My primary goal was to demystify and de-stress plant care for people who love and want plants, but consistently kill them.

My Goal

What is it?

Dr. Flora is the ultimate app for struggling and experienced plant parents. Identify, track, and diagnose your plants, connect with other enthusiasts, and develop your green thumb all in one place.

I developed this project as a part of my UX Design certification, where I took sole responsibility from research and concepts to final product design.

My Role

How does it work?

Utilizing an AI-integrated camera, users can take a picture and either identify of diagnose plants. Take progress pictures to document your plant’s recovery, share your successes to friends, and discover which plants are right for you with an advance search feature. Care with confidence with care recommendations synthesized from hundreds of reputable sources.

What is it?

Dr. Flora is the ultimate app for struggling and experienced plant parents. Identify, track, and diagnose your plants, connect with other enthusiasts, and develop your green thumb all in one place.

How does it work?

Utilizing an AI-integrated camera, users can take a picture and either identify of diagnose plants. Take progress pictures to document your plant’s recovery, share your successes to friends, and discover which plants are right for you with an advance search feature. Care with confidence with care recommendations synthesized from hundreds of reputable sources.

My Role

I developed this project as a part of my UX Design certification, where I took sole responsibility from research and concepts to final product design.

My primary goal was to demystify and de-stress plant care for people who love and want plants, but consistently kill them.

My Goal

What is it?

Dr. Flora is the ultimate app for struggling and experienced plant parents. Identify, track, and diagnose your plants, connect with other enthusiasts, and develop your green thumb all in one place.

How does it work?

Utilizing an AI-integrated camera, users can take a picture and either identify of diagnose plants. Take progress pictures to document your plant’s recovery, share your successes to friends, and discover which plants are right for you with an advance search feature. Care with confidence with care recommendations synthesized from hundreds of reputable sources.

I developed this project as a part of my UX Design certification, where I took sole responsibility from research and concepts to final product design.

My Role

My Goal

My primary goal was to demystify and de-stress plant care for people who love and want plants, but consistently kill them.

Design Process

Design Process

Design Process

Understanding the User

A brain map for consumer analysis, featuring research observations and insights
A brain map for consumer analysis, featuring research observations and insights

Utilizing secondary research from a variety of studies and consumer reports, I deepened my understanding of my target audience to help guide and develop my strategy for user interviews.

Utilizing secondary research from a variety of studies and consumer reports, I deepened my understanding of my target audience to help guide and develop my strategy for user interviews.

User Interviews

User Interviews

User Interviews

I conducted 14 user interviews to gain insight on plant keeepers’ pain points, motivations, and behavior around plant care.

I conducted 14 user interviews to gain insight on plant keeepers’ pain points, motivations, and behavior around plant care.

I conducted 14 user interviews to gain insight on plant keeepers’ pain points, motivations, and behavior around plant care.

I love the relaxing effect plants have on a home, but killing them is getting depressing.

I love the relaxing effect plants have on a home, but killing them is getting depressing.

I love the relaxing effect plants have on a home, but killing them is getting depressing.

I love the relaxing effect plants have on a home, but killing them is getting depressing.

The most common cause of plant death is forgetfulness; users struggle to remember care routines.

The most common cause of plant death is forgetfulness; users struggle to remember care routines.

The most common cause of plant death is forgetfulness; users struggle to remember care routines.

The most common cause of plant death is forgetfulness; users struggle to remember care routines.

Users will visit an average of 3.4 sites when troubleshooting their plants, with a strong preference for social media.

Users will visit an average of 3.4 sites when troubleshooting their plants, with a strong preference for social media.

Users will visit an average of 3.4 sites when troubleshooting their plants, with a strong preference for social media.

Users will visit an average of 3.4 sites when troubleshooting their plants, with a strong preference for social media.

Frequent plant death is demoralizing and financially frustrating

Frequent plant death is demoralizing and financially frustrating

Frequent plant death is demoralizing and financially frustrating

Frequent plant death is demoralizing and financially frustrating

When asked what they got out of keeping plants, users overwhelmingly indicated a positive effect on mental health.

When asked what they got out of keeping plants, users overwhelmingly indicated a positive effect on mental health.

