Project Overview
The Problem
The era of the COVID-19 pandemic has made it uncomfortable for some people to travel to local markets in person to source for local items, and it hinders professionals from their busy schedules to merge market runs and work.
The Goal
To design an app using the design process of (empathy, define, ideate, create a prototype and test), that alleviates these problems by having the local market in your palm as an end user, wherever you are.
The Product
T’s Local Market App is an app that connects households to local markets where local produce is purchased from mobile phones, for delivery to people’s door steps.
My Role and Responsibilities
I am a UX researcher and designer, tasked with designing an application that brings the local market to the palm of of end-users. With this, I conducted researches, interviews, and usability studies. In addition, I created paper and digital wireframes, low and high fidelity prototypes. I also carried out testings to ensure that the app meets accessibility standards and finally iterated on the design.
Project Duration
The duration of this project is from November 2021 to January 2022.
Understanding the User
I conducted interviews and created empathy maps to understand the users. Through these, I discovered user pain points which are summarised into these four points:
1. Time: This pain point arose from the inability of busy users to travel to markets physically.
2. Product: Product related issues arose as a result of users not being able to find all the local items that they need in one market setting.
3. Process: The process pain point stops end users from being able to conveniently purchase all the local items that they need within one physical trip to the local markets.
4. Financial: This pain point arose as there is no automated financial record of spendings either daily, weekly, monthly or yearly on local items as against the household income.
Persona
Christina Doe is an adult who found it frustrating to purchase local items when she was pregnant with her first child. Her inability to connect with who could help her further caused a pain. Her work as a personal shopper also doesn’t afford her the time to go to several markets to source for the right items that she needs. She longs for when she can do this from thecomfort of her home.
Low Fidelity Prototype
High Fidelity Mockup
Usability Studies
Mockups of T’s Local Market app was created in Figma after carrying out usability studies within the low fidelity prototype. The result was changes from the final mock up of the app.
Impact
T’s Local Market app saves users a lot of time and energy by buying just what users need from the local market at the tip of their fingers, on their mobile phones, for delivery to their door steps.
One of the quotes from peer feedback is:
”This has saved me a lot of trip to different markets as it is all in one app and my items are delivered.”
What I Learned
While I designed T’s Local Market App, I learnt of how important the value of research is, especially for the beginning process. Usability studies and feedback from interviews are also important to the iteration of the app’s designs.
