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Research and application design for User Experience Design course, General Assembly, October 2013
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my farmerA farmer with an attitude, in your pocket
Have you watered your basil yet today?
by Lesley Merz and Jacqueline ColognesiUser Experience Design, General AssemblyOctober 2013
The challenge
Solution
Scope
A new farming magazine aims to position itself as a
knowledge base for its young, urban readership.
A mobile application brings how-to information to beginner
gardeners.
Company research, Persona development, User flows,
Information Architecture, Wireframes
what is modern farmer
?
FarmFood LifeThis goat
Modern Farmer is a quarterly magazine founded in 2012 covering topics including local and sustainable growing, the slow food movement, and a farm-to-table lifestyle.
Company background
The magazine covers a broad range of subjects and has a quirky, irreverent tone. It covers serious subjects, but doesn’t take itself too seriously.
Company background
who are the modern farmers
?
User: The Urban Ruralist Brooklyn, NY
• aspiringgardener• foodie• farm-to-table• environmentalist• slowfood• urbanite• hipster
The best way to know where my food is coming from is togrow it myself.
It’s nice to watch things grow.
I don’t mind getting my hands dirty, but where do I start?
Many readers in the magazine’s target audience live in cities, but have a desire to get back to nature. They care about their food and where it comes from. They also are urban, and can appreciate modern farmer’s irreverent attitude.
“Our how-to section is going to be the most important section in the magazine…”
—Ann Marie Gardner, CEO and Editor-in-Chief
Modern Farmer’s “How-to” section, while one of its priorities, is not well developed. Its website has few how-to articles, and mainly those on advanced topics. Modern Farmer needs a better way help its readers: beginners who are eager to learn.
The Problem: connecting to beginners
how canmodern farmer
connect to these users?
The idea was conceived for a “farmer in your pocket”—a mobile application to guide novice farmers, establish the magazine as a leader for this new food culture, and maintain its whimsical feel.
The Solution: a How-To Application
Have you watered your basil yet today?
Our process involved a paper prototyping system of interchangeable pieces. This allowed us to quickly try out different interactions and move interface components around easily. This collaborative process seamlessly facilitated a low-fidelity, interactive prototype.
Process: Prototyping
User tests revealed that the concept was well-received. However, we learned that too much flexibility lead some users to feel confused, and we discovered that the initial flow through the application was critical to a user’s understanding of how it worked.
Process: User Testing
We reorganized the information architecture to have a clearer hierarchy. The home screen became “my farm,” a status snapshot of the user’s plants and tasks, and a side menu organized the rest of the navigation in a list.
Home screen: MyFarm
Side navigation: articlesandutilities
Information Architecture
Our updated flow took improved the different steps needed for first-time and repeat users. For first-time users, My Farmer opens with a quick intro-duction and guides users to answer four basic questions to get custom farm recommendations. On subsequent opens, the application takes the user straight to the “My Farm” home screen.
Open My Farmer
Introduction
set date of planting
My Farm Sidebar Menu
Favorite articles
Settings
Seasonal Overview
Plant status and tasks (ex. basil)
First-time user?
Add to my farm?
yes
edit profile
no
noyes
Profile
How-to Library
Style
Space
Sun
Zone
recommendations
article how-to (ex. basil)
User Flow
We built a second paper prototype around our new information architecture and flow. This time, our tests revealed that the users knew what to expect having seen the introduction, and they felt confident in their understanding of where they were in the application at all times.
Process: User Testing
how doesmy farmer
work?
Verizon 12:00 PM
a how-to companion to
my farmer
modern farmer
The loading page directly refers back to the magazine. An angry farmer suggests the tongue-in-cheek tone of the magazine.
Wireframes
Verizon 12:00 PM
my farmer guides you through growing your own
food with how-tos and helpful reminders
Let’s see how it works!
swipe to continue >>
Verizon 12:00 PM
Fill out your farmer profile in four simple steps to get custom recommendations.
Verizon 12:00 PM
Choose the plants you want to grow and enter
the date you plant them.
Verizon 12:00 PM
Grow your plants with helpful (if snarky!)
reminders from Old MacDonald.
Verizon 12:00 PM
That’s it! Now just work up an appetite for your own homegrown food!
set up your profile >>
For a first-time viewer: The first page of the introduction tells the user what is coming up, and shows that it won’t be long. The text is brief, while easy swiping between pages allows the user to quickly complete the introductory sequence. It ends by encouraging the user with the incentive of a bountiful harvest.
Introduction Sequence
Customized plant recommendations are integral to the application, so new users are directed next to answer four short questions about plant types, space availability, sun exposure, and growing zone to determine their suggested plants.
