or sign-up feature using phone numbers, streamlining the onboarding process. Additionally, we prioritized user feedback by prominently featuring a feedback button, resulting in positive ratings and validation of our product's value. With this feedback, we embarked on our journey with confidence.

Product Design
I collaborated with the designer to create over 200 pages of UX wireframes and interface designs for the iOS app. We aimed to provide an intuitive and seamless user experience for our target audience of young urban users. Embracing the design trend of vibrant UI with flat rounded visuals and strong color palettes, we captured a youthful and expressive tone that resonated with food enthusiasts.

Despite the 12-hour time difference and the challenge of collaborating with a UI designer in China, I overcame the communication barrier by conducting extensive research on the US market and competitor apps. This ensured that our design aligned with the expectations of our target users. After weeks of iteration and refinement, we successfully achieved a design mockup that strikes a perfect balance between aesthetics and usability.

In addition to app design, I took on the responsibility of designing the Minipass Admin interface. With limited resources and a focus on fast iteration, I prioritized the development of essential CRM and operational features. This included user and feedback management, allowing us to gather valuable insights and effectively track user growth.

UX research
Once the Beta version was ready, we conducted internal testing, including field observation and gathering qualitative user feedback. This process helped us identify and address missing user cases, such as the need for a feature that allows users to easily leave a party at any time.

With a strong emphasis on user-centric design and seamless functionality, we soft-released the MVP in August 2022. The inclusion of the management system in Minipass enhances the overall user experience, providing a more engaging and intuitive platform for waitlists and reservations.

[Growth] Free and Paid Draw 2022.9 - 2022.12

⭐️⭐️⭐️ “Taking control of the product, being able to influence others as a leader.”

Goal
To increase user engagement and foster business growth in Minipass.

Strategy
As the company prioritized the development of the POS system, we seized the opportunity to introduce the Minipass Draw feature. Minipass Draw not only provided a creative outlet for users but also created marketing influence and advertising benefits for merchants, contributing to the growth of the Minitable ecosystem.

Product Management
In 2 days, I conducted a comprehensive market analysis, focusing on business models and operational strategies. Based on my findings, I developed insights, a roadmap, and recommendations for implementing the Draw feature in Minipass. I presented these to the executive team, and upon approval, I embarked on the detailed planning and execution phase.

Collaborating closely with the engineering team, we held multiple meetings to ensure alignment on priorities and timelines for the next iteration. To mitigate the challenge of simultaneous development projects, we devised a solution that involved utilizing two separate implementation environments. This allowed the engineering team to work on another project while I conducted testing and refinement for the Draw feature, which had the highest priority. This approach ensured efficient resource allocation and enabled us to deliver the Draw feature within the allocated budget and timeline.

Throughout the development process, I dedicated significant time to learning and implementing the Stripe online payment API. This integration was crucial for enabling secure and seamless payment functionality within the Draw feature. By gaining a deep understanding of the API, I ensured a smooth and reliable payment experience for our users. This attention to detail further enhanced the overall value and user satisfaction of Minipass.

Product Design
The Draw feature was designed with a focus on simplicity and clarity, ensuring a smooth and intuitive user experience. To prevent errors on the user end, we implemented additional prompts and double-confirmation interfaces. We designed additional SMS and push notifications to provide real-time updates, allowing users to stay informed and actively participate in both free and paid Draw events. By combining seamless design, error prevention measures, and timely notifications, we maximized user satisfaction and engagement within the Minipass platform.

As I began to build and expand my team, I successfully onboarded two new part-time developers to support the development process. Additionally, I took on the role of product operations, overseeing the hiring and mentoring of interns, coordinating event schedules with the business team, and collaborating with our marketing specialist to prepare media content. Despite the demanding workload, I effectively managed my tasks by prioritizing them and seeking assistance when needed. This allowed me to maintain a good balance and ensure the smooth progress of the project.

[Sprint] Membership system 2022.10 - 2023.3

⭐️⭐️⭐️ “Find the proper UX/UI solution to make a complicated system into an easy-to-learn mobile application.”

Goal
During the company's transition to the POS system, Minipass was tasked with developing the consumer end of the new membership system.

Strategy
Our strategy involved building a comprehensive management system that allowed users to conveniently manage all their restaurant membership cards in one place. This core feature of Minipass exemplified the concept of a "pass," emphasizing the convenience and value it provided to users.

