Enhancing sustainable shopping with AI
Enhancing sustainable shopping with AI
verdant
verdant
The Problem
The Problem
Many young adults want to shop more sustainably but face barriers like affordability, unreliable brand information, impulsive buying, and a lack of tangible impact. Without accessible guidance or meaningful feedback, making ethical purchasing decisions feels overwhelming and unattainable.
Many young adults want to shop more sustainably but face barriers like affordability, unreliable brand information, impulsive buying, and a lack of tangible impact. Without accessible guidance or meaningful feedback, making ethical purchasing decisions feels overwhelming and unattainable.
My Role
My Role
Prototyping & Testing
Prototyping & Testing
Information Architecture
Information Architecture
UX Research
UX Research
Product Design
Product Design
Brand Design
Brand Design
Timeline
Timeline
Total: 5 weeks
Total: 5 weeks
Discovery & Research: 1 week
Discovery & Research: 1 week
Feature Planning, Flows, Branding: 2 weeks
Feature Planning, Flows, Branding: 2 weeks
UI Interaction, Testing, Iterations: 2 weeks
UI Interaction, Testing, Iterations: 2 weeks
Tools
Tools
Figma
Figma
FigJam
FigJam
Zoom
Zoom
Design Process
Design Process
Discovering the problem
Discovering the problem
Consumers are growing more and more motivated to shop with intention — whether they are abandoning overconsumption for the trending minimalist lifestyle or want to be more mindful about the ethics of the brands they shop at. However, through my own personal experiences and conversations with friends,
Consumers are growing more and more motivated to shop with intention — whether they are abandoning overconsumption for the trending minimalist lifestyle or want to be more mindful about the ethics of the brands they shop at. However, through my own personal experiences and conversations with friends,
… it seems difficult to truly commit to shopping sustainably, especially for young adults.
To dive deeper into this problem, I conducted a brief competitor analysis on the four platforms below to better understand the current landscape of sustainability platforms or tools designed to help users shop with intention.
To dive deeper into this problem, I conducted a brief competitor analysis on the four platforms below to better understand the current landscape of sustainability platforms or tools designed to help users shop with intention.
commons
commons
sustainable lifestyle app
sustainable lifestyle app
bless.
bless.
mindful shopping app
mindful shopping app
good on you
good on you
ethical brand rating platform
ethical brand rating platform
you need a budget
you need a budget
all-in-one budgeting platform
all-in-one budgeting platform
Through this analysis, I was able to identify a couple opportunities to fill gaps in the market. In summary, I saw the need for a comprehensive shopping tool that offered personalized insights and recommendations that guided users towards being more intentional and sustainable shoppers.
Through this analysis, I was able to identify a couple opportunities to fill gaps in the market. In summary, I saw the need for a comprehensive shopping tool that offered personalized insights and recommendations that guided users towards being more intentional and sustainable shoppers.
Budgeting platforms are great at helping users be more mindful about where they spend their money
Budgeting platforms are great at helping users be more mindful about where they spend their money
BUT don't tackle the deeper problem of teaching them to be more ethical consumers
BUT don't tackle the deeper problem of teaching them to be more ethical consumers
Sustainability platforms are excellent at educating people about brands or providing broad sustainability information…
Sustainability platforms are excellent at educating people about brands or providing broad sustainability information…
BUT don't offer personal guidance while the user is shopping
BUT don't offer personal guidance while the user is shopping
Understanding the user
Understanding the user
Next, I conducted a series of five user interviews with participants within my target user group (young adults) to understand their approach to ethical shopping and their current shopping habits. The insights gathered from the interviews were analyzed and organized into an affinity map, which revealed several key themes among the participants that were assumed to be representative of most target users.
Next, I conducted a series of five user interviews with participants within my target user group (young adults) to understand their approach to ethical shopping and their current shopping habits. The insights gathered from the interviews were analyzed and organized into an affinity map, which revealed several key themes among the participants that were assumed to be representative of most target users.
Current shopping habits
Participants don’t actively research brand ethics before shopping but consider budget-friendly, quality brands they already know.
Obstacles with shopping
sustainably
Participants feel their individual efforts have little impact and struggle to balance sustainability with the higher cost of ethical brands.
Sustainability goals
Ultimately, participants still value sustainability and want to be more environmentally conscious despite numerous obstacles.
Taking the insights from the competitor analysis and user interviews, I came up with the following HMW question to reframe the problem into an opportunity for design solutions which would help guide my ideation further down the road.
Taking the insights from the competitor analysis and user interviews, I came up with the following HMW question to reframe the problem into an opportunity for design solutions which would help guide my ideation further down the road.
How might we empower users to make informed, affordable, and intentional shopping choices while reinforcing their individual impact?
How might we empower users to make informed, affordable, and intentional shopping choices while reinforcing their individual impact?
From all the research and insights gained, I visualized the core needs and motivations of my target audience in the form of two user personas.
From all the research and insights gained, I visualized the core needs and motivations of my target audience in the form of two user personas.
Defining the solution
Defining the solution
By understanding user needs and motivations from the personas, I was able to create a targeted feature set that directly addresses their challenges and improves their experience. Each feature was prioritized based on its potential to meet the most pressing user needs and deliver value.
