Designing a mobile application that connects local farmers with consumers
OVERVIEW
For this project, my team was tasked with designing a mobile application that seamlessly connects local farmers with consumers, providing a convenient and efficient platform for people to purchase fresh, healthy, and locally sourced produce directly from the farmers themselves.
ROLE
UX Design, User Research, Usability Testing, Prototyping
DURATION
11.2023 - 12.2023
TEAMMATES
Zhengyu Jin, Yiyang Zhang, Eric Lyu, Anthony Chan
THE PROBLEM
Customers often face challenges in accessing local produce due to selection, distance, and lack of quality information, while local farmers struggle to connect with new customers.
THE GOAL
Develop an app that simplifies customer access to varied local produce with detailed information, increases farmer visibility, and fosters direct customer connections for enhanced product transparency.
THE SOLUTION
Product Page
A comprehensive product page featuring key details such as stock availability, supplier information, organic certification, and more, providing users with transparent and informative purchasing decisions.
Chat
A dedicated communication hub where consumers and farmers can directly connect, ask questions, share insights, and discuss product details, sustainability practices, and availability, fostering trust and a stronger local food community.
Farmer’s Interface
A dedicated farmer interface designed for seamless management, allowing farmers to track revenue, view customer reviews, update farm information, manage product inventory, and access other essential business insights to optimize their operations.
RESEARCH
TARGET
Users actively seeking high quality products from local farms as well as farmers.
PRIMARY RESEARCH
We first interviewed friends/family who fit the description of our primary users.
Customer Needs
• A desire for convenient access to locally-sourced, fresh produce
• Emphasis on the importance of product transparency and traceability
• Interest in recommendations for seasonal products
• A preference for home delivery services
Farmer Needs
• Limited distribution channels
• Barriers to adopting technology
• Difficulties in customer relationship management
• Logistics and distribution issues
PAIN POINTS
01.
Distance
The distance to farms is usually too far, making it a hassle to commute.
02.
Lack of Information
There is usually limited information about farmers and their products, and no easy way to identify local farms.
03.
Communication
Communication between farmers and customers is often challenging, including the exchange of customer feedback and comments.
SECONDARY RESEARCH
In order to examine existing user experiences, we performed a competitive analysis of similar platforms available on the market.
UberEats
UberEats is an online food ordering and delivery platform launched by Uber in 2014. Couriers delivery meals using cars, scooters, bikes, or on foot.
Missing product source information.
Farmish
Farmish is a marketplace app for local food & farms. You can buy and sell homegrown produce, backyard chicken eggs, honey, plants, trees, garden supplies, and more.
Limited selection and requires
customers to directly call farmers.
Walmart Grocery
Walmart Grocery is a service offered by Walmart aimed at providing customers with an efficient and convenient way to shop for groceries and household essentials.
Single supplier with no diversified
supply options.
BRAINSTORMING & IDEATION
USERFLOWS
Helping lay the groundwork for the beginning of my wireframes and low-fi designs.
Creating userflows is a crucial step in the design process, helping to visualize and understand the journey users will take through the application. By detailing each interaction and decision point, we lay the groundwork for developing intuitive wireframes and low-fidelity designs. This foundational work ensures that every aspect of the user experience is considered, leading to a cohesive and user-friendly interface.
WIREFRAMES
Creating the initial wireframes helped us visualize the potential appearance of the app.
Using the Crazy 8s strategy, my team and I rapidly generated a variety of design concepts. This collaborative brainstorming technique allowed us to explore multiple solutions quickly, fostering creativity and innovation. By sketching out these initial ideas, we were able to identify the most promising directions and refine them into cohesive wireframes that form the blueprint for our high-fidelity designs.
HI-FIS
Bringing the designs to life.
Transitioning from wireframes to high-fidelity prototypes, we focused on refining the visual details and ensuring a seamless user experience. This stage involved incorporating branding elements, colour schemes, typography, and interactive features to create a realistic representation of the final product.
Home
Produce
Chat
Profile
Product list
Fruit
organic
Vegetable
Free Shipping
Organic
Fungus
Popular choices
Discounted
Seasonal Products
Product
About Us
Image
Organic Strawberries
Strawberry Jam
$10.99 / EA
Organic Blueberries
$3.99 / Box
$8.99 / Box
Address: 4010 Wilmot Easthope Rd, Stratford,
ON N3A 3T1
Stratford Farm
Open: 10:00 AM - 5:00 PM
4.3
Stratford Farm is a unique farm that combines modern farming techniques with traditional farming philosophies. Located in a picturesque rural area, the farm not only covers a vast area, but also has a wide variety of crops and livestock.
Home
Produce
Chat
Profile
Add to Cart
CA$8.99 / Box
$1.98 / 100g
Description
Peak Season Perfection: The best time to enjoy our strawberries is from late spring through early summer. This is when they are at their most flavorful, having soaked up just the right amount of sunshine to develop that iconic, deep red hue and irresistible sweetness.
A Symphony of Flavors: Each berry is a burst of sunshine in your mouth - a perfect balance of sweetness and tang, with a succulent texture that dissolves delightfully on your tongue.
