Designed an MVP mobile app that harnesses AI to integrate sustainability into users' purchasing decisions seamlessly.
Project Manager,
UI/UX Designer
Mobile App
Figma, FigJam, Discord, Google Meet, SurveySwap
July 2023 - August 2023
(4 Weeks)
What is Greenup?
GreenUp is a mobile app fostering sustainability awareness. Users effortlessly scan or search for products through intuitive AI-driven features, accessing sustainability ratings and eco-friendly alternatives. GreenUp goes further, adapting to user habits, offering personalized recommendations, and deepening sustainability knowledge. GreenUp connects users to a more sustainable future by seamlessly merging convenience, education, and technology. Click here to view our final presentation.↗
A month-long hackathon to create an MVP that utilizes AI to combat plastic consumption.
I was privileged to participate in the Girls in Tech: Hackathon for the Environment.↗ Guided by the principles of traditional design thinking and design sprint methodologies, our team was ecstatic to start on this meaningful journey. I had the opportunity to lead the team as the Project Manager and Lead UI Designer.
As the project manager, my responsibilities encompassed overseeing the entire project timeline, coordinating with mentors, and ensuring seamless team collaboration. In addition to my role, I stepped in as lead UI designer, crafting the high-fidelity prototype and curating the visual elements that brought GreenUp to life.
Role
Project Manager,
UI/UX Designer
Platform
Mobile App
Tools Used
Figma, FigJam, Discord, Google Meet, SurveySwap
Duration
July 2023 - August 2023
(4 Weeks)
Constraints
📌 Time constraint of 4 weeks to complete the project.
📌 Limited resources for research and testing.
📌 Technical expertise and collaboration varying skill levels.
Responsibilities
📌 Plan and organize a design sprint while ensuring project objectives are met.
📌 Crafting the visual design of GreenUp's interface, including wireframes, design systems, mockups, and a high-fidelity prototype.
Taking a human-centered approach to involve users every step of the way.
Our team followed the principles of traditional design thinking and design sprint methodologies. We initially had additional tasks that we planned to produce but due to a change in scope and various challenges, we were unable to perform usability testing and further iterations.
🔍 Research
• White paper research
• User survey
• User interviews
• Competitive analysis
• Secondary research
📊 Define
• Confirm problem statement
• User personas
• Key features
• Project objectives
💡 Ideate
• Branding
• Information architecture
• Sketching
🎨 Design
• Mid-fidelity wireframes
• UI style kit
• High-fidelity prototype
• Copywriting
• Pitch deck
However, our insights invalidated our initially assumption about recycling and prompted us to redefine our scope further. 😱
At the outset, we hypothesized that insufficient recycling efforts were the root cause of the problem. However, we quickly realized the importance of grounding our assumptions in rigorous research. With the guidance of our mentors, we delved deeper into the problem statement. We unearthed a pivotal insight: the persistently low 9% recycling rate was primarily due to our escalating plastic consumption outweighing our recycling efforts.
This revelation clarified our mission: to boost the rate, we had to lessen plastic consumption while upholding recycling incentives. This realization led us to the core of sustainable living.
Due to this discovery of our narrowed problem statement amid our user interviews, we were unable to conduct further research to validate our new assumption about sustainability. However, we utilized our user personas to help navigate through the process.
Meet Ethan, Ivy, and Skyler.
Each persona brought a unique perspective, representing diverse demographics, backgrounds, knowledge levels, and impacts. Given our narrowed problem statement and limited research time, we understood that a one-size-fits-all solution was not viable. Instead, we leveraged these personas to pinpoint recurring sustainability-related pain points shared among them. We aimed to identify key themes that could guide us in crafting tailored solutions for our refined problem statement.
Ethan, Ivy, and Skyler shared three common struggles.
Ethan, Ivy, and Skyler faced similar challenges, emphasizing three recurring themes: the need for convenience, a limited understanding of environmental impact, and a lack of shared knowledge. While they shared common concerns, the extent of these challenges varied among the personas. These distinctions revealed a spectrum of challenges, which guided our design decisions.
Lack of Shared Knowledge:
Limited understanding of the recycling process, varying by demographics and education.
Complexity arises from evolving environmental practices, affecting even experienced users.
Design Decision:
Streamlined process to make sustainability actions more accessible.
Help users quickly scan or search products for sustainability/recycling information to make informed decisions.
Need of Convenience:
Difficulty accessing sustainability information to make proper decisions.
Feeling that the entire sustainable living process is time-consuming and labor-intensive.
Design Decision:
Utilizing AI to track users' impact to help visually see their contributions.
Social features to encourage collective responsibility.
Limited Understanding of Impact:
Don't fully understand their efforts and lack a sense of social responsibility.
Perceiving the problem of environmental impact as too big for one individual to solve alone.
Design Decision:
Educational content integrated into the app to help promote shared learning.
Real-time news hub providing updates on environmental topics.
Community features for sharing tips and experiences among users.
Defining the structure.
Given time constraints, MVP development focused on the core—product search and scan—aligning with GreenUp's mission of effortless sustainable choices. We strategically organized GreenUp's content and features for user-friendly navigation. Our goal was to ensure easy access to sustainable product information and insights. We crafted a clear structure that balanced simplicity with depth, setting the stage for a seamless and engaging user experience.
Developing the concept idea within a 4-day design sprint.
I leveraged the design sprint methodology to translate our team's idea concept into a high-fidelity prototype in less than four days. Here's a quick breakdown of my process: I curated mood boards for inspiration that resonated with our mission and values, established our brand identity, created a UI style kit, collaborated with the team on sketching, and finally, brought these sketches to life in an interactive prototype while simultaneously creating a design system to ensure consistency.
Ensuring key screens were developed for submission.
Below are a few mockup screens showcasing the product's user flow. Due to time limitations, I prioritized prototyping the key screens and MVP features for our final pitch. To view the final interactive prototype, try it out by clicking here.↗
Reflecting on my contributions, the project outcome, and how I’ve grown in this project.
Throughout this project, I've had the chance to apply my existing expertise while experiencing substantial growth as a designer and team contributor. Beyond honing my design skills, I've also embraced leadership responsibilities, orchestrating project timelines, nurturing team dynamics, and facilitating mentor communication. Tackling challenges and resolving conflicts has enhanced my holistic perspective and communication abilities, especially in decision-making scenarios. I've learned the value of periodically stepping back to ensure our project aligns with its intended scope and business objectives.
Collaboration is essential.
Our team camaraderie helped us delegate tasks that highlight each of our unique strengths and show support for one another at every phase and through any conflicts.
Actively seeking mentorship and feedback at every step.
Due to time constraints, we constantly leveraged mentorship insights and feedback for each design process. We had the privilege to talk with encouraging and supportive mentors whose insight helped improve our design and concept.
Discovering our solution.
While we can’t motivate every user to recycle due to various factors, we’re proud to have ideated a more creative solution that can be easily implemented across all users which slows the plastic consumption rate altogether.
Manage challenges more timely and effectively.
We encountered constraints and challenges that caused delays. A quick resolution was crucial to keep progressing. Some decisions hit roadblocks, leading to time pressure. My adaptability allowed me to assist in critical moments, helping the team navigate difficulties more effectively and stay on track.
Marry the problem, not the solution.
There was a sense of urgency and excitement when the project was kicked off, leading us to embrace a problem and a presumed solution that lacked confidence. Thankfully, we took a step back and took a risk to extend research to ensure we were designing for the right user issues.