Comet Cupboard
​Together, we share
​Together, we care
Project Details
Project Type
Personal project
Deliverables
Research
Interview Insights
Final Prototype
Tools
Figma
Canva
The Problem
College students, unable to rely on family support for their expenses, choose to work part-time jobs to earn money for living expenses. This leads to a reduction in the time available for their studies, resulting in lower academic performance (GPA) or difficulties in graduating on time. Additionally, long-term concerns about food security can cause them to live in an environment of anxiety and stress.
The Solution
Design a mobile application that provides information about free food resources on the UTD campus, with the goal of helping students overcome food insecurity challenges. The target users of this app are students who are experiencing food insecurity due to various reasons.
Discover
1
Over 71% of students in U.S. two-year and four-year colleges are non-traditional students. This means they may be working full-time, dependent on their families, or have low incomes. Like traditional students, they face food insecurity issues, which directly increases their life stress and affects their mental health.
2
Some traditional students lack financial support from family, forcing them to balance academics with part-time jobs to increase income for food purchases. This often means reducing study time, potentially leading to poor academic performance (low GPA) or even inability to graduate.
3
Some students may have family support but haven't learned effective financial management. This can result in difficulties budgeting living expenses, often creating financial stress at the end of the month, exacerbating their food insecurity.
Interview
Students think / do
Go to various events to find free food
​Desire to improve the quality assurance of cafeteria food to reduce concerns about food safety and quality.
Expectations for the App
Provide information about various discounts at campus
Clear labeling of allergens and calories for each meal
Regular updates on restaurant discounts and available coupons
Visit the food bank to collect free food
A method to address concerns about the cleanliness and safety of food on campus.
Connect to the campus food bank and provide detailed information
​Access to reliable information about free food options on campus
Most students prefer it to be free
Empathy Map
Persona
Key Features
A specialized digital platform for Comet Cupboard
Food Delivery
Rewards
Encourage volunteers to join
Coupons
Shopping Car
Low Fidelity Paper Prototypes
Hi-Prototypes
Logo in / Sign in
Home Page
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Provide users with a shopping-like experience
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Provide detailed ingredient lists for the food
-
​Filters help users narrow down food options based on their needs
Event Page
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Remind users of upcoming events
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​Allow users to save or favorite events they’d like to attend
Event Page
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Provide discount coupons for on-campus restaurants
Setting Page
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Point Reward
Students earn points based on their volunteer service hours. These points can be redeemed for meals or drinks on campus -
Money Saved
Displays the amount of money students have saved by using the food bank, encouraging continued use of the app -
Exchange Free Meals
Redeem points to get free food -
Join Volunteer
Encourages users to become volunteers
Rewards Page
Shopping Car
Branding & Design
App Logo &
Medallion Icon
Color
Typography
