Problem Space
Whenever I went back to South Korea for the breaks, I have felt that Korean recycling law is so much different to American recycling regulation that I have not been able to get familiar with recycling in South Korea. However, I want other people as well as me to protect our earth by beginning with a small action. So what I asked to myself was:
How might we deliver accurate recycling information and encourage people to recycle well for the sake of environmental protection?
Different countries and cities have different regulations/laws of disposing of garbage. Therefore, even if you are willing to protect the environment in a new place, it is difficult to take actions in sorting out the recyclables.
The Solution
Recycling information service based on object-identifying camera and GPS offers relevant recycling information in different regions and countries. It is necessary to find out a way to provide recycling information accessible to users throughout the world. To do so, a common user interface is necessary, which our team thought is Google.
AR Google Maps
It gives more accurate location than Google Maps, using the camera on the rear of the phone, and offers real-time signage translation for foreign travelers guided voice while walking.
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It gives more accurate location than Google Maps, using the camera on the rear of the phone, and offers real-time signage translation for foreign travelers guided voice while walking.
Google Lens
It is an application that uses image recognition technology with the camera. It lets users identify plants, translate, or scan text.
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It is an application that uses image recognition technology with the camera. It lets users identify plants, translate, or scan text.
Framework
The insights for what kind of services we are going to provide were derived from the relevant keywords and current situations.
Convenient Menu Position for One-handed Usage
The menu has been configured on one side so that users can use it with one hand, since it is a service used while recycling.
Finding Routes with AR Maps
The provision of recycling information remains in the delivery of fragmentary information such as signs, making it difficult for first-time visitors or travelers to recognize or find the way. The technology of AR Google Maps is the perfect solution because the service progresses with user’s action, which makes the user feel convenient.
Quick Acquisition of Recycling Information
There are sometimes moments when you are confused of which material a product is made of and do not know which recycling bin the product should go to. With the use of Google Lens, it quickly shows which recycling type the garbage is by scanning the recycling trademark or the barcode on the product.
Storyboard
Information Architecture
UI
According to Ecobranding Design, black and green is the least power-consuming colors on screens. There was no dark mode released yet, when the design of this service was ongoing, so our team decided to use black and green as much as possible with no interruption for the general UI of Google.
Usability Testing
Our goal was to check if the service delivers the information quicly and effectively when a user wants to recycle. We conducted one round of usability testing with high-fidelity prototypes. The 4 out of 5 people we tested had struggled with disposing the recyclables by types in other places. 3 out of the 5 people agreed with it is necessary to provide the recycling information. In order to maximize the amount of relevant feedback in our tests, my group prepared several post-test questions:
- Was it clear for you to check the trash category with the banner notification while using the scanning camera?
- Were there any inconvenient or awkward screens, buttons, or layouts?
- Do you think it is helpful to use this service in other regions?
- Do you feel that the service helps quickly proceed with recycling garbages in other areas?
In order to develop the prototypes, we put together the pain points heard from the users.
Home (Recycling Place Map)
“It was hard to understand what the numbers on the map mean.”
“I’d like to see what direction I’m looking at.”
“It was hard to understand what the numbers on the map mean.”
“I’d like to see what direction I’m looking at.”
Recycling Info. Banner Notification
“I don't remember if there was a banner notification. I think I would have remembered it if there was a visual icon, but I don’t remember it well because there were only words.”
“I don't remember if there was a banner notification. I think I would have remembered it if there was a visual icon, but I don’t remember it well because there were only words.”
Before & After
How Clean?
Our team changed the “How Clean?” function from monochromatic colors into multiple colors with three levels that depends on how clean a recycling place is, and added a button that explains what it is.
User’s Direction
Also, one of the users who is bad at finding a direction suggested indicating which direction a user is looking at.
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Our team changed the “How Clean?” function from monochromatic colors into multiple colors with three levels that depends on how clean a recycling place is, and added a button that explains what it is.
User’s Direction
Also, one of the users who is bad at finding a direction suggested indicating which direction a user is looking at.
Recycling Info. Banner Notification
A user said the banner notification of recycling information did not caught her attention visually, so we added a visual element beside the text.
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A user said the banner notification of recycling information did not caught her attention visually, so we added a visual element beside the text.
Wrapping-Up
This was a brand new service since there was no app that offers the information about how to classify the recyclables in South Korea, even though there are some in the United States. I was a iPhone 8 user so wire-framing iPhone 12 was one of the challenges. For example, the screen’s proportion and corner ratio, and how the keypads look like in different devices, etc.
While doing the usability testing, I found people might be less interested in recycling that I thought, which made me realize that individuals need a sense of accomplishment for the common good. I also learned that visual elements like color and illustrations are more user-friendly than texts, from the users’ feedback.
If you want to try our team’s project you can check it out on this link.