trashMob App Design

Transforming Neighborhoods & Reducing Urban Litter Through Clean-Up, Community Engagement, & Technology

Group Project

UX Design

UX Research

Apple Developer

Overview

Urban litter negatively impacts cities worldwide, despite municipal efforts. trashMob addresses this issue by leveraging community engagement and technology to foster cleaner, more sustainable cities. The platform connects volunteers with local cleanup events through a user-friendly app, which also incentivizes participation with a rewards system.

This case study examines trashMob's development, implementation, and impact, highlighting the challenges faced and strategies employed to combat urban litter and contribute to healthier urban environments.

LEADING

RESEARCH

EFFORTS

CREATING

WIREFRAMES

CONDUCTING

INTERVIEWS

CONDUCTING

FIRST-CLICK

TESTING

CREATING

HI-FI DESIGN

FOR APP

LOGO

DESIGN

COLLABORATION

Problem

During my time at the Apple Developer Academy, we were tasked with designing an application that could address a pressing issue in the City of Detroit. Given the broad scope of the project, we began by conducting preliminary research through online resources, as well as interviews and surveys to understand the most significant concerns of Detroit residents.

Among the issues identified, trash accumulation stood out as a recurrent problem. Further investigation revealed that blighted areas, often marked by excessive waste, not only detract from the city's aesthetic appeal but also contribute to social disconnection and a lack of community cohesion.

Outcome

Using a user-centered design-thinking process, I guided trashMob from conceptualization to high-fidelity prototypes. Through competitive analysis, literature reviews, user personas, and usability testing, I identified key user needs and iteratively refined design decisions.

By simplifying user flows and prioritizing intuitive interactions, I ensured the app addressed pain points effectively. This iterative approach resulted in a polished solution that fosters community engagement and offers a scalable response to urban litter challenges.

Solution (Final Design)

Background Research

ranked

out of

In 2011, Detroit ranked last in Siemens' Green City Index for environmental performance.

(Siemens, 2011)

million

pounds

Data from Detroit Dept. of Public Works revealed that there was a collection of 92 million pounds of litter from illegal dumping sites in 2018.

(DetroitIsIt, 2021)

30%

Considering economic factors, such as the city's 30% poverty rate, we explored the potential correlation between poverty, social disorder, and litter.

(Detroit Free Press, 2023)

Brainstorming + Sketches

This image shows an iteration of affinity diagramming for an early iteration of the design solution.

Lo-Fi Sketch

Graphic shows initial planning of a user flow, identifying essential vs optional features for our application.

Competitor Analysis

For our competitive analysis, my team examined existing platforms and initiatives that have sought to address urban litter by way of community engagement. We ultimately found 2 apps that were most similar to trashMob in concept: Literatti and Rubbish.

Although similar in brand missions, there were some notable differences between our apps; differences that make trashMob stand out. Our analysis focused on identifying strengths and weaknesses, as well as key features within the app, that we posit makes trashMob the better social beautification app.

Findings for Litterati

Findings for Rubbish

1.)

No teams / immediate

community engagement

2.)

Not very community oriented

3.)

No ability to create teams + compete

4.)

No interactive map views

5.)

No reward incentive

1.)

Limited local community impact,

emphasizes global efforts

2.)

UX could be improved

3.)

Lacking gamification,

no way to challenge

4 .)

Unable to mark trouble areas

User Personas

Wireframes

Usability Testing + Findings

In this section, we assess the effectiveness and intuitiveness of the app’s design. We gather feedback from users on navigation, layout, and overall user experience to identify areas for improvement and ensure a seamless, user-friendly interface.

We asked participants to complete four tasks to evaluate where they would most likely click first when attempting to accomplish each task. In the end, we also gathered input from users by asking if there were any navigational elements, design features, or other aspects of the interface that they found missing, difficult to use, or in need of improvement. This feedback helped us identify potential areas for enhancing the overall user experience.

Results

Reflection

Interactive Demo

RETURN TO TOP

NEXT

Let's Connect!

Instagram

E-Mail