SustainaPlate
Food Waste App
A mobile app to help users discover personalised recipes, track their pantry, all in the name of reducing the environmental impact of household foodwaste, one meal at a time.
The initial brief for SustainaPlate called for a sophisticated app with features like AI-powered recipe generation and direct checkout. However, given the client's budget constraints and user research findings, we pivoted towards a more achievable solution and focused on practical tools that would empower users to reduce food waste in their daily lives.
Project brief
Client's initial proposal 👆
The Challenge
Timeline
3 week sprint
24 Apr to 13 May 2024
Team
3 UX designers
Celeste Chua
Aloysius Sim
Leanna Teoh
My Role
Project Manager
User interviews
Competitive analysis
Responsive UI design
Prototyping Recipe & Meal Planner functionalities
Usability testing
While the client's initial proposal offered a basic solution, our research revealed that users often lacked the motivation and knowledge to reduce food waste. We discovered that:
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Motivation: Users struggled to implement sustainable practices due to time constraints and a lack of convenient tools.
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Knowledge: Users often lacked the skills and knowledge to utilise leftover ingredients effectively.
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Awareness: Many users were unaware of the environmental impact of food waste.
Design Process
Throughout the design process, we collaborated closely with the client, addressing initial disagreements to arrive at a solution that balanced user needs and business objectives.
Discover
User Interview
Competitive Research
Survey
User personas
Define
Ideate & Design
Wireframes
Sketching
Design Workshops
Informaiton Architecture
Usability Testing
Iterations
Usability Testing
Reflections
Prototyping
Discover
Understanding the product
To create a truly impactful solution, we delved deep into the needs of our target users: Singaporeans aged 20-50 who cook for their households. Through workshops and thorough research, we identified key challenges: portion control, recipe inspiration, and meal planning. SustainaPlate aims to empower these users to reduce food waste and make a positive environmental impact.
Ideate
Sketching & Planning
Design workshops with the client enabled us to refine the project vision and collaborate on sketches for the prototype and information architecture.
Usability Testing
Testing & Iterations
We conducted 5 usability tests to identify and address critical user flow issues. The results confirmed the importance of familiar navigation terms and led to refinements in the information architecture to improve user experience. A subsequent round of 5 usability tests confirmed the positive impact of these changes on user experience.
Improved nagivation bar
Updated pages for smoother navigation
Through this project, I gained valuable insights into the importance of user research and iterative design. I also learned the challenges of collaborating with clients and the importance of effective communication.
While SustainaPlate was a significant step towards reducing food waste, I believe there is still much more that can be done. Future iterations of the app could incorporate advanced features like AI-powered recipe suggestions and virtual food waste coaches.
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Lessons Learned: Prioritising user needs and mental models in design decisions is essential for usability.
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Future Directions: Explore potential future directions for the app, such as incorporating gamification, social features, or educational components to further drive behaviour change.
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Personal Growth: Effective communication with clients fosters trust and receptiveness to design solutions.
Reflections & Learning
Initial Wireframes
We adapted ideas from our design workshops to create initial wireframes. While there were initial disagreements about navigation, we decided to test the client's preferred terms to gauge user understanding. This approach balanced both user experience and business objectives.
Newly Weds
Nancy & William
Nancy and William need to a way to accurately estimate portion sizes and streamline their meal planning so that they can enhance their hosting experience and reduce food waste.
The Fongs need a way to find recipes according to their preferences so that they can plan their meals more effectively for their family
Family Fongs
Single
Samantha
As an individual living alone, Samantha needs a way to discover recipes and meal ideas that make use of pantry ingredients effectively, enabling her to minimise food waste and make the most out of her kitchen resources.
User interview findings
In-depth interviews with individuals from diverse backgrounds to uncover their specific challenges, motivations, and aspirations related to food consumption and waste reduction.
8 / 13
Users believe that portion estimation is a contributor to their food waste.
7 / 13
Users find it hard to make full use of existing ingredients
ALL
Users felt bad about wasting food but don't think that there is much they can do
Survey findings
Quantitative surveys were conducted to collect data on food waste awareness, habits, and preferences among a larger sample size.
User research
To gain a deeper understanding of our target users' behaviours and attitudes, we conducted a comprehensive user research process.