When asked what they got out of keeping plants, users overwhelmingly indicated a positive effect on mental health.

When asked what they got out of keeping plants, users overwhelmingly indicated a positive effect on mental health.

Plant keepers are often victims to selecting plants marked as “easy” in listicles and social media, and later discovering the plant was unsuitable for their desired level of care.

Plant keepers are often victims to selecting plants marked as “easy” in listicles and social media, and later discovering the plant was unsuitable for their desired level of care.

Plant keepers are often victims to selecting plants marked as “easy” in listicles and social media, and later discovering the plant was unsuitable for their desired level of care.

Plant keepers are often victims to selecting plants marked as “easy” in listicles and social media, and later discovering the plant was unsuitable for their desired level of care.

Plant keepers are often victims to selecting plants marked as “easy” in listicles and social media, and later discovering the plant was unsuitable for their desired level of care.

Interview Insights

Interview Insights

Interview Insights

Interview Insights

Utilizing secondary research from a variety of studies and consumer reports, I deepened my understanding of my target audience to help guide and develop my strategy for user interviews.

Understanding the User

User Interviews

I conducted 14 user interviews to gain insight on plant keeepers’ pain points, motivations, and behavior around plant care.

From the interviews, I distilled user personas to best capture the needs of my target demographic. This ultimately formed two rough archetypes: the aspiring gardener, and curated hobbyist.

From the interviews, I distilled user personas to best capture the needs of my target demographic. This ultimately formed two rough archetypes: the aspiring gardener, and curated hobbyist.

From the interviews, I distilled user personas to best capture the needs of my target demographic. This ultimately formed two rough archetypes: the aspiring gardener, and curated hobbyist.

User Personas

User Personas

User Personas

User Personas

From the interviews, I distilled user personas to best capture the needs of my target demographic. This ultimately formed two rough archetypes: the aspiring gardener, and curated hobbyist.

Storyboards

Storyboards

Storyboards

Storyboards

After creating user personas and journeys, I created big picture and small picture storyboards to demonstrate design concept in simple sketches.

After creating user personas and journeys, I created big picture and small picture storyboards to demonstrate design concept in simple sketches.

After creating user personas and journeys, I created big picture and small picture storyboards to demonstrate design concept in simple sketches.

After some rapid iterations on paper wireframes, I refined my design and created a (very) low-fidelity digital wireframe with which I ran my first round of usability studies. These results were positive, but exposed some flaws and points of concern in the design, which were then corrected and adjusted for high-fidelity prototypes and mockups for the second round of testing.

After some rapid iterations on paper wireframes, I refined my design and created a (very) low-fidelity digital wireframe with which I ran my first round of usability studies. These results were positive, but exposed some flaws and points of concern in the design, which were then corrected and adjusted for high-fidelity prototypes and mockups for the second round of testing.

After some rapid iterations on paper wireframes, I refined my design and created a (very) low-fidelity digital wireframe with which I ran my first round of usability studies. These results were positive, but exposed some flaws and points of concern in the design, which were then corrected and adjusted for high-fidelity prototypes and mockups for the second round of testing.

Wireframes, Prototypes, and mockups

Wireframes, Prototypes, and mockups

Visual Design

To map out the general feel of an app, I created a moodboard showcasing a soft, natural palate with a calm energy suitable to the feeling of a friendly family doctor’s office. Further inspiration was pulled from field guides and medicinal plant books to inspire a familiar and trustworthy feeling with users.

Moodboard

Moodboard

To map out the general feel of an app, I created a moodboard showcasing a soft, natural palate with a calm energy suitable to the feeling of a friendly family doctor’s office. Further inspiration was pulled from field guides and medicinal plant books to inspire a familiar and trustworthy feeling with users.

Visual Design

After some rapid iterations on paper wireframes, I refined my design and created a (very) low-fidelity digital wireframe with which I ran my first round of usability studies. These results were positive, but exposed some flaws and points of concern in the design, which were then corrected and adjusted for high-fidelity prototypes and mockups for the second round of testing.

After some rapid iterations on paper wireframes, I refined my design and created a (very) low-fidelity digital wireframe with which I ran my first round of usability studies. These results were positive, but exposed some flaws and points of concern in the design, which were then corrected and adjusted for high-fidelity prototypes and mockups for the second round of testing.

