Buy Nothing Project
Project Overview
The Buy Nothing Project is a worldwide social movement that focuses on hyperlocal, volunteer-run groups on Facebook where neighbors can offer free items and services to each other with no expectation to receive anything back in return. The purpose of the Buy Nothing Project is to create a gift economy that helps relieve financial stress, creates a sense of community, and allows users to care for the environment by living sustainably.
Objective
Currently the Buy Nothing Project relies on Facebook to host its project on. But I wondered if maybe this was not the proper domain to host it, and that there could be a tailored experience that could be created through research and UX Design.
Approach
Following the human design process, I conducted a survey that yielded 40 responses, had four interviews, three iterations, and seven total usability testing sessions. From involving the users from beginning to end, I was able to design an app that provided a positive experience that would excite current users and help attract new environmentally conscious users.
Initial Research
This project is personal to me, because I became a member of the Buy Nothing Project while researching ways to reduce my own carbon footprint.
I knew the basics:
Too many greenhouse gasses = bad, that climate change was caused by greenhouse gas pollution, and that in reality big corporations have the power to make the real change. But I also knew that we participate in a linear economy and a capitalist society that encourages hyper-consumerism, and that companies react to the demand of the people.
Linear Vs. Circular Economy
Currently, we live in a society that encourages hyper-consumerism, and a linear economy. In this kind of economy we take virgin materials, produce goods from them, consume them, and then discard them causing a lot of waste in our landfills.
Linear Vs. Circular Economy Continued
However, the Buy Nothing Project encourages a circular economy. In a circular economy, markets are given incentives to reuse products, rather than discarding them and having to extract new resources. This way of life is ultimately what will bring the change we need.
Survey Results
I created a survey that had answers from over 40 survey takers. This survey helped confirm my assumption that my target audience was Generation Z (18-24) and Millennials (25-40). That's not to exclude other generations, however these generations would be most interested in my end product.
Other questions on my survey included how users felt about their status of environmental consciousness, whether they considered themselves budget conscious, and their feelings of community.
Interviews
Major takeaways from my interviews included:
Users worrying about their safety, and ensuring those they were meeting up with were legit.
Feeling overwhelmed when scrolling through their group and wishing that items were organized.
Wishing the group was educating users on how to become more environmentally conscious.
User Persona & Empathy Map
A User Persona and Empathy Map were created as a result from survey findings and interviews. Major takeaways included that our user didn’t care to be a part of Facebook anymore, and they really wished that other users of the Buy Nothing Project were aware of how big of an environmental impact they were making, and if there was a way for users to care more about the environment.
Journey Map
By creating a Journey Map , it’s clear that the process of becoming a member is overwhelming and confusing, which could deter potential users. This process has a lot of unnecessary steps that could definitely be simplified.
Paper Prototypes & Usability Test 1
Starting with low fidelity paper prototypes allowed me to thoroughly test and reconsider my user flow while easing the pressure from my users.
Wireframes & Usability Test 2
Moving on to wireframes and making it interactive made it easier for my users to envision how things will look digitally.
Updated Journey Map
The updated Journey Map shows how the flow to sign up has removed redundancies, and allows the user to jump into the project quickly.
Final Outcome
Through user interviews, I uncovered key concerns and desires that shaped the development of new features for the Buy Nothing Project. Safety emerged as a priority, with users wanting to ensure the trustworthiness of those they meet, inspiring the inclusion of identity verification to protect all users. Many users also expressed frustration with disorganized content and wished for an easier way to search through items, leading to the creation of search and filtering functionalities.
To improve usability, I implemented color-coded visual cues to distinguish between Gives and Asks. Additionally, based on user feedback, I introduced a redundancy alert feature that notifies users when a similar item they seek is already available in the feed. In response to requests for more meaningful engagement, I designed the Profile section to highlight users' contributions to environmental sustainability, reinforcing the project’s mission to relieve financial stress, foster community, and promote sustainable living.
Recognizing that some users found the current sense of community to feel forced, I introduced a feature inspired by a neighbor's free little library, showcasing how individuals are contributing to their communities. Finally, I added subtle animations to enhance the app’s experience, making it more engaging and delightful for users.
To experience all of the features of the app yourself, feel free to click here, to open the app in a new window.
Lessons Learned
“You are not your user” holds so much truth. Even though this project started because of my personal qualms with the Buy Nothing Project, so many features and the overall flow of this app came from involving my users from beginning to end, as well as listening to and understanding their struggles and goals with this project.
With More Time and Resources
I would do more research on finding an actual way to track your carbon footprint, and perhaps partner up with another non profit organization that does just that to help make the Buy Nothing Project more legitimate and ease the minds of the users.