Green Amigos
Cultivating Sustainable Solutions for Climate Change and Mental Wellness
Green Amigos is a gardening app with an AR feature that allows users to visualize, plan, and maintain their gardens.
The Challenge
Our mission was to address climate crisis through reduced carbon emissions by encouraging users to practice environmental sustainability through gardening.
MY ROLE
Project Manager
UX Researcher
UI/UX Designer
TOOLS
Adobe XD
Figma
Illustrator
Miro
Photoshop
TEAM
Amar Husari, UX Writer
Beverly Adolphus, Visual Designer & AR Feature Programmer
Gauri Prochin, UX Designer & Video Editor
Nicole Strong, Visual Designer & Prototype Tester
User Research
We conducted user research by examining competitor apps and gardening forums and interviewing five garden club members between the ages of 26 and 52, mostly identifying as women, with one person identifying as non-binary.
Our research revealed that there were various motivations behind gardening, such as physical health, therapy, and as a mental outlet. Furthermore, we found that some users made unplanned purchases of plants, while others were hesitant due to uncertainties regarding garden planning and plant sustainability. However, they were eager to learn if the information was readily available.
Primary Users
Age Group
26-52 Years Old
Gender
80% Women and 20% Non-Binary
Gardening Reasons
Improving physical and mental health
How can users make informed decisions and plan their gardens before purchasing to ensure long-term success?
Market Research
Researching top plant maintenance apps revealed a market gap in addressing users' garden planning and maintenance needs. These apps mostly offered basic plant-care advice with limited free content for garden planning, community engagement, or purchasing guidance. After a competitor analysis, considering users' long-term success, the team aimed to fill these gaps by creating Green Amigos.
Blossom
Pros
- Care reminders
- Offers plant care
- Online shopping
Cons
- No community forum
- Paid subscription
- Does not allow info/content sharing
- No progress tracker
- Does not provide recommendations
PictureThis
Pros
- Care reminders
- Online shopping
Cons
- No community forum
- Paid subscription
- Does not allow info/content sharing
- Does not offer plant care advice
- No progress tracker
- Does not provide recommendations
Planta
Pros
- Care reminders
- Online shopping
Cons
- No community forum
- Paid subscription
- Does not allow info/content sharing
- Doesn't offer plant advice
- No progress tracker available
- Does not provide recommendations
Planter
Pros
- Care reminders
- Online shopping
Cons
- No community forum
- Paid subscription
- Does not allow info/content sharing
- Does not offer plant care advice
- No progress tracker
- Does not provide recommendations
Seed to Spoon
Pros
- Care reminders
- Online shopping
- Free to use
Cons
- No community forum
- Does not allow info/content sharing
- Does not offer plant care advice
- No progress tracker
- Does not provide recommendations
Assisting users in making informed decisions and planning gardens beforehand would aid their long-term success.
From the competitor analysis, we concluded our app should have the following key features:
User Persona
User Flow
The user flow illustrates the initial usage of the app, including tasks such as plant care, garden organization and planning, utilizing the AR feature for visualization, and finding resources for garden maintenance.
Information Hierarchy
I used Figma to create a flowchart with an established information hierarchy, incorporating peer feedback to enhance both the flowchart and user tasks before subsequently designing an app sitemap.
Lo-Fi Wireframes
The initial lo-fi wireframes guided our hi-res versions and enabled early usability tests, revealing crucial revisions needed.
Key Revisions Needed & Solutions
Revision Needed: Simplify "My Garden" page.
Solution: Initially overloaded with features, we streamlined it by reallocating some, like favorite plants, to other pages. Our prime focus for "My Garden" centered on the AR feature, allowing users to visualize their gardens in their own space.
Revision Needed: Refine "Community" page.
Solution: Originally, the forum and plant FAQs/tips shared a subpage, which we split to ensure manageable information and a safer user experience. Now, these features are divided into two distinct categories for quicker access.
Revision Needed: Identification feature.
Solution: Originally planned, we opted against including a plant identification feature. Our users prioritize envisioning and designing their current gardening space rather than exploring new plants. However, we remain open to adding this feature later based on user demand.
Logo & Branding
UI kit and branding style reflecting the brand's objectives.
Hi-Fi Wireframes
Prototyping
Below is a video presentation of our prototype.
Usability Testing
I tested the prototype with five volunteers to improve the overall user experience.
Key Revisions Needed & Solutions
Revision Needed: Navigation problems on the "Community" page.
Solution: Implement a top sub-navigation for easier user access.
Revision Needed: Inconsistency in the main navigation appearance on the "Profile" page.
Solution: Ensure uniformity of the main navigation bar across all pages.
Revision Needed: Log-out button redirecting users to onboarding pages, creating an extra step during login.
Solution: Directly return users to the "Login" page upon clicking "Log Out."
Reflection: Takeaways & Next Steps
Evolution of Perspective: Embracing Research Trust, Project Mastery, and Design Synergy
Throughout the project, I learned to trust the research process, discovering unexpected user interest in both the "Community" and "My Garden" pages, contrary to my initial assumption that users mainly sought gardening resources. Additionally, I embraced the role of a project manager, honing skills in crafting comprehensive project plans and adapting to diverse methodologies and software while emphasizing the importance of accommodating user and team needs for successful project completion.