Wireframes, Prototypes, and mockups

Moodboard

To map out the general feel of an app, I created a moodboard showcasing a soft, natural palate with a calm energy suitable to the feeling of a friendly family doctor’s office. Further inspiration was pulled from field guides and medicinal plant books to inspire a familiar and trustworthy feeling with users.

Style Guide

Colors and Typography

Colors and Typography

Colors and Typography

Colors and Typography

Style Guide

Style Guide

Style Guide

#FBF6EB

Base

#A5A055

#C6BF47

Secondary

Neutrals

#222222

#F5F5F5

#495235

#FDC352

Accent/CTA

Accent/CTA

Alerts

#53E050

#FF4C25

Montserrat

Montserrat

Body text, buttons

Body text, buttons

Logo, headers

Logo, headers

Marcellus SC

Marcellus SC

Montagu Slab

Blog titles and subheads

Montagu Slab

Blog titles and subheads

#FBF6EB

Base

#495235

#FDC352

Accent/CTA

#A5A055

#C6BF47

Secondary

Alerts

#53E050

#FF4C25

Neutrals

#222222

#F5F5F5

Montserrat

Body text, buttons

Logo, headers

Marcellus SC

Montagu Slab

Blog titles and subheads

Language and Tone

Dr. Flora’s language is warm, friendly, and inclusive. It’s the voice of the family doctor you’ve seen your whole life, or the kind and enthusiastic local nursery staff. Whether the user is an expert or a serial plant killer, they should feel encouraged and confident using the app to manage their plants.


The overall tone is educational and informal, with accessible language and explanations to the user where needed. Amiable copy, along with rounded iconography and playful vector images, helps us maintain this voice.

Dr. Flora’s language is warm, friendly, and inclusive. It’s the voice of the family doctor you’ve seen your whole life, or the kind and enthusiastic local nursery staff. Whether the user is an expert or a serial plant killer, they should feel encouraged and confident using the app to manage their plants.


The overall tone is educational and informal, with accessible language and explanations to the user where needed. Amiable copy, along with rounded iconography and playful vector images, helps us maintain this voice.

Dr. Flora’s language is warm, friendly, and inclusive. It’s the voice of the family doctor you’ve seen your whole life, or the kind and enthusiastic local nursery staff. Whether the user is an expert or a serial plant killer, they should feel encouraged and confident using the app to manage their plants.


The overall tone is educational and informal, with accessible language and explanations to the user where needed. Amiable copy, along with rounded iconography and playful vector images, helps us maintain this voice.

Dr. Flora’s language is warm, friendly, and inclusive. It’s the voice of the family doctor you’ve seen your whole life, or the kind and enthusiastic local nursery staff. Whether the user is an expert or a serial plant killer, they should feel encouraged and confident using the app to manage their plants.


The overall tone is educational and informal, with accessible language and explanations to the user where needed. Amiable copy, along with rounded iconography and playful vector images, helps us maintain this voice.

Language and Tone

Language and Tone

Language and Tone

Nav Bar

Feed

Blog

Home

Menu

Back

Needs

About

Plants

Feed

Friends

Groups

Market

Tab Bars

Care Card

DX Info Card

About

Causes

Treatment

Prevention

Camera Controls

Back

Diagnose

Identify

Identify

Identify

Diagnose

Diagnose

Input Fields

Username

Password

Plant your thoughts, grow your community.

Search articles

Community Nav

Care Task Tiles

Completed

Action Required

Treatment Checkoff

Scan plant for status update May 7, 2024

Completed

Undo

Care Info Icons (scaled up)

Plant Cards (quick view, standard view)

String of Pearls

last checkup 03/24/24

Living Room

Healthy

Space:

Status:


Pending:

String of Pearls

All caught up!

Primary

Secondary

Buttons

On

Off

Notification Toggles

Add Plant

+

Newsfeed

Like

Comment

Blog

Blog Tag

Drop Down

Newsfeed

Care Task Tiles

Completed

Action Required

Treatment Checkoff

Scan plant for status update May 7, 2024

Completed

Undo

Care Info Icons (scaled up)

Plant Cards (quick view, standard view)

String of Pearls

last checkup 03/24/24

Living Room

Healthy

Space:

Status:


Pending:

String of Pearls

All caught up!

