Mart helps college students plan grocery trips and spend less. As the designer and product owner on a team of developers, I took it from research to a working MVP in 3.5 months.
3.5 mofrom research to a working MVP
80%of surveyed students would use an app like this
WeeklyMVP goals in agile sprints
Role
Product designer and product owner
Timeline
Jan–May 2022
Platform
Mobile app
Partners
Engineers
The problem ✻
Groceries keep getting more expensive. Prices had gone up 17 months in a row, and eggs alone were up 10.3%. I grew up watching my mom hop between stores to find the best deals, and as a college student I was couponing too. The students we talked to were juggling price, quality and convenience, and sometimes couldn’t even find what they needed in the store.
Research ✻
We interviewed 15 Boston University students and ran a survey to test a hunch: that price and convenience matter most. Here’s what we heard.
Affordability and convenience were the two most common factors
88% make and use a grocery list
80% would use an app that helps them save money on groceries
People wanted to know where items are in the store
College Carl
Boston University student
“Groceries have become so expensive!”
Age
21
Education
Undergrad
Status
Single
Occupation
Student
Location
Boston, MA
Brief story
Carl lives off campus with two roommates, cooks at home, and shops at the grocery stores within walking distance.
Characteristics
Has a busy schedule and a tight wallet
Shops at Trader Joe’s and Star Market around campus
Uses grocery store apps and makes grocery lists
Frustrations
Worries about affording groceries and getting ripped off
Fits shopping around a busy schedule
Sometimes can’t find items in the store
Design ✻
Grocery lists
Items are grouped by category and show their aisle number. When you start a trip, the list becomes your guide in the store, and checked-off items move to the bottom.
Choosing a store
You can compare nearby stores based on what’s on your list, and see peak hours, affordability and popular items at a glance.
What testing showed ✻
I ran usability tests with 5 students and asked them to make a grocery list and find a store.
What we found
Finding a store was straightforward
The purpose of the list homepage and onboarding was unclear
People weren’t sure how to pick a store after making a list, or what “Begin trip” would do
Next iterations
Make the grocery list the home screen to guide people
Make each screen’s purpose clear in the UI
Add filters for affordability and convenience on store profiles
Final design ✻
Prototype walkthrough of the final Mart design. The video is muted and can be paused with its controls.
Reflection ✻
Mart was my first time working with a technical team to define, design and build something real, and my first time as a product owner. We worked in agile sprints and aimed for a scalable MVP every week. I had a blast talking with users and testing our prototype with them, and it gave me hands-on experience with every stage of the process.
