aung_km
resume
contact

FoodSaver

The food waste reducer,
helping consumers from
purchase to the plate.
The food waste reducer,
helping consumers from
purchase to the plate.
DURATION

3 months

CLIENT

Academic
Project

ROLE

UI/UX Designer
UX Researcher

SUMMARY

The project was designed for the class CS3240 : Interaction Design at National University of Singapore. The project was done with a group of 4 students and I designed the inventory system of the application.

Problem

How might we

help individuals reduce food waste at every stage of their daily food consumption - from planning and purchasing to storing and cooking?

help individuals reduce food waste at every stage of their daily food consumption - from planning and purchasing to storing and cooking?

Project Overview

Discovery Research

We started by connecting with the people who handle food on a daily basis, in order to better understand the stages where food waste happens.

We recruited 6 individuals ranging from various age groups for the discovery stage of this project

We started by connecting with the people who handle food on a daily basis, in order to better understand the stages where food waste happens.

We recruited 6 individuals ranging from various age groups for the discovery stage of this project

User Research Methods

With regards to the methods, we decided to employ Contextual Inquiry to study the process of food consumption from the purchase all the way to cooking and eating while also employing Semi-Structured Interviews in between to gather qualitative data on the thought process of the users.

With regards to the methods, we decided to employ Contextual Inquiry to study the process of food consumption from the purchase all the way to cooking and eating while also employing Semi-Structured Interviews in between to gather qualitative data on the thought process of the users.

Data Gathered

We gathered various types of data, ranging from actions, quotes to photographs and consolidated them on Figjam. The following are an example of the data collected throughout the discovery process.

We gathered various types of data, ranging from actions, quotes to photographs and consolidated them on Figjam. The following are an example of the data collected throughout the discovery process.

Affinity Diagram

The raw data gathered was then put together in a Affinity Diagram to consolidate similar themes as a group

The raw data gathered was then put together in a Affinity Diagram to consolidate similar themes as a group

Hierarchy of Discovery Findings

We devised 4 hierarchy of our findings outlining the typical procedures of different processed usually conducted by these two groups of users. We also collectively analyzed the data to construct an affinity diagram containing approximately 150 notes derived from our contextual inquiries.

We devised 4 hierarchy of our findings outlining the typical procedures of different processed usually conducted by these two groups of users. We also collectively analyzed the data to construct an affinity diagram containing approximately 150 notes derived from our contextual inquiries.

Key User Tasks

From the hierarchy of findings, 3 key user tasks emerged :

From the hierarchy of findings, 3 key user tasks emerged :

  1. Users should be able to consolidate their grocery list throughout the week while comparing prices across different supermarkets.

    The purpose of this will be to reduce excess food purchase

  1. Users should be able to effortlessly keep track of the expiry dates of the food items they have. For perishables without expiry dates, users will be reminded of the average duration they can last before going bad

    The purpose of this is to reduce hidden expiring food that ends up being thrown away

  1. Users should be able to retrieve recipes according to the ingredients they have in their storage.

    The purpose of this will be to provide creative recipes to use up expiring food that the user may have stored

For the purpose of the group project, the task that I will be focusing more will be
Task 2 - Keeping track of expiry dates of the food items in the storage.

For the purpose of the group project, the task that I will be focusing more will be Task 2 - Keeping track of expiry dates of the food items in the storage.

User Personas

To create our persona, we gathered data from the Affinity Diagram compiled and synthesised during our contextual inquiry sessions.
Sally and Louis were created as our primary and secondary target user respectively.

To create our persona, we gathered data from the Affinity Diagram compiled and synthesised during our contextual inquiry sessions.
Sally and Louis were created as our primary and secondary target user respectively.

Ideation - Design Strategy

To further enhance the design for storage, I explored the theory of :

To further enhance the design for storage, I explored the theory of :

Spatial Memory

the ability of users to remember the location of elements, controls, or information within a digital interface based on their spatial arrangement.

the ability of users to remember the location of elements, controls, or information within a digital interface based on their spatial arrangement.