Primary

Secondary

Buttons

On

Off

Notification Toggles

Add Plant

+

Newsfeed

Like

Comment

Blog

Blog Tag

Drop Down

Newsfeed

Buttons, Tiles, and Icons

Bars, Fields, and Controls

Care Task Tiles

Completed

Action Required

Treatment Checkoff

Scan plant for status update May 7, 2024

Completed

Undo

Care Info Icons (scaled up)

Plant Cards (quick view, standard view)

String of Pearls

last checkup 03/24/24

Living Room

Healthy

Space:

Status:


Pending:

String of Pearls

All caught up!

Primary

Secondary

Buttons

On

Off

Notification Toggles

Add Plant

+

Newsfeed

Like

Comment

Blog

Blog Tag

Drop Down

Newsfeed

Buttons, Tiles, and Icons

Bars, Fields, and Controls

Care Task Tiles

Completed

Action Required

Treatment Checkoff

Scan plant for status update May 7, 2024

Completed

Undo

Care Info Icons (scaled up)

Plant Cards (quick view, standard view)

String of Pearls

last checkup 03/24/24

Living Room

Healthy

Space:

Status:


Pending:

String of Pearls

All caught up!

Primary

Secondary

Buttons

On

Off

Notification Toggles

Add Plant

+

Newsfeed

Like

Comment

Blog

Blog Tag

Drop Down

Newsfeed

Buttons, Tiles, and Icons

Bars, Fields, and Controls

Care Task Tiles

Completed

Action Required

Treatment Checkoff

Scan plant for status update May 7, 2024

Completed

Undo

Care Info Icons (scaled up)

Plant Cards (quick view, standard view)

String of Pearls

last checkup 03/24/24

Living Room

Healthy

Space:

Status:


Pending:

String of Pearls

All caught up!

Primary

Secondary

Buttons

On

Off

Notification Toggles

Add Plant

+

Newsfeed

Like

Comment

Blog

Blog Tag

Drop Down

Newsfeed

Buttons, Tiles, and Icons

Bars, Fields, and Controls

UI Elements

UI Elements

UI Elements

UI Elements

Final Design

The final app design was tested with a usability study tracking click path, user error rate, time on task, and a system usability survey. All metrics improved from the first testing round, bringing the initial SUS from 86% to a final 97%.

Final Design

Final Design

The final app design was tested with a usability study tracking click path, user error rate, time on task, and a system usability survey. All metrics improved from the first testing round, bringing the initial SUS from 86% to a final 97%.

The final app design was tested with a usability study tracking click path, user error rate, time on task, and a system usability survey. All metrics improved from the first testing round, bringing the initial SUS from 86% to a final 97%.

Home

The home screen features tile navigation with clearly labeled and colorful vector images. Plants with due care tasks will pop up in the user’s quick view, ensuring they will not be forgotten. Users can easily flip through and check off completed tasks without going further than the home screen, if desired.


Streamlining this process alleviates user stress and reduces the overwhelming distractions that may come with a newsfeed-first approach.

The home screen features tile navigation with clearly labeled and colorful vector images. Plants with due care tasks will pop up in the user’s quick view, ensuring they will not be forgotten. Users can easily flip through and check off completed tasks without going further than the home screen, if desired.


Streamlining this process alleviates user stress and reduces the overwhelming distractions that may come with a newsfeed-first approach.

Home

The home screen features tile navigation with clearly labeled and colorful vector images. Plants with due care tasks will pop up in the user’s quick view, ensuring they will not be forgotten. Users can easily flip through and check off completed tasks without going further than the home screen, if desired.


Streamlining this process alleviates user stress and reduces the overwhelming distractions that may come with a newsfeed-first approach.

Care Made Easy

Care Made Easy

Gone are the days where you look at your plant in a daze, wondering when you last watered it. This morning? Two days, a week ago? Let Dr. Flora remember for you.


Users can easily scroll through their plant cards, marking off common tasks with one tap. For more details, users can open a journal for each plant and read their simplified care history, or add custom notes.

