ReBox
UX/UI Design, Product Design
Giving a cardboard box a new life!
Overview
In my UX/UI class, we were given the task to create an app that was for sustainability and wellbeing. I was working with a classmate and since we are in the middle of a pandemic, thus making it hard to go out to grab certain essentials and various goods. Staying home forces us to result in online shopping, which leaves us with various packaging items such as cardboard boxes, bubble mailer and wrap, and poster tubes to be throw in the blue recycling bin. It would be a great idea to have an app that gives packaging items a refurbished life.
ReBox is a mobile app that recycles and refurbishes packaging items. This project helps the environment by reusing these cardboard boxes and not throwing them into the overfilling landfills of “recycled trash”.
Problem
People need a way to recycle their packaging from online orders because they find it a waste to throw it in the trash and with other recycling.
Hypothesis
We believe that by creating an app that allows people to recycle just mail packaging, we will create a more environmentally friendly community. We will know this to be true when we see packages with recycled packaging.
Quantitative/Qualitative Data
To get a better understanding of the problem with the community, I got in touch with 100 Los Angelenos and collect data from them using Google Form. Here are the results:
79%
of Los Angelenos like the idea of using recycled packaging for their online orders
91%
of Los Angelenos find recycling important.
72%
of Los Angelenos wish there was a way to recycle just packaging alone.
83%
of Los Angelenos do not know if the blue recycling bin really recycles the trash in it.
After receiving the quantitative data above, I interviewed some Los Angelenos to know how they feel about recycling and do they recycle. Some things to note about their statements were:
“I recycle often but it is mainly through the blue bins.”
“Yes, I do feel guilty if I throw away bubble mailers because I know that is increasing waste.”
“Sometimes I feel guilty because it feels like a waste of cardboard and plastic, sometimes the box is brand new.”
“I use the blue recycling bin but I never really thought about if the contents in the bin are really being recycled.”
“I did not know how much cardboard we use that just gets thrown into the landfills, this is definitely a problem that needs a solution.”
User Personas
Rethink the Feel
When thinking about how the app will look, my partner and I thought of creating an infographic to make it easier to visualize how the app would look.
The logo was the hardest to think about, thinking about the type placement and how to make it original. Choosing colors that were nice and were readable was also a bit of an issue. But after trial and error we found a fitting color palette and good logo.
Follow the Flow
I then created a flow chart to plan out and visualize how the app would look through navigation. How many frames are we going to have, what each screen will look like, and where each frame will be connected to and how?
Rebox Overview
Set of videos of how the app works!
Rebox Sign Up
Drop Off
Edit Profile
Redeem Giftcard
Recent points
ReBox Wireframe
User Testing
After having a few people go through the app here was what they had to say:
“It is simple to use, I like it”
“I love the sound effects.”
“The layout is nice.”
“Very informative and instructions were easy to follow”
Next Steps
We discussed with one another and had an overview of what to do next if we’re to make this app happen:
Add a pickup feature for easier use contact/schedule a pickup feature
Distribute all across America for better recycling