Plant For Pollinators and We All Flourish
Prioritization: Setting Up a Clear Path
The sitemap helped me understand how users would move through the app. It clarified which features needed to come first and how to keep the experience easy to follow.
Branding: Rooted in Nature, Designed for Growth
Introduction
Many people are unaware of how essential pollinators are to our food chain and ecosystems; even those who do want to help lack clear, accessible guidance on how to create pollinator-friendly spaces. With information that is not tailored to specific regions or skill levels, people feel uncertain about which plants or practices make a real difference. This gap in awareness and practical support limits broader community participation to protect pollinators.
The Pollinator Project will make starting and mainaining gardens for pollinators easy and accessible. Everything from what plants will thrive in the user’s region to what will grow in specific areas of their gardens will be right at their fingertips. Complete instructions will be provided to help them create a successful pollinator garden, thereby contributing to the restoration of pollinator habitat. The user would be a part of something bigger than themselves by contributing to the greater good.
Project Details: How the Work Came Together
Project Duration: 11 weeks
Role: I was the end-to-end UX/UI designer on The Pollinator Project.
Tools Used: Figma, Canva, Adobe Lightroom, Adobe Photoshop
Approaches Taken: I used a combination of linear and iterative approaches. During the early stages of research, synthesis, and defining the problem, I followed a mostly linear structure to build a solid foundation.
Once I began designing and prototyping, my process became iterative. I tested early concepts, gathered user feedback, and refined the design to improve clarity and usability.
Research: Understanding the Gardeners’ Dilemma
App: WILD BEE GARDENS
Main Strength:
Educational focus on native bees
Main Weakness:
Narrow scope, not for casual gardeners
Opportunity for The Pollinator Project:
Broaden appeal to all pollinators
App: SEED TO SPOON
Main Strength:
Personalized plant suggestions
Main Weakness:
Overly broad; not pollinator-specific
Opportunity for The Pollinator Project:
Provide pollinator-centered guidance
App: INSIGHT CITIZEN APP
Main Strength:
Encourages citizen science
Main Weakness:
Lacks local or educational content
Opportunity for The Pollinator Project:
Blend educational content with observation tools
App: BEE SMART POLLINATOR GARDENER
Main Strength:
Robust plant filters and data
Main Weakness:
Static tool with little engagement
Opportunity for The Pollinator Project:
Add interactive, user-friendly features
Other nature-focused apps such as PlantSnap and Audubon provided inspiration for visual style and educational tone, even though their missions differ from The Pollinator Project’s goal of making pollinator gardening approachable for everyone.
Synthesis
Problem Statement:
Many people are unaware of how essential pollinators are to our food chain and ecosystems; even those who do want to help lack clear, accessible guidance on how to create pollinator-friendly spaces. With information that is not tailored to specific regions or skill levels, people feel uncertain about which plants or practices make a real difference. This gap in awareness and practical support limits broader community participation to protect pollinators.
Awareness:
POV: Many people are unaware about the vital role that pollinators have on the food chain and that by planting the right plants, they can take simple steps that create meaningful change.
HMW: How might we raise awareness about the vital role pollinators play in our food systems and ecosystems?
Action:
POV: A gardener who wants to attract pollinators needs clear, region-specific guidance on which plants will be most useful because information overwhelm leaves them uncertain about what will truly help.
HMW: How might we make it easy for people to choose the right plants and practices for their space and region?
Impact:
POV: People who care about the environment need to see how planting a pollinator garden can strengthen local ecosystems because small, individual efforts can add up to meaningful collective impact.
HMW: How might we show users the tangible results of their efforts, so they feel encouraged to continue supporting pollinators?
Personas:
Participants shared that finding reliable, region-specific guidance for growing native pollinator plants is a challenge. Much of the information online is generalized, leaving them uncertain about how to create thriving, pollinator-friendly gardens.
I conducted all of the interviews and I asked participants questions centered on their habits, challenges, and motivations.
Each question was designed to uncover a mix of emotional, behavioral, and practical insights.
What challenges do you face when trying to choose or maintain pollinator plants?
Can you share a time when your efforts to help pollinators were successful or especially rewarding?
Have you ever tried to help pollinators, but felt it didn’t work?
Are there plants or practices you have avoided because of maintenance, cost, or uncertainty?
What kinds of tools or resources would be most helpful in a pollinator gardening app?
Most interviews were remote via Google Meet, the remainder were in-person
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