End to end application.
End to end application.
Environmentally friendly home improvement.
Environmentally friendly home improvement.
DIY, plan, and purchase equipment all in one home improvement app.
DIY, plan, and purchase equipment all in one home improvement app.
Environmentally conscious home improvement
Environmentally conscious home improvement
Overview
Background
Owning and taking care of a home is expensive. Improvements, replacements, and fixing areas of your home is inevitable.
On top of that the average American household emits approximately 14,020 pounds of CO2 per year.
I believe I can help homeowners save money and reduce their homes carbon emissions all with one product.
I contacted Recruit Woodworking to see if they wanted to take their “nice to have” and turn it into a “why didn’t we do this sooner?”
Tools used
Overview
The ideas that started this app
Tools used
Discover
Discover
The problem hypothesis
The problem hypothesis
People would like their homes to be more environmentally friendly, but have a hard time proceeding with change.
People would like their homes to be more environmentally friendly, but have a hard time proceeding with change.
Do people have a hard time making their home environmentally friendly?
Do people have a hard time making their home environmentally friendly?
Research goal: What do homeowners struggle with in home improvement projects?
Research goal: What do homeowners struggle with in home improvement projects?
What research taught me
What research taught me
Competitor analysis:
Competitor analysis:
Contractor finders are all pretty similar, but typically lack some excitement or extra features.
Contractor finders are all pretty similar, but typically lack some excitement or extra features.
Home improvement blogs were good for DIY, learning, and marketing their products.
Home improvement blogs were good for DIY, learning, and marketing their products.
Combining the DIY, education, and marketing of blogs and the functionality of a contract finder could be the BEST of both worlds.
Combining the DIY, education, and marketing of blogs and the functionality of a contract finder could be the BEST of both worlds.
User Interviews:
User Interviews:
There were two distinct groups found in the user interviews with the help of an Affinity Map and Empathy Map.
There were two distinct groups found in the user interviews with the help of an Affinity Map and Empathy Map.
Rural group
Rural group
Environmental impact is not considered.
Environmental impact is not considered.
The only goals are to improve the functionality of their home and/or make it look good.
The only goals are to improve the functionality of their home and/or make it look good.
Short term financials heavily outweigh long term savings.
Short term financials heavily outweigh long term savings.
Urban/Suburban group
Urban/Suburban group
Environmental impact improves the value of a product.
Environmental impact improves the value of a product.
Willing to spend more.
Willing to spend more.
Will compare short term cost vs long term saving.
Will compare short term cost vs long term saving.
Common ground
Common ground
Environmentally friendly is a plus.
Environmentally friendly is a plus.
They need help comparing project variables.
They need help comparing project variables.
Cost is typically at the top of the considerations.
Cost is typically at the top of the considerations.
They need good perceived value.
They need good perceived value.
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It is hard to compare all the details of some projects. So price, value, functionality, and how it looks need to stay at the top of my priority list.
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If it was made easy to consider the environmental impact of projects I would consider more environmentally friendly ways of doing things.
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Living far away from any towns and cities I have limited options so I am forced to pick the lowest price.
“
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It is hard to compare all the details of some projects. So price, value, functionality, and how it looks need to stay at the top of my priority list.
“
“
If it was made easy to consider the environmental impact of projects I would consider more environmentally friendly ways of doing things.
“
“
Living far away from any towns and cities I have limited options so I am forced to pick the lowest price.
Define
Define
Personas
Personas
Ideate
Ideate
Homeowners struggle to compare:
-financial impacts of projects
-available information
-perceived value
How can I help make home improvement projects easier?
How can I help make home improvement projects easier?
How might we help more people put eco friendly options higher into thier priorities?
How might we help more people put eco friendly options higher into thier priorities?
How might we help people understand that eco friendly choices could help them too?
How might we help people understand that eco friendly choices could help them too?
Task Flows
Task Flows
Going off of research, I wanted to make the flow easier to navigate than the closest competitor, while still letting the user stay in control of what they are looking for.
