Nutrition Analysis App
Empower users to effortlessly track their eating habits with a simple snapshot, leveraging AI technology to promote a healthier lifestyle.
Project Type
Mobile App
Tool
Figma
Optimal workshop
Adobe suites
Timeline
3 Days (54 hours)
Overall Contribiton Rate
85%
(Successfully executing core roles)
Team member
Oliver Liu | Developer
Chloe Chi | Developer
Roanna Victorio | Developer
Chi Huynh | Researcher
Helen Chen | Researcher
Problem statement
Maintaining a healthy lifestyle increasingly depends on developing good eating habits.
Yet, many people struggle to assess whether their diet is truly healthy or to understand which nutrients they need or should avoid.Our goal was to identify the challenges people face in building sustainable healthy eating habits and to support them in their journey towards a healthier lifestyle by leveraging AI technology.
Goal
• Deliver precise nutrition analysis through the integration of AI technology.
• Empower users to cultivate healthy eating habits.
• Implement a sustainable business model to drive profitability for the product.
In just 56 hours, we were tasked with transforming our nutrition analysis concept into a compelling prototype, aiming to demonstrate its financial growth potential and sustainability to both judges and the audience.
Research
A total of 68 participants, ranging from their teens to their 60s, took part. Of these, 78% expressed interest in developing healthy eating habits, while the remaining participants indicated they were not motivated enough, primarily due to a lack of time. Additionally, 91% of participants showed strong interest in knowing the nutritional content of their food.
Many struggled to build consistent tracking habits, often forgetting to do so or citing a lack of time.
Many struggled to build consistent tracking habits, often forgetting to do so or citing a lack of time.
Who are the Users and What are their Pain Point?
According to the survey, individual users' main pain points are the difficulty of maintaining healthy eating habits, time constraints, and a general lack of time.
We interview with restaurant owners and found that many struggle to provide accurate nutritional information and calorie counts on their menus.
We’re confident we can address this need and offer a solution that benefits both their business and our own profitability.
Competitor Analysis
I conducted research on the app recently launched to the public and evaluated its functionality. One of its key features is the ability to scan product barcodes and maintain a daily eating history. While users appreciated the convenience of barcode scanning, they found it insufficient for tracking all the foods consumed throughout the day, particularly organic foods that often lack barcodes.Users expressed satisfaction with being able to record their meals, as this functionality has supported them in developing healthier eating habits.Our product has significant market potential because it offers more accurate data and insights by leveraging AI technology. Additionally, by incorporating features that motivate users to make healthier food choices, we can further enhance their experience and encourage better eating habits.
Low-fi Design
Mid-fi Design
UI Design
First and foremost, the key attributes of our product are accountability, motivation, and accuracy. I aimed to make the product both approachable and professional by incorporating an earthy green tone as the primary color. A soft orange-yellow serves as the secondary color, highlighting important elements and data throughout the product.Furthermore, establishing a clear hierarchy among design elements is essential for effectively presenting a wealth of information. Careful consideration was given to typography to ensure that key points stand out and capture users' attention.
Final Design
In the prototype, two core functions stand out as the main features. The first MVP focused on ensuring users could easily upload photos and view their nutritional information. The photo upload section was designed to be intuitive, featuring a large plus sign for easy access. A clearly labeled CTA button, 'Analyze,' was added to give the action a professional tone.
To illustrate how the product works, I used an actual photo that the AI had processed and displayed the data it generated. Since the goal of this product is to help users develop healthier eating habits, presenting real, actionable data—such as total calories, portion sizes, and an overall health rating of the food—was essential.The design also includes customized warnings based on the user’s goals. For example, if a meal is high in cholesterol or fat, the app alerts the user, helping them make better choices.
To illustrate how the product works, I used an actual photo that the AI had processed and displayed the data it generated. Since the goal of this product is to help users develop healthier eating habits, presenting real, actionable data—such as total calories, portion sizes, and an overall health rating of the food—was essential.The design also includes customized warnings based on the user’s goals. For example, if a meal is high in cholesterol or fat, the app alerts the user, helping them make better choices.
The second key feature is the demonstration of the business model, which was pivotal to the product's successful launch. The dashboard showcases 'certified' and 'recommended' restaurants, aligning with users' dietary preferences. Trust was built through carefully selected graphics, such as medals and ratings displayed on restaurant images.Additionally, I created a page that highlights the accuracy of the AI’s ingredient identification and nutrition information, ensuring users feel confident in the data provided.
User Testing
Although we had very limited time, conducting user testing was essential because the team had different ideas for how the ingredients page should be displayed. The first idea was to show thumbnails of the identified foods in the photo. This approach would allow users to clearly see which foods the product was referring to. The thumbnail images would be selectable, and once a user selected a food, it would display in the center along with its ingredients and nutritional details.The second design kept the user's uploaded photo unchanged but added numbered labels to each food item.
This design would help users quickly identify the foods the AI recognized and easily find the details for each item, as the original photo remained in view.As a result, users preferred the second design with numbered photos because they wanted to ensure the photo was uploaded correctly. The first idea was slightly confusing, as users had trouble remembering what foods they had uploaded. I also learned that some people remember objects by their location, such as items placed in the top-right or bottom-left of the image.
Achievement
We secured 2nd place in the final round, with the judges praising the high commercialization potential of our product based on solid data. They specifically admired each team member's skillset in creating the product. Additionally, establishing a strong revenue model played a key role in achieving this successful outcome.Our team was also given the opportunity to pitch to the public at the finale of Irvine Tech Week.
An interview with the Irvine Channel provided another platform to promote our product. After the presentation, I had the chance to meet people who were genuinely interested in our product. Some even asked how they could start using it, as they thought the prototype was a fully launched product.
What’s next
Some of our team members wanted to continue discussing our product, so we held a few meetings.
Additionally, we were awarded a free session with an attorney to help us explore the possibility of starting a startup company, allowing us to receive legal advice. One of our biggest concerns was the potential legal issues in cases where the product failed to provide accurate data to users. It was a valuable opportunity to learn more about the steps involved in starting a business. However, we quickly realized that securing investors was crucial to moving forward, and we weren’t able to continue from there. This experience showed me just how important it is to collaborate with specialists in other fields, such as law, accounting, storage solutions, and more.
Reflection
Considering that we were complete strangers just 54 hours earlier, I was amazed by how we came together and what we achieved as a team. This experience pushed me to see my potential as a designer, proving that I can challenge my limits and accomplish more than I had imagined.
