FABLE (From Farm to Table)
A mobile app that connects communities to affordable fresh foods.
Product Experience
Problem Space
Problem Statement
The problem that this product will address is the rising food prices. How can we make healthier food options for new immigrants in Canada more affordable?
Problem Background
According to a 2023 Canada Food Price report by Dalhousie University, there has been a marked increase in the cost of foods, with food inflation hitting almost 12% in 2023. The study goes on to state that vegetables increased the most at 6 - 8% and dairy increased by 5 to 7 percent while processed food prices remain fairly stable. As the most nutritious foods show higher increases, they are becoming more inaccessible to lower income and stable income families particularly new immigrants who, based on the survey of labour and income dynamics, are more likely to be considered low income.
Through customer research in the form of surveys and user interviews, I have learnt that persons are finding it difficult to purchase food for their families. 76.9% of survey respondents complained that they are having to consume less fresh produce to accommodate for the rising food prices and when interviewees were asked what they think about their shopping experiences, the main complaints were higher prices and lower quality foods.
This is a problem worth addressing as consumer research has found that many shoppers are less than satisfied with their shopping experiences (75%) and would utilize any program that would allow them access to more affordable fresh produce (69.2%).
Research Insights
User Pain Points
We surveyed 26 persons and conducted 2 user interviews to be able to determine the user pain points when shopping for groceries. We were able to pull out the main issues after conducting the user research:
- High food prices
- Low quality foods
During the user interviews conducted we were able to explore the ways families attempt to reduce their grocery bills and the lack of success in doing so.
Supporting Data
76.9% of those surveyed were not satisfied with their current visits to grocery stores, of that amount 75% was due to the high food prices. Only 11.5% of respondents have been able to stay within their food budget for the current year and 30.7% have had to alter their grocery list to buy only items deemed as necessities.
Feedback
Our research has helped us support the statistics that are available and let us understand what the pain points are for families shopping for groceries. The pain points are mainly the high cost of foods and the low quality foods available in the grocery stores.
Landing on the Solution
Based on our target users’ pain points, we knew we wanted to work on the following features:
We wanted the mobile app to have a user interface that is easy to navigate so as to make the process simple. We wanted the mobile app to access local farmers nearest to the users using the location enabled or just by entering their home address. The app would connect community members and local farmers together.
Explanation of Solution
FABLE is a mobile app that will connect families with local farmers and give families access to in-season produce at affordable prices and local farmers a market to sell their produce.
The FABLE MVP will have the following features:
- Location enabled to find users to farmers nearest to them. Users will have the option to manually put in their address as well.
- Farmers will be able to create their profiles, including their produce and their prices as well as any additional information.
- Users will be able to view farmers’ profiles and their produce and be able to send them a message through the app to arrange pickup or schedule a delivery.
Mockups
Future Steps
Additional features I hope to include are:
- The ability for users to food-share with other families for larger produce which will eliminate food waste and further lower prices. There will be an icon indicating the interest in food sharing and farmers will divide the produce accordingly.
- In-app payment options for delivery will be added at a later iteration. For persons who prefer a cashless transaction, they will have the option to pay on the app and have their produce delivered.
Learnings
Product Manager Learnings:
Sherika Nelson
Through the Co Lab program I have learnt a lot about being a Product Manager. Specifically I have learnt how to find product focus by connecting with the end users, how to spend understanding the problem that needs to be solved as well as the focus areas in which to prioritise in the solution space, based on user research.
I have learnt how important it is to be able to tell a story when coming up with a solution to a problem as every part in the product development cycle is a chapter in the story. I have come to appreciate how important it is to seek continuous feedback even when a product is brought to market in order to continue providing for the needs of users and be able to evolve with the product.
Finally, I have gained technical skills that will make me a better Product Manager and I have had the opportunity to hone my presentation skills which will be an asset in this field.
Designer Learnings:
Designer Learnings:
Jo Sturdivant
- Adapting to an Established Team: Joining the team in week 6 of 8 was challenging, as I had to quickly adapt to existing workflows, dynamics, and goals. This mirrors real-world situations where you often integrate into teams mid-project, and flexibility is essential.
- Work-Blocking for Efficiency: With only two weeks to complete the project, I learned the importance of a structured work-blocking system. This approach allowed me to manage my time effectively and meet deadlines under pressure.
- Making Data-Driven Design Decisions: Unlike my past projects, I had to rely on research conducted by others. This was a valuable experience in using pre-existing data to guide design decisions, helping me focus on the core insights without starting from scratch.
Developer Learnings:
Developer Learnings:
Vanady Beard
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As the back-end developer, I learned how important it is to create efficient and reliable systems that support the entire application. This experience also taught me the importance of optimising the database and ensuring the backend is scalable and easy to maintain.
Developer Learnings:
Stephen Asiedu
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As a back-end developer, I've come to understand the importance of being familiar with various database systems and modules. This knowledge enables me to build diverse applications and maintain versatility in my work. I've also learned that the responsibility for making the right choices rests on my shoulders, guided by my best judgement.
Developer Learnings:
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Developer Learnings:
Maurquise Williams
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- Process of Creating an MVP: Developing a Minimum Viable Product (MVP) taught me how to focus on delivering core functionalities balancing between essential features and avoiding scope creep.
- Collaboration in a Real-World Tech Setting: This experience taught me how to collaborate efficiently in a fast-paced tech environment, keeping the team aligned and productive, even while working remotely across time zones.
- Sharpening Critical Thinking and Problem-Solving Skills: This experience honed my ability to think critically and solve problems efficiently. By tackling challenges and finding quick solutions, I sharpened my decision-making and troubleshooting skills in a dynamic, real-world setting.
Developer Learnings:
Jeremiah Williams
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All in all this experience was very awesome I learned that in coding with others being transparent is key
Developers Learnings:
Justin Farley
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I learned how important communication is when working with a team. Communication provides understanding, advice, ideas, and much more. While working with the product team, I’ve found that communication keeps everything flowing smoothly. Working with a team also showed me that every member brings something different to the table and we all have to work together in order to align and meet our end goal.