As the users would often frequent the storage feature of the application, designing for spatial memory was a core consideration when enhancing my design. I designed for spatial memory by employing these 3 design strategies :

As the users would often frequent the storage feature of the application, designing for spatial memory was a core consideration when enhancing my design. I designed for spatial memory by employing these 3 design strategies :

  1. Widgets

Widgets allow the users to see the food items at a glance, increasing visibility of items and making them memorable to the users.

  1. Separation of inventory

Reflect the real world position of food items by separating the inventory into various sub-inventory such as fridge/cupboards.

  1. Allow user customisation

Customisation allows users to arrange widgets in a way that feels intuitive to them, reinforcing their mental model of the interface

Lo-Fi Design

The key idea of the Lo-Fi Design would be a storage system where the users are able to “store” items in different compartments. The items will then have a set countdown before it spoils, hence reducing foodwaste.

The key idea of the Lo-Fi Design would be a storage system where the users are able to “store” items in different compartments. The items will then have a set countdown before it spoils, hence reducing foodwaste.

Review on Lo-Fi Design

The individual Lo-Fi Designs were then tested amongst the group members and was then analysed through SWOT Analysis

The individual Lo-Fi Designs were then tested amongst the group members and was then analysed through SWOT Analysis

Strength

Overall grid system is nice

Use of spatial memory to allow user freedom to arrange items themselves - help the users to remember too

Use of ‘healthbar’ as way to show progress is helpful for users

Overall grid system is nice

Use of spatial memory to allow user freedom to arrange items themselves - help the users to remember too

Use of ‘healthbar’ as way to show progress is helpful for users

Weakness

The icons might be too small to see

What if the user want to move the items around?

The icons might be too small to see

What if the user want to move the items around?

Opportunity

Allow the UI to tell who put in which item too - will help with Secondary Users

Allow the UI to tell who put in which item too - will help with Secondary Users

Threat

Need to implement a system to recover food items in the bin

Need to implement a system to recover food items in the bin

Hi-Fi Prototype

This stage involves refining the basic wireframes into more polished and detailed representations of the app's interface and functionality by incorporing feedback gathered during the internal review session to enhance the user experience and address any identified issues.

This stage involves refining the basic wireframes into more polished and detailed representations of the app's interface and functionality by incorporing feedback gathered during the internal review session to enhance the user experience and address any identified issues.

Review on Hi-Fi Design

This prototype is then used for user tests with the following instructions that mimic real world scenarios :

The test was done with 5 users, non-repeating from the discovery stage

This prototype is then used for user tests with the following instructions that mimic real world scenarios :

The test was done with 5 users, non-repeating from the discovery stage

Strength

4 out of 5 users enjoy the interactive drag-and-drop feature and can easily learn how to add or edit items without prior guidance. - "Feels very Game-Like"

2 participants also like that there is a user tracker in the design - "Removes the need to ask who bought what"


4 out of 5 users enjoy the interactive drag-and-drop feature and can easily learn how to add or edit items without prior guidance. - "Feels very Game-Like"

2 participants also like that there is a user tracker in the design - "Removes the need to ask who bought what"


Weakness

3 out of 5 users felt that Button to close menus - "X" was too hard to press.

4 out of 5 users raised an issue that if there are too many items, the users might feel overwhelmed.



3 out of 5 users felt that Button to close menus - "X" was too hard to press.

4 out of 5 users raised an issue that if there are too many items, the users might feel overwhelmed.



Opportunity

4 out of 5 users want a filter mode for expiry or expiring food.

3 out of 5 users also pointed out that they would want to know and update the amount (such as weight) of items left in the storage.

4 out of 5 users want a filter mode for expiry or expiring food.

3 out of 5 users also pointed out that they would want to know and update the amount (such as weight) of items left in the storage.

Threat

2 out of 5 users voiced out security concern and want to have control on who have access to movement of certain items.

2 out of 5 users voiced out security concern and want to have control on who have access to movement of certain items.

Changes Made to the Final prototype :

Full Prototype Walkthrough

Let's work
Together!

Let's work
Together!