Divya Mittal
During my summer internship at Hephium, I worked on a project to create a plant care app called LumiML.
Finding the ideal spot for your apartment plants can be time-consuming.
Hiring professional gardeners for houseplant care can be costly.
Watching your plants wither away can be emotionally distressing.
Transporting plants to local nurseries for diagnosis is inconvenient.
Locating trustworthy online plant care guidance can be difficult. Online care plans often overlook your space's unique conditions and your plant's specific needs.
Most respondents were frustrated with finding the perfect spot for their plants at home. They were also deterred by the high cost of professional gardeners and had trouble finding plants and accurate care advice online. The emotional impact of seeing their plants deteriorate and die was a common theme, with users expressing a strong desire to prevent this distressing experience.
LumiML is a mobile application that scans users' rooms and locates their plants & light sources to providing personalized plant care.
Utilize our scanning feature to assess your plants and their surroundings.
Our AI technology identifies the best spots in your space for your plants based on lighting conditions.
Easily access plant information and detailed care instructions.
Connect with a community of fellow plant enthusiasts, sharing your experiences and acquiring valuable insights to nurture your green companions.
AI creates personalized care schedules, ensuring your plants flourish.
We made some general assumptions while working on the solution
Users have access to smartphones with camera capability and are comfortable using mobile applications.
ML, AR, and AI technologies will accurately assess room conditions and provide reliable plant care recommendations.
Plant care needs vary based on geographical location, so the app's recommendations will be tailored accordingly.
Users are interested in building a community around plant care and are willing to share experiences and insights.
Methodology
A mixed-methods approach was employed, utilizing online surveys and in-depth interviews to collect both quantitative and qualitative insights from potential users.
Sample
A diverse sample of 500 participants, aged 25-45, residing in urban environments, with varying levels of experience in plant care.
User Pain Points
78% of respondents identified difficulty in finding the right spot for their plants as a significant pain point.
Many individuals find it challenging to determine the optimal location for their plants. One participant mentioned, 'I spent hours moving my plants around, hoping they'd thrive.'
Feedback suggests that users desire a more personalized touch in existing plant care apps. One participant noted, 'Other apps give generic advice. I'm looking for something that not only provides personalized care but also connects me with a community of like-minded plant lovers.'
The majority of respondents expressed a keen interest in community engagement features. One participant stated, 'The community aspect is a game-changer. I love sharing my plant journey and learning from others.'
The overwhelming response highlighted a strong desire for tailored advice. A participant mentioned, 'One-size-fits-all advice doesn't work for plants. I'm looking for a solution that understands my space and my plants, providing recommendations tailored to them.'
94% of respondents expressed a preference for personalized care recommendations.
88% of users indicated interest in joining a plant care community within an app.
Potential users showed a positive attitude towards incorporating technology into their plant care routines. One respondent mentioned, 'I was hesitant at first, but if technology can help my plants thrive, I'm all for it.'
92% of respondents felt existing plant care apps lacked a personal touch.
85% of users expressed openness to leveraging technology for plant care.
Technology Acceptance
Competitive Landscape
Community Engagement
Personalization Preferences
Users struggle to find the ideal spot for their plants, seeking a more efficient solution than trial-and-error.
Existing apps are perceived as lacking a personal touch; users emphasize a strong preference for personalized care recommendations.
A significant percentage of users express keen interest in joining a plant care community within an app.
Users emphasize the importance of tailored advice, seeking solutions that understand their unique living conditions and plant care needs.
The insights we gained from the surveys and interviews led to the persona. The main goal is to display those patterns and pain points, which allowed us to further empathize with the users.
To find the unique value proposition for LumiML, we analyzed the top competitors. At LumiML, we offer smart technology to comprehend users' homes, providing personalized plant care guidance. Beyond this technological advantage, LumiML prioritizes the creation of a vibrant community of plant enthusiasts, adding an enjoyable and inclusive dimension. Moreover, the app goes beyond offering generic advice by crafting schedules tailored to users' busy lives, ensuring optimal plant health. Notably, LumiML actively integrates user feedback and regularly updates its features, ensuring continual relevance in the ever-evolving market landscape.
Locating trustworthy online plant care guidance can be difficult. Online care plans often overlook your space's unique conditions and your plant's specific needs.
Initiate the actual development of the app. Collaborating closely with developers to transform the wireframes and design concepts into functional features, seamlessly integrating backend functionalities.
Release a beta version of the app to a wider audience for testing, gathering additional feedback and identifying any potential issues before the official launch.
Conduct comprehensive testing and quality assurance to ensure the app's stability, performance, and security are up to industry standards.
Launch the app to the public.
Continuously refine and improve the app based on user feedback.
The hands-on nature of the internship provided me with real-world experience, bridging the gap between theoretical knowledge and practical application.
By delving into actual projects, I gained a profound understanding of user perspectives and the impact our designs can have on enhancing their daily experiences.
Collaborating within a team setting was enriching, offering opportunities to share ideas, listen to diverse viewpoints, and witness the collective efforts enhancing the quality of our projects.
Witnessing the tangible positive impact of our designs on end-users was incredibly rewarding.
The internship served as a platform for refining and advancing my skills.
