Greenfun logo and four mobile application screens

Greenfun UX and UI case study

Arouse people's concern for the environment and nature, fostering awareness of caring for plants in interesting ways!

My Role

Research
Flow Design
Prototype
User Testing

Project for

Loughborough University

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Sustainability Office of LU

01

PROBLEM DEFINITION

Background & current situation

Campus background and three current problems: unattractive information, unclear locations, and missing activity information
01

Information is not attractive

02

Location is not clear

03

People lack activity information

02

FIELD RESEARCH

How people move, look, and stop

Participant routes and observations recorded around campus

Eight participant routes were recorded around the campus. Observations focused on the areas and objects that caught attention: trees, gardens, flowers, lawns, water features, special trees, and architectural details.

03

BEHAVIORAL MAPPING

Mapping attention around the area

Behavioral maps are used to observe the interaction between the participants and the plants around the area. Through the records of different people's surveys, we can find out what attracts participants in their surroundings.

Experience map covering awareness, discover, identify, adopt, watering, events, exchange, and share

04

BENCHMARK

Existing campus activities

Benchmark of Bee Hive, Zoo Campus, and Fruit Route

05

RESEARCH INSIGHTS

What participants told us

77%

“People would like to stop when they meet something they are interested in.”

P2
89%

“There are some interesting plants but I even do not know they are here.”

P1
67%

“If there is nothing special about particular plants or animals, then there would be no interaction for participants.”

P3 · P4 · P5 · P8
67%

“Most participants from the activity get there with one or two friends.”

Field observation
56%

“Participants did not know about the school activity information, so they missed the chance to join.”

P4

06

BRAINSTORM

Ideas grouped around four themes

Brainstorm affinity map around Platform, Interaction, Social, Enjoyment, and Signs

07

PERSONA

Alberto & Emily

Detailed personas for Alberto and Emily

08

USER FLOW

From welcome email to a real plant

Greenfun flow chart from welcome email through homepage, map, camera, garden, and profile

09

STORYBOARD

Alberto's Greenfun journey

Thirteen-step storyboard showing Alberto discovering, adopting, caring for, and exchanging plants
Read the full 13-step storyboard
  1. Alberto is a master student from China. He is new to the university and unfamiliar with the surroundings.
  2. He passes a special flower area without noticing the board.
  3. The app, installed through the Sustainability Office welcome email, tells him cactus plants are nearby.
  4. He interacts with the cactus in AR, watches the seasons change, and adopts it.
  5. He waters it regularly and receives planting and campus-life tips.
  6. The adopted plant matures and gives him one seed.
  7. Schoolwork sometimes makes him feel under pressure.
  8. He checks activities and invites friends with similar interests.
  9. They enjoy the activity, make friends, and get closer to nature.
  10. After the activity, he receives three seeds.
  11. Collecting plants and knowledge motivates him to explore more of campus.
  12. He walks 10,000 steps in a week and receives one seed.
  13. He reaches the exchange goal and trades his seeds for a real plant.

10

DESIGN EVALUATION

Four rounds of testing and iteration

Design evaluation from low fidelity through medium fidelity to high fidelity tests

11

HIGH FIDELITY

The final Greenfun experience

Final high-fidelity Greenfun screens and detailed feature flows
Greenfun high-fidelity interface showcase across news, events, AR, map, garden, and profile

Homepage

Get school biodiversity information and activities.

Map

View biodiversity areas and explore the campus.

Camera

Recognise plants and interact with them in AR.

Garden

Adopt plants, water them, and receive useful tips.

Me

Check profile, walking steps, seeds, and collected plants.

Exchange

Exchange collected seeds for real plants.

GREENFUN

Would you like to join Greenfun?

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