SITI
EcoMode
A mobile app that helps people identify, sort, and dispose of household waste
with confidence.
EcoMode combines search, voice, barcode scanning, and image recognition to help users quickly understand how everyday items should be disposed of.
Project overview
An AI-powered waste sorting experience designed to make everyday recycling effortless.
Waste sorting is often confusing due to inconsistent disposal rules. EcoMode helps people quickly identify how to dispose of everyday items through AI-powered search. Through four rounds of usability testing, I refined the product to focus on the feature users valued most.
04
Rounds of Testing
18
Participants
14
Weeks
Role
Timeline
Team
Tools
Product Designer
14 weeks
Solo Project
Figma, FigJam
• UX Research
• Interaction Design
• Visual Design
• Prototyping
• Usability Testing
Feb – May 2024
Owned the entire design process from research to prototyping.
​Challenge
Although disposal information is widely available online, it still requires users to search, interpret, and translate guidelines into an action. For an everyday task, that creates unnecessary friction.
Everyday waste disposal isn't difficult because information is unavailable—it’s difficult because people need an answer in the moment. While disposal guidelines exist online, users still have to identify the material, interpret local rules, and decide what to do. For a task repeated every day, even small amounts of friction lead to incorrect disposal or giving up altogether.
Rules vary
Different materials require different disposal methods.
Information is fragmented
Guidelines are scattered across multiple websites.
Searching takes too long
Finding one answer often requires reading long articles.
Pizza Box
Grease changes disposal
Coffee Cup
Mixed materials
Battery
Requires special handling
Research Insights
01
Users want an answer, not a lesson.
People rarely want to learn recycling rules. They want to know what to do with an item at the moment of disposal.
02
Identifying the item
is often the hardest step.
Mixed materials and unfamiliar packaging make it difficult for users to determine what an item is made of before they can even apply the right disposal rule.
03
Confidence comes from
clear, actionable guidance.
Users were more comfortable making disposal decisions when instructions were immediate, visual, and easy to act on.
Design Principles
Make answers immediate.
Minimize the steps between identifying an item and knowing what to do with it.
Meet users where they are.
Support text, voice, barcode scanning, and photo recognition so users can choose the easiest input method.
Turn guidance into action.
Present one clear disposal recommendation with only the preparation steps users need.
DECISION 01
Multiple input methods reduce friction.
Rather than relying on text search alone, EcoMode supports voice, barcode scanning, and image recognition so users can identify items in the most convenient way.
Speaking
When typing is difficult
Scan
For packaged product
Camera
When user not sure about the item name
DECISION 02
Turn information into an action card.
Instead of presenting paragraphs of recycling rules, the result screen highlights the disposal method, preparation steps, and environmental impact in one glance.
DECISION 03
Provide contextual guidance beyond disposal.
Simply telling users where to dispose of an item is often not enough. EcoMode provides preparation steps and environmental context alongside the disposal recommendation, helping users understand both how and why to take action.
Final Design
Usability Testing
Four rounds of usability testing helped validate assumptions and continuously improve the experience.
01
Search became the primary task
Before
EcoMode originally combined waste search with community activities, games, and rewards, giving multiple features similar visual priority.
Finding
Participants consistently prioritized finding disposal guidance over exploring secondary sustainability features.
Before
After
02
Identification Needed More Than Typing
Before
The initial search experience relied primarily on text input, requiring users to know what an item was called before searching.
Finding
Participants did not always know an item's name or material. Some could recognize the object visually but struggled to describe it accurately.
Before
After
03
Results Needed to Be Actionable
Before
Early results identified the disposal category and provided a general explanation, but offered limited guidance on what users should do before disposal.
Finding
Knowing the correct bin was not always enough. Participants also needed clear preparation steps—such as removing parts, emptying containers, or separating materials.
Before
After
Reflection
01
Focus on the core behavior.
The most valuable experience wasn't the one with the most features—it was the one that helped users complete their primary task faster.
02
Design for uncertainty.
Users don't always know what an item is called or what it's made of. Supporting multiple ways to identify it made the experience more flexible and accessible.
03
Make the answer actionable.
Identifying the correct disposal method was only part of the problem. Users also needed clear guidance on what to do before throwing an item away.
Future Possibilities
While usability testing showed that fast waste search should remain the product's primary experience, the project also explored additional ways to encourage long-term sustainable behavior. These concepts were intentionally deprioritized to keep the MVP focused, but remain opportunities for future iterations.
Community Challenges
Encourage local participation through workshops, neighborhood cleanups, and sustainability events.
Eco Rewards / GamificationEco Rewards
Motivate sustainable habits through achievements, streaks, and reward systems.
These concepts were explored during thedesign process but intentionally excludedfrom the MVP to keep the experience focused.