Priends
Your plant identification helper
Priends
Your plant identification helper
When I was a landscape architecture designer, I encountered problems using plant identification apps. Unable to find a solution, I decided to tackle the issue myself. This project also inspired me to shift my career to product design.
Role
Product Designer
Time
Mar-Jun 2023
Role
Product Designer
Time
Jan-Jun 2023
Practices
User research, Competitive Analysis, Ideation
Background
Background
Problem
It's hard to identify plant species correctly.
It's hard to identify plant species correctly.
When I was focusing on landscape architecture, it was necessary for us to identify plant species, and some apps can help. But while using these apps, the inaccuracies were high, and this was common.
When I was focusing on landscape architecture, it was necessary for us to identify plant species, and some apps can help. But while using these apps, the inaccuracies were high, and this was common.
User Research & Interview
User Research & Interview
Questionnaire
Part 1 Questionnaire
6 questions were included in the questionnaire, and received 68 responses. Here are the results:
6 questions were included in the questionnaire, and received 68 responses. Here are the results:
How often do you go to parks?
How much time do you spend during each visit?
Which way you prefer to identify plants?
3. Which way you prefer to help you identify?
How many apps have you tried before?
5. What do you think about these apps?
What problems you met in these apps?
How often do you go to parks?
How much time do you spend
during each visit?
Which way you prefer to identify plants?
How many apps have you tried before?
5. What do you think about these apps?
What problems you met in these apps?
Interview
Interview
I conducted 36 in-person interviews with the help of my friends, gathering
qualitative insights from users.
I conducted 36 in-person interviews with the help of my friends, gathering qualitative insights from users.
I conducted 36 in-person interviews with the help of my friends, gathering qualitative insights from users.
Interview photos
Problems
Problem 1#
Inaccuracies lead to distrust and uninstallation.
Problem 2#
Dangerous plants lack warnings.
Problem 3#
Boredom arises while using the apps.
Competitive Analysis
Competitive Analysis
Top 5 most downloaded plant identification apps on the App Store were analyzed. While some offer community and map features in addition to identification, none provide consultancy or warnings about dangerous plants.
Top 5 most downloaded plant identification apps were analyzed. While some offer community and map features in addition to identification, none provide consultancy or warnings about dangerous plants.
User Scenarios
User Scenarios
Primarily, there are 3 typical user scenarios.
Design Goals
Design Goals
Based on existing problems and user needs, being accurate, safe and fun are design goal.
Ideation
Ideation
I invited friends to brainstorm using white board, and discussed the feasibility.
Solutions
Solutions
According to the ideation and discussion results, 4 final solutions are identified.
Solution 1#
Encourage more pictures of trunk, leaves, flowers, fruits and stems
Encourage more pictures of trunk, leaves, flowers, fruits and stems
Solution 2#
Invite experts & Build a community
Invite experts & Build a community
Solution 3#
Prompts of dangerous plants & Clearance
Prompts of dangerous plants & Clearance
Solution 4#
Set an interesting map for fun!
Set an interesting map for fun!
Sitemap
Sitemap
Here is the sitemap of Priends:
Design System
Design System
User Flow
User Flow
User flow 1#
Identification
& Errors report
User flow 1#
Identification & Errors report
Users are guided to upload 5 key plant features for improved accuracy, and an error reporting system is also available for instant feedback.
Users are guided to upload 5 key plant features for improved accuracy, and an error reporting system is also available for instant feedback.
User flow 2#
Consult experts & Send posts
User flow 2#
Consult experts & Send posts
When the app cannot provide accurate answers, users can invite experts for help and share the discussion with the community.
When the app cannot provide accurate answers, users can invite experts for help and share the discussion with the community.
User flow 3#
Hint for
dangerous plants
User flow 3#
Hint for
dangerous plants
Users are guided to upload 5 key plant features for improved accuracy, and an error reporting system is also available for instant feedback.
Users are guided to upload 5 key plant features for improved accuracy, and an error reporting system is also available for instant feedback.
User flow 4#
Exploring journey
User flow 4#
Exploring
journey
User flow 4#
Exploring journey
Start a fun journey by rolling a dice to discover plant and follow the map to explore!
Start a fun journey by rolling a dice to discover plant and follow the map to explore!
Key Takeaways
Key Takeaways
FOR FUTURE
If I have more time, I will conduct usability testing to improve.
conduct
If I have more time, I will conduct usability testing to improve.
Due to time and resource constraints, I was unable to conduct usability testing to gather user insights. In the future, if circumstances permit, I will conduct usability testing to improve the design.
Due to time and resource constraints, I was unable to conduct usability testing to gather user insights. In the future, if circumstances permit, I will conduct usability testing to improve the design.
Problems
Problem 1#
Inaccuracies lead to distrust and uninstallation.
Problem 2#
Dangerous plants lack warnings.
Problem 3#
Boredom arises while using the apps.
Problem 1#
Inaccuracies lead to distrust and uninstallation.
Problem 2#
Dangerous plants lack warnings.
Problem 3#
Boredom arises while using.
Next Projects
Next Projects