Product Management
In this stage, I worked cross-functionally with the POS product team, focusing on the consumer end of the membership system. As the sole product manager for consumers, my main challenge was simplifying the complex system language for users. I studied the PRD and API documents, providing feedback to improve the structure for a better mobile display. Despite tight deadlines and pressure from executives, I managed to overlap the Draw and Membership projects.

I ensured regular stakeholder updates to maintain involvement and transparency. Additionally, I oversaw product operations and mentored an intern who assisted with configuring settings, addressing customer inquiries, and creating product manuals. Throughout this process, I utilized various tools and methods to streamline workflows and effectively communicate with stakeholders.

Product Design
The membership system has so many complicated relationships among databases, it’s challenging to contain all required features on a small screen while keeping a clean and flat design style. After doing research on established applications, I implemented tabbed navigation to segment different features, ensuring easy access to relevant information. Meanwhile, utilizing different UI elements, like membership cards and coupons, helps users understand where they are and what status they hold.

As you can see, this version involved a big change by adding new home pages and multiple features. To help users understand the major update, I designed a 4-step tutorial on the MyPass pages. This tutorial aimed to guide users through the new features and functionalities. Right after the release, the tutorial proved effective, with at least 20% of users successfully utilizing the new features, such as adding passes to their Apple Wallet effortlessly.

I am confident that MyPass is a well-designed MVP that meets the fundamental business demands with huge growth potential. It was an opportunity for me to experience a new collaborative approach and successfully lead the project to completion, achieving a satisfying outcome.

[Transition] Discover & Home page 2023.4 - 2023.6

⭐️⭐️⭐️“Adapting rapid changes, my product vision capability grows via personal and product transformation.”

In April 2023, Minipass underwent a significant transition, shifting its focus from enhancing the existing SaaS product ecosystem to becoming an information platform catering to the customer end. This marked the beginning of a new phase and future for Minipass. Within a span of 20 days, I successfully brought this transition to life, setting the foundation for the company's future growth and direction.

Product Management
Before creating the Discover page, I conducted in-depth research on popular short video platforms like TikTok and Reel. Using this research, I developed a roadmap and identified key features for the minimum viable product (MVP), such as video browsing, like and share buttons, and a merchant call-to-action (CTA) button. Additionally, I drew insights from successful case studies of building social communities from scratch. This knowledge was applied to the current market and user base, and I wrote a comprehensive business proposal outlining growth methods for future expansion. I carefully assessed the associated costs and risks while providing multiple solutions to mitigate them.

After launching the Discover page successfully, I focused on designing the Home page. By leveraging resources such as ChatGPT, online research, and our CRM data, I developed a search engine and keyword-matching system. This effort resulted in a concise product requirements document (PRD) and a year-long roadmap aligned with feature complexity and user needs. These strategies and plans continue to be implemented by the company.

Product Design
To ensure cost-effectiveness, I prioritized fast and easy implementation while maintaining a minimalist and user-centric design approach. Drawing inspiration from successful businesses, I leveraged existing components in our design system, minimizing the need for user education on new features. As a result, we were able to save 50% of the project budget and expedite product delivery.

During this stage, I gained valuable insights into the vulnerabilities and decision-making processes of a startup company. It was a valuable learning experience to be part of such a challenging environment. I developed strong adaptability and flexibility to navigate through challenges and changes, always seeking effective solutions.

Conclusion

As the product owner of Minipass, I successfully delivered multiple products under high pressure and limitations. This involved designing over 500 interface pages for more than 10 significant features across multiple front-end channels, including web, iOS native, and hybrid platforms. From August 2022 to June 2023, our efforts yielded remarkable results, including over 100,000 organic downloads and an astonishing user growth rate of 2000%. Additionally, we maintained a total base of 300,000 active users. Through my contributions, I played a pivotal role in positioning Minipass as a key strategic asset for the company.

During my 18-month journey with Minipass, I poured my passion and dedication into the product. As a new product manager, I had the privilege of creating it from scratch, and I couldn't be prouder. While my story with Minipass may not continue, the cherished memories and valuable lessons will continue to inspire me as I embark on creating meaningful products and serving even more users. I am deeply grateful for the growth and experiences that Minipass has granted me, and I carry them with gratitude as I forge ahead in my career.

Takeaways