Lasagna
Eradicating hunger and bringing communities together
Problem
For Austin Design Week's 2020 Design-a-thon, I worked with 4 other women to design an app that leveraged social connections to improve the community. We chose to focus on food insecurity.
People often struggle to access foods when they find themselves in need because they are unaware of opportunities in their community, or afraid of the associated stigmas.
Research and Personas
Within our project we looked at 3 main challenges:
People go hungry - For a variety of reasons, people are unable to access healthy food for their families
Stigma in Need - There is stigma attached to needing help
Food waste is a massive issue - Many people buy more food than they need and waste a large percentage of it when it goes bad
As we began to research more about our users, we discovered several key insights. Our users were not statically one type of persona, but rather individuals who may interact with our application differently depending on outside circumstances, such as a sudden family emergency.
While we had two main categories of users, we wanted to emphasize that sometimes you have the capacity to give, while other times you may be in a position where you need to receive. We tried to create an atmosphere of "give when you can" while also normalizing the need for help.
Our two main user groups were as follows:
Those in Need : You don’t have to be historically in need to suddenly find yourself needing help.
These users may only need help occasionally when life hands them difficult times.Those Able to Help : You don’t have to be a traditional volunteer to make a big impact on someone’s life. These users are people who would help, but may not be able to in traditional ways.
Wireframes and Prototypes
Our first concepts when sketching leaned too heavily to the side of charity and pitying the person who is in need of help and potential embarrassment.
After conducting interviews with some of our sketches and ideation, we had iterations from feedback.
Concerns:
Concerns over COVID-19
Concerns over food safety
General safety concerns
Fear of embarrassment
Solutions:
Free DHS approved food handlers certification available (eFoodHandlers), that displays badge on profile
Include information stating the CDC does not consider food to be a spreader of COVID-19
All profiles can give and receive
People can report others in the chat feature
Identity verification at registration, profile picture and display name have multiple options
Amount of help given and user testimonials to build trust
We developed a relatively simple user flow, and while we focused on creating a mobile application, we also made sure to emphasize the need for a web based desktop accessibility for people who may not be as technologically inclined.
Our application greets the user with the option to give or receive every time they open the app so that we begin to help people subtly realize that you may normally be in a position to give, but if you are in need, others in the community can help. We also explicitly use the word "connect" to help imply that you're not alone and by participating in our app you are connecting with your community.
In our 'giver' option, the user is able to see in calendar view how many meals they have offered to the community. Selecting any meal shows some of the details, such as what the meal is, how many servings are available, when and any applicable filters.
Selecting the give button in the bottom center allows the user to create a new listing for available meals.
In our 'receiver' option, the user is able to see in map view the meals available nearby. They can also switch to a list or calendar view if they would rather search that way.
Selecting any available meal brings up details, and selecting the detail card allows the user to reserve the meal and contact the 'giver'.
Final Concept
I decided to revisit this concept a few years after the fact, after a global pandemic, and after I’ve spent more time learning about UX.
I still feel that there are major hurdles within this concept that would prevent it from ever becoming real, mostly around food safety and societal pressures.
However, I did make this new concept something more achievable than the previous one. Instead of relying solely on giving addresses out to strangers who need help, I created communal events where strangers within a community came come together to help ensure the entire community is fed.
The opening screen prompts the user to decide if they want to give or need help today, emphasizing the connection and that anyone could be in need one day and able to help the next.
In the giver's homepage, we see the promises that they have made to others in the community. We can also see how many connections and requests they've fulfilled in their time on the app.
By selecting one of the events that the giver has promised to, we can see details of what has been promised and how many servings have been claimed by others in need.
Expanding the cards under the event shows who has accepted help, making it easier to connect with community members at the actual event.
The calendar page allows the user to see what events are planned and at a glance see which events they have made promises for.
At any point, selecting the "+" button on another screen allows the giver to post a new meal available to the community. The giver is also encouraged to fill out filters so that people can find food that works with any allergies or other restrictions they have.
On the requests tab, the giver can see how many outstanding requests there are at upcoming events. Requests are made by users who might have special needs or allergies that aren't being fulfilled without knowing about them.
Selecting an event shows the requests associated with it, including the tags that are important at a high level.
The details of a request show the giver why a person might have put in a request. In this case, the person in need is unable to get to food due to injury.
In the receiver's home page it looks very similar, but displays the name of the giver that they are connecting with at an event, and all of their requests.
The receiver's calendar looks very similar, though it shows all the total meals still available to claim at an event.
Selecting an event from the calendar page shows the user all of the meals that have at least 1 serving still available, as well as what the meal is and any filters that apply to the meal.
Selecting a meal allows the user to see who is providing the meal, a bit about them, and reserve a number of servings. There is also the option to message with the giver, though this messaging can only be used while the event is upcoming or active.
When someone is in need and not seeing anything that can help, they can post a request. The request is not for a specific food, but the user can add notes, such as less common allergies or things that they do like.
On the requests tab, the receiver is able to see all of their active requests and whether or not someone has accepted it. If it has been accepted, the giver's name is shown on the card.
Selecting the individual request card shows the details of the request and a short bio of the giver. There is also a chat window available, though it is only active before and during an active event.