DESIGNING A USER-CENTRIC MOBILE INTERVENTION FOR FOOD WASTE REDUCTION IN MALAYSIAN URBAN HOUSEHOLD: A DESIGN THINKING APPROACH
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.35631/JISTM.1144014Keywords:
Design Thinking, Food Waste, Innovative Solution, Sustainability, Urban HouseholdAbstract
In Malaysia, generation of household food waste is more serious than the food waste generated from other industries or sectors. Urban households generally generate more food wastes although high level of awareness on the impact of environmental sustainability. They aware the issue and understand the consequences, but less effective action has been taken to manage or reduce the food waste, and therefore, create a say-do-gap. This study aimed to explore the perspectives, needs, challenges, and motivations of food waste reduction in urban household Malaysia using design thinking approach. Semi-structured interview and site-observation were conducted in empathy stage. A total of 11 participants were targeted in the interview session. The 11 participants were categorized into five distinct user personas, including Health-Conscious Individual Cook, The Cultural Compliance Professional, The Green-Minded Urban Renter, The Guilty Minimalist Professional, and The Practical Disposer. Study revealed the reasons of forgetfulness, over-purchasing, and improper food storage contributed to the generation of food waste. To address the challenges, the “GLANCE” digital app for food planning and inventory tracking was designed, introduced, and tested by four users in prototype and test stages. Online survey form was distributed to the participants, and the testing results showed the participants were strongly agreed the user-friendliness and practicability of the app. Overall, the study was designed as an exploratory pilot to establish proof of concept, the app can further improve for long-term user engagement.
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