Gone are the days where you look at your plant in a daze, wondering when you last watered it. This morning? Two days, a week ago? Let Dr. Flora remember for you.


Users can easily scroll through their plant cards, marking off common tasks with one tap. For more details, users can open a journal for each plant and read their simplified care history, or add custom notes.

Easily reference what each plant needs to thrive with simple and informative care cards. Plant needs are separated and clearly labeled with icons for easy browsing.


Further information, such as the plant’s toxicity, origins, and fun facts are presented on a separate screen so as not to overwhelm the user or bury most-used information.

Easily reference what each plant needs to thrive with simple and informative care cards. Plant needs are separated and clearly labeled with icons for easy browsing.


Further information, such as the plant’s toxicity, origins, and fun facts are presented on a separate screen so as not to overwhelm the user or bury most-used information.

Care Made Easy

Gone are the days where you look at your plant in a daze, wondering when you last watered it. This morning? Two days, a week ago? Let Dr. Flora remember for you.


Users can easily scroll through their plant cards, marking off common tasks with one tap. For more details, users can open a journal for each plant and read their simplified care history, or add custom notes.

Easily reference what each plant needs to thrive with simple and informative care cards. Plant needs are separated and clearly labeled with icons for easy browsing.


Further information, such as the plant’s toxicity, origins, and fun facts are presented on a separate screen so as not to overwhelm the user or bury most-used information.

Easily reference what each plant needs to thrive with simple and informative care cards. Plant needs are separated and clearly labeled with icons for easy browsing.


Further information, such as the plant’s toxicity, origins, and fun facts are presented on a separate screen so as not to overwhelm the user or bury most-used information.

Learn, Grow, Connect

Instead of browsing multiple social media sites and forums, users can now find their tribe of plant lovers right in the Dr. Flora community feature. For maximum user trust and safety, users are not required to put in their location; instead, they simply indicate their agricultural zone. This allows them to get the most accurate care information while keeping data secure.

Whether they’re a veteran gardener or just purchased their first aloe plant, Dr. Flora’s aggregated blog feature has something for everyone. Users can save and share their favorite articles and stay up-to-date on the latest trends and breakthroughs in natural and environmental sciences, homesteading, herbal gardening, and more.

Step by Step Support

Step by Step Support

Users can easily diagnose, learn about, and track the progress of their plant’s sickness. Dr. Flora has innovated from its competitors in this space by incorporating a recovery gallery with each patient scan. By allowing users to see proof of progress, we give them peace of mind and confidence moving forward with the treatment process.

Users can easily diagnose, learn about, and track the progress of their plant’s sickness. Dr. Flora has innovated from its competitors in this space by incorporating a recovery gallery with each patient scan. By allowing users to see proof of progress, we give them peace of mind and confidence moving forward with the treatment process.

Learn, Grow, Connect

Instead of browsing multiple social media sites and forums, users can now find their tribe of plant lovers right in the Dr. Flora community feature. For maximum user trust and safety, users are not required to put in their location; instead, they simply indicate their agricultural zone. This allows them to get the most accurate care information while keeping data secure.

Whether they’re a veteran gardener or just purchased their first aloe plant, Dr. Flora’s aggregated blog feature has something for everyone. Users can save and share their favorite articles and stay up-to-date on the latest trends and breakthroughs in natural and environmental sciences, homesteading, herbal gardening, and more.

Whether they’re a veteran gardener or just purchased their first aloe plant, Dr. Flora’s aggregated blog feature has something for everyone. Users can save and share their favorite articles and stay up-to-date on the latest trends and breakthroughs in natural and environmental sciences, homesteading, herbal gardening, and more.

Instead of browsing multiple social media sites and forums, users can now find their tribe of plant lovers right in the Dr. Flora community feature. For maximum user trust and safety, users are not required to put in their location; instead, they simply indicate their agricultural zone. This allows them to get the most accurate care information while keeping data secure.

Learn, Grow, Connect

Step by Step Support

Users can easily diagnose, learn about, and track the progress of their plant’s sickness. Dr. Flora has innovated from its competitors in this space by incorporating a recovery gallery with each patient scan. By allowing users to see proof of progress, we give them peace of mind and confidence moving forward with the treatment process.

