Adopting a sustainable lifestyle & mindful consumption
Introducing the Sustainable way of Consuming and eating
At EcoEat, our mission is clear: we prioritize reducing food waste and promoting mindful shopping. By partnering with local markets, we ensure that no food goes to waste while connecting you with the freshest ingredients. Simply let us know your food preferences, and we'll tailor your options accordingly. Save money and contribute to a greener future by shopping for end-of-cycle products. With EcoEat, say goodbye to worries about time-consuming meal prep. Our prepackaged recipe bags are curated from leftover ingredients, providing convenience without compromising quality. Plus, with each order, you'll receive a summary of your impact, showing how you've helped reduce CO2 emissions and minimize waste.
Target Users
Research & Analysis | User Interview
Understanding the problem
1
Consumers face the dual challenge of time-consuming meal planning and reducing food waste, highlighting the need for a solution that streamlines meal preparation while promoting sustainable shopping habits.
Consumers aspiring for sustainable practices face challenges in organization, small-quantity shopping, and affordability, impacting their adoption of eco-friendly initiatives.
2
Business owners, committed to minimizing food waste, encounter operational obstacles and customer hesitations, impeding efficient discount implementation and sustainability objectives.
Inefficient use of leftover ingredients from local markets contributes to food waste and environmental impact, underscoring the need for a solution that connects users with sustainable meal options and reduces waste.
Approaching The Solution
Customizing preference
-
EcoEat has got your back! It analyzes your food preferences and local market availability to suggest prepackaged recipes tailored to your tastes, making mindful shopping a breeze. Plus, you can customize your experience to fit your dietary needs and preferences, ensuring every bite is delicious and sustainable!
Connect with your local market
-
With EcoEat, you get the inside scoop on the food supply chain! We link you up with local markets, giving you a clear view of where your ingredients come from and championing sustainable practices in your community.
Prepackaged recipes
-
EcoEat simplifies meal planning by offering prepackaged recipes crafted from the surplus ingredients available at your local markets. Enjoy convenient cooking with sustainable, locally sourced ingredients, all while reducing food waste and supporting your community.
Impact tracking
-
Keep tabs on your environmental impact with EcoEat! Not only can you track metrics like CO2 saved, water conservation, and waste reduction, but you'll also see how much money you've saved and how many bags you've bought.
Competitor Analysis
Both EcoEat and Too Good To Go tackle food waste uniquely, suiting different stages of the food supply chain and user needs. EcoEat empowers individuals with prepackaged recipes from local leftovers, promoting sustainability in meal planning. In contrast, Too Good To Go facilitates surplus food redistribution from businesses to consumers at discounted rates, targeting waste reduction at retail and hospitality levels. Both platforms combat food waste but cater to distinct supply chain stages and user preferences.
Who are my users?
Client's Perspective
Meet Maya, a sustainability-conscious designer striving to integrate eco-friendly practices into her daily routine. Despite her efforts, she struggles with food waste due to surplus groceries and leftovers. Maya seeks affordable and environmentally friendly options that align with her financial resources.
Business Perspective
Introducing Nova, an environmentally conscious business owner eager to minimize waste by offering end-of-cycle products at discounted prices. Faced with the uncertainty of mystery bags on platforms like Too Good To Go, Nova seeks an alternative solution that provides greater transparency to customers.
Things To Consider
Business Goals
User Goals
Streamline Operational Efficiency:
Enhance the supermarket's operational processes to efficiently identify, manage, and offer discounted, soon-to-expire items, reducing food waste and associated challenges.
Commitment to Sustainable practices
Increase brand reputation in sustainability
Community Engagement:
Consumers want to actively participate in community initiatives to reduce food waste, requiring support and encouragement to adopt creative ideas for using leftovers effectively and embracing end-of-life foods.
Increasing revenue rather than trashing items.
Financial:
seeking discounts or promotions that make environmentally conscious choices financially accessible.
Accurate Consumption Guidance
assistance in buying the right amount of food to avoid waste, desiring educational resources and tools that provide guidance on food storage durations and creative usage of leftovers.
Brainstorming potential solutions
Based on research insights, I have developed the concept of EcoEat, focusing on prepackaged recipe bags made from leftover ingredients. I explored different features and functionalities to enhance user experience and promote eco-friendly shopping habits.
How does EcoEat operate?
How does it work for the user?
