GrowSmart
Project Type Mobile App Design
Date July 2023
Role Lead UX Designer
Challenge
As urban life grows busier and more disconnected from nature, many people are turning to gardening and indoor plants to bring a sense of calm and greenery into their homes. Yet with the vast amount of plant species and care information available, it’s easy for both new and experienced plant enthusiasts to feel overwhelmed. Choosing the right plants for specific environments and understanding how to care for them shouldn't be a guessing game. That’s where Growsmart comes in—a helpful, intuitive solution designed to guide users in selecting and caring for plants that suit their space, lifestyle, and preferences.
Solution
GrowSmart introduces a solution to one of the most common challenges faced by plant owners – forgetfulness when it comes to watering their beloved plants. With the plant watering reminder feature, users can now bid farewell to wilting plants and overwatering disasters. Seamlessly integrated with a user-friendly interface, GrowSmart allows users to input the types of plants they own and their specific watering requirements. Leveraging real-time weather data, GrowSmart provides personalized watering schedules tailored to each plant's needs and the prevailing environmental conditions. Customizable push notifications serve as gentle reminders, ensuring that plant enthusiasts never miss a watering session again. With GrowSmart by their side, users can confidently embark on their green journey, nurturing thriving and healthy plants without the stress of watering guesswork.
Typography
Darkmode, designed and developed from 2020-2024 by Dalton Maag, was chosen as the main typeface for GrowSmart. Darkmode is highly legible, even on smaller screen sizes, making it ideal for a wide range of applications, including mobile app UI.
Mobile User Flow
User Story:
As a busy and forgetful plant owner, I want to have an application that notifies me when each of my plants needs to be watered.
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Approach
As a passionate plant enthusiast who has personally faced the challenges of knowing when and how much to water my plants, I was inspired to design this app. Witnessing the disappointment of under-watered or overwatered plants in my own collection, I realized that many others might share this struggle.
Combining my love for technology and my desire to promote sustainable gardening practices, I set out to create an app that would not only simplify plant care but also provide personalized watering reminders, tailored to each plant's specific needs and the surrounding environment. My ultimate aim was to empower users like myself to confidently nurture their green companions and foster a stronger connection with nature through responsible and mindful plant care practices.
Questions
1. How often do you typically water your plants, and what factors influence your watering schedule? (e.g., plant type, weather, indoor/outdoor, etc.)
2. Have you encountered any challenges or difficulties with watering your plants? If so, how have you addressed or overcome them?
3. How do you determine when your plants need watering? Are there any specific signs or indicators you look for?
4. On a scale of 1 to 5, how confident do you feel in your watering abilities? (1 being not confident at all, and 5 being extremely confident)
5. How do you currently keep track of your watering schedule? Are you using any tools, reminders, or apps to help you stay on track? If not, what improvements or features would you like to see in a watering reminder app?
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Answers
UX/UI Plan
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Personalized Plant Profiles
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Watering Reminders
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Interactive Plant Care Calendar
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Weather Integration
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Easy to navigate interface layout
Design Process
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Identifying the Problem
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Mood Board
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Sketches / Wireframes
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Design Iteration
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User Testing
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Final Prototype
1. "I water my plants once a week during the warmer months, but I reduce it to every two weeks in winter. The factors that influence my watering schedule include the plant type (succulents need less water), the weather (hot days mean more frequent watering), and whether the plant is indoors or outdoors."
2. "Yes, I often struggle with knowing when to water my plants. Sometimes I end up overwatering them out of fear of underwatering. To overcome this, I started using a moisture meter to test the soil before watering, which has been helpful in preventing overwatering."
3. "I typically check the soil moisture level by sticking my finger about an inch into the soil. If it feels dry, it's time to water. Some of my plants also give visual cues like drooping leaves, which is a sign they need water."
4. "I would say I'm at a 3. I've had some successes, but there have been a few times when I either underwatered or overwatered my plants."
5. "I currently use handwritten notes and reminders on my phone to keep track of my watering schedule, but I often forget to update them. I would love to have an app that sends personalized reminders based on my plants' needs and local weather conditions, making it easier for me to stay on top of watering."
