E-Turn

An app that promotes E-waste recycling for sustainability.

The digital era has exponentially increased electronic consumption, leading to an inevitable surge in electronic waste (e-waste). Recognizing the critical need for sustainable disposal methods, E-Turn was conceptualized as a digital intervention to facilitate electronics recycling. This case study explores the journey of E-Turn, from identifying the challenge of e-waste to creating a solution that enhances recycling efforts through user experience design.

E-Turn is a testament to innovative problem-solving within the digital landscape, offering a location-based application that connects users with electronic recycling centers. Originating from an academic project in "Interaction Design Practice”, it embodies the intersection of technology and sustainability, aimed at making electronic recycling accessible and comprehensible to the wider public. This section explores the project's conception, objectives, and the role of user experience (UX) in addressing the environmental challenge of e-waste.

OVERVIEW

ROLE & DURATION

UX Researcher | Designer

User Research, Interaction, Visual design, Prototyping & testing

Aug - Nov 2022

The Problem

Electronic waste presents a formidable challenge, especially in an era where digital devices are ubiquitous. The United States, a nation teeming with technological advancements, faces a glaring issue, approximately 70% of recyclable electronics accumulate in storage or landfills, aggravating environmental degradation.

This problem is twofold: a widespread lack of awareness regarding electronic recycling protocols, and a notable scarcity of accessible recycling centers. The implications of this issue extend beyond environmental harm, hindering the recovery of valuable materials and squandering opportunities to foster a sustainable, circular economy.

Addressing this challenge is imperative, to alleviate its environmental impact, champion resource efficiency and promote environmental stewardship on a broader scale.

Field Observation

Field observation was indispensable, offering a window into the real-world dynamics of electronic recycling. Immersing in environments where electronic waste was actively being processed, we captured the essence of the recycling workflow and user engagement.

This direct engagement highlighted the diversity of electronics presented for recycling and the operational nuances of facilities, laying bare the practical challenges faced by both recyclers and facilities.

These insights were crucial in devising solutions that were not only innovative but also deeply rooted in addressing the actual needs and pain points encountered in the recycling ecosystem.

Survey

The survey aimed to dissect diverse user groups' complex behaviors and attitudes toward e-waste recycling. By soliciting detailed responses from 126 participants worldwide, we sought to understand their multifaceted challenges in recycling electronic waste.

This endeavor was crucial in identifying key areas for intervention, allowing us to tailor our solutions effectively to enhance user engagement and optimize the recycling process.

The survey thus played a pivotal role in grounding our project in real-world user experiences, driving meaningful impact through informed design decisions.

Non-Electronic Recycling respondents (74 participants)

Electronic Recycling respondents (52 participants)

Qualitative Interviews

Qualitative interviews acted as a critical link between broad user research and targeted surveys, allowing for a deeper exploration of themes identified in quantitative data.

By engaging directly with users, these interviews provided context and depth to survey findings, highlighting the nuanced experiences and challenges of individuals in the e-waste recycling process.

Quotes for Lack of Access

Quotes for Lack of Awareness

"Information about what could be recycled and the location of recycling spots. Or even an address to mail stuff to."

"Where centers are located, the centers' hours, what centers accept, the impact of recycling electronics"

"I have heard of Amazon's recycling initiative but I don't we have anything local. Sending stuff to Amazon takes too much effort, ya know?"

“What can be recycled, where, how, when?”

“My friends and I actively participate in general recycling but we never considered electronic recycling. I wish they would focus on that in school when teaching about general recycling”

"What items can be recycled, How they should be handled while transportation, what not to recycle."

Quotes for Lack of Awareness

Data Synthesis and Analysis

At this stage, we intricately wove together insights from field observations, surveys, and interviews to craft a nuanced understanding of our users’ journeys through e-waste recycling.

This process was crucial in aligning our project's goals with real user frustrations and aspirations, ensuring our solutions are deeply rooted in enhancing the user experience in electronic recycling.

Utilizing affinity maps allowed us to visually organize vast amounts of data, spotlighting recurring themes and unmet needs directly from our users’ perspectives. we meticulously analyzed data from user interviews to uncover the predominant challenges in electronic recycling.

This strategic analysis highlighted a fundamental user demand: seamless access to comprehensive information about e-waste recycling and the locations of recycling centers. This pivotal insight informed our project's direction, emphasizing the necessity to enhance the accessibility of information and awareness, thereby directly addressing the users' needs for convenience and clarity in the recycling process.

Thematic networks offered a structured way to delve into these insights, connecting user experiences to actionable design and strategy. It enabled us to intricately map qualitative data from interviews and field observations to our solution's overarching objectives.

This method illuminated key themes reflecting user experiences: barriers to accessing recycling centers, a widespread lack of knowledge on electronic recycling, insufficient efforts in public recycling programs, and prevalent concerns about the recycling process itself.

Insights

Personas

We distilled our research into two personas, representing distinct age demographics, to inform and guide our design process. These personas, derived from our comprehensive findings and observations, play a crucial role in tailoring our ideation and implementation strategies to meet diverse user needs effectively.

Conceptualization

Throughout this phase, we meticulously engaged in three brainstorming sessions, with a clear objective to harvest a diverse array of ideas, ultimately focusing on three pivotal concepts for our MVP.

The Solution

To enhance our understanding of user interactions with our solution across various scenarios, we developed a series of storyboards. These visual narratives are designed to contextualize user experiences, providing insights into potential use cases and user journeys with our digital platform.

This feature allows recycling centers to register themselves within our application, enabling them to appear in search results. This not only enhances visibility for the centers but also enriches the user's options for nearby recycling locations.

Recycling center regn. screen

Usability Testing

The product was tested at various stages of solution development with different usability evaluation methods.

Think Aloud was conducted with 6 participants in 2 rounds of testing and the top learnings from these sessions included,

The type of icon used for displaying GPS coordinates
Request for city name to be used for search instead of zip code
Hover vs click of map button of a location
Overwhelming nature of the final information page

Cognitive Walkthrough sessions helped us identify potential areas of confusion and enhance the intuitiveness of the solution. The top insights from the sessions included,

Hovering cards to explain what a button or a card will do
More filters for different types and sizes of electronics
Increased search radius

Project Learnings

1. User-Centered Design is Key

Emphasizing the importance of understanding user needs and behaviors through research and testing to guide the development process.

2. Iterative Testing and Feedback are Crucial

Continuous usability testing, including methods like cognitive walkthroughs, provides essential insights for refining product features and user interfaces.

3. Flexibility in Design Thinking

Adapting design strategies based on user feedback, such as incorporating more intuitive search options, ensures the solution remains relevant and user-friendly.

To enhance our understanding of user interactions with our solution across various scenarios, we developed a series of storyboards. These visual narratives are designed to contextualize user experiences, providing insights into potential use cases and user journeys with our digital platform.

Storyboarding

User Research

To meticulously understand the complexities of electronic waste recycling, an exhaustive user research initiative was spearheaded. This comprehensive study aimed to:

The research encompassed engaging with a broad spectrum of participants through surveys, deep-diving into their recycling habits, and conducting semi-structured interviews to capture the nuanced differences in perceptions across age groups. Observations at recycling centers provided practical insights, further enriching our understanding of the e-waste recycling ecosystem. This holistic approach was pivotal in crafting a user-centered solution to elevate electronic recycling efforts.

Let's connect

Feel free to reach out for a collaboration or just a friendly hello 😇

hellosaranshg@gmail.com