Before finalizing the exact steps for the flows, I began by roughly sketching the ideas I had in mind for comparison with the existing brand's functionality. Once I refined the details, I proceeded to outline the steps of the task flows, pinpointing areas where the user journey needed enhancement.
Maya explores EcoEat's app, drawn to its diverse prepackaged recipes with detailed descriptions and images. Opting for a Pescatarian-based recipe sourced from nearby markets' leftovers, she adds it to her cart and proceeds to checkout.
Usability Testing
All 8 out of 8 participants completed all tasks successfully.
EcoEat received praise for its intuitive interface and concept. Users particularly liked the clear navigation, friendly tone, and choice of illustrations. Feedback included suggestions for improving the onboarding process and checkout verbiage, as well as a preference for real images for recipes and products.
Additionally, participants suggested adding order history to the navigation bar for convenience. Overall, user insights helped me enhance EcoEat for a more enjoyable user experience.
Here, I highlighted major comments that were taken into account and acted upon:
01. Flow and Clarity
During user testing, participants expressed confusion about the "What are you in the mood today?" prompt, feeling it added an unnecessary step. To address this, I removed the screen and simplified the wording for a clearer experience.
02. Visual Improvement
To improve the visual experience, we altered the background color to create a more dynamic environment. Additionally, I addressed the spacing issue by implementing a fixed header and adjusting the layout to provide a more balanced visual presentation.
Before
After
03. Consistency & Layout
Users preferred seeing real images instead of illustrations to better understand what they were receiving in their bags. They also raised concerns about pixelated illustrations in the ingredients area. As a result, I replaced all illustrations with real images.
04. Clarity & Spacing
I added a disclaimer to make users aware that prepackaged recipe bags cannot be modified, preventing a surprise during checkout. Additionally, I addressed spacing issues in the iteration to enhance the user experience.
Before
After
05. Freshness Clarity
Users expressed stress over purchasing products near the end of their shelf life without knowing their age. To address this concern, I added a "best by" date to provide clarity and transparency regarding the product's freshness.
06. CTA & Verbiage
Participants expressed concerns about the "Bag it" button, which gave the wrong impression that the bag was immediately theirs and they had to pay upon reaching the market, rather than through the app. To resolve this, I changed the call-to-action to "Add to cart," clarifying that there are additional steps before they can pick up their bag.
Before
After
07. Navigation Improvement
After adding a product to their shopping cart, users were directed to the checkout screen directly. To resolve this, an extra screen was introduced post adding the product, providing users with the option to add more items, thereby enhancing the shopping experience and potentially increasing revenue for the business.
08. CTA Clarification
The term "Reserve" previously led users to believe they already had the product without payment through the app. To address this misconception, it's now changed to "Checkout" for clarity. Furthermore, additional details regarding the product's freshness are provided to users, enabling them to make an informed decision before proceeding with payment.
Before
After
09. Language Barrier and Relativity
Users found the language on the impact page confusing and suggested using friendlier wording, just like the onboarding and how welcoming the app was at the beginning.
Additionally, they expressed a desire for more relatable information about their daily environmental impact.
10. Information Architecture
Users recommended removing "Tips" from the navigation bar, as it's not their priority. Instead, they suggested replacing it with "Orders" for easier access to their order history. Tips now only appear on the impact page, located in the right corner.
Before
After
Aligning Design Solutions with User Needs and Goals
During usability testing, we delved into success rates, error rates, and how long it took on average to complete tasks. The feedback was overwhelmingly positive, with users giving a satisfaction rating of 6.7 out of 7 for the flow. I also asked open-ended questions to understand users' sentiments about the design and any hiccups they encountered. Based on their input, I made necessary adjustments to ensure a positive user experience design.
Additional screens
I introduced these two extra screens after noticing users' inclination to cancel orders before completing them. This addition allows users a last-minute chance to change their minds, offering a 'go back' option that redirects them to the checkout process.
Users also expressed interest in understanding how each order contributes to their impact. to address this, I added a friendly animation along with a brief description explaining the environmental benefits of their order.
Branding | Visual Identity | Design System
To capture the essence of freshness and vibrancy, mirroring the natural hues of vegetables from the rich tones of orange, the crispness of bean sprouts, the purity of cauliflower, the verdant shades of lettuce, and the earthy tones of broccoli, I crafted a palette that evokes a sense of vitality and healthfulness. These colors not only reflect the essence of EcoEat but also resonate with users, inviting them into as visually appealing and welcoming environment.
Prototype & Design
