INDUSTRY:
Urban Gardening
CLIENT:
Rare Seeds (Baker Creek)
YEAR:
2024
EXPERIENCE
App Design
Seedling
About
SEEDLING is an iOS app concept developed during General Assembly's UX design bootcamp. The app empowers urban gardeners to discover, compare, and purchase heirloom seeds while connecting with a vibrant gardening community. The project was inspired by Rare Seeds (Baker Creek), a company that provides heirloom seeds to preserve diversity and food security, supporting gardeners and advocating for the right to save and share seeds. SEEDLING bridges Rare Seeds' values with the practical needs of city growers, creating a product concept that supports both biodiversity and accessible gardening for urban environments.
Challenge
Our team set out to help Rare Seeds connect with a new audience of urban gardeners who are enthusiastic about growing but have limited space, yet possess a deep desire to grow, learn, and build community. The goal was to bridge Rare Seeds' values with the practical needs of city growers, creating a product that supports both biodiversity and accessible gardening. The challenge involved understanding urban gardening needs, simplifying seed discovery processes, and fostering community connections while maintaining the core mission of preserving heirloom seed diversity.
Result
The project resulted in a comprehensive mobile app design that successfully addressed urban gardening needs through extensive user research, including interviews with urban gardeners and the development of a primary persona (Daisy). Competitive analysis revealed opportunities to simplify seed discovery and foster community, leading to features that encourage users to connect and share their gardening experiences. The final design included detailed user flows for navigation and feature prioritization, early sketches for brainstorming multiple solutions, and refined wireframes that culminated in a thoughtful exploration of new ways to support and empower urban gardeners. The work demonstrated the value of balancing feature development with ongoing user research and collaboration with end users.
