How can we provide healthier food options for people? VERONIKA VOLKOVA&JULIA AFITO
2015
Design Kit: Human-Centered Design PROVIDED BY ACUMEN+ AND IDEO.ORG
CHALLENGING MOSCOW BENT ARCHITECTS
Why the “food challenge”?
Julia, 26 y.o. Architect from Moscow
Veronika, 24 y.o. Architect from Moscow
Hi! We are Bent Architects, the team from Moscow, Russia. Human-Centered Design by +Acumen and IDEO is our very first online course and our first tryout of the Design Thinking approach.
Moscow is a very big city with approximately 20 million citizens, including illegal ones. All those people face challenges concerning their health and nutrition daily.
We have chosen the 2nd challenge about healthy nutrition for while as architects we had never worked with it, as humans and the big city dwellers we are very well acquainted with the topic.
Some of them starve on daily basis and have to consume the cheapest food available. Others have enough resources for obtaining food of the best quality around, but even they often fail to eat heathy due to the lack of habit, awareness or time.
In addition, feeding is the essential part of a human’s vital activity. It is said that the average time spent on eating in a human life is about 4.5 years, and that number does not include preparation time! Rising the quality of nutrition is the key for fostering a better quality of life.
We decided to focus mainly on the eating tendencies of the Moscow middle class for that is who we are ourselves.
INSPIRATION PHASE
PLANNING THE RESEARCH INSPIRATION PHASE
People to learn from
Daria Kazanskaya - young designer and organizer of several stands with healthy food at urban food markets. Dmitry Barkhin - CEO of Moscow architectural atelier. Valeria Saakova - old-aged housewife, pensioner, amateur gardener.
Experts to speak to In-Context immersion locations
Chef at Fruits&Veggies - vegetarian cafe with plenty of healthy food choices.
Healthy dinner preparation: choosing the recipe, buying ingredients, cooking, waste utilization. Meal diaries for a week: Studio Friends food choices.
Analogous Inspiration locations
Fashion design service: advertisement, delivery, networking, markets, engagement. Fashion market at ÂŤStrelka instituteÂť, Moscow
PLANNING THE RESEARCH INSPIRATION PHASE
INTERVIEWING EXPERTS
GENERAL
GREENHOUSES
•
How long are you employed at F&V?
•
Who initiated the creation of the greenhouse on the roof of the cafe?
•
Why did you decide to work here?
•
Did it meet expectations so far?
•
Describe the main concept of the cafe as you understand it.
•
Who operates the greenhouse?
•
What is your professional vision of a healthy meal?
•
What do you nurse at the greenhouse?
•
Do the food at F&V complies with your concept of healthy food?
•
What is the difference between the ingredients that were nursed at the greenhouse and those that were bought elsewhere?
•
Does the greenhouse influence F&V food offer, and if it does, in what way exactly?
•
Does it operate year-round or seasonally?
•
Does it pay off?
•
Do your clients take interest in the greenhouse?
•
What are the specifics of urban farming?
CLIENTS •
What is the main audience of F&V?
•
What is your the general demand of your сcustomer base?
•
Does your offer meet the demand?
•
Are the clients vegetarians?
•
Do your clients eat their food at the cafe or take it away?
•
Do your clients take interest in your food offers - recipes, ingredients, cooking methods, etc.?
MENU
PERSONAL •
How old are you?
•
Do you like your job at F&V and why?
•
Who composes the menu?
•
Where do you usually have your own meals?
•
What are the main considerations for drawing up the menu?
•
Where do you prefer to buy ingredients / precrafted meals?
•
Are there seasonal changes in the menu?
•
Where do the ingredients come from?
•
Are you satisfied with the availability, quality and cost of ingredients?
•
Are there any guides for cooking methods at F&V?
•
Is it hard to cook similar dishes at a home kitchen?
FUTURE •
How do you see the future of the business?
•
What are your future plans? Are they linked to your current employment at F&V?
Vegetarian cafe «Fruits and Veggies"
PLANNING THE RESEARCH INSPIRATION PHASE
INTERVIEWING PEOPPLE
GENERAL • • • •
•
Where do you usually have your meals? Do you care about how healthy are your meals? What is your conception of healthy food? Do you have any problems finding your preferred food in Moscow? Are you satisfied with the quality and price of the available food?
EATING HABITS • • • •
How much time do you usually spend on your meal? How many meals do you have in a course of a day? How big is your average portion? Do you usually set aside time just for eating or do you eat while doing something else?
EATING OUT • •
•
•
PERSONAL • • • •
•
COOKING • •
• • • • • • •
How much time do you spend on cooking in a week on average basis? Where did you learn cooking? Do you have any cooking traditions in your family? Do you cook for yourself or also for other people? Where do you buy ingredients? What is important for you when you decide what to cook? What do you do with the cooking leftovers if there are any? 14. What is your favorite recipe and why do you prefer it?
