HOW CAN I HELP INDONESIAN EXPLORE THE DIVERSE TYPES OF SOTO ACROSS INDONESIA WITH INTERACTIVE WEBSITE?
OVERVIEW
CHALLENGE
Indonesia is home to a rich and diverse culinary heritage, and soto is one of its most iconic traditional dishes. Many of Gen Z in Indonesia are largely unaware of the dish’s regional variations. As modern lifestyles and fast food culture become increasingly dominant, traditional dishes like soto risk being oversimplified, overlooked, or even forgotten. The challenge lay in finding an engaging and accessible way to spark curiosity and deepen appreciation among younger audiences for this important aspect of Indonesia’s cultural identity.
APPROACH
I developed SOTO, an interactive website designed to introduce Gen Z to the rich diversity of soto across Indonesia. With educational content, allowing users to explore various regional types of soto, learn about their unique ingredients and cultural backgrounds, and even create their own personalised bowl. With a warm, welcoming design the project aims to make learning about traditional food fun and engaging. Reconnecting a younger generation with their culinary roots in a modern, digital format.
THE PROCESS
RESEARCH & SKETCHES
The project began with research into the various types of soto found across Indonesia. I
looked into regional differences in ingredients, preparation methods, and cultural
significance. From this research, I identified key ingredients that define each version
of soto.
To support the visual development of the website, I also created a series of sketches of
popular soto dishes. These helped me explore how each dish could be represented visually
focusing on recognisable elements like toppings, side dishes, and colour palettes. This
step guided the design of the illustrations and contributed to the overall warm and
inviting feel.
BRANDING
The branding of Soto features a minimalist illustration style using simple geometric shapes and minimal details, making the design easy to understand and visually approachable. This style supports the goal of keeping the website engaging and accessible for users. A soft, earthy color palette was chosen to evoke the warmth and nostalgia of home-cooked meals, creating a cozy, inviting atmosphere that mirrors the comfort of enjoying soto. These design choices reflect the homey nature of Indonesian cuisine
SOCIAL MEDIA POST
To increase awareness of the website and engage a wider audience especially Gen Z, who are highly active on social media—there will be a dedicated social media campaign focused on showcasing different types of soto from across Indonesia.
WEBSITE
This website was developed through a research-led and experiment-driven process. I conducted couple key experiments to understand how Gen Z users engage with traditional food content, what draws their attention, and how to present information in a way that feels fun and approachable. These experiments explored interaction design, content engagement, and visual storytelling.
Will providing an interactive feature that allows users to customise their own soto with visual increase user engagement and interest in exploring the diverse types of soto in Indonesia?
Through this experiment, I found that the feature is engaging and fun. It encourages users to explore more and try different combinations. Some users also expressed curiosity about soto varieties they were previously unfamiliar with. Although the experiment received positive feedback overall, there were some downsides. For example, users couldn't see all the options at once their exploration was limited to the choices presented at each step. Additionally, not every user was familiar with the locations of the regions, which made it harder for them to fully understand the context of each soto variety.
To test whether creating an interactive infographic of an Indonesia map featuring soto recipes and information will increase user awareness and interest in the regional diversity of soto. Specifically, it aims to see if presenting this information in a visual, interactive format improves user engagement, enhances their understanding of soto's regional varieties, and makes the exploration process more intuitive and informative
The first experiment led me to the second one, while customising soto combinations was fun and engaging, it didn’t provide users with much context about where each type of soto comes from. This insight inspired me to create a second experiment that focuses on regional identity. By using an interactive map of Indonesia, users can now explore soto varieties based on specific regions. This approach not only makes the learning experience more intuitive, but also helps users connect each dish to its cultural and geographical background, deepening their understanding and appreciation of Indonesia’s culinary diversity.