Pocket Fridge
Smart Food Management Solution for Reducing Household Waste
Pocket Fridge is an academic project tackling the global issue of food waste at the household level. I designed an IoT-powered smart refrigerator and mobile app to engage users in creating shopping lists, reducing waste, and promoting sustainable consumption. The project focused on enhancing user interaction with their food inventory through innovative technology
Role - Product Designer
Tool - Figma
Year - 2021 (2 weeks)
Method - 34 Surveys, 5 User Interview, Secondary Research
Research and Findings
Secondary Research Insights
Food waste is a major global issue, with approximately 50% of all fruits and vegetables produced being wasted annually. In Toronto alone, over 50% of food waste in single-family households is avoidable—mostly from leftovers and untouched food. On average, Canadian households could save $1,100 per year by reducing this avoidable waste.
Survey and Interview Insights
From the 34 surveys and 5 interviews conducted in Canada and the U.S., I found that most individuals are aware of food waste in their households, yet 65% of them don’t know how to actively reduce it. When asked about potential solutions, the top response was related to better grocery shopping planning.
Define Problem
Based on my research, I refined the core design questions:
Storyboard
I brainstormed potential scenarios in which busy individuals, like students or professionals, might inadvertently waste food. One example is Britany, a busy professional who frequently forgets about the produce she has in her fridge. By identifying these moments, I pinpointed opportunities where technology could intervene to reduce food waste in her home.
User Journey & Sketches
I mapped out the user journey to explore opportunities for design intervention, ensuring a seamless experience across both real-life interactions and digital touch points. This allowed me to identify where users could be supported through reminders, tracking, and easy access to their grocery data.
Final Prototype
As I designed the app, I focused on how it could naturally integrate into daily life. While AI refrigerators exist, most are designed for convenience or entertainment rather than solving sustainability challenges. My design connected the app with a smart refrigerator, allowing users to manage their fridge contents seamlessly and reduce food waste. This integration is key to creating a user experience that feels effortless.
Reflection
This project provided valuable insights into designing tech solutions for real-world issues like food waste. While the app was well-designed, further usability testing across devices would have deepened my understanding of user interactions. Ensuring UI consistency across platforms was a challenge, and with more time, I would have refined it further.
In future projects, I plan to focus more on cross-device testing and creating seamless integrations between digital tools and daily life.
