Recycle App -
Original Design Concept
UI/UX, iOS, Research
An app promoting proper recycling.
Project Overview
Recycle App is my own design concept that I conceptualised and worked through the UX process to find solutions for. It is important to reduce waste and preserve the environment, but not all items can be recycled the same way. Therefore, this app will allow users to understand how certain items can be properly recycled.
Roles
UX Designer, UI Designer, Researcher
Design Process
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How can I do better?
1.0 Understanding Requirements
In this stage we can identify what metrics will determine a successful project completion.
1.1 Problem Statement
When out and about, or even at home, people throw things into the bin that could be recycled or recycle items in the wrong place, resulting in waste.
1.2 Objectives
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Create an app that teaches users how to properly recycle something
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Encourage recycling and improve waste management.
2.0 Research
Researching will help me gain insight on the users’ preferences and how they will benefit from the app.
2.1 Secondary Research
I relied on secondary sources to gather information of the problem at hand and identify what issues people are facing on a large scale.
According to a report conducted after Global Recycling Day, Barratt Homes discovered that 71% of British people are confused about what can and can’t be recycled. In addition, 54% of those admitted to disposing of something in the recycling bin even though they were aware it couldn’t be recycled.
80% of the things we throw away could be recycled.
Key Insights:
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People are trying to recycle but it is not always done right
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Improper recycling is being carried out due to ignorance
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People are not educated on how to proper recycle
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Recycling is confusing
2/3 try to recycle as much as they can, 55% are still very unclear about what can be collected, and what can’t.
2.2 Competitor Analysis
To further understand the users, I observed and analysed competitors and focused on the features they were offering their users.
In particular, I studied the Recyclenow website and Scrapp app.
Competitors
Recyclenow - a website that allows users to understand where and how to recycle something
Scrapp - an app where you can scan a barcode and it will inform you of which bin it belongs in.
3.0 Ideate
In this section, I will use what I learned from my research to understand concepts and create ideas for the final design. I will use divergent thinking to investigate potential solutions to the problem statement.
3.1 Mindmapping
I used a mindmap to quickly organise the ideas I had and visualise the relationships between them, without wondering of the practicality of them all. It enabled me to break down the different components of the app and understand which topics seem most important.
3.2 Crazy 8's
This is an ideation technique that I thought would be useful for this project because it will help me come up with innovative ideas quickly. I chose to apply this technique to a single feature, the "search item" page because it seems to be the most important page and the one where competitors are receiving negative reviews from. In 8 minutes, I designed the search page in eight different new ways.
Now we have several ideas and I can eliminate any unnecessary ones while focusing on the most effective solutions to help me with my wireframes.
3.3 User Flow
This is where I can create a visual representation of how a user may use the app and what is expected.
3.4 Wireframing
Now I can create a skeletal framework of the app.
4.0 Final Design
4.1 Design System
Before designing the UI screens, I defined the visual design direction I wanted by identifying a style guide that would be included in the final design.
Colour Palette
Primary Colours
#1E2D16
#30770F
#329900
#42C913
Secondary Colours
#00BAC6
#FF8181
Neutral Colours
#000000
#333333
#6F6F6F
#8E8E8E
#D9D9D9
#F6F6F6
#FFFFFF
Alert Colours
#A2D18C
#FF0000
Typography
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Icons
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4.2 User Interface Design
Using my wireframes and the design system, I designed the UI screens for an understanding of how the app would look.
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Users can save items that they may recycled frequently for quick access.
If users can not find their item they can have a look at the different recycling bins and understand what is the recycling criteria for each bin.
Users can see their progress of how many items they have recycled and categorised accordingly.
To educate users of items they may have at home, recycling symbols are shown where users can find information on what they mean.
Quick access to scanning barcode of an item user wants to recycle.
Search feature for users to search item and add current location for nearby facilities.
Categories for users to browse through to find items.
Users have quick access to their recycle history.
Add items and create folders for frequently recycled items.
An option to type the barcode number if the scanner does not pick it up.
If users are not able to scan hey can have quick access to searching the item.
Packaging separated for proper recycling and suggestions of where it can be recycled.
Image of item scanned for accurate info.
Key Solutions
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Home page provides recycling education to help users understand how to proper recycle
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A simple and easy to use app that is similar to what users are familiar with
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Several ways to find the item users are trying to recycle (Scan, barcode number, category search)
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Information on nearby facilities and also how to recycle at home
5.0 Reflection
Throughout this project, I discovered that there aren't many apps or even websites that provide recycling information and teach users how to recycle properly at home. Even though secondary research was conducted, primary research would have directly gathered feedback from users, resulting in more objective research findings. Instead of relying on existing data, this may have resulted in solutions that are better suited to users who are experiencing problems.
Testing a prototype of the app would be beneficial in determining whether the solutions are adequate to the problem statement. Because the app does not yet exist, one way to test the design is to analyse the target audience and select a user group to gather feedback. If each member was asked questions about the design, honest feedback could be used to determine whether or not the idea will be successful. Following testing, any improvements can be made and tested again.