plant monitoring
BloomBuddy - Plant Monitoring Platform
This project was completed as part of my HCI coursework, where I worked as a UI/UX Designer in a team of five to design a plant care application for beginners.
I focused on user research, interaction design, and prototyping, with the goal of helping novice plant owners better understand plant health, follow consistent care routines, and feel more confident managing their plants.
Timeline
8 weeks, from concept ideation and prototyping to usability testing and high-fidelity design.
Background
Many beginner plant owners struggle to keep plants healthy due to inconsistent care routines, lack of clear guidance, and difficulty understanding plant needs. Existing plant care tools often overwhelm users with information or assume prior knowledge, leading to frustration and plant neglect.
BloomBuddy was designed to explore how a guided, approachable experience could support beginners by simplifying plant care tasks, clarifying plant health indicators, and building user confidence across mobile and desktop platforms.
The project followed a user-centered design approach, moving from early research and ideation to interactive prototyping and usability testing. My contributions focused on interface design, interaction flows, and iterating on designs based on user feedback.
Research & Planning
We defined target users, goals, and core use cases through personas and scenarios centered on beginner plant owners. Research revealed common pain points such as forgetting care routines, misinterpreting plant health signals, and feeling overwhelmed by unclear or excessive information. These insights directly informed the need for simple, guided interactions.
Design & Prototyping
I created low-, mid-, and high-fidelity prototypes for both mobile and desktop platforms, exploring layouts, navigation, and interaction patterns that balanced simplicity with access to detailed plant health information. Design decisions emphasized approachability, clarity, and progressive disclosure to avoid overwhelming new users.
Implementation
Interactive prototypes were built in Figma to simulate key flows such as adding plants, viewing health status, and accessing care guidance. A consistent visual style inspired by calm, natural elements was established to reinforce trust and reduce cognitive load.
Testing & Optimization
In-person usability testing was conducted with five participants to evaluate task success, errors, and points of confusion. Findings led to iterations on navigation structure, icon clarity, feedback states, and information hierarchy, improving ease of use and overall confidence during task completion.
The final outcome was a cross-platform plant care application concept designed to support beginner plant owners through clear guidance, visual feedback, and approachable interactions. The experience emphasizes simplicity and reassurance, helping users understand plant needs and build confidence in their care routines.
Guided Plant Care Experience
Clear dashboards and plant health indicators present essential information at a glance, helping users quickly understand plant status without needing prior knowledge. Guided cues and simplified language reduce uncertainty around care decisions.
Cross-Platform Design
Consistent mobile and desktop experiences were designed to support different usage contexts, allowing users to check plant status, follow care routines, and access guidance seamlessly across devices.
Community Support Layer
An integrated blog and discussion space allows users to ask questions, learn from others, and access shared knowledge, reinforcing confidence through social support and collective learning.
Usability testing and iteration indicated that the BloomBuddy concept became easier to understand and more approachable for novice plant owners over successive design iterations.
Improved Usability Clarity
Design refinements reduced navigation confusion and improved icon clarity, helping users more easily understand available actions and system feedback during core tasks.
Stronger Information Hierarchy
Critical plant health information, such as alerts and status indicators, became more noticeable and easier to interpret, allowing users to quickly assess plant needs at a glance.
Validated Design Decisions
Usability testing confirmed that key flows—such as adding plants, viewing health status, and accessing care guidance—were understandable for beginners after refinement, supporting confidence during task completion.