The TILE Design-a-thon, hosted by UW Blueprint and UW UX, challenged participants to create socially impactful solutions with a gamified twist. In response, I designed MunchMap, an app aiming to reduce food insecurity on campus.

The Problem

Here's the deal: College campuses contribute significantly to food waste in North America, with an estimated 22 million pounds of edible food thrown away each year. At this very design-a-thon, I witnessed firsthand the excess pizza ordered by clubs, many of which were bound to be left uneaten. It bothered me to see all that food going to waste when there are so many people who could benefit from it. Inspired by this and the number of other club events I had been to with extra food, I had an idea.

The Solution

View in Figma north_east

Introducing MunchMap, the solution I designed to tackle food waste on college campuses. There are 3 main user flows I'd like to demonstrate.

User Flow 1 - If you have extra food

If a club has extra food, the organizer can simply click on the button on the home page. This takes them to a page where they can upload a picture of the food, provide details about what it is, and share their location. That's it! The information is then broadcasted to all those seeking food on campus. To speed up the process, users can also share the details about the free food on their social media stories, especially in the initial stages when we have fewer users.

User Flow 2 - If you’re looking for food

If you’re looking for food, you can start by selecting your location and setting a search radius in the app. MunchMap will then provide you with a list of available food options in your vicinity, along with their respective locations. Once you've chosen the food you want, the app will guide you to the place. After you've received the food, you have the option to let the organization or club know whether you successfully obtained it. This feedback helps them improve the process for future distributions and ensures a smoother experience if any issues arise.

User Flow 3 - Gamification through Munch Coins

Whenever someone gives away or collects food through the app, they earn Munch Coins, symbolizing their contribution to waste reduction. Additionally, special achievements unlock badges, adding a sense of accomplishment. Users can track their Munch Coins and badges in the profile section of the app. Furthermore, at the end of each term, a progress report displays the user's overall performance. While Munch Coins serve as a mild motivator for the clubs involved, it's worth considering attaching external incentives, such as club funding, if the app becomes a reality.

Reflection

Upon reflection, I recognize that my initial design for the MunchMap app during the design-a-thon primarily focused on the happy path, overlooking potential challenges that may arise during its actual implementation. Here are some issues that need to be addressed for the app's large-scale adoption and smooth functionality:

1. Adoption: To ensure the success of MunchMap, it is crucial to achieve widespread adoption from both the clubs and individuals seeking food. Encouragement and support from the student clubs' governing bodies can play a significant role in promoting the app's usage. Additionally, placing informative posters around the campus can raise awareness and encourage participation.

2. Protecting the food: A key concern is ensuring the safety and integrity of the shared food. Implementing a system that prevents food from being left unattended is vital to prevent potential risks, such as contamination or tampering. Setting up designated safe drop-off and pickup locations around campus can help mitigate these concerns and ensure the food remains secure.

3. Tracking food availability:It is crucial to update the app in real-time to reflect the availability of food. Once a user selects a particular food item, it should be promptly removed from the list of options to prevent others from traveling to the location only to find that it has already been claimed. Implementing an efficient tracking system will enhance user experience and prevent unnecessary travel.

4. Balancing incentives and food management: Introducing incentives like club funding based on food donations raises the concern of potential overordering by clubs to meet the criteria for rewards. This can be seen as a waste of funds if it results in excess food. Striking the right balance between incentives and responsible food management is crucial to ensure that clubs remain mindful of their actual food needs and avoid unnecessary waste.

Impact

I'm thrilled to have secured 2nd place among over a 100 participants by leveraging my product thinking and providing a solution that aligned with the social good prompt.

Key Takeaways

⏳ Investing time in the solution

Despite the time constraint of just 5 hours to create the entire app, I made a conscious effort to deeply understand the problem at hand. By devoting time to grasp its nuances and developing a solution that could truly address it, I was able to produce a more refined and effective outcome.

🗝️ Leveraging existing resources

The availability of a material UI kit proved to be a game-changer. It significantly reduced the design time and effort required, allowing me to focus on the core aspects of the solution. It underscored the importance of assessing available resources and utilizing them strategically to optimize the design process.

🤨 Considering edge cases

Feedback I received after the competition shed light on the significance of designing for edge cases. Although I mentioned their importance in the hindsight section, I realized that incorporating them into the initial design process would have resulted in a more comprehensive and well-thought-out solution. Taking into account various scenarios and potential outliers enhances the overall usability and user experience of the app.