Loopdy

A reusable container service aimed at making the take-out culture more sustainable by removing the plastic trash produced by the current takeout system, at the same time engaging all stakeholders (restaurant owners, consumers, container delivery people and container producers) in sustainable actions.

Tool

Figma; Sketch; Illustrator; Photoshop; C4D

My role

UX & Product Designer

Team Members

Sarah Abiya & Hayley Yudelman

Duration

8 Weeks (on-going project)

How might we intervene in the current take-out system to design a service that reduces the negative environmental impact caused by take-out waste, while keeping the convenience that consumers expect?

Scoping Framework

Territory Map

To help us understand all the stakeholders (restaurant owners, delivery people, take-out consumers) and relevant areas, we created a territory map.

Initially, we decided to focus our research on consumers and restaurant owners. Throughout our project, we found that consumers are less likely to change their behaviors and have less influence on take-out waste. Thus, we later shifted our focus from consumers to the delivery people, the container's company, and restaurant owners.

Exploratory Research

Research Methods

Secondary Research

We utilized secondary research to quickly understand the scale, process, and stakeholders of the current take-out model

12 User Interviews

We interviewed 5 take-out customers, 5 restaurant owners, and 1 delivery people to understand their motivations and processes. We also interviewed City of Seattle sustainability and health employees to understand the current system.

Observations

To see all sides of the takeout model, we observed restaurants and the City of Seattle South Dump and North Waste Transfer Station to understand the process of how takeout is created, packaged, delivered, and ultimately disposed of.

Synthesis

User Interview Debrief

Mash-Up Brainstorming

Affinity Diagram

Flow Analysis

Flow Analysis allowed us to analyze not only the flow of waste across the system, but to explore when and by whom choices about sustainability are currently being made. Understanding the how and when of these choices gave us the opportunity to explore how we might intervene.

Stakeholder Map

We also analyzed our data to create a stakeholder map that allowed us to further understand all the different players and their impact on both one another and the system.

Insights

For Consumers

Consumers make decisions based on convenience. Our solutions should not add any burden on them.

Many consumers feel guilty when ordering take-out food and thus are willing to choose more sustainable options if offered.

For Restaurants

Restaurant owners are willing to take sustainable options as long as these options are economical and can provide a better user experience to their customers.

Furthermore, they also want to promote their brands to attract more customers.

For Delivery People

Everyone is dropping things off, but no one is picking them up.

The main motivation is to earn money.

Food Containers

Containers should be unleakable, light, portable, collapsible, easy-to-clean, and healthy.

Ideally, containers should have nice branding so that they can promote restaurants and help restaurants attract more customers.

No one party is solely responsible for the trash produced by takeout, therefore no one party can be made to deal with the trash.

We had to make a change to the SYSTEM itself

Ideation

Test Design Concepts With Different Stakeholders

Service Ideation

We developed a game to test how we might get the reusable containers from the customers to the sanitation stations. In this game, participants can visualize this process and play out the various modes of transportation.

To fully understand the process, we recruited 4 consumers and 4 delivery people.

Insights

1. From customers:

We learned that customers do not wish to spend time dropping off containers since people ordering take-out food generally are busy. They wish that someone will pick containers up in front of their doors.

2. From delivery staffs:

Delivery people are willing to pick up containers, as long as they can earn money from it and can figure out the process easily. They wish the containers will be light and small (not taking too much space). They want to have the right to select the number of containers they need to pick up and follow a route to pick up containers.

Container Ideation

Design

Our Service Ecosystem

Reusable Take-out Containers

In the Loopdy service, the restaurant subscribing to our service uses the reusable containers to package take-out orders and deliver them the consumers as they do today.

What consumers need to do is to simply collapse the container after they finish the food, insert collapsed containers into the reusable bag we provided, hang the bag in front of their door, and press the button on food delivery app (like UberEats) to let the system know that the containers are ready to be picked up.

The containers are:

1. Lightweight and collapsible

In research, our users (consumers) said that they didn't carry reusable containers because they took up too much room or were too heavy. In usability tests, users (delivery people) also mentioned that they wish the take-out food containers can be light and collapsible.

2. Re-heatable and dishwasher safe

Since these containers needed to be reused dozens of times, it is imperative that they can withstand high temperatures. Thus, we decided to use food-grade silicone as the material of containers.

3. easy-to-brand

Restaurant owners will be able to select the colors and sizes based on their branding needs, and even add their logo stickers to the containers.

Mobile App For Container Pick Up People

Low-fi 1st Iteration

Low-fi interactive prototype (for the purpose of test)

Usability Tests Insights

Low-fi 2nd Iteration

Low-fi Interactive Prototype (for the purpose of test)

During this iteration, we completely changed the whole workflow. Now, users can tap on the containers they want to pick up with, rather than letting the system selecting the route for them.

High-fi 1st Iteration

Interactive Prototype

Final Design

Website For Restaurant Owners (WIP)

Restaurant owners can subscribe to our service through our website. The website allows them to select the colors and sizes of containers based on their needs, and even add their logo stickers to the containers to promote their brandings.

Visual & Branding

The color inspiration is from coolors.co.

Reflections

1. Testing & evaluating the service design is vital before moving to the detailed design. Designed artifacts should serve the purpose of our service.

2. Usability tests should focus on the whole workflow rather than minor features to make sure that our logic matches users’ mindsets & expectations.

3. Research is great at debunking assumptions. It should happen throughout the whole project process, especially after brainstorming sessions.

What's next?

1. Create & test a high-fidelity physical prototype for containers.

2. Finalize the website design for restaurant owners.

3. Come up with more container variations: different combinations.