sus•perience
The one-stop destination to begin your sustainability journey.
My Role
User Research (Market and Trend analysis, user interviews )
Design Strategy
UX Design
Team
Timeline
August 2023 - December 2023 (16 weeks)
Tools
Figma
Procreate
Fusion 360
1 User Researcher/ UX Designer
1 Industrial Designer
The prompt
The prompt for this project involved implementing service design principles taught in class to develop a project centered around the objective of fostering Net Positive Systems Thinking for Organizational Transformation. Specifically, the focus was on creating a project aimed at establishing a deforestation-free supply chain.
This project was the outcome of a Service Design class named 'Service Design, Brand and Value Creation by Florian Vollmer' at the Georgia Institute of Technology.
Background
Our project began by examining commodities linked to deforestation—identifying palm oil, paper, tea, soy, and cocoa. Our decision of focusing on the wood and paper industry was informed by the staggering fact that an expanse equivalent to the size of the Netherlands—4.1 million hectares of forests—is cleared annually to produce paper and paper products. In 2021, the United States alone consumed a substantial 65.6 million metric tonnes of total paper and paperboard.
​
During our research, we uncovered a promising avenue for exploration within the realm of Consumer Packaged Goods (CPGs). Recognized as products with a limited shelf life, necessitating frequent replacement, CPGs play a significant role in consumer habits. The average American utilizes around 42 CPGs each day, prompting us to delve deeper into this area for further investigation.
Research
We began by defining our target audience—urban individuals aged 18 to 44 who regularly visit grocery stores for Consumer Packaged Goods (CPGs). We chose this demographic as they are tech-savvy and early-adopting, providing essential insights into evolving sustainability patterns, with urban lifestyles influencing distinct consumption behaviors.
User Interviews
Through interviews with four participants, we gained insights into their views on sustainability and consumer habits. The image below illustrates the essential key findings summarized from our interviews.
Personas
Drawing from these interviews, we formulated three distinct personas to encapsulate the characteristics and preferences of our identified target groups. These personas provided us with a more distinct understanding of our actual target users, prompting us to develop a tailored solution specifically for this group.
Ecosystem Map
After recognizing our core consumers, we conducted research to identify pertinent organizations, value exchanges, stakeholders, and underlying systems, resulting in the creation of an ecosystem map. This map enabled us to concentrate on developing a solution tailored to our target audience, while also considering the impact of other collaborating partners, services, and organizations.
Next, we entered the exploration phase of our project, during which we started to refine the scope and identify potential intervention points within the current market landscape.
Exploration
Opportunity Statement
Drawing from the insights garnered in our user interviews and market research, we formulated the following statement to encapsulate our identified opportunity.
As-Is Journey Map
Informed by our user interviews, we developed a current-state journey map to visualize the existing consumer journey. This mapping exercise proved instrumental in pinpointing customer frustrations and recognizing pivotal stages where our solution could provide significant value.
Business Model Canvas
Next, we crafted a business model canvas to gain a comprehensive overview of the service we intended to develop, encompassing value proposition, infrastructure, customer segments, and financial model. This exercise facilitated a deeper understanding of the necessary actions we would have to take for service development.
Project Definition
The last part of our exploration phase was to come up with design implications that guide our design. So, taking the knowledge we had gathered from the research phase and our exploration, we came up with these two requirements to shape our project.
To-Be Journey Map
After collecting relevant data and brainstorming the solution we wanted to proceed with, we came up with a to-be journey map to illustrate the future state of a consumer's sustainability journey.
Streams of Revenue
While strategizing our solution, we took a holistic approach, encompassing both the conceptual and business aspects. This included thoughtful considerations about the business's sustainability and profitability. We identified three key revenue streams to support the financial aspect of our proposed solution.
Our Solution
The Brand
Our brand "sus-perience" would focus on delivering an all-encompassing sustainable experience to consumers. Our goal is to establish a comprehensive service with numerous touchpoints to actively engage with our customer base.
Certification
To attain certification from sus-perience, companies would have to submit applications, and only products meeting specific criteria would receive certifications. Sus-points, reflecting the environmental impact, would be assigned to certified products based on their adherence to sustainability standards.
Sus-points would be awarded to the products based on how well they fair on the following criteria:
-
Carbon footprint
-
Consumption of Energy
-
Supply chain miles and other details
-
Waste reduction and recycling rates
-
Social impact
-
Fair Trade Practices
The nook
Sus-perience would establish partnerships with grocery chains, strategically placing "nooks" or experience centers within various stores.
These nooks would serve a dual purpose:
1. The Showcase
To showcasing top-performing Sus-certified products.
2.The Experience Center
The experience centers would host events such as VR immersive experiences showcasing the impact of a single consumer's choices on the environment and the measures that can be taken to minimize these effects.
Consumers seeking detailed information about Sus-certified products, such as the sourcing of raw materials, can conveniently scan products at kiosks strategically placed around grocery stores.
In-store Kiosks
​
Mobile Application
The mobile Application would enable users to scan sus-perience marked items and get details about their sourcing, similar to that of the kiosk.
The mobile Application would also allow users to shop their groceries online.
The application would show the customers info about sus-perience events taking place at grocery chains nearby.
Concept Validation
We conducted concept testing with two users to assess the potential value of a service like sus-perience in their lives. The feedback was overall positive, with both participants expressing a willingness to use such a service to initiate their sustainability journey.
​
We utilized Fusion 360 to design and print a 3D model of the nook. This enhanced our ability to articulate the concept to users and validate our solution effectively.
​
​
We presented our initial low-fidelity wireframes of the app to our users to help enhance their understanding of our service's functionalities.
​
​
Some other feedback we received :
-
Scanning each item at the kiosk was deemed tedious
-
Experiences were recognized as a valuable avenue for advocating sus-perience and educating individuals.
​
Reflections
If given more time for the project, we would put our efforts into the following areas
​
-
Enhancing user efficiency in comparing similar products.
-
Establishing a streamlined back-end process for companies to apply to Sus-perience.
-
Introducing packages to increase revenue by offering services like providing brands with sustainable supplier information and guiding them on improving their sus-points.
-
Collaborating with NGOs and the government to expand the program's reach.