GreenUp
— The Sustainable Living Platform
Empowering Sustainability Through Practical Tips, Resources, and Community
Portfolio Project UX Design course by Google
Summary
Welcome to GreenUp, your modern art market and community. In the following paragraphs, I will take you on a journey through the step-by-step process I followed to createGreenUp, starting from the empathize phase and concluding with the final touches.
For a comprehensive case study, you can access the complete PDF version here . If you're eager to explore the prototype, you can do so by visiting this link for the phone version, and for the tablet version . Please note that these prototypes were created using Figma, and while they showcase the main screens and user flow, as well as some extra ones to make it more playful, not all screens have been designed.
When interacting with the prototypes (by clicking anywhere on the screen), you will notice certain elements turning blue—these represent active options on each page. Enjoy exploring the app prototype!
If you have any questions and/or would like to connect, feel free to reach out to me at hi@paulardb.design.
Introduction
As part of my UX Design Professional Certificate by Google , I had the chance to work on an exciting project that initially began as an idea for a sustainability app. However, as I advanced through the ideation phase and conducted user and market research, the project transformed significantly. It evolved into a comprehensive sustainability platform, encompassing practical tips, resources, events, and a vibrant community of eco-conscious individuals, united to support and amplify sustainability efforts.
GOAL STATEMENT
Our primary objective is to develop a responsive platform that serves as a comprehensive and engaging platform for promoting sustainable living practices. Our goal is to provide users with accessible resources, practical tools, and a thriving community that supports the adoption of eco-friendly habits and values, all within a gamified environment. By connecting individuals, experts, and advocates in the sustainability space and offering a wealth of information on diverse eco-friendly practices, our app aims to transform the way people approach and live sustainably while keeping accessibility in mind. Success will be gauged by the number of users adopting sustainable habits, actively participating in the platform's gamified elements, and contributing to the vibrant sustainability community.
GOOGLE UX DESIGN CERTIFICATES
Here you can find a PDF of my Google Courses Certificates.
Design Process Overview
Throughout the development of GreenUp, I followed a structured design process given by Google's courses that allowed me to create a user-centered and effective eco-concious platform. The process consisted of several key steps, each contributing to the overall potential success of the project.
EMPATHIZE
The first phase. We need to start by understanding the target users. I started by conducting extensive user research to understand the needs, behaviors, and motivations of people who would like to be more environmentally aware and have a better impact in the world. This helped me gain valuable insights into their pain points and expectations within the eco-concious community.
DEFINE
Building upon the research findings, clear problem statements and user stories were defined, which then guided the design process. By focusing on the users' needs and aspirations, I established specific goals and deliverables to ensure the platform would address their requirements effectively.
IDEATE
During this phase, it is important to explore a wide range of ideas and concepts to create an engaging and innovative platform that meet our goals. Through brainstorming sessions and techniques like "crazy eights" and "how might we," diverse design possibilities were imagined, followed by evaluating their feasibility, desirability, and viability in order to start discarding.
PROTOTYPE
I created low-fidelity prototypes based on the findings from the previous steps and conducted user testing to gather feedback and refine the design. It was an iterative process that allowed to validate design decisions and make necessary adjustments based on user insights.
TEST
In the testing phase, usability studies were conducted to assess user interactions and identify areas for improvement. Participants were recruited to represent the platform's potential user base. By observing and analyzing user interactions, during unmoderated usability studies, I identified areas for improvement and made iterative design changes to enhance the overall user experience —always keeping the objectives and porblem satatement in mind.
ITERATE
With each iteration, I refined the design based on user feedback, addressing pain points and incorporating valuable insights. This iterative approach ensured that the app evolved to meet user expectations and provided an optimal user journey.
Screenshots exploring different prototypes. After the usability study a new column was added there is a section encouraging to keep going by giving statistics of how user’s actions have help the environment To see the final one check the prototype here .