Application Customization
Verizon 12:00 PM
Get started on your custom farm in four quick steps!
What are we working with?
1 StyleWhat types of plants you want to grow?
Veggies
Herbs
Fruits
Legumes
swipe to continue >>
Verizon 12:00 PM
2 SpaceHow much room do you have?
Windowsill
Balcony/ Terrace
Roof/Patio
What are we working with?
Verizon 12:00 PM
3 SunWhat kind of light do you get?
Southexposure
East or West exposure
Northexposure
What are we working with?
Verizon 12:00 PM
4 Zone
Find your growing zone!
Already know your zone? Enter it!
Zip code:
Zone:
or
Go to My Farm! >>
What are we working with?
easy swipe between pages dots reflect page number
questions only ask information required from users to get custom farm recommendations
“My Farm” is a current status list of the plants a user is growing.
Home Screen
Verizon 8:00 AM
my farm
Basil
Peppers
Tomatoes
Seasonal Overview
Kale
4
2
11
menu housed in sidebar for access throughout the app:- Plant How-to Library- Favorite How-tos- Profile- Settings
Seasonal Overview presents upcoming tasking in one list Each plant page shows
the status of that plant and notifications
Notifications for current and overdue tasks for each plant
Verizon 12:00 PM
Library ABCDEFGHIJKLMNOPQRSTUVWXYZ
How<to:<Corn
How<to:<Cucumber
How<to:<Cauliflower
How<to:<CarrotsVegetables<farming<farmNtoNtable<sustainableliving<local<food<movement<slow<food<modernfarmer<plants<herbs<vegetables<legumes<fruit
Vegetables<farming<farmNtoNtable<sustainableliving<local<food<movement<slow<food<modernfarmer<plants<herbs<vegetables<legumes<fruit
Vegetables<farming<farmNtoNtable<sustainableliving<local<food<movement<slow<food<modernfarmer<plants<herbs<vegetables<legumes<fruit
Vegetables<farming<farmNtoNtable<sustainableliving<local<food<movement<slow<food<modernfarmer<plants<herbs<vegetables<legumes<fruit
BrowseAll
Recommended/for/You
New/Ar4cles
The how-to library automatically populates with recommendations based on the user’s profile, but users can also search, browse alphabetically, or look for newly added articles.
How-to Library
The how-to article page for any plant gives the user the plant growing overview and step-by-step growing process. Adding a plant to “My Farm” populates the user’s home screen.
How-to Articles
»
Verizon 12:00 PM
how to: basil Add#Plant#to#My#Farm
Basil#is#a#hardy,#easy5to5grow#herb#that#is#goodfor#beginners.#
Likes: Lots of sun, constant pruningDislikes: Overly wet soil, crowding
STEP 1: Start basil indoors 4-6 weeks before the Þrst frost.
You'll need: Basil seeds, well-draining pots, planting soil, water, full sun.
ii
STEP 2: Plant two seeds per small pot. Cover the seeds with saran wrap to keepthem warm. During this earlygrowth stage, water daily.
Purchase at ModernFarmer.com
»
Verizon 12:00 PM
how to: basil Add#Plant#to#My#Farm
Basil#is#a#hardy,#easy5to5grow#herb#that#is#goodfor#beginners.#
Likes: Lots of sun, constant pruningDislikes: Overly wet soil, crowding
STEP 1: Start basil indoors 4-6 weeks before the Þrst frost.
You'll need: Basil seeds, well-draining pots, planting soil, water, full sun.
ii
STEP 2: Plant two seeds per small pot. Cover the seeds with saran wrap to keepthem warm. During this earlygrowth stage, water daily.
Purchase at ModernFarmer.com
»
Verizon 12:00 PM
how to: basil Add#Plant#to#My#Farm
Basil#is#a#hardy,#easy5to5grow#herb#that#is#goodfor#beginners.#
Likes: Lots of sun, constant pruningDislikes: Overly wet soil, crowding
STEP 1: Start basil indoors 4-6 weeks before the Þrst frost.
You'll need: Basil seeds, well-draining pots, planting soil, water, full sun.
ii
STEP 2: Plant two seeds per small pot. Cover the seeds with saran wrap to keepthem warm. During this earlygrowth stage, water daily.
Purchase at ModernFarmer.com
Add Plant to My Farm
»
Verizon 12:00 PM
how to: basil Add#Plant#to#My#Farm
Basil#is#a#hardy,#easy5to5grow#herb#that#is#goodfor#beginners.#
Likes: Lots of sun, constant pruningDislikes: Overly wet soil, crowding
STEP 1: Start basil indoors 4-6 weeks before the Þrst frost.
