the company.

GardenSource is dedicated to creating a revolutionary gardening app that integrates GPS technology to address users' individual gardening needs. This comprehensive app includes gardening facts, location-based features for connecting with local groups, and a built-in plant identification function, offering a tailored and intuitive gardening experience.

my role.

In my role as the Sr. Designer for this 5-month project spanning from May 2022 to November 2022, I led a team of 3 junior designers and 2 developers from the conceptualization phase to full development. Employing a combination of UX methodologies and UI design practices, I conducted thorough user research, created user flows, generated sketches and wireframes, established branding guidelines, developed high-fidelity prototypes, and executed usability testing.

tools.

introduction.

The increase in remote work and the emergence of new gardeners amid the pandemic underscore a heightened interest in gardening. A significant number of individuals, particularly the younger generation, are keen to explore cultivating their own food and establishing serene outdoor spaces, yet may encounter challenges in initiating their gardening journey.

the problem.

Gardening poses challenges due to the distinct conditions in each location. Obtaining precise information tailored to one's specific garden criteria proves challenging, prompting users to rely on general searches. Currently, there exists a gap in the market for an app that caters to individual pain points, considering location-specific factors like land conditions, temperature, rainfall, wildlife, and urban versus rural environments.

the solution.

Empowering gardeners with a GPS location feature to track their unique gardening needs, connect with local garden communities, and utilize plant identification technology for recognizing native plants. The outcome is an intuitive and modern app that enables users to discover local groups, access a personalized "my garden" feed, and effortlessly identify plants in their garden.

PROTOTYPE

research.

competitive garden apps.

Amidst the abundance of gardening apps, I observed that many were challenging to navigate, often featuring scattered functions. Given the expansive nature of the gardening category, I concentrated on apps with a GPS location feature for a comparative usability assessment. Two apps, From Seed to Spoon and Garden Tags, were specifically researched and evaluated in this context.

From Seed to Spoon

Garden Tags

Confusing

Landing page is cluttered, navigation is unclear
Dead end routes, no way to navigate home
UI is distracting with too many colors / styles
Too many functions, should be simplified

Intriguing

Good social feed and hashtag categorization
Missing a homepage to redirect users when lost
Unsure how to acquired followers
The UI was insignificant, not helpful in directing actions

findings.

Home gardening is experiencing global growth, a trend that predates the pandemic and has surged further. A 2021 study by the National Gardening Association in the USA revealed that 30% of gardeners plan to expand their gardening activities post-pandemic. This upward trajectory in growth is anticipated to persist steadily in the future.source- gardenpals.com

primary research.

The goal was to comprehend the gardening user group and pinpoint their challenges. Employing a screener survey, I identified participants for 30-40 minute, recorded Zoom interviews. Seven gardeners, aged 18 and above, with outdoor spaces and smart device usage, were interviewed. The questions, a blend of open-ended and direct queries, delved into various aspects of gardening.

sample questions-

How did you start gardening?
What does gardening mean to you?
What websites or apps do you use to get information about gardening?
What is the hardest part about having a garden?
Can you describe your garden to me?

user interviews.

affinity map.

Having gathered insights into gardeners' habits and sentiments, I documented their comments in Miro and constructed an affinity diagram. This involved categorizing takeaways from the interviews into 27 garden subcategories. Clear patterns and frustrations emerged, allowing me to streamline the data and distill it into the eight most prevalent and significant gardening topics.

Difficulty watering
Heat
Learning from community
Growing food
Gardening with family
Google garden questions
Identifying unknown plants
Sharing with friends

user quotes.

analysis insights.

Based on percentages the following categories were the most talked about during user interviews.

target user. Grace

I synthesized these behaviors into a persona, giving her the name Grace. Creating this composite avatar by combining their characteristics proved invaluable. Knowing and empathizing with Grace, assisted me in making informed decisions for product design features that catered to her needs and preferences.

empathy map.

