TIMELINE
October 2022 (1 month)
MY ROLE
Solo project for a UX Design competition
BACKGROUND
Recyco is a mobile application designed to educate users on how to recycle and reuse used coffee grounds, with the goal of reducing environmental impact. The app's target audience is coffee drinkers who are looking for ways to reduce their environmental footprint and make a positive impact.
Special Thanks to the UX Design Awards!
This project has been Nominated for the UX Design Awards 2023, held by International Design Center Berlin (IDZ).
PROBLEM
Many people are aware of the importance of recycling used coffee grounds but don't know how to dispose of them properly, resulting in waste.
Coffee is one of the world's most consumed beverages, and with this comes a large amount of waste, including used coffee grounds. While many people are aware of the importance of recycling and reducing waste, they often do not know what to do with their used coffee grounds, leading to them being discarded as waste. When coffee grounds are sent to a landfill, they can release methane, a potent greenhouse gas, as they decompose.
GOAL
To design a mobile application that provides coffee drinkers with the information and resources they need to recycle their used coffee grounds.
To educate and empower coffee drinkers to reuse their used coffee grounds, reducing their environmental impact and contributing to a more sustainable future.
SOLUTION
Home Screen
The home screen is designed to inform users about the issue of coffee waste and engage them with fun and interesting facts about coffee.
The screen is divided into two sections: an information section and a fun fact section. The information section highlights the issue of coffee waste and its impact on the environment, providing users with a clear understanding of the problem.
Once users have read the information section, they have the option to hide it, allowing them to jump directly to the fun fact section.
Ideas For Recycling & Reusing
The ideas page features a list of different recycling and reuse options for used coffee grounds. The ideas such as using them as fertilizer, composting, and using them as a natural body scrub in beauty products could be included.
Recyco Community
The Recyco Community screen of the app is designed to introduce users to local and global organizations that are working to address the issue of coffee waste. The goal of this screen is to raise awareness about the organizations that are making a positive impact and encourage users to get involved in their community.
In addition to organizations, the Recyco Community screen is also designed to promote local cafes and coffee shops that offer free used coffee grounds and dispose of used coffee grounds properly to protect the environment.
Recyco Shop
The Recyco Shop screen of the app is designed as an online shopping platform for users to purchase coffee products from environmentally friendly brands. The goal of this screen is to provide users with a convenient way to shop for coffee products that align with their values, while also generating revenue for the app.
Coffee brands are encouraged to join the platform. By doing this, brands can benefit from free promotion and exposure to a large and engaged audience. The platform will charge a percentage of the sales revenue from each brand's products as a commission.
USER RESEARCH
To gain a better understanding of the target audience, I conducted a combination of online surveys and user interviews with coffee drinkers. My research aimed to answer the following questions:
What is the current level of awareness and understanding of coffee drinkers regarding the recycling and reuse of used coffee grounds?
What are the barriers to recycling and reusing used coffee grounds, and how can these be addressed through the design of our app?
There were 33 responses gathered from the survey. The key questions and results are shown below.
User Pain Points
Lack of Awareness
Many users are not aware of the environmental impact of coffee waste or how to recycle or reuse used coffee grounds.
Limited Options
Users are often unable to find sustainable options for disposing of their used coffee grounds, leading them to simply throw them away as waste.
PERSONA
INFORMATION ARCHITECTURE
(Click the image to download it as a PDF)
WIREFRAME + USABILITY TESTING
The wireframes were created for conducting usability testing to evaluate the initial design concept and determine whether the workflow of this app is smooth and intuitive for the users.
There were 5 participants in the usability testing. The goal of the testing is to ensure that the app's navigation, functionality, and information architecture are usable, effective, and meet the needs of the target users.
The major insight gathered from the testing was that
the navigation options located under the "More you can do" section on the main screen were overwhelming.
THE FINAL DESIGN + MOCKUP
Based on the insight, I have reorganized the information architecture and made a few additional modifications. The final design of the app, along with a mockup, will be displayed below.
To review the Hi-fi Prototype in Figma, please click HERE.
LESSONS LEARNED
Significance of Information Architecture
During the design process of the Recyco app, I came to understand the critical importance of a well-structured and intuitive information architecture. It is essential for ensuring a smooth user experience and helping users easily navigate to what they're looking for within the app. During this project, I took a lot of time to think through the structure of the app, taking into account the prioritization of users’ needs and how users will interact with it.
Incorporating Social Impacts in UX Design
Through this project, I learned the significance of considering the environmental impact in UX design. By doing so, I have the opportunity to create products that not only enhance the user experience but also contribute to the betterment of the earth. It was a rewarding experience to work on a project that aligns with my values, and I hope to continue incorporating sustainability into my future designs.
Thank you for reviewing my work!
Hope you enjoy the project! And I would be grateful to hear your feedback😊