Comments
Organic Strawberries
Sweet
Organic
Juicy
Recommended
4.8
Chat
Your Cart (1 ITEM)
Order Summary
Organic Strawberries
+
-
2
$17.98
Organic Strawberries
+
-
1
$10.99
Packaging Options
Extra Protection
$5.00
Extra Cold Packs
FREE
Shipping Options
Local Pickup
Same-Day Delivery
FREE
FREE
Scheduled Delivery
FREE
Checkout (1)
Subtotal: $28.97
Search
Home
Produce
Chat
Profile
4.8
Packaging 70
Good 110
Image 70
Cheap 20
Tasty 55
Fresh 61
Juicy 41
All 647
New 10
Positive 190
Negative 20
Share your comment
Very delicious, express delivery is very fast, the packaging is also very beautiful.
03 - 11 - 2023
Daniel Parker
Satisfaction
Taste 5 Stars
Package 5 Stars
Delivery 4 Stars
Very delicious, express delivery is very fast, the packaging is also very beautiful.
03 - 11 - 2023
Simon Perry
Satisfaction
Taste 4 Stars
Package 5 Stars
Delivery 5 Stars
Very delicious, express delivery is very fast, the packaging is also very beautiful.
03 - 11 - 2023
Alice Lee
Satisfaction
Taste 5 Stars
Package 4 Stars
Delivery 5 Stars
Search
Product Reviews (647)
Organic Strawberries
Stratford Farm
Ask your questions to the farmer
How fresh are the strawberries?
Ok, thank you!
Hi, do you have any available?
Yes, we still have many in stock!
Just picked them this morning!
USER TESTING
TESTING PROCESS
Validating and refining the user experience.
For our user testing, we combined two qualitative methods—'think-aloud' usability testing and one-on-one interviews—with a quantitative approach using the System Usability Scale (SUS). This mix provided immediate insights into app interactions and deeper understanding of user experiences, while SUS scores helped quantify the app's usability.
INSIGHT #1
Users found the app’s interface similar to Google Maps.
INSIGHT #2
Users expressed a preference for viewing only items of interest to them.
INSIGHT #3
Users sought product source details directly on the product page.
INSIGHT #4
Users desired more detailed information at the payment stage.
INSIGHT #5
After payment, users experienced uncertainty regarding their order status and delivery.
INSIGHT #6
Farmers did not have dedicated pages.
PROTOTYPE ITERATION
Add your Screen Here
1
Home Page Redesign
The homepage underwent a redesign, shifting from a map-centric layout to a product-focused one. This change aimed to give the app the feel of an online shopping mall.
2
Interest Customization Feature
New users are provided with interest customization and custom options upon signing up. This aimed to tailor the shopping experience to individuals preferences.
Add your Screen Here
Add your Screen Here
3
Incorporation of Supplier Info
Users are now able to jump to the supplier information from the product page. The purpose of this is to enhance transparency regarding product origins and quality.
4
Enhanced Checkout Page
The checkout interface was streamlined into two pages for a clearer presentation of order summary and payment details, enhancing transparency and customer satisfaction in the purchasing process.
Add your Screen Here
Your Order Has Been
Accepted
Track Order
Back to Home
We're processing your order, and we'll notify you when it’s ready
5
Order Tracking Feature
An order tracking feature was introduced to keep users updated on their order progress and delivery status, thereby improving transparency and customer satisfaction throughout their purchasing process.
6
Farmer’s Interface
The app was modified to accommodate both farmers and users, including a dedicated farmer interface. This adaptation aims to better support farmers using the app by offering specific functionalities tailored to their needs.
FINAL SOLUTION
REFLECTION
Be More Efficient
In the early stages of our research process, we faced challenges in clearly defining our problem space, resulting in a slower project progression. To enhance efficiency, we could have developed a user flow diagram at the outset. This would have helped us map out various branches effectively. Subsequently, we can employ paper prototypes to directly address our primary research questions.
User Testing is Humbling
During user testing, we observed that our testers encountered significantly more difficulties with our prototypes than we had anticipated. This observation underscored the criticality of avoiding assumptions and embracing insights from actual user experiences as vital inputs for product enhancement.
NEXT STEPS
Guest Mode
Implement a guest mode and store user details like addresses and contact info in cookies for ease. Add one-click sign-ins through Google, Facebook, and Apple for convenience. These enhancements will improve user engagement, simplify sign-ups and logins, and speed up checkout for a smoother, more efficient experience.
Automated Responses
Introduce automated responses for farmers and suppliers to streamline communication, providing quick, consistent replies 24/7. This reduces administrative work, ensures consistent information, and boosts user engagement and satisfaction, benefiting an online platform that connects farmers with consumers.
Product Dates
Show detailed product info such as harvest/manufacturing date, insurance, expiration date, and storage instructions (e.g., avoid light, needs freezing) on the product page. This transparency helps customers make informed choices, use products correctly, and boosts trust and satisfaction through a commitment to openness and consumer well-being.
Search Product List
Implement a comprehensive product list post-search to show all suppliers, streamlining user experience by consolidating options for easy comparison of price, quality, and reliability. This enhances customer satisfaction and trust in the platform.