Planterra is a self realized application. The project was curated during the height of the pandemic when there was a major increase in singular person activities. I was seeing many people lose touch with their community and throw themselves into bringing light into their lives in another way. I thought an app that brought a community to your home and allowed you to grow a living creature would be useful for people during isolated times.
Scope of Work
Branding & Ui/Ux
Research and designed an app addressing the connection issues experienced during the pandemic.
Skills used
Hard and Soft Skills
Branding | Illustration | Ui/Ux Research and Design | Prototyping | Motion Graphics | Typography
This was a personal project that came about during the pandemic. At the time I was seeing many people choosing to expand their horizons and try to bring nature to the indoors by planting and raising houseplants. Being an avid gardener for years, I was questioning why so many people were finding it difficult to keep their plant buddies alive and what could be done do to prevent that.
*my own personal plant graveyard below
No items found.
Phase two
Research & Analysis
Before beginning the design process, I spent 3–5 months researching houseplants, their owners, the plant industry, and potential users. This research uncovered why people were struggling and gave me the insights needed to design meaningful solutions. From there, I tested my proposed ideas through in-person research, including card sorting and user surveys. Whenever a solution missed the mark, I held in-depth conversations to uncover what I was overlooking, then refined and retested until the fit the needs of the user.
*Designing without understanding users risks creating a product no one wants or can use.
PRESUMED DEMOGRAPHIC
The 2019 National Gardening Survey found that 18 to 34-year-olds have beena dominant source of plant sales.
Millennials account for about a quarter of the $48 billion spent on lawn and garden products in 2018, even though they have lower household incomes than older generations, according to data fromthe 2019 National Gardening Association.
Environmental psychologist Sally Augustin, Ph.D, suggests that caring for plants really is a healthy option for stress relief and could explain why so many millennials are so drawn to the hobby.
PLANT INDUSTRY AND PLATFORM
The plant industry is surroundedby those who can get you plants more conveniently than going to the store now! But they aren't providing the after care information one might need.
In the past three years, U.S. plant and plant product saleshave surged almost 50 percent to$1.7 billion, according to the National Gardening Association.
71 percent of North American greenhouses saw an increase in plant sales in 2020, and 67 percent felt confident this trend of plant care would continue throughout this year
Competitor Analysis
Doing competitive research allowed me to gain insights into the Plant Care industry and determine strengths and weaknesses of competitors. By doing this research I saw a lack of personal connection in the user experience. At this step, I determined what features would set me apart from others while giving an effective experience.
Results of Market Research
The results of the market research showed the type of people who were struggling to take care of plants and the problems they were experiencing. Once the market is established then I did some research into competitors who were currently addressing those problems and what they could possibly be missing.
User Research
After the market research, I then took a more acute look into the demographics. I created several research opportunities that were then carried out by the specific types of people that were experiencing those problems that I uncovered in the Market Research.
User Survey
The user survey was a questionnaire distributed to over 100 individuals. The questions were carefully developed by backtracking from what I truly wanted to understand—how users interact with plant care, what influences their purchasing decisions, and what they need to care for plants successfully. The insights gathered from this research were instrumental in shaping tools that enhance the overall user experience.
Results:
The majority of the respondents found the most difficult part of growing/owning a plant to be the wilting and bugs. This leads me to believe they have more of a problem with maintenance rather than remembering when to water their plants.
A large percentage of indoor gardeners also tend to gain a lot of their information from the internet. This can be a daunting task when you need a quick answer on what is happening to your plant.
Many also found they obtained their plants out of serendipity and not by choice, this was because they were highly intimidated by the challenge of growing a plant.
Card Sorting
Card sorting helps the analysis phase of UI/UX design by revealing how users naturally group and label information, allowing designers to create a more intuitive structure and navigation system that aligns with user expectations.
Empathy Mapping
Empathy mapping gave me vital information about the concerns, questions, feelings, and overall enjoyment people would experience towards the subject of plant care. Being able to talk and experience others emotional connection with plant care, whether good or bad, allowed me to visualize what areas of plant care to target.
Personas
User personas are shaped from all the previous research methods and answers. These personas are more acute than the provisionals and allowed me to determine more information of the motivations and needs of the users. Personas provided crucial insight into what type of person will be using my app and how I can aid them in accomplishing their goals.
Product Roadmapping
Created detailed product maps to visualize features, workflows, and interactions, ensuring a cohesive design that aligns with both user needs and business goals.
User Journey
Mapped the end-to-end user journey to identify pain points, highlight key touch points, and uncover opportunities for a smoother, more engaging experience.
Phase Three
Solution & Design
After compiling the research, my solution was Planterra. This is an application that would solve the problem of people killing their houseplants while also providing a helpful and friendly community of plant people. The main functions of the application are the plant identification (camera authenticator), library (guide of all plants with helpful information), doctor (for houseplant diseases and on-demand help), as well as a community of other plant lovers whom you would be able to connect with to trade, view their shelf, and get helpful information.
3.1 Product Roadmap
Here I identify the features that directly support the user’s needs and remove anything that no longer serves their goals. This step helps define what belongs in the experience, what should be simplified, and what can be introduced to create a smoother and more meaningful journey. The roadmap becomes a guide for prioritizing functionality, planning iterations, and ensuring every element has a purpose.
Planterra Site Map
3.2 Sitemap
The design then transitions into translating everything learned and determined in research into a clear understanding of how the user moves through the experience. This starts with site mapping, where the structure of the content is organized in a way that supports quick decisions, intuitive paths, and a more focused journey. From here, I define key user flows, identify friction points, and lay the groundwork for wireframes that guide the visual and functional direction of the final design.
3.3 Wireframing
This is where the structure of the experience takes shape. I create low or mid fidelity wireframes to explore layout, hierarchy, and the flow between screens before adding any visual styling. From there I introduce key interaction patterns that support user needs, such as clearer filters, smoother navigation, or more direct calls to action. Each choice is made to remove friction and guide users through the experience with less effort. Visuals in this stage include wireframe spreads, simple annotations, and early clickable prototypes when needed.
