Project Overview
Bloom is a theoretical lifestyle and entertainment app which teaches users how to grow and care for their own garden. Oftentimes people get intimidated by gardening because they don't know how to care for plants or may not know how to make their environment optimal habitats for different plant species. Bloom offers advanced tools and tailored advice to teach gardeners (of all ages and experience levels) how to plant, grow, and nurture their own native species. With gamified challenges, community engagement boards, and location-specific gardening advice, users are sure to thrive with Bloom!
Role: Solo UI/UX Designer | Duration: 4 weeks | Project Type: Mobile IOS app | Tools: Figma
Design Process
Brainstorming & Ideation
I started by outlining what this app would do, who it would help, and how it would make an impact. Understanding the who, what, and why helped me connect how the app can best serve users and achieve multi-directional benefits for people and nature.
User Persona
Melissa is a 23 year old recent college graduate. She has just moved into a shared house with a huge yard. After 2 years of isolation during the Covid-19 pandemic, she is excited to start meeting others who share her interest in growing vegetables and flowers. The only problem is that she doesn’t know much about gardening or how to care for plants.
Journey Mapping
The UX is split into 3 main phases: introduction, learn & connect, and Grow & Evolve. The first two stages take place on the app, the third takes place in real life (user is outside planting seeds or caring for plants). The introduction phase includes account creation, login, and customizing plant recommendations. Phase 2 is where the user can develop their profile and interact with locals in their gardening community. Here they can ask questions, post pictures, and have 1:1 messages.
Wireframing
I made paper wireframes so that I could physically move screens around and test out the most logical user flow. I struggled to find the best sequence/flow using just sketching because my ideas got too jumbled and messy. Sketching wasn't great for this app after a certain point because I could quickly generate 50 thumbnail sketches and confuse myself.
Branding
Design System
Features & Impacts
Habitat Analysis
Customized location and habitat inputs determine which plants would be successful in the user's environment.
Impact
Users can select plants that are naturally suited to thrive in their local environment.
Community Outreach
Community chat boards allow users to connect with their local gardening community. Those in need can also request fruit and vegetable donations from members who may have a surplus harvest.
Impact
This feature helps users engage with others and become an integral part of their community. Local donations reduce food waste and streamline distribution from one's garden to their neighbor's table.
Gamified Experience
Badges, daily challenges, and progress tracking encourage users to expand their gardening knowledge.
Impact
Users will feel more incentivized to plant new things that can earn them badges and benefit their community.
Planting Guidence & Troobleshooting
Bloom's easy step-by-step instructions make gardening easy. Its photographic ai technology diagnoses problems and identifies solutions.
Impact
Bloom's photographic plant diagnosis will help users quickly identify why their plants may be struggling. The sooner that users understand the problem (pests, overwatering, etc.) the sooner they can fix it.
Learning & Insights
Constraints
Since I worked independently on this project wasn't able to conduct user research or collect feedback to guide future design revisions/ improvements. If I had more time to work on this project, I would gather data from real users to get a better understanding of motivates them to garden. I would also spend more time on community engagement tools (likes, comments, shares).
Broadening Impact
If I were to continue developing this app, I would investigate ways to incorporate it with existing apps. For instance, I would team up with Airbnb to offer vacationers a discount on their next getaway if they agreed to care for their hosts garden. This way, hosts are assured that their greenery will be cared for while they're away, and guests can learn more about different/exotic plants (while getting a discount). Everyone wins!