Capstone Project
Role
UX Researcher
Product Strategist
UI Designer
Visual Designer
Methods
User Research
Wireframing
Prototyping
User Testing
Duration
10 Weeks
Tools Used
Figma, Figma Mirror, InVision, Adobe Illustrator, Adobe Photoshop, Google Forms, Google Meet, Zoom, Otter, Pen and Paper
Sustainability within reach.
With climate change awareness on the rise, many people are becoming more eco-conscious, but it’s difficult to know which products are actually sustainable. Oak. provides users with sustainable alternatives for household products so consumers may easily find products that are environmentally friendly.
metric tonnes of waste is produced annually by Canada.
I was assigned with identifying a human-centered problem that could use design intervention.
With my passion for sustainability, it was pretty easy to choose topics that needed design intervention - the difficult part was narrowing in on ONE.
Out of the many issues recognized, the human-centered problem that I identified for digital intervention was to make sustainable products available for regular consumers.
The Problem
Problem Space
During my own journey inching my way towards a minimal waste lifestyle, I realized that there was not enough awareness and resources guiding me to make waste-conscious decisions. I was not surprised to learn that others were also frustrated having to spend hours upon hours trying to find a minimal or zero waste product that they could use. I would like to help regular people make an easy change and find minimal waste / zero waste options for regular household products.
Secondary Research
Upon conducting secondary research, it was made even more clear how Canadians waste more plastic than any other nation. Below are some key facts regarding plastic waste in Canada.
Canada produces the most amount of waste in the world.
86% of plastic waste ends up in landfills, only 9% is recycled and 5% is incinerated to create energy.
One-third of plastics in Canada are created for single-use packaging or products.
With a population of 36 million people, Canadians use 15 billion plastic bags annually and 57 million straws daily.
In 2020, 49% of people expect more businesses to be accountable for their environmental impact.
Primary Research
Upon conducting scripted interviews with 5 different individuals, and conducting a survey with 21 participants, 3 common themes were identified.
Accessibility to Resources
Users are frustrated with their inability to easily find information on sustainable products and are unable to determine which products are greenwashed.
Lifestyle
Users spend too much time trying to research sustainable alternatives and don’t want to change their lifestyles.
Reviews
Users were inclined to consult reviews and value them were purchasing products.
Hypothesis
I believe improving accessibility to sustainable product alternatives to regular household products will relieve consumer frustration and lower the overall waste from single-use plastic in Canada.
I will know that this is correct when we see an increase in sustainable products being manufactured and purchased as well as a decrease in the amount of single-use plastic waste being discarded by at least 3% annually.
How Might We…
... educate Canadians on sustainable alternatives for household products in order to reduce their carbon footprint?
Constraints
For the duration of the project, some project constraints that must be considered include technical, business, and socio-cultural constraints.
Technical constraints would include application compatibility, limited resources, and design capabilities.
Some business constraints would include the short timeline, small budget as well limited bodies on this project.
Socio-cultural constraints would include consumers’ willingness to participate and separate from cultural traditions. They would also include values instilled in society and the risk of acceptance from society.
An indicator of success would include a substantial amount of users educating themselves on sustainable alternatives. It would also include a decrease in the amount of waste created from household products.
Project Brief
The project includes developing a digital solution to allow consumers to easily access information on sustainable alternatives to regular household products that would otherwise require a substantial amount of time to obtain.
The project objectives include improving access to information on sustainable alternatives to household items. The project would allow users to maintain the majority of their lifestyle, while not compromising on the environment to the same degree.
The target audience is Canadian Citizens aged 18-35 wanting to make a sustainable change in their life.
Development
Persona
Using the research obtained in the previous section, I created a persona based on the findings to aid in empathizing with the user - let’s meet Liz.
Experience Map
The experience map below shows Liz’s experience purchasing a sustainable product - laundry detergent in this case. This process helps me visualize the user’s experience in order to identify their frustrations and find a potential design intervention.
Design
Intervention
With the rollercoaster of emotions Liz goes through to try and find an environmentally friendly laundry detergent, there are evidently many opportunities for design intervention.
Providing users with Brand Information and Profiles
Provide users with Sustainable Options
Liz’s Perspective
Below are some user stories from Liz’s perspective to help us get a better understanding of her frustrations and goals. With many different epics derived from user stories, one was chosen for our main task flow.
Sketches
I started sketching key pages using pen and paper to get a better idea of the structure and layout for each page. This process helped me ideate the flow and create screens for a digital solution using Material Design.
I created a UI Inspiration board using InVision to ideate the flow and structure of the application. Click on the button below to see it.
Original Digital Wireframes
These wireframes were created for the primary flow of the application and 2 rounds of user testing. Each round consisted of 5 different users, and a script was used to help guide them through the flow and complete all flows within the MVP.
User testing helps us identify issues within the design so it can be calibrated and optimized for the user.
Click on the button below for full access to the detailed report.
The Details
Visual Identity
With the structure of the wireframes and the flow of the prototype finalized, it was time to develop the brand identity to create a cohesive and comprehensive design.
I created a Mood Board to help me fully understand the feel and emotion I wanted to app to convey. Click below to get the full experience.
Why Oak.?
I wanted to name the application something that was recognizable, reliable, and simple.
I did some research on natural elements and decided to choose the name “Oak.” because it is one of the most beneficial trees for the environment.
The oak tree has widely spread branches which allow it to photosynthesize at higher volumes than many other trees. It is also known for being a durable and reliable wood.
The punctuation at the end of “Oak.” adds further emphasis to the stability of the application.
Logo
I created two different logo options.
Each logo option conveyed very different messages. I wanted the brand to be airy, but also solid and dependable, like an oak tree.
The top option gave security with the weight of the text and was easy to read with the leaf.
The bottom option gave a very light look, but I didn’t think consumers would be able to easily understand what “Oak.” really is. The cycle symbol also represents recycling and reuse, which may cause confusion for the consumer.
Final Prototype
Although this is my final prototype (for now) I feel as though I was able to create a cohesive and usable design in 10 weeks.
I will be continuing the development of this prototype and I will be adding other functions and flows to it.
There is still a lot of user testing to be conducted, and I’m open to any feedback and suggestions you have!
Click on the link below to view it in action.
Marketing Website
Upon finding inspiration, I found I gravitated towards 3D icons and images with a subtle background.
I decided to use 3D icons with a playful ambiance. I used the same brand colors for a cohesive and recognizable design while adding a whimsical feel to the brand.
Alternate Platform
With the continued development of the Oak. brand and platform, alternative platform designs have been considered.
The application has been created for an android tablet in addition to the android mobile device. iOS mobile, tablet, and a web browser will also be created.
What the future holds
With climate change awareness on the rise and sustainability a goal for many people, it is anticipated that the Oak. brand will be beloved by many. With positive feedback and comments from user testing, I am optimistic that the Oak. brand is a viable solution.
Household products are a stepping stone to more sustainable alternatives. Oak. will expand its platform and range of products as it grows as a brand.
Tarot cards of Tech
If Oak. was to be successful, many big brands that mass-produce and cause harm to the environment would lose proportionate amounts of revenue and many people would lose their jobs. On the other hand, these companies could also be forced to change their production process to cause less harm to the environment.
If consumers immerse themselves into the full Oak. experience, they would reuse and upcycle items that they would have previously discarded, such as containers, bottles, clothing. Oak. would likely not interfere with any services.
The ingredients in household products are often harmful in the sourcing of them, as well as production. If consumers were to make more sustainable choices, many industries would be negatively affected; such as oil, mining, transportation, etc.
