Accessibility-first redesign at meal-planning startup Platedly increased monthly active users among older adults

Design · 7 min read

Platedly noticed disproportionately low engagement from users aged 55+, despite marketing targeting that demographic. Cognitive walkthroughs and accessibility audits revealed multiple barriers: small tap targets, dense ingredient lists, and a navigation that relied on hover interactions. The redesign rebalanced visual hierarchy, increased hit areas, and restructured recipe content into step-by-step, read-aloud friendly cards.

Designers collaborated with occupational therapists and ran remote moderated sessions with older adults, iterating on font sizes, contrast, and the affordances of the 'start cooking' flow. They added a 'kitchen mode' that enlarges controls, enables hands-free timers via voice activation, and converts ingredient lists into checklist-style shopping aids. Importantly, the team documented each accessibility decision and shipped it as part of the core product rather than an opt-in setting.

Outcomes included a 29% increase in monthly active users within the target age group and a 40% drop in task failure during recipe completion tests. The case reinforces that designing with accessibility constraints can unlock new user segments and improve overall product reliability.