"Rooted" is a mobile app designed to simplify the exchange and adoption of plants. In my role as the lead designer during a UX/UI course, I created a platform that connects users, facilitating their interactions and transactions with ease. The app serves as a tool to expand personal plant collections and the broader community of plant lovers.
ROLE
UX/UI Designer
TOOLS
Timeline
3 months
A community-driven platform for plant enthusiasts.
Rooted
Figma, Adobe Photoshop, Adobe Illustrator
Problem
Plant enthusiasts often face challenges in finding a community-driven platform that is not only convenient and secure, but also facilitates the swapping and adoption of plants. This can hinder their ability to diversify their collections and connect with a supportive network of fellow enthusiasts.
Solution
● Offer a vibrant forum for plant enthusiasts to share care tips, success stories, and challenges.
● Encourage user-created groups for specific plant types, fostering specialized knowledge exchange.
● Provide a platform for mentorship, where novice gardeners can learn from experienced horticulturists.
Communities For Connections
● Streamlines the process of listing and searching for plants by category, ensuring a match for every need.
● Enhances the plant adoption experience with detailed profiles for each listing, including care instructions and history.
● Incorporates a secure transaction system that facilitates trustworthy exchanges between members.
Marketplace For Exchanging plants
● Facilitate easy browsing and filtering of available plants by type, location, and care requirements.
● Enable listing and discovery of plants for swap or adoption, enhancing community interaction and exchange.
● Offer a rating and review system for members to build trust and verify the reliability of plant swappers.
Events And Gatherings
Research
Starting with my white paper research, I stumbled upon an eye-opening statement from the paper by Lavorgna, A, Sasie Rekha, G (2020) “From horticulture to psychonautics: an analysis of online communities discussing and trading plants with psychotropic properties”
“...the role of online communities in connecting like-minded individuals. These platforms facilitate discussions and trades of rare plant species, creating a community of users who share interests in psychoactive plants. The communities act as a space for social bonding, information exchange, and the cultivation of a shared subculture, demonstrating the significant role of digital platforms in shaping and expanding communities centered around specific interests.”
While keeping the above statement in mind, I analyzed these 3 popular apps related to plant communities. I found that most competitors offer forums or marketplaces. However, Rooted could differentiate itself by building a robust community where plant enthusiasts can:
Competitive Analysis
Engage with others through themed discussions, advice, and shared experiences.
Participate in community-led plant swaps and local events.
Collaborate on community gardens or conservation projects.
Access a marketplace that not only allows for buying and selling but also for sharing and storytelling about plants.
Rooted could harness the power of community to create a platform that goes beyond transactions, fostering a sense of belonging and shared passion for plants. This could appeal to users looking for more than just a marketplace or forum; a true community of plant lovers.
Although the research shows that connecting plant enthusiasts is important, I have conducted interviews with 9 plant lovers in 3 main groups: Community Builders, Plant Adopters and Knowledge Seekers. I have asked them questions below to find trends on how they connect with others, then organized my data through affinity mapping.
User Interviews
How do you currently connect with other plant enthusiasts?
What role does community support play in your journey of plant care?
What motivates you to participate in plant swaps and community events?
Can you walk me through your process of adopting or swapping plants?
What difficulties do you face when looking for plant swap opportunities?
Research Questions
Group 3: Knowledge Seekers
· Educational Resources
"I join online webinars and follow botanists to expand my knowledge."
"I exchange tips with other gardeners as this helps me grow my plant care skills."
"An ideal platform would offer extensive plant care libraries and expert Q&As."
Group 2: Plant Adopters
· Adoption Processes and Sources
"I look for adoption opportunities on eco-friendly websites and community boards."
"I follow nursery pages on social media for adoption events."
"I need an adoption platform with clear plant health history."
Group 1: Community Builders
· Engagement and Connection
"I use social media groups and local gardening clubs to meet like-minded people."
"It's tough for me to find reliable swap events with matching schedules."
