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Passion Project for Bethel School of Technology
Designed for Novice Urban Farmers
Rooted App Logo
The average age of the American farmer is 57.5 years old. In the next 30 years almost 70% of the global population will live in an urban setting. Let’s equip the next generation with the tools to thrive in sustainable urban agriculture
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Opportunity

  • In the next 30 years, 70% of the world will live in a city-like setting. This is a huge opportunity for learning and developing a new skill such as urban farming. This is particularly timely as there’s concern around inflation and food prices are on the rise.

  • Providing growth suggestions based primarily on location, with the additional filter of food a user would like to eat, will allow those new to urban farming to successfully begin their journey.

The Problem

Homeowners between the age of 25-54 are looking for ways to learn, cultivate, and enjoy sustainable food from the comfort and convenience of home.

The Solution

Create an app that provides users with community and knowlede to cultivate thier own, eco-friendly, sustainable, and ehalthy food from the comfort of their own home.

The Team

Micah Bergen profile Image

Micah Bergen

UI/UX Designer

Nicolle Smirlis profile Image

Nicolle Smirlis

UI/UX Designer

Role

illustration: Graph and Search
  • User Research
  • Design Strategy
  • User Interviews
  • Competitive Analysis
illustration: Chat Bubble
  • Affinity Mapping
  • User Persona's
  • Information Architecture
  • User Flows
illustration: Phone
  • Wireframes
  • Usability Testing
  • Visual Design
  • Prototyping


Project Timeline

6

190 +

Weeks

Frames


Market Analysis

We completed a Market Analysis to compare the current market offerings with the best ratings and features. While we found a number of useful products, most were not optimized for urban farming. This allowed us to also complete a SWOT analysis of our MVP in comparison and discover potential opportunities in the market.
market table
SWOT Analysis

User Insights

Key Insight 1 - How to Get Started

About 75% of prospective farmers don’t start growing, because they don’t know where to begin. Providing a clear, concise, and easy to understand breakdown of plant and environment requirements will simply the beginning stages and allow those who are learning to begin with confidence.

Key Insight 2 - Location-based suggestions

Providing growth suggestions based primarily on location, with the additional filter of food they would like to eat, will allow those new to urban farming to successfully begin their journey . Their early success will provide the encouragement necessary to remain consistently committed, inviting them into more complex growth and long term satisfaction.

Key Insight 3 - Community of 'Influencers'

For learning farmers with little commitment, knowing someone currently engaged in farming provides them with the incentive needed to keep trying. When provided with a community of people to learn along side, and access to expert knowledge will prove to be invaluable as they accomplish something they never thought they could do.

Key Insight 4 - Sustainable Practices plus, Tips and Tricks

When starting out, most budding farmers share common struggles with soil quality, water usage and the overwhelming amount of work required to maintain an urban farm. By focusing on sustainable farming and providing applicable tips and tricks, users can learn and implement practices that will not only improve their overall farming experience by creating healthy, long lasting ecosystems, but also their health and well-being.

Key Insight 5 - Soil of benefits

There is a biological connection between the consumption of our food and the soil that it is grown in. When the soil is unhealthy, it leads to health issues. If the soil is cultivated well, it provides improved health benefits as well as therapeutic benefits for the individual.


3D guy with thumbs up

User Persona's

User Persona’s clearly outline the collective experience of interviewed users. Their insights are summarized to help us gain empathy for our target user while designing.
user persona Moore's
user persona Cameron
user persona Ruth

Site Map

The site map outlines the overall layout for the final product. Fully designed with users in mind.
site-map

User Flow

User Flow demonstrates how a user will move through a product while utilizing the key features.


Update Growth Progress

Update Growth Progress user flow

Add to Garden

Add to Garden user flow

Ask an Expert

Ask an expert user flow


Design Phases

Design Phases are an overview of the iteration process of an initial concept from wireframe sketch to visual design and determine the final design layout of a product.
wireframe intro

Design Phases

Design Phases are an overview of the iteration process of an initial concept from wireframe sketch to visual design and determine the final design layout of a product.

Dashboard

Dashboad Design Phases

Camera

Camera Design Phases

Add to Garden

Add to Garden Design Phases


Usability Testing

Usability testing was completed 3 times using both the hi-fidelity wireframes and visual design,
Each time the feedback was taken back to the design team to adjust and re-design the final product.
This was the discovery:

1

Letter slider distracted from search bar

What we did: Improve the hierarchy and design of both to engage users with the search bar first.