Design Decisions and User Experience Considerations
During the design process of GreenUp, I made several key design decisions that were influenced by user experience considerations. Here are the design decisions and user experience considerations I incorporated into the app:
DESIGN AESTHETICS AND GAMIFICATION
In crafting the GreenUp app, I placed a strong emphasis on aesthetics and gamification to create an engaging and enjoyable user experience. The app's visual style is characterized by playful and friendly aesthetics, featuring a palette of vibrant blue and green, and pastel colors that inspire a welcoming and lively atmosphere. Gamification elements are integrated to encourage user engagement, with users earning badges for their eco-friendly actions and achievements. I myself draw the badges and icons in Procreate to convey a coherent visual experience.
TYPOGRAPHY AND FONTS
In crafting the visual identity of the GreenUp app, typography plays a crucial role. I have carefully selected fonts that reflect the app's personality and user-friendly approach. The primary typeface, 'Nighty DEMO,' draws inspiration from the 70s, exuding groovy and retro vibes reminiscent of the era's early climate awareness efforts. Designed by Jamaludin Ahmad Sahestya Dharma of Dharmas Studio, this font adds a touch of nostalgia and warmth to the app's aesthetics. For a contrasting and highly readable text, we've incorporated 'Outfit,' a geometric and round sans-serif font. Its clean and simplistic design ensures that users can easily engage with the app's content. 'Outfit' not only promotes readability but also creates a friendly and approachable atmosphere. Both fonts work in harmony to provide a visually pleasing and user-centric typographic experience.
EFFICIENT NAVIGATION AND USERS INTERFACE
To ensure seamless navigation, the app incorporates a lateral bar for users on larger screens, and a simple hamburger menu that provides full-screen access on smaller screens. This navigation bar offers quick access to essential sections, including the dashboard, user profile, and settings. Notably, the Marketplace is accessible solely via the sidebar menu, reflecting our intention to maintain its secondary role and prevent the app from becoming primarily an e-commerce platform. User profiles remain conveniently accessible from any screen, ensuring a fluid and user-friendly experience. To enhance usability, a floating dashboard button is positioned at the bottom-center of the interface. Furthermore, users have multiple access points to key screens, such as 'Goals,' 'Habits,' 'Community,' and 'Rewards,' through both the dashboard and the user profile, providing added convenience and efficient navigation.
FOCUSING ON SUSTAINABILITY FEATURES
The GreenUp app places a central emphasis on empowering users with a comprehensive set of sustainability features. Users enjoy easy access to a wealth of sustainability tips, both personalized and general, enabling them to make eco-friendly choices. The app supports users in tracking their sustainability goals, selecting sustainable habits, and monitoring their progress. It includes a valuable carbon footprint calculator to help users understand their environmental impact. The platform offers online workshops, fostering active engagement within a like-minded community committed to sustainable living. Notably, the app encourages users to create and participate in eco-friendly events, fostering meaningful connections and shared experiences. Users can also explore a diverse range of eco-friendly recipes, further enhancing their sustainable living journey. The GreenUp app is thoughtfully designed to make eco-friendly practices enjoyable and accessible, and our commitment to ongoing improvement means that more features are planned for future updates.
USERS NOTIFICATIONS
To keep users informed and engaged, the app includes a notifications button, situated at the bottom-left of each screen (except for the marketplace section). These notifications serve as a valuable communication tool, providing updates on user achievements, event participation, and other pertinent information.
These design considerations and features collectively contribute to a vibrant, enjoyable, and user-centric experience within the GreenUp app.
Iterative Process
In the iterative design process, I placed a strong focus on incorporating user feedback gathered from usability studies to continually enhance the user experience of the GreenUp app. The findings obtained during the low-fidelity prototype phase revealed several key areas for improvement. Most notably, users expressed confusion about the absence of a notifications feature in the app. To address this, a floating notification button was strategically introduced at the bottom-right corner of each screen, ensuring easy access to updates and alerts. Additionally, consistent navigation was emphasized by placing a back arrow in the same location on every screen, facilitating seamless user movement within the app.
