Improved Household

Communication

Houseflow

is Here

Discover
Process
Strategy
Behind

Role

UI/UX Designer

Duration

15 Weeks

Tools

Figma & Adobe Illustrator

Introduction

Houseflow is an all-in-one solution for efficient communication with the housemates and smart grocery management. Minimize food waste, and efficient use of groceries.

Challenge

How might we make it easier for housemates to share important information and reminders without any miscommunication ?

How might we track groceries and avoid duplicate purchases ?

How it can help ?

01

Providing a platform for housemates to easily communicate schedules, and availability.

02

Reducing miscommunication and conflicts by making sure everyone is informed about each other’s schedules and preferences.

03

All the daily chores are completed in a timely manner

04

Minimize food waste, simplify grocery shopping and efficient use of groceries.

Research

Extensive research was conducted to understand the pain points and needs of potential users

Pew Research Center Data

Indicates that a majority of Americans believe technology has significantly improved household communication, highlighting the potential impact of a solution like Houseflow.

Hochschule Fulda University Case Study

Identified that one of the primary causes of food wastage is the 'expiration date', emphasizing the importance of effective grocery tracking.

User Survey

User Interview

Always Forget
Ate My Leftovers
Hard To Communicate
Chores

Affinity Diagram

By the help of an affinity diagram I systematically organized and identified recurring patterns in user feedback. This approach allowed me to pinpoint key pain points and user needs, ensuring the solutions directly addressed the most critical issues.

Pain Points

Conflicts

Food leftovers

Food wastage

Dividing Chores

Duplicate groceries

User Needs

Communication

Aligning Schedules

Need for Quite time

Grocery management

Updating schedule

Grocery challenges

Overbuying Groceries

Unclear Understanding

Inefficient Grocery

Shelf life

Forgetting items

Communication problems

Unheard or ignored

Misunderstanding

Biased choice

Expressing needs

Miscommunication

How to communicate

Text messages

Voice notes

Call

Writing on whiteboard

Leaving sticky notes

Grocery management

Making a grocery list

Inventory tracking

Delivery options

Using product

Forgetting items

User Persona

I created a persona and user journey map to ensure that the design solutions were deeply rooted in the real-life experiences and challenges the target users. By crafting a detailed persona, I was able to represent the needs, behaviors, and pain points of a typical user, while the user journey allowed me to map out their interactions with the product.

Persona-Img

Name

:

Nate

Age

:

23

Occupation

:

Student

Situation

:

Shares apartment with 2 other students

Story

:

Nate is an international student who lives with 2 students. Due to his busy schedule and weak communication skills, he finds it difficult to communicate with housemates. He struggles to co-ordinate grocery shopping and household chores. Due to his forgetful nature he always end up buying duplicate groceries.

PERSONALITY

Introvert and Friendly

Tech-savvy

Can be forgetful at times

Weak communication skills

FRUSTRATION

Difficulty coordinating chores and errands with roommates due to missed messages

Frequent grocery waste due to forgetting what’s in the fridge

Frustrating communication about bills and expenses

GOALS

Reduce the waste of groceries

Better communication

Wants to save money by planning the grocery list

Simplified co-living

MOTIVATION

No frustration among housemates

Organized household

User Journey Map

Scenario

From a hectic day at college Nate comes back home in the hope of having some pasta just to find out that the sauce has gone bad and there are no other groceries that he can have as a quick bite. His lack of communication with his flatmates leads to frustration. He is looking for a solution to help streamline the challenging household tasks.

Expectations

He wants to live tension free without any conflicts between them. Groceries should be utilized without wasting them. Keeping a track on expenses like groceries and other household stuff.

Actions

Onboarding

After a hectic day at college, Nate returns home craving pasta

He finds out the sauce has gone bad and there are no other meal options

Miscommunication

Realizing his flatmates also used the groceries without informing him which leads to frustration and miscommunication..

Planning

Nate tries to plan ahead by leaving sticky notes about meal plans and groceries but they often gets lost or overlooked

He finds it difficult to manage tasks and schedules without a common communication platform

Outcome

Nate and his flatmates are annoyed as a result of miscommunication regardless of there best efforts

Nate feels that there should be a more effective way to communicate and organize domestic chores

Low Fidelity Prototype

Added a reminder icon, emojis to react and a reply option. Housemates can reply to the post directly and give a reaction with the help of emojis. Reminder icon allows them to view all the upcoming events to ensure you don't miss anything important.

low-f-p-img

Before

low-f-p-img

After

Some users suggested that the inventory page should come first and then the grocery list page. Added a scanner option to scan the bill to update the inventory.

low-f-p-img

Before

low-f-p-img

After

High Fidelity Prototype

Houseflow High Fidelity Prototype
Houseflow High Fidelity Prototype

Conclusion

In conclusion, Houseflow is a comprehensive solution designed to simplify and enhance co-living experiences by addressing the common challenges faced by housemates. Through meticulous research, user insights, and innovative design, Houseflow streamlines communication, chore management, and grocery tracking, fostering a more organized, harmonious, and efficient household. By minimizing conflicts, reducing food waste, and ensuring everyone is informed and aligned, Houseflow transforms shared living into a seamless and enjoyable experience.

Lesson Learned

Throughout the development of Houseflow, I learned the invaluable lesson that deeply understanding user needs is crucial to creating effective solutions. By actively listening to user feedback and analyzing real-world challenges, I realized that the most impactful designs are those that address genuine pain points and seamlessly integrate into users' daily lives. This process reinforced the importance of empathy in UX design, as it is only by walking in our users' shoes that we can craft solutions that truly resonate with them.

Build Your Crew: Add Your Roommates

Stay in the Loop: Real-Time Updates from Your Roommates.

Stay Alert: Upcoming Events Just a Click Away.

Today’s To-Dos:Your Daily Tasks at a Glance.

Busy? Swap Tasks with a Tap.

Stay Aligned: The Whole Household’s Plan in One View.

Know What’s Stocked: Check Your Inventory in Seconds.

Buy Smart: Your Inventory Keeps You from Overbuying.

Shop Together: Build a Shared Grocery List.

Receipt to Inventory: Update Everything in a Flash."

Stay Connected: Chat with Your Roomies Anytime.

Link to the Prototype

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