CONVENIENT RECYCLING, BETTER REWARDS: BIFFA RECYCLING MOBILE APP CASE STUDY
PROJECT OVERVIEW
PROBLEM:
Lack of clear and accurate information to efficiently recycle everyday items, specifically uncommon items. Existing services are not easy to access, leading to improper waste management.
SOLUTION:
To create an app that will provide users convenient and easy recycling along with a rewards system. The solution offers users convenient and easy recycling methods, making the process hassle-free. Introducing rewards ensures that users feel a tangible benefit from their recycling efforts, encouraging continued participation.
IMPACT:
We were able to reduce the time taken to complete the recycling task by 16 seconds: 30 seconds on the original group mid-fidelity app, down to 14 seconds on the hi-fidelity redesign.
MY ROLE:
Group project with 5 members in total. I participated in: User Research, Interaction Design, Wireframing, Prototyping
TOOLS:
Figma, Miro, InVision, Zoom, Trello, Google Drive
TIMELINE:
August 01, 2024 – August 19, 2024
3 weeks
RESEARCH
We created a proto-persona named Emma, a young married financial adviser in Leeds, UK who wants to learn more about recycling for various materials but is concerned about unreliable information for recycling specific items. We conducted around 5 user interviews using open-ended and follow-up questions to understand their thoughts and habits about recycling.
We conducted online surveys via Google Forms and Social Media platforms, receiving around 13 responses that defined our app’s goals and needs. The survey revealed that 76.9% felt unsure about how to recycle a particular item whilst only 23.1% felt sure on what to do with a particular item.
With the survey and user interviews, we aim to understand current recycling habits and identify barriers to recycling. Using an affinity diagram, we determined key factors for our ideal user. Our research revealed that the majority of people consider recycling important and try to make it a habit. However, many don’t dispose of non-recyclable items properly and the challenges include knowing what can be recycled and where to dispose of the non-recyclables, and accessibility to recycling services. We also found that incentives or visual feedback would increase the motivation for users to recycle items.
COMPETITOR ANALYSIS
While researching competitors, we found a few direct and indirect competitors who have different strengths such as scanning and searching materials and information on how to recycle specific items. Some weaknesses include technical and visual challenges.
PERSONA
We created John Andrews, our user persona. John was similar to our proto persona but has all the grouped qualities from our user interviews and survey results. John wants to be able to make more informed recycling decisions in London. He has a goal to have more accessible recycling points which sparked the ideas for the mobile app, which serves as an extension of Biffa.
USER INSIGHT AND PROBLEM STATEMENT
User Insight Statement: “People are increasingly aware of environmental issues and want to contribute through recycling, but they often lack confidence in how to recycle correctly or find recycling points too far away. Research suggests that providing clearer recycling instructions and installing more accessible recycling points can boost recycling efficiency, reduce environmental clutter, and improve user confidence in contributing to environmental sustainability.”
Problem Statement: “John, a busy professional dedicated to sustainability, finds it challenging to access clear and consistent recycling information amid his demanding schedule. As an expectant parent, he seeks easy-to-use tools and reliable resources to build a sustainable home. The current fragmented recycling system complicates his efforts to reduce waste and live greener. There is a strong need for a comprehensive, user-friendly platform that offers personalized recycling guidance, simplifies the process, and empowers individuals to make a positive environmental impact.”
DEFINITION AND IDEATION
Once we gathered all of our research and defined the problem we intended to solve, we were able to brainstorm the features that would be most beneficial to our users. We translated that experience emotionally through our user journey map.
We brainstormed potential features for the Biffa recycling app, voted on the best ideas, and narrowed down to a few key features including a rewards system, scanning feature and a maps location.
We created a storyboard featuring John Andrews, who uses the app to recycle a mattress, and earn points. The journey map shows his emotional ups and downs with the features and journey defined, we began to build our prototype from here.
STORYBOARD
USER JOURNEY MAP
FEATURE PRIORITISATION MATRIX
We brainstormed potential features for the recycling app, voted on the best ideas and narrowed down to a few key features that meets the users’ goals.
WIREFRAMING AND PROTOTYPING
After finalising the user flow, we transitioned to wireframe sketches where we outlined the key features and functionality of the app. We drew the sketches of each wireframe page we would need from our user flow.
MID-FIDELITY WIREFRAMES
We combined our sketches into an ideal wireframe flow and created digital wireframes using Figma. Through iterations, we developed a final clickable prototype. We updated wireframes based on user feedback from usability tests and conducted additional tests like A/B testing. Below you can see the final mid-fidelity wireframes. Despite the challenges faced, our group enjoyed working together on the Biffa Recycling app and achieved the desired results in researching, defining, prototyping, and testing the recycling app.
STYLE GUIDE
I then developed a style guide with my team member in preparation for the high-fidelity prototype.
HIGH FIDELITY WIREFRAMES
From there, I took the initiative to continue working on this case study. I received more feedback to create the high-fidelity prototype of our mid-fidelity design. I added in the graphics, animations, and prototyping functionalities.
FINAL PROTOTYPE
Below you can find the link to the final prototype and the full presentation
REFLECTION
Lessons Learned
I learned that leading a group is challenging but definitely a rewarding experience. I have found from experience that it is best to trust your team because more often than not, collaborations have led to the creation of amazing ideas and designs. I also learned that if something isn’t feeling right, it’s best to ask for feedback or conduct more tests. Doing so will help make the process more efficient and lead to a better outcome.
What’s Next?
I would love to add more features to the current app including:
- Introducing further community features for sharing tips and assisting neighbours with recycling
- Develop analytics tools for users to track their recycling impact
- Accessibility functionality to make it more inclusive to users
Next Steps: Further testing, refining features, and planning for a wider rollout.