Going off of research, I wanted to make the flow easier to navigate than the closest competitor, while still letting the user stay in control of what they are looking for.
Prototype
Prototype
Low-Fidelity Wireframes
Low-Fidelity Wireframes
Mid-Fidelity Wireframes
Mid-Fidelity Wireframes
Testing
Testing
Test, improve, and test again
Test, improve, and test again
Two rounds of user testing were performed as all three participants in the first round had similar feedback. I iterated and then went in for a second round of user testing.
Two rounds of user testing were performed as all three participants in the first round had similar feedback. I iterated and then went in for a second round of user testing.
Improving for the user
Improving for the user
The original bottom navigation bar was not working. It didn't help them do what it was supposed to do. Navigate.
The original bottom navigation bar was not working. It didn't help them do what it was supposed to do. Navigate.
"My Grade" was meant to motivate users instead it was a waste of space. Eco states were added into the users profile to see their stats
"My Grade" was meant to motivate users instead it was a waste of space. Eco states were added into the users profile to see their stats
Before
Before
Before
After
After
After
Navigation was improved within the project details and added a smoother flow for the user (Final Design)
Navigation was improved within the project details and added a smoother flow for the user (Final Design)
Final Design
Final Design
The final design uses AI to calculate your homes projects costs, size, and find the best products and materials for you. This was the most popular feature with users as they quickly realized how the app was doing most of the project planning for them.
The final design uses AI to calculate your homes projects costs, size, and find the best products and materials for you. This was the most popular feature with users as they quickly realized how the app was doing most of the project planning for them.
Each step of the DIY process is ready for easy finding, along with a video to help with each step.
Or if DIY is not your thing or a project is above your skill set hire a pro all in one place.
Each step of the DIY process is ready for easy finding, along with a video to help with each step.
Or if DIY is not your thing or a project is above your skill set hire a pro all in one place.
1
Back button to previous page
Back button to previous page
2
From user interviews I found that most people research the project first before they decide if they can DIY or will need to hire a contractor.
From user interviews I found that most people research the project first before they decide if they can DIY or will need to hire a contractor.
3
Tabbed progress bar for the page.
Tabbed progress bar for the page.
4
Location will be set in the profile section. This customizes projects to specifics to your area.
Location will be set in the profile section. This customizes projects to specifics to your area.
This helps with materials, local permits, and other project specifics that could be affected by location.
This helps with materials, local permits, and other project specifics that could be affected by location.
5
Navigation bar will take you to the four most used sections of the app.
Navigation bar will take you to the four most used sections of the app.
CTA to will recommend projects or search what you want to do
CTA to will recommend projects or search what you want to do
Multiple categories for home improvments
Multiple categories for home improvments
Recommendations filtered by your preferences
Recommendations filtered by your preferences
Location will keep projects relevant to your area
Location will keep projects relevant to your area
Scroll down for the entire projects specifics or use the tabs to quickly see a section
Scroll down for the entire projects specifics or use the tabs to quickly see a section
DIY or Hire a pro options
DIY or Hire a pro options
Details will be specific to your home and location
Details will be specific to your home and location
Typed and video instructions
Typed and video instructions
Keep track of your projects
Keep track of your projects
See your stats
See your stats
Keep track of your projects with a to do list
Keep track of your projects with a to do list
Next Steps
Next Steps
Interview active users of the app to find out their pain points, likes, and things they wish they could do with the app.
Interview active users of the app to find out their pain points, likes, and things they wish they could do with the app.
Add more AI features to make it even easier for the home owner.
Add more AI features to make it even easier for the home owner.
Investigate if anything outside of home improvement would be of interest to users to help their environmental impact.
Investigate if anything outside of home improvement would be of interest to users to help their environmental impact.
Conclusion
Conclusion
This project reinforced that users think they know what they want, but act differently.
This project reinforced that users think they know what they want, but act differently.
Innovation and cost need to progress together to move forward.
Innovation and cost need to progress together to move forward.
Information architecture will, if done correctly, can save a significant amount of build time.
Information architecture will, if done correctly, can save a significant amount of build time.
