VECOplate
Background:
Over the past several years, we have been constantly learning of new ways to preserve our environment through recycling, composting, reducing waste, or switching over to a sustainable lifestyle. However, we have never given the right amount of importance to how much our dietary patterns impact the environment. Vegetarian diets are known to have the least amount of impact on the environment due to the low consumption in meat and dairy.
Goal:
For my senior thesis project, I set out to design an app that helps both newcomers and experienced vegetarians understand the positive environmental impact of their diet choices. VECOplate offers a variety of recipes and meal suggestions, all with the goal of making the transition to vegetarianism more accessible. By tailoring recipe recommendations to the ingredients users already have in their fridge, the app encourages reduced meat consumption and fostering a cleaner and healthier environment.
My Role:
I delved into in-depth research by examining existing apps within the same industry to gain valuable insights. I conducted user research and interviews to better understand our target audience. On the creative front, I dabbled in branding, creating distinctive elements such as logos, defining color palettes, and selecting typography. I also rolled up my sleeves for the nitty-gritty work, which included sketching out wireframes and translating them into high-fidelity design flows. Finally, I ensured that the user experience was seamless by conducting thorough user testing and actively seeking feedback for iterative improvements.
Core Features of VECOplate
Onboarding
Upon registration or login, users are presented with the choice of selecting a meal plan. I opted to offer two options within three distinct meal plan types to cater to different audience preferences. This accommodates those who are new to vegetarianism and those who have adhered to it for an extended period. Additionally, I provided users with the opportunity to specify their preferred type of vegetarian diet. This decision stemmed from my research, which revealed that many individuals were unaware of the various options available within the realm of vegetarianism.
Check your impact
This serves as the app's landing screen, where users can witness the positive environmental influence they are generating through their actions. The screen also offers insights into the collective impact made by all app users, fostering a sense of community and encouraging ongoing commitment to the cause. After conducting research, I identified the top six categories most impacted by dietary choices, which informed the selection of these categories. To enhance user recognition, I designed unique logos and color schemes for each category, ensuring they possess distinct characteristics.
My Fridge
Frequently, people struggle to keep track of the ingredients they have on hand, leading to time wasted searching for them. This innovative feature is intended to guide users in crafting customized meals based on the groceries they've input into the app, as illustrated in the video below.
Cooking Meals
One of the most prominent concerns that emerged during my interviews with individuals making the transition to a vegetarian diet was the uncertainty about what to cook for each meal. To address this common challenge, I developed a feature designed specifically to assist those in the midst of their dietary transition.
Logging in your meals
To enable the app to monitor the chosen meal plan and the user's environmental footprint, it was essential for users to input the meals they consumed. This not only served the purpose of maintaining accountability but also encouraged users to revisit the app regularly, fostering ongoing engagement.
