The Planty App
Role and responsibility
I worked on this freelance project alongside three developers. In my role as the UX/UI designer and strategist, I collaborated closely with stakeholders to plan, define, and prioritize all features and functionalities, ensuring that the design aligned with both user needs and business goals.
Description
Planty is a mobile app designed to help users identify plants, track their growth, and maintain their home gardens with ease. The project focused on developing a comprehensive concept and user-friendly design that would cater to both novice and experienced gardeners.
Our goal was to create an intuitive experience that not only provided plant identification through image recognition but also offered personalized care tips, watering reminders, and a community-driven knowledge base. By combining these features into a seamless interface, we aimed to make plant care more accessible and enjoyable for users of all skill levels
Platform
Smartphones
Work done
My work included planning, research, sketching, conceptualisation, testing, prototyping and design.
Timeframe
6 months
The process
I follow the Double Diamond method in my design process. This approach helps streamline and enhance creativity while ensuring all stakeholders remain informed and engaged throughout the project.
The challenge
The main challenge was understanding how users performed various tasks and identifying opportunities to enhance their workflows. I started with a competitive analysis to assess the market landscape and evaluate competing apps, which helped me pinpoint their strengths and weaknesses. Collaborating with key stakeholders, I tested several hypotheses and concepts to gather valuable data for the next phase of development.
Synthesis
Before finalizing the solution, it was critical to conduct thorough testing with candidates and gather their feedback. Unfortunately, due to time constraints, this step couldn't be completed as originally planned. Typically, the next phase would involve refining the design based on user insights. However, in collaboration with stakeholders, I redefined the solution concept based on our analysis. This enabled us to make informed adjustments to the design, addressing key feedback. Once these refinements were in place, I moved forward with the onboarding process.
Idea development
The next phase involved a brainstorming session with stakeholders where we could map out my ideas and define the app’s core vision. The aim was to create a simple, user-friendly Plant care app, deliberately avoiding complex premium features. From there, I translated my concept into mockups, which helped me visualize the app’s layout and functionality. By creating various flowcharts, I was able to map out the user journey, which helped refine my understanding of the app’s structure and overall user experience. With a solid foundation in place, I then moved on to refine the design, ultimately producing a high-fidelity design and prototype.
Delivery
With the designs refined and validated, I was ready to hand off the project to the development team to begin their work and launch a pilot version. However, due to financial constraints, we were unable to proceed with this phase.