How often do you eat out? What is important for you when you choose a restaurant or a cafe? Are there any cafes or restaurants near your house or work that offer healthy meals? Do eat at the restaurant or carry food with you?
•
How old are you? What do you do for living? Describe your family. Do you have any medical or other conditions that constrains your diet? Are you going to change your eating and/or cooking habits in the near future. If yes, why? Are you interested in planting fruits, vegetables or greens in the urban environment? Are you interested in buying fruits, vegetables or greens from local urban farmers?
CONDUCTING THE RESEARCH INSPIRATION PHASE
INTERVIEWING PEOPLE
Daria, 23 y.o. llustrator «I prefer fresh products, not include any food conservations.» «My grandma taught me how to cook fried, fatty, but not really healthy food.» «We prepared many ingredients for consumers during «Tasty market». It takes much time and money.» «I have a rule, the less time I spend preparing the food the more fresh and healthy it is.»
Dmitriy Barkin, 63 y.o. CEO of Moscow architectural atelier «There are many consequences of the product deficit that was common in the USSR. That is the reason why nowadays I do not restrain myself when buying products and often tend to buy too much.» «Usually I buy meat, vegetables and fruits at the market but for the last time is more expensive then it was several years ago, prices are rising.» «I have one cafe near my home, I ordered there my favorite pancakes with berries. Usually I visit cafes very seldom, but sometimes it is necessary to eat something sweet and adorable and not healthy.»
Valeria Saakova, 83 y.o. Pensioner «I know in person sellers at the local stores and markets. They inform me when fresh products are available. It is all about networking.» «I seldom cook for myself. I only cook for other people.» «My old age pension is insufficient foe healthy nutrition. I have to compromise between health and cheap.»
CONDUCTING THE RESEARCH INSPIRATION PHASE
CONTEXT / FOOD DAIRY
By Julia Afito
SUNDAY
MONDAY
TUESDAY
Eating out
Eating out
WEDNESDAY
THURSDAY
FRIDAY
PRICING
FILLING
HEALTHY
Eating out
Conclusion: Eating out in Moscow is usually expensive, but not necessary healthy. Home cooking is healthier, but often there is not enough time for that.
Eating out
SATURDAY
CONDUCTING THE RESEARCH INSPIRATION PHASE
TAKEOUTS 1. Customers at food markets are mostly interested in new experiences and tasting exotic food. 2. Most of participants are cooking enthusiasts. 3. Sometimes a successful stand leads to a startup. 4. Prices are compatible with a fast food restaurant.
CONTEXT / FOOD DAIRY
CONDUCTING THE RESEARCH INSPIRATION PHASE
CONTEXT / HEALTHY DINNER
TAKEOUTS 1. Food preparation for 3-5 persons is most convenient. Less people requires too much time for a result, more - too much effort. 2. It is hard to find ingredients — you have to know places. 3. Menu preparation and basic knowledge about healthy nutrition is essential for thrifty cooking for one has to balance more expensive healthy products and cheaper filling ones. 4. Cooking with friends is a great fun!
IDEATION PHASE
POST-IT RESEARCH IDEATION PHASE
RESEARCH ANALYSIS IDIATION PHASE
JAM
THEMES&INSIGHTS
AVAILABILITY
FOOD CULTURE
MOTIVATION
• Usually, arranging the desired menu costs too much (compared to the average salary in Moscow), therefore I have to choose cheaper food over healthier.
• In the USSR people preferred the most filling food that is not necessarily healthy and many young people adopt their parents’ preferences.
• One summer I was planting edible greens on my balcony and it was fun and easy enough, however I did not repeat the experience due to lack of motivation.
• It is possible to buy healthy high-quality ingredients in Moscow, but you have to know places, time and people and that requires significant time donations and a broad networking.
• Quite often I urge to eat unhealthy food because of the aggressive advertisement in media and overlook healthier choices.
• I am not motivated to cook for myself. I only cook for other people.
• I doubt the quality of food that I buy at local stores: sometimes labels lie about how old the food or about chemical additions. • In Moscow there are plenty of restaurants where I can eat fat, fried, low-quality and overall unhealthy meals compared to places that offer healthier options.
• I was taught to always clean up my plate after the meal. Because of it I tend to eat more than I need to. • Many people literally believe that food grows on shelves in a supermarket. • Most of Moscow citizens do not utilize food leftovers. Restaurants usually throw out leftovers and even food that is not good enough for their standards (even if it is still edible).
• Many people are not concerned about healthy lifestyle and wholesome meals.
HOW MIGHT WE IDIATION PHASE
THEMES&INSIGHTS
INSIGHT 1
INSIGHT 2
INSIGHT 3
Healthy food options in Moscow costs a lot + People have little control over the quality of the products that they buy at stores and markets.
Information about where to get fresh ingredients or where to order healthy meals is often hard to get unless you have a recommendation.
I would prefer unhealthy but well advertised food over healthier but less obvious options.
HMW
HMW
HMW
How might we make a connection between people who produce food and people who buy and consume it?
