UX Research UX & UI Design IoT Product Design Startup Idea

From farm to fridge: a smart, sustainable food system that fights urban food waste and fights for inclusivity.

I led the end-to-end UX design and research for EverFresh, a subscription service combining reusable IoT-enabled produce boxes with a companion app, serving urban dwellers who want to eat locally and waste less.

UX Designer & Researcher
Grad team, UW HCDE
10 weeks · Nov 2024
Survey · Interviews · Blueprint · Hi-Fi
EverFresh companion app prototype

At a Glance

EverFresh is a smart, sustainable subscription service delivering fresh, locally sourced produce in a reusable, compartmentalised rPET box with ethylene-sensing IoT sensors. Paired with a companion app, it gives users real-time freshness updates, recipes, composting tips, and a sustainability score. Built accessibility-first with LED, audio, and tactile feedback, so every user gets the same experience regardless of ability.

Origin

What started as a 10-week grad school project in UW HCDE became something bigger. EverFresh was later pitched as a startup idea at the Dempsey Startup Competition at the University of Washington, competing alongside real ventures. That arc shaped how seriously we approached every design decision.

My Role

UX Designer & Researcher, End-to-end

Survey Research User Interviews Persona Design Service Blueprint IoT UX Hi-Fi Prototype Usability Testing
Problem Statement

How might we transform patterns of food usage in metropolitan areas to promote both individual health and environmental sustainability?

The Problem

People don't waste food because they don't care. They waste it because the system makes it too easy to forget, overbuy, and misjudge freshness. Unclear labels, no real-time information, and single-use packaging leave urban dwellers with good intentions and bad outcomes.

Research Scale
170+
Survey participants across urban areas
9
Semi-structured in-depth interviews
5
Design concepts explored in ideation
3
Usability tasks A/B tested with users
Top Research Insights
55%said sustainable food is too expensive, the #1 barrier
85%of daily cooks prioritise fruits & veg, the highest-waste food category
15.5%were aware of sustainable food options available to them
6%donated excess food, vs 67.7% who simply ate leftovers
The Solution
→Reusable rPET box with ethylene-sensing IoT compartments
→Companion app for freshness alerts, recipes, composting tips
→Multi-sensory feedback: LED, audio, tactile for full accessibility
→Sustainability score + rewards to build lasting eco-habits
Projected Impact
30%
projected reduction in household food waste through real-time freshness tracking
100%
elimination of single-use packaging per delivery cycle with reusable rPET boxes
3 in 5
users reported intent to change long-term food habits after engaging with the sustainability score
Prototype Showcase

Four key user flows built in Figma: login, ordering, freshness tracking, and the sustainability dashboard.

01Login Workflow
02Placing & Receiving Order
03Tracking Freshness
04Dashboard & FAQ
Key Reflection
Biggest lesson

Make the sustainable choice the easy choice. Every design decision was evaluated against this single principle.

Hardest part

Synthesising five divergent concepts into one coherent system without losing what made each worth exploring.

If I had more time

Longitudinal testing over 4–8 weeks to measure actual behaviour change, and co-designing backstage logistics with local farmers.

The full story: research, ideation, IoT system design, service blueprint, and how accessibility became the core layer, not an afterthought.

Research

Understanding urban food habits from the inside out.

I ran a two-pronged research effort: a large-scale survey to surface quantitative patterns, followed by focused qualitative interviews to understand the why behind the numbers.

Method 01: Quantitative Survey, 170+ Participants

The survey captured meal planning habits, food purchasing preferences, consumption patterns, and awareness of sustainable food practices across age groups.

Survey results showing food sustainability data from 171 respondents
15.5%
aware of sustainable options
55%
say sustainable food is too expensive
85%
of daily cooks prioritise fruits & veg, the highest-waste food category
6%
donated excess food (vs 67.7% who ate leftovers)

Method 02: Semi-Structured Interviews, 9 Participants

Conducted at grocery stores, farmers markets, and online to understand real-world friction, motivations, and desires.

🏷️

Label Confusion

Packaging labels were unclear, users couldn't assess freshness or sustainability at a glance.

