Happy Plant(ing)
All plant lovers will swear by this: their plants are like their babies.
We call these people: Plant Mom & Dad.
Yes, there is a name for them.
Plants make people happy.
Period.
Some fun Houseplant Statistics and Facts
Average plant parent has killed seven houseplants. (YIKES)
7 in 10 millennials call themselves a plant parent. (facts)
66% of American households own at least one houseplant. (Best gift ever)
Houseplant demand surged 18% during the COVID pandemic.
(We all need loving)
Houseplants improve productivity by up to 15%. (hmm)
Only 15 minutes of interaction with houseplants reduces stress levels. (YES)
Houseplants remove up to 87% of airborne toxins in just 24 hours. (We here for it)
People with more plants in their workspace take
fewer sick days. (DAMN)
(Source : GardenPals)
What I learned :
People love plants, plants make people happier and improve productivity- almost everyone we know owns at least one plant- and on average, plant parents have killed seven house plants! What, jeeez… hmmm…
Thus an idea is born:
happy plant(ing)
AN app designed to guide plant lovers on their journey.
from beginner’s to experts- anyone can easily become a plant PARENT!
Problem : As houseplant’s become a common staple in most households, how do plant lover’s find information needed in order to maintain the life of their plants?
Solution : An app that allows plant parents- from any stages of their journey-
to learn, record and share information on plants they own/ or plan to own.
Understanding the market
…
Who is the competition and what can I learn from them?
S.W.O.T ANALYSIS
A S.W.O.T Analysis was conducted to understand who the competitors are and what currently exists in guiding plant owner’s through their journey.
Common patterns:
An account is needed to access app
Many features are available only to premium members
Each app provides different needs
now That we know what the market is doing, lets turn to the plant parents
…
Asking the right questions
I decided to conduct a survey and ask potential user’s (our favorite plant parents) what their experience of owning a plant is like.
I wanted to learn about their journey as well as understand, why they became a plant parent to begin with.
Below were my key findings :
User Survey
76.2%
Buy plants for emotional well-being
85%
Maintenance levels and aesthetics play a primary role in deciding what plant to buy
74%
Majority of house plant problems arise from poor lighting and under watering
User Interviews
Being a plant parent is a joyous experience. my mental health improved, once i started to take care of plants. i feel like i have a bit of a purpose- i love learning about the plants i own
I’M NOT HUGE ON APPS, I DON’T WANT ANOTHER APP TO LOOK AT AND CHECK IN ON- BUT I AM INTERESTED IN CONNECTION- IT WOULD BE COOL TO CONNECT WITH OTHER PLANT LOVERS AND SHARE IDEAS/INSIGHTS ON PLANT MAINTENANCE
I WAS GIFTED A PLANT FROM MY MOTHER, AND AS MUCH AS I ENJOYED HAVING IT- IT DIED AFTER A FEW WEEKS. I’VE BECOME RELUCTANT TO BUY A NEW PLANT, AFRAID I MIGHT KILL ANOTHER ONE
User Persona
I created three persona’s based on my user survey and interviews.
Through my user surveys & interviews, I was able to create three different individuals with different needs from the apps- with different goals and reasons to download a plant app. This allowed me to understand what a users wants.
I targeted three types of users :
Tyler the novice plant owner
Dana the accomplished plant owner
Joanne the expert plant owner
The user persona’s became a bench mark to understanding what problems need to be solved for the app. User flows were created to delve deeper into understanding how to problem solve.
User FLOW’s
Problem: I bought a new plant and would like to track it’s growth
Solution: Take a picture of it and save it within the app to watch it grow
Problem: My plant leaves are turning brown and I would like to troubleshoot with plant lovers a like
Solution: Take a picture of it and share it in a community chat
Problem: I want to set up a timer to water my plants every week
Solution: Set a timer for once a week to remind you to water your plants
Problem: I want to record a instruction manual for a friend taking care of my plants.
Solution: Write instructions in your plant section to share with friend.
Problem: I am buying a plant and want to learn more about how to take care of it.
Solution: Look up the name and find maintenance information.
WIRE FRAMES (sketches done by hand)
LO-Fi PROTOTYPE
After multiple iterations and critiques, I finalized lo-fi protoype created using Figma to accurately represent the main user flows. I utilized my sketches as a guide throughout the process to fine-tune the usability of the design.
The main goal was to create an easy transition for the user without having to think too much about what to do. A beginner should be able to access the app without the hassle of creating an account and look up plants but intermediate and experts are able to store information to record information/ track their plant growth and needs.
MOOD
A mood board was created, pulling ideas from plant photography, illustrations and soft moments. I was personally inspired by simple, compartmentalized elements that would prove useful when designing for an app. This exercise informed my idea to color code elements to organize information and guide the user.
Style Guide
A style guide was developed to maintain a consistent and cohesive design. The color palette was a reflection of the natural tones of plants reflected within the mood board. Typography was inspired by keeping an organic and fun feel. Additionally, a range of components and grid sizes were included to facilitate the responsive design.
Usability report
A remote moderated usability study was conducted to identify user pain points, explore opportunities for improvement and understand the overall user experience. Six participants were recruited via social media using a screener survey and were asked to complete a series of tasks.
You Are about to buy the African milk tree and want to learn maintenance requirement
User felt process was seamless
6 clicks to end goal
Problem: The information feels overwhelming if you’re doing a quick search on the plant/ or in beginning stages of purchasing.
Solution: Remove the Beyond the Basics portion and save it for when the user decides to add the plant into their library.
track the activity for calathea rattle snake and what you have to do next
4 clicks to end goal
Process felt intuitive
Problem: The icon/image doesn’t clearly state what the activity/ action is.
Solution: Make the image transparent and call out the activity/action over the icon.
Your plant leaves are turning brown and You want to troubleshoot with plant lovers a like
5 clicks to end goal
Easy to get to end goal
Problem: No option to add image to the post
Solution: Add image icon to attach picture from photo library and a camera icon to take a picture
I want to record a instruction manual for a friend taking care of my plants
5 clicks to end goal
Process felt intuitive
Problem: There is no share option for the instructions from the app
Solution: Create a button that allows you share the notes straight from the app.
set up a timer to water your Calathea Rattle Snake every week
6 clicks to end goal
User felt process was seamless
No feedback
final prototype
In the culmination of this project, I successfully developed a comprehensive planting app that addresses the users' needs for seamless management of their plants' care routines. The app simplifies tracking watering schedules, monitoring growth, and understanding light requirements, ensuring an effortless transition for users into plant care. Additionally, it offers detailed information about various plant species, fostering a continuous learning experience. The app goes beyond individual plant care by facilitating community building, allowing users to connect with like-minded individuals who share a passion for gardening. While there is potential for deeper exploration, the current prototype has successfully realized the envisioned user stories, marking a significant achievement in the development process.
Reflection
In the course of this project, I've come to appreciate the significance of every detail while simultaneously recognizing the importance of eliminating non-essential elements to maintain simplicity. Understanding the intricate connections between various features and ensuring they all contribute to the app's overall functionality has been crucial. It's not just about individual components; it's about how each detail relates back to the others, creating a cohesive user experience. I've learned that my perspective as a developer using the app differs from the user's perception, emphasizing the need for intuitive design that aligns with their expectations and preferences. Lastly, the iterative process of gathering feedback and adapting the app accordingly has proven essential. This constant cycle of improvement ensures that the app remains responsive to user needs and preferences, fostering a dynamic and user-centric development approach.
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