ZERO: build a visual identity being environmental friendly with the use of AI
One of UK BrightIdea 2025 finalists’ projects. Designing an environmental friendly looking app with modern accessible style to the target users.
Project Overview
It is a waste management application guiding users to place waste in the bins correctly by utilising AI technology of image recognition. Due to the contamination in waste management in the UK, we as a group decided to go for this concept of the app. The challenge is how do we keep users using the app even though they know how to dispose the waste.
My responsibilities
- UI design
- Tech Researching
- Prototyping
3 easy
eco-friendly
steps
to start now
The Hard Question
How can we design the waste management app that keep users using it?
Due to the contamination in waste management in the UK, we as a group decided to go for this concept of the app. Although people want to recycle, they do not know how to do it properly.
do not know how and where to recycle plastic items
are not confident to recycle waste
81%
of citizens cause contamination
Reasons behind design decision
AI image recognition isn't perfect. Users need to correct mismatches.
How do we make error correction feel rewarding instead of annoying?
AI vision database will be used to identify objects in the camera users scan, and Vector database will match scanned items with the existing products’ data. Its database can be updated automatically when users correct the app when it mismatches the products.
The problem
Sorry.
We can not identify your waste.
Please try again.
The solution
We’re sorry.
Please identify your product. We will keep it memorized!
Enter the product Enter product number Try scanning again
Design Approach
Simple modern visual identity
Smooth shapes and bright green with grey allows Zero to be environmental conserving along with being modern.
Showing Changes & Gaining
Results of action (waste being dumped) is visualised to give user the feeling of how matter their action is. Also, the visuals of gaining some points create the feeling of rewarding.
Quick and Easy
As it is the item-scanning approach, the action of users will be quick. Therefore, we put ‘Scanning’ in the middle, which followed by the steps of dumping into bins and gaining points.
Prototyping
Scan flow is confirmed; speed matters more than accuracy .
users would rather correct a fast wrong guess than wait for a slow perfect one
Testing revealed
scanning and dropping the waste piece by piece annoys users, so we allowed users be able to drop all scanned items at once from the scan history.
What I’d do next
- With more time, I'd test whether gamification actually improves long-term retention or if it just boosts the first two weeks.
- Also, even though there are some fraud protection method, verifying that users actually dispose waste correctly would need partnership with local authorities.
