Fresh Plate

During a design sprint challenge, our team embarked on a mission to tackle food waste in Canada with an innovative solution. We created FreshPlate to address common challenges in meal planning and grocery shopping. This cutting-edge app utilizes advanced technology to simplify meal planning, minimize food waste by incorporating imperfect fruits and vegetables, and promote sustainable eating habits. FreshPlate suggests personalized recipes using data-driven algorithms, considering users' dietary preferences, available ingredients, and meal preferences. With tailored meal suggestions and flexible recipe options, FreshPlate empowers users to optimize pantry items, reducing spontaneous and wasteful grocery purchases.

Timeline: 1 Week 2024

Role: UX/UI Designer

Tools: Figma, Paper & Pencil

Platform: iOS

DESIGN PROCESS

I decided to use the Double Diamond design process because it provides a clear path through four phases—Discover, Define, Develop, and Deliver—balancing creativity and focus. As a designer it’s all about understanding real user needs and developing truly effective solutions. This approach encourages innovation while allowing for flexibility and iteration. It helps me reduce risks and ensures I deliver high-quality outcomes, making the design journey both enjoyable and impactful.

THE CHALLENGE

Nearly Half of all fruit & vegetables produced globally are wasted each year. The cost of food losses and waste is approximately $680B and $310B in developed and developing countries.

TACKLING THE ISSUE AS A TEAM

Given the broad scope of the food waste problem, we decided to focus on a specific issue that resonates with us. As a team, we divided roles based on our individual strengths and weaknesses. We conducted individual research to gather facts and figures, focusing on the historical and current context of food waste, recent news regarding consumer food waste, innovations attempting to address food waste, and key market players affected by this issue.

SECONDARY RESEARCH

Through secondary research, we've discovered that numerous factors contribute to food waste, with consumer consumption being the ultimate driver. Below, we outline some of the main reasons why people may refrain from purchasing fresh fruits and vegetables.

  • Fresh produces are too expensive

  • They are not very tasty

  • Takes too much work to prepare

  • Not sure how to prepare /cook them

Nearly half of the produce in North America gets thrown away every year.

  • 50% of produced are thrown away

  • 30% discarded for aesthetics

  • 30% harvested produced were discarded

  • $1766 Annual loss per household

  • All wasted food in Canada: $49 B

PRIMARY RESEARCH

To comprehend the root cause of the issue, we conducted interviews to gain deeper insights into the reasons why people may avoid purchasing fresh produce.

We crafted six open-ended questions based on our assumptions about the issue and interviewed a few individuals.

  • Individuals who purchase groceries

    Between age 16-80

  • 1.What is your opinion on imperfect produce?

    2. What would be a reason that you might not use all the produce you bought?

    3. Why would you choose to eat something else instead of your produce in the fridge?

    4. What might be the reason to throw out produce in your household?

    5. Would you consider consuming imperfect produce if they are a lot cheaper than the “perfect” fruits and vegetables?

    6. What is your opinion on premade meals? Would you use them if they are cheaper than buying groceries?

INTERVIEW HIGHLIGHTS

FINDINGS

Our findings indicate that many users indeed prefer fresh fruits and vegetables. However, factors such as the high cost of fresh produce, time required for preparation, and the perceived difficulty of cooking them are deterring consumers from purchasing them.

PERSONA

Based on our findings we created a user persona as a representation of our target group. 

“How might we influence Canadian households to purchase and consume more healthy produce in order to decrease the cycle of produce waste in Canada?”

TEAM GOAL

As a team we want to design an App where people like Tom can purchase budget-friendly precooked meals made with imperfect produce from local farms, saving time and money.

TASK FLOW

Focus on Tom’s current state we designed a task flow that will create the most value for him.

WIREFRAME & HI-FI

Based on the above task flow we sketched out a couple of designs focusing on functionality and accessibility and converted them into wireframes and high-fidelity designs.

PROTOTYPE

After receiving feedback from usability testing, we refined and finalized the design to address any identified issues and enhance the overall user experience. With these improvements in place, we proceeded to create a working prototype, ensuring it accurately represented the final product and was ready for further evaluation and iteration.

KEY LEARNINGS

Reflecting on this project, I’ve gained valuable insights into the importance of embracing ambiguity. Food waste is a very broad topic, and with only a week’s time, it was challenging to find a digital solution to tackle such a big issue. However, by sharing ideas with my team members, we were able to focus on utilizing imperfect fruits and vegetables and find a sustainable solution that can benefit multiple players in the process.

I also learned that effective communication is key when it come to working on a design with multiple designers. By dividing the tasks based on each individual’s strengths, we were able to maximize our team’s efficiency and effectiveness. Ensuring that tasks were handled by those most capable, leading to higher quality outcomes and a more streamlined workflow.