Ramen Bingo!
App Design & Prototype

A lighthearted and engaging game designed to enhance the experience of discovering new ramen flavors.

Role

UX/UI Designer

Tools

Figma

Timeline

3 weeks

Skills

UX Research

Interaction Design

Wireframing

Prototyping

The Problem

My challenge was to reimagine how the classic game of bingo could be transformed into a mobile, interactive experience. Not by simply digitizing the original game, but by giving it new purpose and relevance. I needed to rethink what “bingo” could mean on a smartphone and use its mechanics to support an engaging, real-world activity.

To make the concept meaningful, I connected it to an experience that many people already enjoy: trying new ramen flavors. But diners often default to the same dishes, and existing tools don’t do much to encourage exploration.

Food journaling can feel tedious, and typical menu apps are too formal for casual dining. There was an opportunity to make food discovery more playful, simple, and motivating.

The Goal

Reimagine bingo as an interactive mobile experience that motivates users to explore and document new ramen dishes in a fun, low-pressure way. Instead of recreating standard gameplay, the aim was to use bingo mechanics—stamps, tiles, and progress rows—to encourage discovery.

The app needed to:

Feel casual and approachable
Guide users through selecting a gameplay mode
Log a ramen meal after selected gameplay
Earn a bingo after the dining experience

Ultimately, the goal was to blend food exploration, gamification, and simple reflection into one cohesive smartphone experience.

Research & Discovery

Concept Statement

The Ramen Bingo! app would be a lighthearted and engaging game designed to enhance the experience of discovering new ramen flavors. Whether paired with a tea shop, café, or enjoyed on its own, this app encourages users to explore different menu items, earn stamps, and share with friends.

With a fun and interactive approach, it transforms the simple act of trying new flavors into an entertaining challenge that anyone can enjoy. Whether you're a ramen enthusiast or just looking for a playful way to spice up your dining experience, the Ramen Bingo! app adds an extra layer of fun by turning each meal into a game, encouraging you to step outside your comfort zone, try new flavors, and see what your friends are grubbing on.

Ideation

I began by researching the history and mechanics of bingo to understand what makes the game recognizable and why it has stayed culturally relevant. From there, I drafted three initial concept statements that explored different ways bingo could be reimagined as a mobile experience.

After evaluating each direction for feasibility, user value, and creative potential, I chose to build a concept around ramen. This option offered the strongest balance of playfulness and real-world application, allowing bingo mechanics to support food exploration in a fun, lightweight way.

Task Flow

With the concept of Ramen Bingo! defined, I focused on understanding the core tasks users would need to complete and how the app could guide them through the experience.

I began by writing a User Need Statement:

User Need Statement

Casual user opens the app and selects their current gameplay mode. After dining, they upload a photo, add a caption, and journal their meal, earning a bingo.

Next, I mapped a User Task Flow to visualize the step-by-step journey:

User Task Flow

Open the App – User launches Ramen Bingo! on their device.
Home Page – The user is greeted with a welcoming home screen and a prominent Play button.
Select Play – User taps Play to start a new game session.
Choose a Participating Ramen Shop – Example: Nomu Restaurant.
Enter Game Mode – The app personalizes gameplay according to the selected restaurant.
Select a Bingo Space – User chooses a category to complete (e.g., Spicy, Dessert, Appetizer, Broth-Based, Vegetarian).
Record Eating Experience – Take a photo of the dish and write a short reaction or mini-review
Submit Entry – The bingo space is marked as completed.
Continue Playing – User tries different dishes to complete a row or full bingo. (For demo purposes, the user flow includes only one dish.)
Earn a Reward – Upon completing a bingo, the user unlocks a reward (e.g., 10% off their next ramen bowl).
Optional Continuation – User may continue playing to complete additional bingos or exit the app.

Visual & Interaction Design

Sketches

I created low-fidelity sketches to explore structure, interaction points, and visual variations. The sketches helped me test different levels of complexity while still keeping the experience fun and intuitive.

App Layout Sketch

Wireframes

I translated the sketches into medium-fidelity wireframes, focusing on clarity, layout, and flow consistency. The wireframes included:

Moodboard

Visual Element Study

To bring the moodboard to life, I created a set of visual elements that would be used consistently throughout the app. I illustrated ramen bowls in each color of the palette to reinforce both the theme and the vibrant, playful aesthetic.

I also designed a simple stamp graphic to represent completed bingo spaces, tying the game mechanic into the visual language. Finally, I finalized the typography and color palette, that align with the playful and approachable tone of the app. These elements established a cohesive, visually engaging system for the interface.

Moodboard

For the visual direction of Ramen Bingo!, I drew inspiration from bright, playful colors and the cheerfulness of the Asian cartoon illustrations to create a fun and approachable vibe. I incorporated stamp imagery to reflect the bingo mechanic and reinforce a sense of achievement, while studying simplified food apps to guide layout, clarity, and user-friendly navigation.

The resulting moodboard established a cohesive visual language that balances playfulness with usability, setting the tone for the app’s typography, iconography, and overall interface design.

Visual Element Study

Design System

The design system for Ramen Bingo! established consistency across the app’s interface and interactions. It included a rounded, approachable typography, a bold and playful color palette, and iconography such as stamps and illustrated ramen bowls to reinforce the game’s theme.

Prototype

The final interaction taking place.

Key Takeaways

This project helped me:

Explore gamification as a UX strategy
Find the balance between simplicity and fun
Strengthen my skills in designing for motivation and behavior change
Improve my wireframing and prototyping process
Build a coherent visual direction from scratch
Refine my ability to turn a playful idea into a fully functional mobile experience

Ramen Bingo! showed me that even a simple concept can become a meaningful and engaging experience when guided by clear UX thinking and intentional visual design.