🛒

Overbuying & Poor Planning

Participants regularly bought more than needed, leading to avoidable food waste.

♻️

Abandoned Habits

Sustainable habits like reusable bags were dropped due to cost or inconvenience.

📍

Local Produce Access

Participants wanted local produce but found it hard to access consistently.

"I want to compost but I don't know where to start, and I have no idea when my produce is about to go bad."

User Personas

Detailed personas capturing motivations, frustrations, food values, and behaviours related to food consumption and sustainability across diverse user archetypes.

User personas, Kevin Hernandez, Emily Jung, Janet Williams
Design Process

Four goals to anchor every decision.

1

Access to Local Produce

Deliver fresh, organic, locally-sourced produce using reusable, sustainable packaging.

2

Inclusive & Accessible Design

Ensure usability for people with diverse abilities, including visual and auditory impairments.

3

Real-Time Freshness Updates

Integrate IoT sensors and a companion app for live freshness status and personalised alerts.

4

Food Waste Management

Provide composting tips, expiration alerts, freshness-extending recipes, and sustainability scores to motivate habit change.

Ideation Journey

Five directions. One synthesis.

I sketched and evaluated five concept directions before converging on EverFresh as a hybrid solution.

📦

Subscription Food Box

Customisable local/seasonal boxes with reusable packaging and gamified app actions.

📱

Freshness Tracking App

Receipt-scanning app for expiration alerts, storage tips, and disposal guidance.

🏪

Food Hub Service

Local produce hubs with drop-offs, donation, and composting of unsold items.

🚜

Farm-Direct Pickup

Aggregated local produce orders for farmers market pickup at nearby collection points.

🌿

Sustainable Packaging

Scannable codes on packaging linking to product details, disposal, and eco-education.

Ideation sketches showing 5 design concept directions
EverFresh synthesises the best of all five: the subscription model for convenient delivery, IoT freshness tracking, reusable packaging, composting education, and inclusive multi-sensory design.
Technical Drawing

How EverFresh works: the physical system.

The EverFresh box is a reusable, compartmentalised storage unit made from recycled PET (rPET). Each compartment houses a sensor that detects ethylene gas, the molecule emitted as fruit and vegetables ripen. Sensor data feeds directly into the companion app.

EverFresh rPET box technical drawing with compartments and sensor details

Green LED

Produce is fresh. Explore recipes and freshness tips.

Yellow LED

Going bad in 2–3 days. Time for preservation tips.

Red LED

Produce has expired. Check composting guidance.

Accessibility First: Multi-Sensory Feedback

LED indicators are paired with auditory tones and vibrations, plus tactile texture cues (mimicking a Braille display) on each compartment. Users with visual or auditory impairments receive full, equivalent freshness feedback.

Visual: LED colour Auditory: tones + vibration Tactile: texture cues

Companion App: From Notification to Action

The app turns raw sensor data into clear next steps: recipes when food is fresh, preservation tips when it's ripening, composting instructions when it's past peak. It also tracks a sustainability score redeemable for rewards on the next order.

Before EverFresh
✕No visibility into produce freshness
✕Guesswork on when to use or discard
✕No composting guidance
✕Single-use plastic packaging
✕No sustainability feedback loop
With EverFresh
✓Real-time freshness tracking via IoT
✓Timely alerts and actionable steps
✓Built-in composting + disposal tips
✓Reusable rPET box, returned + cleaned
✓Sustainability score + rewards system

Target Audience

EverFresh targets busy urban professionals who want healthier lifestyles and fresh local produce but lack time for frequent farmers market visits. Ideal for those committed to reducing food waste and building eco-friendly habits without major lifestyle overhauls.

Service Blueprint

Mapping the full service: from onboarding to reorder.

The EverFresh service blueprint maps the user journey across five key stages, integrating front-stage touchpoints (app, delivery, box interactions) with back-stage logistics (local sourcing, IoT data processing, box retrieval and cleaning).