Next steps

Were this not a class project with related time restrictions, I’d love to flesh out more details and screens in this design. Ideally, I’d like to perform A/B testing for further design refinement, and conduct more usability studies to test for edge cases.

Takeaways

I got caught up trying to delivery every feature at once, and as a first solo project, this needed more tailoring to be realistic. Being more judicious in the earlier stages, and leaving room to come back later, would have made the later stages of the project less overwhelming.

Edit, edit, edit.

Additional planned features

  • Additional tools for edible gardening, like yield predictions and harvest guidelines

  • A garden planner / map out tool

  • “Plant-pedia” that allows you to sort by plant conditions (ex: low light, heat resistant, etc.)

  • Dynamic scheduler- distribute care tasks with similar frequency so tasks are condensed to specific days

Explain limitations to testers

I believe my round one participants would have had an easier time had I spent more time explaining the limitations of a lo-fi prototype, and taken the extra step to walk through screen controls. I put too much onus on testers to understand the device and activity without simplifying or contextualizing in a manner suitable to a layman.

This is especially challenging for me, but it’s easier to perfect a complete product than trying to complete a perfect product. My time can be more mindfully spent on other parts of the process, rather than losing myself in minor details. In other words, build the house before picking wallpaper.

Done > Perfect

Next steps

Were this not a class project with related time restrictions, I’d love to flesh out more details and screens in this design. Ideally, I’d like to perform A/B testing for further design refinement, and conduct more usability studies to test for edge cases.

Takeaways

I got caught up trying to delivery every feature at once, and as a first solo project, this needed more tailoring to be realistic. Being more judicious in the earlier stages, and leaving room to come back later, would have made the later stages of the project less overwhelming.

Edit, edit, edit.

This is especially challenging for me, but it’s easier to perfect a complete product than trying to complete a perfect product. My time can be more mindfully spent on other parts of the process, rather than losing myself in minor details. In other words, build the house before picking wallpaper.

Done > Perfect

Additional planned features

Additional planned features

Additional tools for edible gardening, like yield predictions and harvest guidelines

A garden planner / map out tool

“Plant-pedia” that allows you to sort by plant conditions (ex: low light, heat resistant, etc.)

Dynamic scheduler- distribute care tasks with similar frequency so tasks are condensed to specific days

  • Additional tools for edible gardening, like yield predictions and harvest guidelines

  • A garden planner / map out tool

  • “Plant-pedia” that allows you to sort by plant conditions (ex: low light, heat resistant, etc.)

  • Dynamic scheduler- distribute care tasks with similar frequency so tasks are condensed to specific days

I believe my round one participants would have had an easier time had I spent more time explaining the limitations of a lo-fi prototype, and taken the extra step to walk through screen controls. I put too much onus on testers to understand the device and activity without simplifying or contextualizing in a manner suitable to a layman.

Explain limitations to testers

Explain limitations to testers

I believe my round one participants would have had an easier time had I spent more time explaining the limitations of a lo-fi prototype, and taken the extra step to walk through screen controls. I put too much onus on testers to understand the device and activity without simplifying or contextualizing in a manner suitable to a layman.

Next steps

Were this not a class project with related time restrictions, I’d love to flesh out more details and screens in this design. Ideally, I’d like to perform A/B testing for further design refinement, and conduct more usability studies to test for edge cases.

Takeaways

I got caught up trying to delivery every feature at once, and as a first solo project, this needed more tailoring to be realistic. Being more judicious in the earlier stages, and leaving room to come back later, would have made the later stages of the project less overwhelming.

Edit, edit, edit.

This is especially challenging for me, but it’s easier to perfect a complete product than trying to complete a perfect product. My time can be more mindfully spent on other parts of the process, rather than losing myself in minor details. In other words, build the house before picking wallpaper.

Done > Perfect

Thanks for viewing my work!

Thanks for viewing my work!

Thanks for viewing my work!

Ready to grow together?


Reach out at destiny.jackson.ux@gmail.com

Ready to grow together?


Reach out at destiny.jackson.ux@gmail.com

Ready to grow together?


Reach out at destiny.jackson.ux@gmail.com