ShyenYi Low
Zero Waste Milano Expo 2015
Zero waste was a combination of service and product design that reflected the Milano Expo values of “feed the plant, energy for life.”
Background
Milano Expo 2015 was a global event aimed at welcoming 21.5 million visitors to Milan, providing a platform for countries to share their perspectives on addressing world hunger.I had the opportunity to work as an industrial and UX designer on projects that focused on promoting the values of the Milano Expo.
As A Product Designer:
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Collaborated on projects promoting Milano Expo values.
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Designed UX experiences with service design focused on sustainability and innovation.
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Contributed to industrial design for product collections.
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Conducted user research to study user journeys in supermarkets.
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Aligned design solutions with Expo themes and stakeholder goals.
The broken welfare system was causing a decline in food equality in cities
From 2010 to 2015, there was a noticeable decline in the welfare system across the EU, resulting in increased food inequality in urban areas. This led to around 40 million individuals facing food insecurity and exacerbated the disparity in access to nutritious food among low-income households.
Insufficient food waste recycling programs
According to research, in 2015, approximately 70% of food waste in the EU was not recycled or composted, leading to an increase in landfill use and potential harm to the ecosystem.
Studied food consumption and its efficacy in being recycled
After conducting a field study in Milan and secondary research across European cities, we discovered that coffee grounds represent an untapped opportunity to address food waste and combat hunger. Leveraging this resource could play a vital role in building a healthier urban ecosystem by reducing food waste.
Coffee ground could be fully utilized to produce fabric.
Designed a self-sufficient service to support the welfare
The service blueprint was the bare-bones of the design that helped us connect society, welfare system, and food consumption.
Unlike regular food banks, this service blueprint hired workers in need to help collect waste and produce products. In addition to providing employment, it also offered education, rehabilitation, wages, and shelters to accommodate the needs of its workers.
The workers collected the coffee grounds through bags and bins made of recycled coffee grounds.
Understood consumer habits to support the service
Optimized the grocery shopping experience by improving the supermarket’s layout and improving customers' purchase efficiency.
Designed the smart wrist band
The smart wristband enabled users to scan and select products with precision and efficiency. It deducts the weight of the products from the shelve and transmits the data to the backend, allowing the cashier to instantly recognize the total amount during the purchasing process.
Encouraged using reusable containers
The multi-purpose containers allow users to easily fill them with both dry food and liquid.
Offered various styles for carrying the grocery bag
The bag's straps can be easily adjusted to fit the customers' shopping styles.
Designed customizable spaces in bags to accommodate different use cases
The grocery bag's design allows for easy adjustment of its space by organizing its pockets or adding an additional attachable bag to accommodate customers' shopping needs.
Impact
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Gained experience designing for a global audience with diverse needs.
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Learned to use secondary data and work with researchers to guide design.
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Improved my user research skills to identify primary and secondary users.
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Overcame challenges of designing multiple product families instead of a single product.
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Expanded my service design skills, combining products into a smooth user experience.
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Learned to manage complex project scopes involving both service and product design.
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Gained experience designing for a global audience with diverse needs.
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Learned to use secondary data and work with researchers to guide design.
-
Improved my user research skills to identify primary and secondary users.
-
Overcame challenges of designing multiple product families instead of a single product.
-
Expanded my service design skills, combining products into a smooth user experience.
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Learned to manage complex project scopes involving both service and product design.
Thank you for your time!