Subsequent usability studies conducted during the high-fidelity prototype phase provided valuable insights for refining the gamification aspect of the app. A new column, 'You saved,' was introduced within the 'goals' screen, giving users a tangible sense of their accomplishments by quantifying the number of items saved through their sustainability efforts. In response to user feedback, I enhanced the overall user experience by incorporating visual indicators, such as left arrows for scrolling and improved button clarity. To enhance the user experience, I introduced an arrow-left indicator for scrolling and improved the clarity of buttons throughout the app. Additionally, I added an arrow-right indicator after the text on buttons to signify the change of the screen upon clicking. These design refinements aimed to provide users with a more intuitive and user-friendly interface.
Users' appreciation for multiple access points to key screens, including the community, goals, and habits sections, highlighted the significance of convenience and flexibility in their journey toward sustainable living. The iterative design process played a pivotal role in making substantial enhancements to GreenUp's user experience, effectively addressing challenges and integrating user preferences. For a more in-depth exploration of these design iterations and insights gained from usability studies, I encourage you to delve into the comprehensive case study PDF
Challenges
User Engagement: One of the main challenges was to ensure active user engagement with sustainability practices and resources. Encouraging users to adopt eco-friendly habits and participate in the community presented a significant challenge.
Complexity and Size: Designing a comprehensive platform with a hierarchical structure, multiple features, and numerous screens required effective management of complexity and ensuring that users could easily navigate the app.
Balancing Marketplace: Striking a balance between offering a marketplace for eco-friendly products and maintaining the primary focus on sustainability tips, tracking, and community engagement presented a challenge.
Accessibility: Ensuring that the app is accessible to users with diverse abilities and needs was an essential challenge.
Limited participant recruitment for usability studies.
Limited quality and trustworthiness of peer feedback in an online course.
Solutions
User Engagement: To address the challenge of user engagement, we integrated gamification elements, such as badges and achievements, to incentivize and reward users for their eco-friendly actions. The introduction of notifications and feedback mechanisms helps users track their progress and stay motivated.
Complexity and Size: Managing the complexity and size of the app was achieved through meticulous information architecture and user flow analysis. Prioritization of key features and iterative design refinement, guided by user feedback, significantly streamlined the user experience. Additionally, it's important to note that not all screens have been fully designed at this stage. Due to project constraints, we focused on creating the most relevant screens for the initial version of the platform.
Balancing Marketplace: To maintain the app's primary focus on sustainability, we limited access to the marketplace through the sidebar menu. The emphasis was placed on providing users with the best sustainability tips, tracking their goals and habits, and facilitating community engagement. Future app updates will continue to enhance these core features.
Accessibility: The app was designed with accessibility in mind. Various ways to reach the same screen, such as community, goals, and habits, were incorporated to provide convenience and flexibility for users with diverse abilities.
Overcoming participant recruitment limitations: Leveraging personal networks, online communities, and social media platforms to expand the pool of potential participants. Offering incentives or rewards to encourage participation. Implementing unmoderated usability studies for increased flexibility.
Getting feedback: In an online course, peer feedback quality can be inconsistent. To overcome this challenge, I adopted a growth mindset and actively sought feedback from diverse sources beyond my peers.
Potential Impact and Results
The GreenUp app, even in its prototype stage, has the potential to make a significant impact on sustainability efforts. Early feedback and user enthusiasm demonstrate the app's ability to engage and empower users to adopt eco-friendly practices. The inclusion of gamification elements, a user-friendly interface, and accessibility features enhances the user experience. As the app continues to evolve and address challenges, it aims to become a valuable tool and community for individuals committed to sustainable living. The potential impact includes motivating users to reduce their carbon footprint, adopt eco-friendly habits, and actively engage with a supportive community of like-minded individuals. The positive feedback received during the prototype phase indicates the app's potential to promote sustainability and make a meaningful impact in the realm of eco-conscious living.
