A meal reminder and meal planning app for Neurodivergent's
I designed "Roux," an app made for people with ADHD. Roux helps them with meal planning and remembering to eat, making these tasks easier and less stressful.
Background
The Meal Planning industry, valued at $1.5 billion, is set to reach $2.7 billion by 2025. It streamlines shopping and promotes healthy diets. However, it neglects a vital group: individuals with ADHD. They often struggle with inconsistent meal routines due to forgetfulness and time perception issues, frequently ignoring hunger cues from hyperfocus and making impaired decisions. A custom solution is necessary. Addressing ADHD challenges is crucial. By tailoring approaches, recognizing unique needs, and providing reminders, we can create a more inclusive meal-planning experience that fosters better eating habits.
Problem
Why do most apps disregard timely meal notifications?
Meal planning apps overlook the essential needs of neurodivergent users, including those with ADHD, by not providing consistent mealtime reminders that are crucial for maintaining healthy eating habits.
Soultion
Stress-free Meal Management
Establish a Routine
Consistent Meal Reminders aid in creating a routine.
Set meal alerts to align with dietary needs, optimizing overall well-being.
Ensure timely nutrient intake for sustained energy levels.
Manage Your Meals
Seamlessly plan your week's meals with a single tap, eliminating last-minute decisions.
Receive tailored meal suggestions based on energy levels.
Enjoy balanced nutrition without the stress of planning.
Save Money & Time
An automated grocery list based on planned meals prevents overbuying and wastage.
Convenient in-app online grocery orders from preferred stores streamline shopping, minimizing in-store time.
Search for recipes from favorite platforms directly within the app, enhancing convenience and culinary exploration.
White Paper Research
I examined meal planning apps' support for ADHD individuals in research articles. A gap emerged: popular apps lack timely mealtime reminders for them. This emphasizes the need to address ADHD users' requirements, revealing two major challenges in practicing mindful eating for this group.
01
02
Decision Fatigue and Overwhelm
Individuals with ADHD often experience decision fatigue due to their impaired executive functions. The multitude of choices involved in meal planning, food selection, and preparation can become overwhelming, leading to avoidance of the task altogether.
Time Management Challenges
ADHD can affect an individual's sense of time and ability to plan ahead. Meal preparation requires time management skills, and the inability to accurately estimate time and plan accordingly can make cooking and eating seem like complex and overwhelming tasks.
Competitive Market Analysis
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User Interviews
Through interviews, an evident trend emerged: participants remembering to eat doubled with mealtime reminders. Research solidifies the effectiveness of reminders. Consulting ADHD-affected individuals, using specific questions, and affinity mapping provided insights into their meal memory issues.
1. How often do you forget to eat?
2. What is the most difficult part about planning meals to eat? Why?
3. Do you find being reminded to eat helpful than not? Why?
4. What is your go to action when you forget to eat?
5. Do you find that having a routine helps you have a better relationship with food? Why?
Research Questions
Main Insights
01
Time Management and Forgetfulness
Focus on addressing forgetfulness and creating regular eating routines.
02
Meal Planning and Nutritional Choices
Emphasis on simplifying meal planning and making healthier food choices
Decision Fatigue and Simplified Choices
03
Focus on reducing decision fatigue through streamlined meal options.
04
Health and Well-being Integration
Highlighting the integration of health goals within daily routines
User Persona
Hi , Im Karma Baptise !
Background
Karma is a 25-year-old Creative Strategist. They are determined to develop better eating habits but find planning meals overwhelming.
Goals
They aim to eat balanced meals and avoid impulsive snacking.
They aim to eat balanced meals and avoid impulsive snacking.
Challenges
An app that suggests meal plans based on their energy levels generates shopping lists and sends reminders for healthy snacking.
Desires
Laying The Groundwork
"Roux" initially drew ideas from meal-planning apps. After exploring websites, apps, and wearables for three weeks, I concluded that an app was best. User feedback and daily usability drove this choice, aligning perfectly with project goals.
Evaluation and Enhancements
Based on feedback from a group of individuals with ADHD, I continually iterated my design over the Summer of 2023, resulting in 3 significant improvements.
Based on feedback from a group of individuals with ADHD, I continually iterated my design over the Summer of 2023, resulting in 3 significant improvements.
Initially, the design featured a calming all-white and neutral pastel color palette, with the inclusion of simple and minimal illustrated facial expressions.
Based on user feedback, we incorporated more stimulating colors and enhanced the facial expressions to visually depict energy levels.
IMPROVEMENT 1 - COLOR & ILLUSTRATION THEMES FOR STIMULATION
Based on research and feedback, adding positive affirmations upon task completion motivates consistent app usage and helps build routine habits.
This approach addresses the need for instant gratification by providing quick dopamine boosts, aligning with ADHD preferences for immediate rewards and sustained engagement.
IMPROVEMENT 2 - ADDED POSITIVE AFFIRMATION UPON COMPLETETION OF TASK
Originally, the app featured a "Monthly View," but user feedback indicated that this caused overwhelming decision fatigue.
In response, we transitioned to a more manageable and inviting "Weekly View" to enhance the user experience and reduce feelings of decision fatigue.
IMPROVEMENT 3 - SWITCHING FROM MONTHLY VIEW TO WEEKLY VIEW
What Was Executed:
UX Research
UI\UX Design
Prototyping
Wireframing
Product Design
Product Thinking