Parsons the New School for Design:R&D Advanced MethodsFinal Group ProjectSpring 2014

Globally, nearly 1.3 billion tons of food is wasted each year1. With a significant portion being generated at the consumer level, how can we combat this systemic problem by starting in the home?

THE CHALLENGE

WHAT I LEARNED• Applying behavioral science to design thinking.

The assignment asked us to apply research and design frame-works explored in class to address a pressing social problem of our choice. We elected to focus on a topic that’s not only a global issue, but impacts our own daily lives: food waste.

PreliminaryFind information/ inspiration. INQUIRE.Real WorldObserve, interview.INVESTIGATE.

ReviewMake connections, findpatterns.INTERPRET.ExtractFilter, narrow options.INTEGRATE.

CreateDesign and prototype.INITIATE.ReflectTest it out, consider revisions. IMPROVE.

Going in with goals...

Empower the consumer to join the battle. Spread awareness, modify behavior by harnessing what they’re familiar with: technology (an App).

Address the problem from the bottom up.Let micro-level changes breed macro ones.

It required backtracking and continual referral to previous stages. Constant reiteration of solution, frequent rejection of

assumptions.

This was NOTa linear process.

Research was broken down into two over-arching phases: (1) Preliminary, and (2) Real World. We had already begun the project with the idea of an App-based solution in mind and were eager to see if our research findingswould support this concept.

As it’s easy to lose focus once out in the field, we dedicated the first few weeks of the project to gaining full familiarity with all things related to our topic. The goal of Preliminary Research was to investigate (a) shopper demographics / psychographics; (b) consequences of global food waste; and (c) current solutions to the problem.

Position MapDefining what products we should focus on.

User PersonasCreating theoretical profiles of our target customer.

Sugar, Vinegar, Cornstarch, Salt,

Vanilla extract, Honey

Doesn’t Expire

Cereal

Yogurt

Milk

Frequently Disposed

Infrequently Disposed

Expires Quickly

Uncooked rice

Fruit, Vegetables

Raw Meat

Eggs

BreadFlour

Juice

Potato chips,Nuts Jelly

Soda

Deli Meats& Cheese

Frozen dinners

Candy

Co�ee beans

Icecream

Size shows frequency of use

Frequently bought Infrequently boughtmid point- 2 months

Though useful in laying a project’s groundwork, secondary research has its shortcomings: it’s not customized to a project’s particular needs and often induces researchers to make false assumptions. The goal of Real World Research was to fill in the gaps and give us a more accurate, inside view of our topic.

BRIDGINGTHE GAP

Expectations vs. RealitySeparating fact from fiction - what hypotheses actually ring true?

ObservationsWhere we visited, what we looked out for.

• What pre-shopping behaviors do people engage in?

• How do people handle groceries after a shopping trip?

• How does a housewife prepare a meal from limited ingredients?

• What are the typical behaviors of grocery shoppers?

• What characteristics of the store affect these behaviors?

• What characteristics of the shopper affect these behaviors?

InterviewsWho we talked to, what we asked.

A suburban housewife... a student living in the city... a young filmmaker with two

roommates...• Discuss your food purchasing patterns. How often

do you buy groceries, how much do you typically spend? What are your go-to stores?

• Discuss how you deal with cooking, storing, and discarding food. How often do you cook for your-self, versus going out to eat? What factors influenceyour decision?

• Discuss how you handle purchased groceries. Do you closely keep track of expiration dates? Do you use an organizational system to help you manage food?

• Discuss how familiar you are with the food waste crisis. What consequence concerns you the most? What would motivate you to be less wasteful?

We made many fascinating discoveries during our research phases, so it was critical to Extract the useful from the irrelevant after a Review of all Findings.

With over ten hours of observation conducted and six different people interviewed between team members, open discussion was vital during this phase. The goal of the Review was to share raw findings and chief takeaways, then to begin synthesizing individual ideas such that we had a clearer definition of the problem

PhotosThe products, design elements, and behaviors that stood out.

TranscriptsThe emotions, biases, and mindsets that were revealed.

Team member feedback served as a fantastic filter - it allowed us to Extract the most useful insights from all other findings. Armed with a stronger definition of the problem, we were now better prepared to develop our answer to it.

New QuestionsGrocery ShoppingHypothesis Question: Do behaviors during actual food purchasing impact food wastefulness?Solution Question: How can grocery retailers be included in our solution?Eating OutHypothesis Question: Is there a relationship between eating out behaviors and food wastefulness?Solution Question: What role can utilizing leftovers play in addressing the problem?CookingHypothesis Question: Do behaviors in the kitchen influence wastefulnessSolution Question: Can building culinary knowledge be part of the solution?Storage / ManagementHypothesis Question: Does better overall kitchen organization result in food waste reductions?Solution Question: Will there be a need to introduce / redesign products to compliment our App?Diet / HealthHypothesis Question: Are more health-conscious individuals less wasteful?Solution Question: Will our App require features for diet / lifestyle maintenance?Food Waste KnowledgeHypothesis Question: Does awareness of the crisis actually result in less wasteful behaviors?Solution Question: Will including an educational component help moviate people to be less wasteful?

A Problem-Specific SolutionAdjusting initial questions to better target the issue.

• PRE-TRIP:• KITCHEN:• APPS:

Shopping lists, budgeting.Organization, saving leftovers.Tracking, price comparison, recipes.

• PRODUCT: Appearance, brand, origins, health benefits, priceProximity, format, assortment, coupons.

• Diets• Culture• Gender• Income• Awareness• Generation• Cooking proficienc• Lifestyle / schedules• Household size / composition

Summarizing InsightsMain reasons behind household food waste.

Categorizing PatternsChief takeaways from observations and interviews.

From awareness-building Love Food, Hate Waste, to food-sharing Left-OverSwap, there are plenty of waste-combatting Apps currently out there. The goal of the Create phase was to merge the capabilities of all such mobile solutions into one seamless, easy to understand platform.

Findings supported our initial concept of an App-based Solution, and also unveiled the specifc features it should include. Of course, it was important to Reflect and evaluate our product prototype post-Create, in order to see if further iterations should be explored.

The AppEasy navigation, visually engaging, profile customization.

The SupportScannable label modifications that inform and empower the user.

Listed above are our App’s prominent features. Now that we’re ready to “deliver” our product, the next step was to explore how to actually introduce it to the marketplace and gauge its usefulness to the real consumer. These were the goals of the Reflect phase.

A Consumer-Centric AnswerMust-have App components based on research findings.

User ProbeFeedback from a friend, Ethan.

Campaign PosterCommunicating value to the consumer.

• DESIGN:• FAVORITE FEATURES:• NEEDS FULFILLED:

Simple logo, pleasing color scheme.“At a Glance”, savings calculator.Sense of community, tracking, finding recipes

• NAVIGATION:• MISSING ABILITIES:

Unclear home page, weak overall responsiveness.Partnerhips with retailers and restaurants.