Heraldeecreates
Purposeful Designs
PLANTER PEA APPLICATION
PROJECT TYPE
Personal Design Challenge
STRATEGIES
Branding, UX/UI Design
TOOLS
Figma
OVERVIEW
In a survey by Article and OnePoll, 7 out of 10 millennials considered themselves as plant owners. However, 67% of the respondents admitted to killing at least one plant, and 48% were skeptical about their abilities to keep their plants alive.
As a plant owner, I understand the struggle.
There is no “one-size-fits-all” approach, and each plant requires specific requirements to stay alive. Thus, I started this design challenge to create a tracker application specifically for plant care. This tracker also includes handy features that will help equip a beginner or even an experienced plant owner.
RESEARCH
I researched the significant reasons for houseplant deaths. Based on the information gathered, I narrowed the top causes to 5.
1. Watering– The usual reason for houseplant death is watering. Plant owners, if not careful, can over or underwater their plants.
2. Lack of Fertilizers – Plants need nutrients for growth. Lack of nutrients causes plants to weaken, which makes them susceptible to pests or diseases.
3. Light– Lighting plays a significant role in plant care. Every plant needs specific light requirements to survive.
4. Pest – Pests such as gnats and spider mites steal plant nutrients. If not prevented, pest infestations cause damage not just to one plant but also to other plants in the area.
5. Neglect – For plant owners to succeed, they must be on top of care frequency to keep their plants healthy.
USER PERSONAS
I created two personas based on my research on plant owners.
PROBLEM STATEMENT
Plant owners need a way to track their plants’ care requirements because each plant is unique, and care specifications are necessary to keep plants healthy and alive.
FEATURE BRAINSTORMING
At this stage, I brainstorm the essential features to create a helpful tracker application for plant owners.
USER FLOW
The user flows were created based on the user personas.
VISUAL DESIGN
I wanted to design an application that is beginner friendly and requires the least friction for the user. The design must be direct and easy to navigate for ease of use.
WIREFRAMES
STYLE GUIDE
SOLUTION
ONBOARDING
A quick overview is shown to highlight the functions and features of the product.
STEP 1
STEP 2
STEP 3
SIGN IN OR CREATE AN ACCOUNT
The user is then directed to sign in with pre-existing credentials or with Google.
If a user is new to Planter Pea, a new form pops up to create an account.
STEP 1
STEP 2
SETTING UP PROFILE
In addition, an instruction guide is provided to assist the users in setting up their profile.
STEP 1
STEP 2
The user’s home screen is called a garden. The list of their plants and watering or fertilizer status are shown on this page. Plants are also separated based on location so the user can adjust light requirements as needed. Plus, a note section allows the user to include specific information on every plant.
STEP 3
GETTING CONNECTED
The application includes a community page where users can share their plant care journey. They can also follow and comment on other users’ posts.
STEP 1
STEP 2
In addition, the application includes a blog where plant care tips and best practices are featured. This feature was added to provide more insights and share relevant information with the community.
STEP 3
NOTIFICATIONS
The user can adjust notification options on the settings page.
When it’s time for an update, a notification appears on the home screen. The notification provides detailed information about the plant and its care needs. This was designed to make it convenient for the user to attend every plant without constantly checking the application.
HIGH-FIDELITY PROTOTYPE
FINAL TAKEAWAYS
As this was my first end-to-end product design on Figma, I am incredibly pleased with the result.
During the process, I learned to carefully manage the design elements and organize each section to apply changes efficiently.
In the future, I want to add more features such as a messaging tool, plant identifier and tailored plant care options. Overall the goal is to create more valuable features and deliver a product that better assists the users.