"I visit various plant communities, attend meetups, and sometimes use apps to arrange swaps."
Based on the affinity map, I generated the following insights by grouping similar quotes under similar headings.
Insights
Based on the insights and observations from the research methods, I created a persona that captured the essence of potential users and their characteristics. I also formed empathy maps to understand their needs and frustrations.
Persona & Empathy Map
Says
Does
Thinks
Feels
Ava Green
“
Uniting plant lovers to share, grow, and thrive together harnesses the true spirit of collaboration and growth
"
Ava Green
29, Environmental Consultant
About
Ava combines a keen interest in plant cultivation with community engagement and a desire to deepen her horticultural expertise. She's looking for an active community that values knowledge-sharing and eco-friendly practices to enhance her gardening pursuits.
Goals
• To build a strong, local network of plant lovers who support each other
• To expand her plant collection sustainably and ethically
• To continuously learn and share knowledge about plant care and growing
Motivations
• A desire to connect with others who share her passion for plants and the environment
• The personal fulfillment that comes from growing plants and watching them thrive
• To be a knowledgeable contributor to the community.
Frustrations
• The challenge of finding a reliable platform for connecting with like-minded plant lovers
• Disappointment with the lack of a supportive network for swapping and adopting plants locally
• Encountering misinformation about plant care, leading to poor plant health outcomes
The persona and empathy map helped me outline a hierarchical task analysis, which I then used to make a journey map highlighting the pain points and the opportunities for improvement.
Journey Map
Getting Started
Seeking
platforms
Attempting
to engage
Arranging
swaps
Contributing
Signing up
Navigating
Signing Up
Exploring Options
Making Connections
Trading Plants
Sharing Stories
HAPPY
• Centralized platform with clear offerings
• Effective marketing to raise awareness
• Guided recommendations based on interests
• Unified registration process
• Simplified onboarding process
• Transparent and secure data handling
• Consistent and intuitive UI/UX
• Organized content and easy navigation
• Tailored content and group recommendations
• Features that encourage deep engagement
• Active community management and curation
• Real-time chat and responsive communication tools
• Verified profiles and secure trading system
• Organized swap mechanisms with clear guidelines
• Detailed plant profiles and swap logistics support
• Enhanced tools for content creation and sharing
• Features that promote community feedback
• Platforms for storytelling and sharing experiences
• Researching online for communities
• Limited awareness of options
• Uncertainty about the best platforms
• Multiple sign-ups and accounts
• Varied requirements and user agreements
• Privacy concerns
• Different interfaces on various platforms
• Scattered and unorganized content
• Difficulty finding relevant groups or threads
• Limited and superficial interactions
• Inactive or irrelevant groups
• Lacking real-time communication options
• Trust issues with unknown members
• Lack of structured swap arrangements
• Uncertainty about plant condition and exchange logistics
• Limited sharing capabilities
• Minimal feedback or interaction on contributions
• Desire to showcase plant journey and knowledge
STAGES
SAD
KEY POINTS
ACTIONS & EMOTIONS
OPPORTUNITIES
Wireframes
Informed by the persona and empathy mapping, I developed a hierarchical task analysis, which became the basis for a detailed user journey map. This map spotlighted critical pain points and areas ripe for development, guiding my design decisions towards a more streamlined and efficient user experience.
Design
Search for near by events
OnBOARDING / log in
Connecting and exploring with communities
Buy and sell plants
Reflections
Looking back at the Rooted project, I personally learned to juggle user desires with business realities. The feedback on our UI's visibility hit home, teaching me to place accessibility at the forefront of design. Embracing rapid prototyping, I saw the value of adaptability. Most importantly I discovered the impact of storytelling in design, which transformed mere features into community-building tools. These lessons have deeply influenced my design philosophy and approach.
Next Steps
With additional time, my next steps would focus on expanding the app's community features, including sustainable technology integrations that support eco-friendly gardening practices. I'd also prioritize enhancing the app's accessibility, ensuring it is inclusive for all users.