Case Study: Food Sustainability
Meet the Team
Viktoria Diez,Murilo Gondim,Katayoun Kiani-Sirbu,Taarikah Jayapala
Tools: Figma,Otter.ai,Google from,Google sheet,Google docs.
Duration: 4 Weeks
Background
Its connection to local producers and consumers revolve around promoting environmentally responsible and community-oriented food systems.
By supporting local producers and consuming locally sourced food, we can significantly reduce the carbon footprint associated with food transportation, mitigating climate change impacts.
Local producers often prioritize sustainable farming practices, fostering biodiversity, preserving traditional crops, and enhancing ecosystem health. Additionally, choosing local products ensures fresher and more nutritious food for consumers while also strengthening the local economy by reinvesting money in the community.
Direct connections between producers and consumers build food literacy and appreciation, while reduced dependency on distant supply chains enhances food security and resilience. Ultimately, embracing food sustainability with a focus on local producers and consumers creates a win-win situation, benefiting the environment, communities, and individuals alike.
Challenge
“How might we help to facilitate the access to local produce and strengthen the relationships between producers and customers?”
Our project aims to revolutionize the food industry by fostering a sustainable farm-to-table ecosystem that connects consumers directly with local farmers. We will bridge the gap between consumers and farmers, promoting transparent and responsible food production practices.
Emapathize:Understanding the user Needs, challenge and Problem
Identification of the problem
Before starting, we conducted some research on the topic.
- how do they find information about local producers and information about locally produced food?
- How can technology help promote food sustainability?
- What are the benefits of local food systems for sustainability?
- What information sources do consumers rely on when making food choices?
Before moving on to the survey, thorough preparation is essential, This phase sets the tone for gathering valuable insights and feedback from users. Initially, defining clear survey objectives, identifying the target audience, and crafting precise questions ensure that the survey aligns with project goals. Crafting a balanced mix of open-ended and closed-ended questions promotes both qualitative depth and quantitative data. Additionally, designing a user-friendly and intuitive survey interface enhances participation rates and data accuracy.
After conducting the survey we analyzed the results, we received 60 response. Revealing that 40.7% of the participants are aged 25–34, 59.3% identify as female, and 79.6% live in a city.
In our research process after the survey ,we plan to conduct user interviews to gain insights and gather additional information. We recognize the importance of preparing relevant questions. These interviews will involve five participants giving us a variety of perspectives and helping us better understand our target audience.
To conduct these interviews we have opted for Google Meet as our preferred platform. Additionally we have chosen to use Otter.ai to record the interviews
Interviews
They express a strong interest in various aspects of food sustainability, such as supporting local producers who use environmentally responsible practices. They mentions accessing local products through a cooperative run by farmers and acknowledges that while there might be less variety, they prioritize quality over quantity. They also discuss the higher cost of local products and how they’re willing to pay more for better quality, but they balance this with cost considerations. Their awareness of local producers seems to be largely limited to what they learn through informal social connections and their own observations. This suggests that there might be an opportunity for improved communication and information-sharing between local producers and consumers to enhance transparency and knowledge about the products being offered. They emphasizes the importance of trying the product before committing to purchasing more extensively. Overall, their responses reflect a conscious approach to purchasing local products, considering quality, price, and personal experiences.
Define: Analysis the Problem statement
After the interviews, we proceed with the Affinity Diagram, which helps us organize the data related to pain points, motivations, and behaviors into categories. This categorization provides a clear structure that makes it easier to understand the relationships between different pieces of information.
Finally, we conduct dot voting to prioritize the data.
As a team, we have reached a consensus on the majority of the points.
After conducting the survey, user interviews, and creating an affinity diagram, we now have a clearer vision, which has helped us better empathize.
Next step we moved on to Empathy map.
Empathy map help us to gain a deeper understanding of a specific target audience by capturing their thoughts, feelings, needs, behaviors, and motivations. It provides a structured way to explore and organize qualitative data collected from user research.
Absolutely, the previous steps I mentioned, including surveys, user interviews, affinity diagrams, and empathy maps, are crucial in forming the foundation for creating accurate and effective user personas.
After creating user personas, the next step in the user-centered design process is to develop a user journey map. A user journey map is a visual representation that outlines the entire user experience as they interact with a product, service, It illustrates the various touchpoints, emotions, actions, and interactions a user goes through during their engagement with the offering. It's help us to understand better user.
the user journey map’s insights guide the creation of HMW statements that directly address user challenges and aspirations. These statements then become catalysts for brainstorming and ideation, leading to innovative solutions that enhance the overall user experience.
Ideate: Exploring Diverse Ideas
earlier stages inform ideation by providing a solid understanding of the problem space, uncovering pain points, presenting opportunities, and ensuring a user-centered approach. Armed with these insights, ideation becomes a purposeful exploration of solutions that address real-world challenges, evoke positive emotions, and align with user expectations. The richness of the gathered information fuels the creativity required for ideation, leading to a diverse range of concepts that have the potential to shape innovative and impactful design solutions.
Develop an application for Laura Martin, a 30-year-old individual. Addressing the needs of busy, health-conscious urbanites, the aim is to provide a solution for acquiring healthy, locally sourced, and budget-friendly products to facilitate the doorstep delivery because often struggle to find the time and accessible.
An exciting technique we employ during ideation is the “Crazy 8s” exercise. Here, we challenge ourselves to sketch eight quick, spontaneous ideas in just eight minutes.
This rapid-fire approach compels us to think beyond constraints and delve into the unconventional. As we look at the user journey from different angles, our diverse Crazy 8s generate a wealth of unique perspectives.
Direct Engagement with Farmers, Incorporating a direct messaging system that enables users to engage directly with producers, Plan ahead by scheduling a delivery for a specific date and time. variety of local produce product on affordable price range, facilitating seamless communication and the acquisition of precise information.
Lo-Fi Wirefram
The seamless journey for the user within our demonstration unfolds across five screens:
- Home Screen:Assuming the user has already set up a profile and designated their location, they will be greeted with a display showcasing the top producers and currently discounted products..
- Producers Page: Laura has the ability to access a comprehensive list of producers operating within her vicinity. This list provides her with insights into their rankings and the geographical distance separating them from her current location.
- Producer Shop:
After choosing a particular producer, Laura is seamlessly directed to their dedicated shop page. Here, she has the option to initiate contact via messages and easily share the shop profile with friends. - Category Selection: Laura has the flexibility to opt for a specific category, like vegetables, which grants her immediate access to the entire range of products offered within that chosen category.
- Payment and Delivery: Once Laura makes her selection, she can proceed to the payment page and choose her preferred delivery method.
Prototype and Test :Crafting and Experimenting with Low-Fidelity Wireframes
Link to the prototype click Below
Testing and Refinement: User Feedback and Enhancements
Feedback from our peers’ user tests was largely favorable. Many noted the commendable focus on community engagement prominently displayed on the main page. The inclusion of recipes tailored to the featured produce of the month was also well-received, incentivizing app exploration beyond shopping. Constructive suggestion emerged regarding visual presentation.
What did we learn ?
-Embrace the power of collaboration and teamwork in crafting user experiences.
-Discover the art of empathy and putting ourselves in the shoes of our users to create meaningful designs.
-Learn the value of user research and how it informs our design decisions.
-Embrace the iterative nature of the design process and learn from our failures and successes.
The experience was fantastic, and I thoroughly enjoyed every aspect of it.
Your feedback is always welcome and valuable to me.
A heartfelt thank you to all the readers who engaged with the article. Your time and interest are truly appreciated.😊