You'll need: Basil seeds, well-draining pots, planting soil, water, full sun.
ii
STEP 2: Plant two seeds per small pot. Cover the seeds with saran wrap to keepthem warm. During this earlygrowth stage, water daily.
Purchase at ModernFarmer.com
Basil is a hardy, easy-to-grow herb that is good for beginners.
Light: full sunGrowing season: early spring (outdoors)Zone: 1-11Space: 6-inches apartAnnual (perennial if grown indoors)
Basil seedswell-draining potsplanti ng soilwater
Basics
You’ll need
Growing overview
»
Verizon 12:00 PM
how to: basil Add#Plant#to#My#Farm
Basil#is#a#hardy,#easy5to5grow#herb#that#is#goodfor#beginners.#
Likes: Lots of sun, constant pruningDislikes: Overly wet soil, crowding
STEP 1: Start basil indoors 4-6 weeks before the Þrst frost.
You'll need: Basil seeds, well-draining pots, planting soil, water, full sun.
ii
STEP 2: Plant two seeds per small pot. Cover the seeds with saran wrap to keepthem warm. During this earlygrowth stage, water daily.
Purchase at ModernFarmer.com
»
Verizon 12:00 PM
how to: basil Add#Plant#to#My#Farm
Basil#is#a#hardy,#easy5to5grow#herb#that#is#goodfor#beginners.#
Likes: Lots of sun, constant pruningDislikes: Overly wet soil, crowding
STEP 1: Start basil indoors 4-6 weeks before the Þrst frost.
You'll need: Basil seeds, well-draining pots, planting soil, water, full sun.
ii
STEP 2: Plant two seeds per small pot. Cover the seeds with saran wrap to keepthem warm. During this earlygrowth stage, water daily.
Purchase at ModernFarmer.com
»
Verizon 12:00 PM
how to: basil Add#Plant#to#My#Farm
Basil#is#a#hardy,#easy5to5grow#herb#that#is#goodfor#beginners.#
Likes: Lots of sun, constant pruningDislikes: Overly wet soil, crowding
STEP 1: Start basil indoors 4-6 weeks before the Þrst frost.
You'll need: Basil seeds, well-draining pots, planting soil, water, full sun.
ii
STEP 2: Plant two seeds per small pot. Cover the seeds with saran wrap to keepthem warm. During this earlygrowth stage, water daily.
Purchase at ModernFarmer.com
Add Plant to My Farm
»
Verizon 12:00 PM
how to: basil Add#Plant#to#My#Farm
Basil#is#a#hardy,#easy5to5grow#herb#that#is#goodfor#beginners.#
Likes: Lots of sun, constant pruningDislikes: Overly wet soil, crowding
STEP 1: Start basil indoors 4-6 weeks before the Þrst frost.
You'll need: Basil seeds, well-draining pots, planting soil, water, full sun.
ii
STEP 2: Plant two seeds per small pot. Cover the seeds with saran wrap to keepthem warm. During this earlygrowth stage, water daily.
Purchase at ModernFarmer.com
Basil is a hardy, easy-to-grow herb that is good for beginners.
Light: full sunGrowing season: early spring (outdoors)Zone: 1-11Space: 6-inches apartAnnual (perennial if grown indoors)
Basil seedswell-draining potsplanti ng soilwater
Basics
You’ll need
Growing overview
»
Verizon 12:00 PM
how to: basil Add#Plant#to#My#Farm
Basil#is#a#hardy,#easy5to5grow#herb#that#is#goodfor#beginners.#
Likes: Lots of sun, constant pruningDislikes: Overly wet soil, crowding
STEP 1: Start basil indoors 4-6 weeks before the Þrst frost.
You'll need: Basil seeds, well-draining pots, planting soil, water, full sun.
ii
STEP 2: Plant two seeds per small pot. Cover the seeds with saran wrap to keepthem warm. During this earlygrowth stage, water daily.
Purchase at ModernFarmer.com
»
Verizon 12:00 PM
how to: basil Add#Plant#to#My#Farm
Basil#is#a#hardy,#easy5to5grow#herb#that#is#goodfor#beginners.#
Likes: Lots of sun, constant pruningDislikes: Overly wet soil, crowding
STEP 1: Start basil indoors 4-6 weeks before the Þrst frost.
You'll need: Basil seeds, well-draining pots, planting soil, water, full sun.
ii
STEP 2: Plant two seeds per small pot. Cover the seeds with saran wrap to keepthem warm. During this earlygrowth stage, water daily.
Purchase at ModernFarmer.com
»
Verizon 12:00 PM
how to: basil Add#Plant#to#My#Farm
Basil#is#a#hardy,#easy5to5grow#herb#that#is#goodfor#beginners.#
Likes: Lots of sun, constant pruningDislikes: Overly wet soil, crowding
STEP 1: Start basil indoors 4-6 weeks before the Þrst frost.