EverFresh service blueprint mapping all 5 stages from onboarding to reorder
1

Sign Up & Personalisation

User selects produce preferences, dietary needs, and delivery frequency through the app.

2

Local Sourcing & Packing

Partner farms supply seasonal produce. Boxes are packed and sensors are calibrated before shipment.

3

Delivery & Unboxing

Box arrives at the user's door. App activates sensor monitoring automatically on receipt scan.

4

Freshness Monitoring & Action

IoT sensors send real-time data to the app. Users receive timely alerts, recipes, and tips throughout the week.

5

Return, Score & Reorder

Empty box is returned for cleaning. User reviews sustainability score, redeems rewards, and places next order.

User Scenarios

How Emily experiences EverFresh

Storyboards and scenario illustrations mapping the real-world user journey, from receiving the box to a freshness alert, following a recipe, and earning a sustainability reward.

EverFresh user scenarios and storyboards showing Emily's week with the product
User Flows

Flows 1 & 2: Overall process & managing freshness

User Flow 1: Overall Process and User Flow 2: Managing Freshness

Flows 3 & 4: Turning information into action & food disposal guide

User Flow 3: Turning Information into Action and User Flow 4: Freshness Tips, Recipes and Food Disposal Guide
Prototype

Four key user flows, built end-to-end in Figma.

The high-fidelity prototype covers the complete EverFresh experience, from signing up and receiving your first box, monitoring freshness in real time, taking action on expiring produce, and closing the loop with a sustainability score and reward redemption.

01Login Workflow

User signs up and logs into the EverFresh app to access their personalised dashboard.

02Placing & Receiving Order

User browses local produce, places a subscription order, and tracks delivery to their door.

03Tracking Freshness

IoT sensor data surfaces in real time: green, yellow, and red status mapped to each compartment.

04Dashboard & FAQ

User reviews their sustainability score, browses FAQs, redeems rewards, and reorders.

Testing
Usability Testing: Participants completed 3 tasks each across desktop and mobile prototypes. A short 5–10 min post-task interview captured qualitative feedback on the overall service experience and suggestions for improvement.
Outcome

What EverFresh could change at scale.

30%
projected reduction in household food waste through real-time freshness tracking
100%
elimination of single-use packaging per delivery cycle with reusable rPET boxes
3 in 5
users reported intent to change long-term food habits after engaging with the sustainability score
🌱

Reduced Food Waste

Real-time freshness tracking and actionable alerts reduce household food waste at the individual level.

📦

Less Packaging Waste

Reusable rPET boxes eliminate single-use packaging from every delivery cycle.

🚛

Lower Carbon Emissions

Locally sourced produce cuts transportation emissions compared to supply-chain grocery retail.

♿

Inclusive Food Equity

Multi-sensory design ensures people with diverse abilities can access the same fresh food system independently.

🤝

Local Farm Support

Direct partnerships with local farms create fair economic relationships and strengthen regional food systems.

📊

Behaviour Change

Sustainability scores and rewards build lasting eco-habits rather than one-off green choices.

Reflection

What this project taught me.

Biggest Lesson

Make the sustainable choice the easy choice

Designing for sustainability is not just about features. Every decision was evaluated against one question: does this make the right behaviour easier than the wrong one?

Accessibility as a Core Layer

Built in from day one, not retrofitted

Building multi-sensory feedback into the physical form from the start, rather than adding it later, which fundamentally improved the product for all users, not just those with impairments.

Hardest Part

Synthesising five concepts without losing each one's value

Converging five divergent directions into a single coherent system required making principled trade-offs while preserving what made each concept worth exploring.

If I Had More Time

Longitudinal testing over 4–8 weeks

I would measure actual behaviour change over time and co-design the back-stage logistics model with local farmers rather than inferring their constraints.

Team Dynamics

Translating user needs across disciplines

Working across engineering, design, and policy backgrounds sharpened my ability to speak each stakeholder's language without losing fidelity to the user research.

Broader Takeaway

Individual and systemic change aren't in tension

The right service design can drive behaviour change at the personal level while contributing to structural shifts at scale, simultaneously, not sequentially.