The initial stride toward every successful design starts with empathy. To craft a product addressing gardeners' issues, my first task was to thoroughly comprehend the people themselves – delving into their behaviors, daily habits, thoughts, feelings, goals, and challenges, among other aspects.

jobs to be done.

Job: Understanding what to grow, how to grow it.
Related Job: Garden tasks, purchasing plants, planting, watering, weeding, harvesting.
Functional Aspect: Learning and organization.
Emotional Aspect: Connecting with garden network, community, friends and family.
Personal Dimension: Creating a beautiful environment, growing food to eat, adding value to my home.
Social Dimension: Sharing pictures, showing successes.

how might we?

How might we LEARN to garden for our conditions?
How might we IDENTIFY unknown plants and weeds?
How might we CONNECT with our gardening community?

user stories.

The goal was to capture the gardeners' stories from a user's perspective, emphasizing the crucial elements they sought. This agile approach guided the selection of MVPs (Minimum Viable Products), enabling a focused effort on essential software features.

information architecture.

The findings were put into the three most crucial "Red Route" flows, representing the primary concerns expressed by the gardeners. They prioritized the ability to

1- Learn and access information in one place
2- Easily identify unknown plants
3- Connect seamlessly with friends, family, and the local community

user flow.

sketches.

Ideation sketches started with the homepage, emphasizing the accessibility of the three most crucial features. Numerous iterations were done to ensure the design remained uncluttered. Subsequently, sketches were crafted for the three user flows, prioritizing intuitive user interactions.

guerilla testing.

The sketches were put into a quick prototype using the Marvel app, so that I could test out how the flow was coming together. I tested GROW with 5 participants at a local cafe, and then another 5 participants a week later, I thought this was a true way to get real opinions about the way the app worked.

The chat feature was not intuitive, esp- connecting to local chats.
Include back arrows and a shortcut to the homepage from every screen so there are no dead ends.
Novelty icons were confusing- streamline with icons users know well.
More screens needed to get a fuller user flow experience.

key findings.

wire-frames.

Wireframes were created in Figma based on the feedback from the participants during the testing. I wanted to make sure there was consistency with the layout of the screens so that it felt cohesive and easy to navigate from screen to screen. Each screen was labeled with its function.

ui design.

inspiration.

The app was named GROW because gardeners love to grow plants but also wanted to grow both intellectually and socially within their gardening experiences. I developed the apps brand identity by choosing a color palette, making a mood board and designing fun whimsical icons. I was inspired by UI that was modern, vibrant and clean on a white background, I wanted users to feel transported into the beauty of nature and feel immersed in the garden when they use the app.

visual system.

The style guide drew inspiration from Grace's persona and the mood board. However, during the app design phase, the initially bright colors proved overpowering. In response to user feedback expressing a desire for more garden-centric colors, I shifted towards variations of green with occasional pops of orange. Additionally, I simplified the whimsical garden icons to enhance user clarity. The choice of bold sans-serif typography for call-to-action buttons and clean, legible fonts for body text was made to prioritize user readability and visual appeal.

high fidelity mockups.

Mockups were created based on the existing wireframes, I wanted to establish a visual hierarchy to distinguish important information, as well as keep the design principles consistent, I made sure that the imagery and icons reflected the brand personality, including the color palette. Lastly, I checked for visual accessibility and color contrast.

high fidelity screens.

Using at the 3 most important red routes and the notifications screens as a guide, allowed me to create the foundation, for the look for the UI of the high fidelity screens. I based the rest of the design system off of this established look.

usability testing.

interview findings.

I reviewed the GROW prototype with 10 users, over 20 min recorded zoom calls, I watched as they tested a high fidelity prototype while I asked them to navigate through the same 3 user flows. The goal was to discover any difficulties with the “red routes” and to see how users moved through the app. I was also looking for information on anything that might be confusing or icons that were not intuitive.

outcome.

business goal.

This app can partner with local gardening industries, garden groups and farmers markets to bring content and advertisements to users. It is good for the environment when people have access to their local garden community to usalize resources. This eco friendly partnership benefits users as well as community and businesses.

thank you.

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