Situation

I was tasked with developing a solution to a food-related issue in Trinidad and Tobago. Drawing inspiration from a previous class on waste and the circular economy, I chose to address food waste, recognizing its significant impact globally.

Task

In addressing food waste, I chose to create a user-friendly tool that helps individuals reduce food waste in their homes by effectively tracking food freshness, expiration dates, and inventory.

Action

I conducted research, including an interview with a resident of Trinidad and Tobago, to understand common causes of household food waste. Insights revealed frequent wastage of items like rice due to over-preparation and produce spoilage. Leveraging this information, I designed "KitchIntel," an app focused on convenience, simplicity, and accessibility. 

The app allows users to:

• Scan receipts or manually enter food items.

• Input details such as quantity and ripeness of produce.

• Monitor items with color-coded freshness indicators (green for fresh, yellow for nearing expiration, red for expired) and corresponding labels for colorblind accessibility.

• Adjust quantities as needed.

• View a calendar overview of all expiration dates.

• Select items to search for recipes, promoting the use of ingredients before spoilage.

  Result

  The development of KitchIntel provides households with a practical solution to monitor food inventory, thereby reducing waste. By implementing features inspired by restaurant inventory systems, the app empowers users to make informed decisions about food usage, contributing to decreased household food waste.

Overall Design

• When making the concept for KitchIntel, I prioritized convenience, simplicity, and accessibility.

• I chose the blue color scheme and Sansita font because I felt they looked modern and easy on the eyes.

• The food background helps to convey the purpose of the app and adds visual interest.

• The Settings, Scan, Calendar, and Sort icons are meant to be universal across languages.

• The freshness icons are color-coded similar to a traffic light: green means go, yellow means time is running out, and red means stop.

• The words “good”, “eat soon”, and “expired” are also included for colorblind users.

  How to Use It

• To add items, the user presses the Scan icon on the top middle of the homepage and can either scan the barcode on their receipt or enter something manually such as leftovers or meal prep.

• If fresh produce is on the receipt, the user will be asked for the quantity and ripeness if applicable.

• Once items have been logged, the brand (if applicable), product name, the date it was added, the expiration date, the quantity, and the freshness status will be displayed.

• Quantities can be adjusted by tapping the icons displaying said quantities and then tapping the up or down arrows.

• The calendar icon in the top right gives the user a comprehensive overview of all expiration dates in their inventory.

• Tapping the circles to the left of each item selects them and allows the user to search for recipes including those items.