Plant

Problem

I found that plant owners have started to sacrifice the love for their plants due to planter's fatigue such as: the lack of care information about the plants they own, the lack of time due to work and the lack of energy.

Solution

The application works with both the users schedule as well as the plants care data to create an optimum task schedule to create a situation where both the plants and the users are happy. In addition, provides additional care information as a preventive measure towards the plants health.

Question

How might we schedule task and information that would benefit both the users and the plants they own?

Context

I've always had a passion for plants and have kept a large collection in my home. However, there are times where are I wonder if there could be a better experience in caring for multiple plants so that I would not get overwhelmed and fatigued.

I started to ask around my peers and plant enthusiast online and they shared similar thoughts as me., some saying that they might give up on the hobby.

This is why I wanted to start on this personal project.
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1. Brainstorm

Helps to understand and discover potential needs or challenges the user might have through interviews and brainstorming sessions.

- Empathy Map
- User Persona
- Journey Map

2. Define

Starting to narrow the focus. Finding concrete ways that the product being developed will impact the user.

- Competitors
- Problem Statement
- Hypothesis

3. Design

Actively develop ideas, checking if all specifications from this stage is realistic and meets users and clients goals.
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- User Flow Diagram
- Site Mapping
- Wireframe and Prototyping

4. Test

Evaluate the usability of the design, make iterations and produce a design system for the hi-fi prototype.

- Usability Test
- Design System
- Hi-fi prototype

Brainstorming Phase

Empathy Map

Collating knowledge and observations to discover new insights.

User Persona. User Story

Scaled down floor plan allows simulation of potential solutions.

Journey Map

Interview users for their insights, experiences and challenges.

Exploring users four main motivations helps me come up with ideas for solutions that address users' real problems.

Provides me with a user and a focus of which my solutions will be based on.

Maps out the current journey a typical user might take to reach their goals, analyzing their challenges and thoughts.

Users are too tired to care for their plants

With different plants requiring different needs, plant parents sometimes have to care for their plants even if they are tired or do not have the time to do so.

Users do not know their plants enough to give proper care

Usually users purchase their plants because it is beautiful but lack the knowledge to care for them. This makes it difficult to keep their plants alive.

Problem Statement

Kelly is a busy executive who needs a plant care schedule for her many houseplants that accommodates to her lifestyle and environment because she gets overwhelmed with home plant care.

Hypothesis

If Kelly gets a plant schedule that accomodates to her lifesetyle and environment then she can care for her plants with ease.

Goal Statement

Our plant app will let users care for large amount of plants. Which will affect home plant owners by adapting their plant schedules and information to their environment and lifestyle. We will measure effectiveness by clarity and ease of care information.

Strengths

The apps provide some sort of a care experience as well as providing users with information about the plants they own.

Weakness

Does not adapt to users needs, environment but focuses on only the plants needs, resulting is task for almost everyday of the week.

Opportunities

During our simulation of location with users, we introduced the new features within applications that the user is familiar with. Upon testing the prototypes with an A/B test, we gather data such as how confident users are with the new features.

Brainstorming Phase

User Flow Diagram and Storyboarding

Collating knowledge and observations to discover new insights.

Sitemap

Scaled down floor plan allows simulation of potential solutions.

Wireframe and Prototype

Interview users for their insights, experiences and challenges.

Usability studies

Interview users for their insights, experiences and challenges.

Helps in understanding the journey of the user.

Outline app before the actual design.

Brainstorm potential solutions and flows for the app.

Receive insights from actual users to improve upon.

Users would rather be guided than be told what to do

Users were skeptical of the instructions presented to them. "How does the app know what I should do with my plants?". They would rather check the plants themselves.

Users are confuse with the navigation of the app

Users are not able to complete certain task due to the way the app was laid out. They wanted all the navigational buttons to be in the same place.

Users find it challenging to add a task day

Users were confuse what is a task day and where to add the days.

Users trust instructions that had been proven by other users

Users wanted solutions and care guides that were proven by real users.

Task Days To Do List

Easily see what you have to do on task days

Setting Available Days

Easily set available days for plant care

My Plants Library

Easily view and know more about your plants

Adding plants onto the app

When users add their plants onto the app, they will be presented with a simple questionnaire to know more about their plants and the environment it is in. This will help the app provide accurate care information needed for the plant.

Challenge

Users are unsure of what they are suppose to do with their plants.

Implementation

Provides plant task along with instructions to implement the tasks.

Benefits

A guided experience that helps users efficiently and effectively care for their plants.

Challenge

Users sometimes have to care for their plants even if they are tired or do not have the time to do so.

Implementation

Users are able to set their preferred days to care for their plants.

Benefits

Users are less tired, allowing them to complete their task and care for their plants.

Challenge

Users do not know much about their houseplants making care confusing and challenging.

Implementation

Provides background information, community ratings and precautions to their houseplants.

Benefits

Users are able to know more about their plants, creating preventive and care practices.

Reflection
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- Chance to dive deeper into user research and user experience.

- Ability to create User interfaces that are clear and easy to understand.

- Ability to pin point feasible solutions with better effort to impact ratios.

Credits
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I would like to thank the people that helped me gain knowledge about plants and user research.

This project is done in relation to the Google UX Design Professional Certificate.