CultivateNYC: Connecting Locals with Green Resources
This project was part of a design proposal that looked to engage local New Yorkers with city organizations and relevant green-space resources across NYC.
Focus
Research, Ideation, Prototyping, Design
Skills
Research
UI Design
Tools Used
Figma
Illustrator
My Role
User Research, Journey Mapping, Interaction Design, Prototyping, Graphic Design
The Problem
New Yorkers are struggling to find and access healthy resources within their neighborhoods. From fresh local produce to community gardens and green spaces, most locals don't understand what resources are available to them, and how they can take the first steps in getting involved.
Key Drivers
As locals struggle to embrace sustainable lifestyles, accessing local food resources and green spaces is essential for supporting healthier living in NYC. This proposal looks to enhance the relationship between users and the following key areas:
Resource Accessibility
A personalized & interactive map of all local & relevant resources that exist within the city. Users can customize preferences and learn whats nearby.
Local Initiative Access
A database of listed partner organizations and local initiatives within NYC. Allowing locals to understand how they can get involved / opportunities for assistance.
Education Opportunities
Resources & external links to videos, publications, local news, and opportunities for users to educate themselves on relevant health & farming-related topics.
Research Methods
As New Yorkers navigate the challenges of healthy city living, understanding how they identify, access, and engage with local food resources is key to promoting healthier lifestyles. Our research focused on uncovering health-related concerns across boroughs and exploring ways to strengthen connections between residents and the city-wide resources available to them.
Method 1
USer Interviews
A personalized & interactive map of all local & relevant resources that exist within the city. Users can customize preferences and learn whats nearby.
Method 2
Ethnographic research
A database of listed partner organizations and local initiatives within NYC. Allowing locals to understand how they can get involved / opportunities for assistance.
Researching User Personas
Following our initial interviews, we focused on defining the key user groups our solution aimed to support. By developing user personas, we built a clearer understanding of their motivations, pain points, and specific needs. This process ensured our approach remained user-centered, addressing real challenges and delivering meaningful value.
Journey Mapping
Building on our research and interviews, we mapped user journeys to analyze how New Yorkers discover green resources and integrate these practices into their daily lives. This process helped us understand motivations across each stage of adoption and identify opportunities to create lasting connections.
Design: Planning the Structure
With the research and planning of the platform, I wanted to analyze where the key points are that look to solve the problems we've uncovered. After onboarding and personalization, the platform should act as an informational resource hub that educates and connects users with relevant green spaces, informational resources, and partner organizations within NYC.
Resource Platform: Prototyping
After sketching and creating low-fidelity wireframes for various web & app user flows, I decided to prototype the interactive map flow to examine how we could approach personalized solutions (search preferences) and display the most relevant information (map interaction, and resource display).
Marketing & Design Systems
The next stage in this process was working on developing a visual design campaign to help spread awareness and connect users to the platform & stakeholders. These mock-ups showcase how design would be used across the city to spread awareness & share info.