2

Growth tracker not easily found

What we did: Moved the growth tracker to the top of the plant care page.

3

“My Garden” icon was confusing

What we did: The icon was changed to make the design communication clear.

4

Too many clicks to plant in user’s garden

What we did: Reduced the number of clicks and improved the cards to simplify the planting process.

5

Menu difficult to understand

What we did: Added label text and increased the font size.

6

Login or signup?

What we did: Swapped the sign up and login.

7

Edit plot and post buttons hard to find

What we did: increased the hierarchy (using color) and the size of both buttons to increase visibility.
Feedback Box

Branding

Acceptable Combinations

Artworks have been created for a range of common reproduction methods and contexts (light and dark backgrounds). The one color logo can be rendered in any of the colors from the palette to create harmony between the logo and background.

Logo Combinations


Iconography

Iconography should be kept light to allow the overall feeling to be fresh and modern. When selecting icons, stick to transparent backgrounds, and thin strokes to allow the design to breath.

General Elements
Carbon, IBM
Material Design, Google

Community / Camera
Fluent, Microsoft

Rooted-U
Majesticons, Garret Halfmann

Suitable Icons


Photography

Photography is key to the development of Rooted and the user experience. As such, select photos showcasing the grass roots, and community elements of Rooted.

When chosen correctly, eye-catching photos will engage and inspire the user, specifically drawing attention to the natural beauty that exists within urban farming. Photos of produce should be vibrant. Macro photography works great for this.

Photography showcasing growth elements can have a grungy, hands-in-the-dirt feel, yet should always lean toward the light and airy filters to fit with the overall modern and refreshing feel of the product.

Photography Example

Digital Solution

A digital solution providing users with urban farming practices, knowledge and community to cultivate eco-friendly, sustainable, and healthy food from the comfort of their own home.
Content is primarily curated on a user's location, and supplemented with their own personal preference so that they can enjoy the process just as much as they enjoy the final product.
UI Preview

My Garden

  • Regular reminders
  • Based on skill level
  • Localized suggestions
  • Search for your favorite
  • Assign it to a garden bed
  • Best practices growth
  • Companion planting
  • Sun exposure
  • Watering requirements
My Garden View

My Garden

  • Regular reminders
  • Based on skill level
  • Localized suggestions
  • Search for your favorite
  • Assign it to a garden bed
  • Best practices growth
  • Companion planting
  • Sun exposure
  • Watering requirements

Picture-Perfect Plants

  • Take a picture, improve plant growth
  • Plant Education
  • Health Assessment
  • Add picture(s) to "My Garden"
  • Share picture(s) of farming journey
Picture Perfect Plants UI

Growth Tracker

  • Collect before and after pictures
  • Measure Progress, visually
  • Provide stats and data
  • Review plant performance
  • Share photos with friends


growth tracker

Growth Tracker

  • Collect before and after pictures
  • Measure Progress, visually
  • Provide stats and data
  • Review plant performance
  • Share photos with friends

Rooted-U (University)

  • Tips, tricks and best practices
  • Content based on garden layout
  • Video lessons, articles
  • Start becoming an expert
Bookings & Reservations

Community

  • A communirt for users
  • Get/give advice and guidance
  • Share passions, ask questions
  • Option to ask an expert
  • Browse through posts and articles
  • Get answers to specific problems
  • Sell produce to community
  • Connects growers and Buyers
Community Screens

Community

  • A communirt for users
  • Get/give advice and guidance
  • Share passions, ask questions
  • Option to ask an expert
  • Browse through posts and articles
  • Get answers to specific problems
  • Sell produce to community
  • Connects growers and Buyers

Wrap Up

At the outset of this project, the prompt was to help users learn a new skill. With an incredible team, six weeks of research and development, iterations and testing our team is incredibly proud of the high quality, functional and beautiful product that was produced.
In creating this product the greatest challenge was also the greatest strength. Working together as a team, and challenging design decissions made the entire team better designers and produced the best possible product for the user. The product is now ready to ship to developers.





View the Prototype
Watch the Presentation






© Micah Andre Bergen 2021