By understanding user needs and motivations from the personas, I was able to create a targeted feature set that directly addresses their challenges and improves their experience. Each feature was prioritized based on its potential to meet the most pressing user needs and deliver value.
High priority
High
priority
Low priority
Low
priority
Shopping Chatbot
Users can converse with a chat agent for products recommendations, sustainability tips, brand reviews, etc.
Product alternatives
Users receive recommendations and can compare similar products from different brands based on sustainability, price, and quality
Brand sustainability insights
Provides transparency on ethical practices, environmental impact, and labor policies of brands
Wishlist
Users can save products they’re interested in and revisit them later, encouraging mindful consumption and reducing impulse purchases
Carbon footprint tracker
Estimates the environmental impact of users' purchases
I used the feature set as a foundation to create a sitemap, organizing the flow and hierarchy of the app. By mapping out how each feature would be accessed and connected, I had a clear and logical structure to refer back to throughout the rest of the design process.
I used the feature set as a foundation to create a sitemap, organizing the flow and hierarchy of the app. By mapping out how each feature would be accessed and connected, I had a clear and logical structure to refer back to throughout the rest of the design process.
With the sitemap in place, I focused on mapping out user flows to illustrate how users would interact with the various features. I created two flows that addressed the core problem I was trying to solve, ensuring the user could smoothly and intuitively move through them.
With the sitemap in place, I focused on mapping out user flows to illustrate how users would interact with the various features. I created two flows that addressed the core problem I was trying to solve, ensuring the user could smoothly and intuitively move through them.
Branding, wireframing, and visual design
Branding, wireframing, and visual design
Next, I began working on the branding and a visual guide for the app, which centered around four core values: transparent, demystifying, approachable, and empowering. I came up with the name "Verdant" to represent these values and designed a matching logo. Then, to ensure consistency in the visual design, I created a style tile containing the colors and fonts I would be using throughout the app.
Next, I began working on the branding and a visual guide for the app, which centered around four core values: transparent, demystifying, approachable, and empowering. I came up with the name "Verdant" to represent these values and designed a matching logo. Then, to ensure consistency in the visual design, I created a style tile containing the colors and fonts I would be using throughout the app.
After establishing Verdant's visual identity — a transparent, approachable aesthetic that reinforces the app's purpose as a demystifying and empowering experience for the user — I shifted to the visual structure of the interface. I started by creating several low-fidelity wireframes for key screens to ensure a cohesive flow, then refined my designs in high-fidelity.
After establishing Verdant's visual identity — a transparent, approachable aesthetic that reinforces the app's purpose as a demystifying and empowering experience for the user — I shifted to the visual structure of the interface. I started by creating several low-fidelity wireframes for key screens to ensure a cohesive flow, then refined my designs in high-fidelity.
My focus with the high-fidelity mockups was on the visual details, typography, and interactions between pages. This step brought Verdant's brand identity to life while ensuring an intuitive experience for the user.
My focus with the high-fidelity mockups was on the visual details, typography, and interactions between pages. This step brought Verdant's brand identity to life while ensuring an intuitive experience for the user.
Welcome
Chat
Product Details
Wishlist
Profile
Testing and iterations
Testing and iterations
With the high-fidelity mockups complete, I moved on to usability testing to evaluate the ease of use, effectiveness, and overall experience of the Verdant app. I conducted five virtual moderated tests where participants were asked to share their screen while completing a series of three tasks: searching for a product and browsing recommendations, saving a product to the wishlist, and viewing their environmental impact. Based on user feedback, I identified three areas for improvement and made the respective iterations to further enhance usability and clarity.
With the high-fidelity mockups complete, I moved on to usability testing to evaluate the ease of use, effectiveness, and overall experience of the Verdant app. I conducted five virtual moderated tests where participants were asked to share their screen while completing a series of three tasks: searching for a product and browsing recommendations, saving a product to the wishlist, and viewing their environmental impact. Based on user feedback, I identified three areas for improvement and made the respective iterations to further enhance usability and clarity.
old
new
Added suggested responses for users who prefer option-based responses (less open-ended)
Added suggested responses for users who prefer option-based responses (less open-ended)
Moved bookmark button outside of the image in the product card to increase visibility
Moved bookmark button outside of the image in the product card to increase visibility
old
new
Separated the Profile and Impact content into separate pages to make navigation more intuitive
Separated the Profile and Impact content into separate pages to make navigation more intuitive
Final prototype and next steps
Final prototype and next steps
Next steps…
Sustainability goals
Allow users to set sustainability goals, giving them more personalized tracking of their environmental impact
Allow users to set sustainability goals, giving them more personalized tracking of their environmental impact
Browser extension
Expand beyond the app and develop a browser extension, bringing the chatbot directly to the user while they are shopping to make their experience even more seamless
Expand beyond the app and develop a browser extension, bringing the chatbot directly to the user while they are shopping to make their experience even more seamless
Comprehensive brand profiles
Create comprehensive profiles for brands in the app, allowing users to do in-depth research on specific brands before purchasing from them
Create comprehensive profiles for brands in the app, allowing users to do in-depth research on specific brands before purchasing from them