Sprout (iOS App)
An all-in-one app for plant care.
Overview
Millennials desire to live greener, more mindful lives and contribute to environmental sustainability. However, limited urban space often hinders their gardening aspirations. That's what I thought.
Research revealed Millennials' fear of killing plants as a major barrier to gardening rather than limited spaces. To overcome this, I created Sprout, a comprehensive plant care app that offers personalized guidance to ensure successful plant nurturing.
Sprout empowers Millennials to achieve their gardening goals while also allowing them to contribute to a more sustainable and healthier lifestyle.
Role
UX Researcher
UI Designer
Timeline
10 weeks
Tools
Figma
Skills
UX Research
UI Design
Visual Design
Branding
Data insights
Do people experience a problem?
The answer is yes.
Gardening has seen a surge in popularity since 2020, with many turning to it as a means of relaxation and personal fulfillment. However, a recent gardening survey conducted by Axiom reveals a decline in the sense of achievement. While the desire to garden remains strong, many new gardeners express uncertainty.
image: Data insights from the Axiom Garden Study 2023 and 2024
Based on the above findings, I concluded…
Limited space, busy schedules, and a complex resource maze made gardening challenging for new gardeners.
Which led me to believe
"How might we make urban gardening accessible to busy young adults (aged 24-32) with limited space?"
Primary research
Millennials had a lot to say.
And they were heard.
Given the tight timeline, I interviewed only three candidates. Their feedback consistently highlighted plant care as a primary concern. This led me to focus on plant care as the central theme, aligning with the needs and interests of millennial gardeners.
image: Interview responses
Both research insights led me to…
"How might we simplify plant care for new and experienced plant parents (Aged 24-32) so that they can maintain and care for their plants?"
Persona and expereince map
Understanding my target user.
John represents the ideal Millennial gardener, embodying the goals, challenges, and motivations expressed by my interviewees. He serves as a composite of their thoughts, helping me define my target user. By focusing on John, I can effectively address the key problems and needs of this demographic.
image: Target user persona, John Reeves.
Where can I help John?
John approaches plant care with enthusiasm and a touch of overwhelm. I aim to support him in maintaining his positive outlook as he cares for his new plant.
image: Experience map with design intervention.
Task flow
Crafting a task flow using user stories.
While typically, a single epic is used to create a task flow, I believed that the following three interconnected epics would provide a more comprehensive solution for plant care, enabling users like John to successfully nurture their plants.
image: Task flow
Ideation
Wireframes
Visualizing ideas is always difficult when you don't know where to start, so I searched for UI inspiration online. This helped me brainstorm and sketch out some patterns for my wireframes.
interactive: Initial wireframes
Guerrilla usability testing
Getting humbled by users.
End result
Crafting the final product
image: Features to help the user get started
image: Features to optimize plant care
Brand identity
What is Sprout?
Sprout is more than just an app; it's a personal gardening companion. It empowers users like John to connect with nature, cultivate thriving gardens, and enjoy the therapeutic benefits of plant care.
Why Sprout?
The name 'Sprout' embodies our target audience's core values: fostering growth, positivity and simplicity.
image: Wordmark and app icon
Reflections
Project takeaways.
Human insight is key.
While data analysis is important, understanding real-world experiences is often more valuable for problem-solving.
Imperfect wireframes.
Wireframes should prioritize structure and layout over visual perfection. Their role is to guide the design process, not to serve as a finished product.
Tell a story.
Storytelling can be a powerful tool for communicating complex ideas. By structuring presentations like a narrative, you can make your content more engaging and easier to understand.