You'll need: Basil seeds, well-draining pots, planting soil, water, full sun.
ii
STEP 2: Plant two seeds per small pot. Cover the seeds with saran wrap to keepthem warm. During this earlygrowth stage, water daily.
Purchase at ModernFarmer.com
Add Plant to My Farm
»
Verizon 12:00 PM
how to: basil Add#Plant#to#My#Farm
Basil#is#a#hardy,#easy5to5grow#herb#that#is#goodfor#beginners.#
Likes: Lots of sun, constant pruningDislikes: Overly wet soil, crowding
STEP 1: Start basil indoors 4-6 weeks before the Þrst frost.
You'll need: Basil seeds, well-draining pots, planting soil, water, full sun.
ii
STEP 2: Plant two seeds per small pot. Cover the seeds with saran wrap to keepthem warm. During this earlygrowth stage, water daily.
Purchase at ModernFarmer.com
Basil is a hardy, easy-to-grow herb that is good for beginners.
Light: full sunGrowing season: early spring (outdoors)Zone: 1-11Space: 6-inches apartAnnual (perennial if grown indoors)
Basil seedswell-draining potsplanti ng soilwater
Basics
You’ll need
Growing overview
My Farm: Plant Detail
Verizon 12:00 PM
Date planted: April 5, 2013
Today your basil plant is 4 weeks old.
It should be several inches tall with small, bright green leaves.
Water your plant twice a day.
At 4 weeks: Re-plant your
seedlings
Start: Plant your seeds
change
Tasks
What’s next?
Next stepGo back
basil
expand
Re-pot plants 6 inches apart
Water: morning
Water: aft ernoon
Water: morning
Water: aft ernoon
Week of May 6
May 6 (a.m.)
May 6 (p.m.)
May 7 (a.m.)
May 7 (p.m.)
Behind on logging your completed tasks? Check all
Share your progress!
View how-to arti cle
Date planted: April 5, 2013
Today your basil plant is 4 weeks old.
It should be several inches tall with small, bright green leaves.
Water your plant twice a day.
At 4 weeks: Re-plant your
seedlings
Start: Plant your seeds
change
Tasks
What’s next?
Next stepGo back
basil
expand
Re-pot plants 6 inches apart
Water: morning
Water: aft ernoon
Water: morning
Water: aft ernoon
Week of May 6
May 6 (a.m.)
May 6 (p.m.)
May 7 (a.m.)
May 7 (p.m.)
Behind on logging your completed tasks? Check all
Share your progress!
View how-to arti cle
Verizon 12:00 PM
Date planted: April 5, 2013
Today your basil plant is 4 weeks old.
It should be several inches tall with small, bright green leaves.
Water your plant twice a day.
At 4 weeks: Re-plant your
seedlings
Start: Plant your seeds
change
Tasks
What’s next?
Next stepGo back
basil
expand
Re-pot plants 6 inches apart
Water: morning
Water: aft ernoon
Water: morning
Water: aft ernoon
Week of May 6
May 6 (a.m.)
May 6 (p.m.)
May 7 (a.m.)
May 7 (p.m.)
Behind on logging your completed tasks? Check all
Share your progress!
View how-to arti cle
Plant status, based on date planted
Current step can be expanded for detailed explanation
See past and upcoming steps
Check off completed tasks to stay on top of harvest
Links to Library How-to article for in-depth tutorial
If a user doesn’t log the tasks required for a plant, Old MacDonald shows up to weigh in. This cranky, melodramatic old farmer plays up the magazine’s irreverent personality, and is a fun way to remind the user not to forget any tasks along the way.
Reminders and Notifications
Verizon 12:00 PM
Library ABCDEFGHIJKLMNOPQRSTUVWXYZ
How<to:<Corn
How<to:<Cucumber
How<to:<Cauliflower
How<to:<CarrotsVegetables<farming<farmNtoNtable<sustainableliving<local<food<movement<slow<food<modernfarmer<plants<herbs<vegetables<legumes<fruit
Vegetables<farming<farmNtoNtable<sustainableliving<local<food<movement<slow<food<modernfarmer<plants<herbs<vegetables<legumes<fruit
Vegetables<farming<farmNtoNtable<sustainableliving<local<food<movement<slow<food<modernfarmer<plants<herbs<vegetables<legumes<fruit
Vegetables<farming<farmNtoNtable<sustainableliving<local<food<movement<slow<food<modernfarmer<plants<herbs<vegetables<legumes<fruit
BrowseAll
Recommended/for/You
New/Ar4cles
the end!