How might we accumulate and provide information about local healthy food offers? How might we share locals’ recommendations?
How might we advertise healthy food?
HMW BRAINSTORMING IDIATION PHASE
INSIGNT 1
Healthy food options in Moscow costs a lot + people have little control over the quality of the products that they buy at stores and markets.
HOW MIGHT WE MAKE A CONNECTION BETWEEN PEOPLE WHO PRODUCE FOOD AND PEOPLE WHO BUY AND CONSUME IT?
SUCCEED JULIA NIKA
INNOVATE
Urban public Greenhouses
Stores of collective sales
Co-housing community dining halls
Mobile product shops for small productions
«Shells with products of locals’» in supermarkets
Public kitchens
App for searching sellers and consumer of healthy food
Online networking between citizens and farmers
HMW BRAINSTORMING IDIATION PHASE
INSIGNT 2
Information about where to get fresh ingredients or where to order healthy meals is often hard to get unless you have a recommendation.
HOW MIGHT WE ACCUMULATE AND PROVIDE INFORMATION ABOUT LOCAL HEALTHY FOOD OFFERS? HOW MIGHT WE SHARE LOCALS’ RECOMMENDATIONS?
SUCCEED JULIA NIKA
INNOVATE
Monthly brochure with recipes, local food offers, prices and discounts
Local cooking competition
«Broccoli day» all-district discounts for certain products
Healthy cooking recipes in product stores and supermarkets
Meal packages for 1/2/4 persons with ingredients and a recipe Delivery or take-away
Cooking workshops engaging local community and food sellers
Informational visits at apartments about healthy food
HMW BRAINSTORMING IDIATION PHASE
INSIGNT 3
I would prefer unhealthy but well advertised food over healthier but less obvious options.
HOW MIGHT WE ADVERTISE HEALTHY FOOD?
SUCCEED JULIA NIKA
INNOVATE
App like Forsquare only for healthy food with ‘green’ evaluation criteria
Boards for healthy food announcements at Sunday food markets
Advertisement banners
Application «Find a product in 5 km» with prices and ratings
Healthy food city navigation
CHOOSING THE IDEA IDIATION PHASE
HOW MIGHT WE ADVERTISE HEALTHY FOOD?
INSIGNT 1 Healthy food options in Moscow costs a lot + people have little control over the quality of the products that they buy at stores and markets.
HMW How might we make a connection between people who produce food and people who buy and consume it?
PROTOTYPING IDIATION PHASE
BEFORE VENTURING FORTH, WE MADE AN ONLINE SURVEY «HEALTHY FOOD PRODUCTS: QUALITY AND AVAILABILITY». THE RESULTS SOMETIMES WERE UNEXPECTED. SEE THE NEXT PAGE
Go to the website
PROTOTYPING
4. How much are you willing to overpay for high quality products?
IDIATION PHASE 23 %
30 %
2 % 6 %
We received 113 responses. Among them:
16 %
Go to the website
23 %
5% more expensive
34
30,1 %
10% more expensive
26
23 %
15% more expensive
18
15,9 %
20% more expensive
7
6,2 %
More then 20% more expensive
2
1,8 %
Nor ready overpay
26
23 %
Yes
63
55,8 %
No
22
19,5 %
Cannot say
28
24,8 %
Yes, for sale
0
0 %
Yes, for consuming
28
33,6 %
Yes, for sale & consuming
9
8 %
No
66
58,4 %
Other
0
0 %
Yonger 18 y.o
2
1,8 %
18 – 25 y.o.
51
45,1 %
26 – 35 y.o.
47
41,6 %
36 – 45 y.o.
4
3,5 %
45 – 55 y.o.
3
2,7 %
Older 55 y.o.
6
5,3 %
5. Are you interested in opportunity to buy vegetables/fruits/ greens/berries which are grown in the city ( in urban greenhouses) by local farmers?
1. Where do you usually buy vegetables/fruits/greens/berries?
Supermarket
81
71,7 %
Market
41
36,3 %
On my way home
21
18,6 %
Other
3
2,7 %
25 %
56 % 19 %
0
23
45
68
90
6. Are you interested to grow vegetables/fruits/greens/berries by yourself in urban greenhouses? 2. Does the quality of store products suits you?
0
18
35
53
Yes, the quality of vegetables/fruits/greens/ berries suits me
43
38,1 %
Yes, the quality of dairy produce suits me
65
57,5 %
No, the quality of vegetables/fruits/greens/ berries suits me
58
51,3 %
No, the quality of dairy produce suits me
26
10 %
75 %
58 % 8 %
23,0 %
70
3. Does it important to check the product composition in your opinion?
6 % 9 %
34 %
7. What’s your age?
Yes, it’s important to know what kind of product you consume
43
No, It takes much time
65
75,2 %
5 % 2 % 3 % 4 % 45 %
9,7 %
No, composition on the labels may not coincide with the actual composition of the product
58
8,8 %
Other
26
6,2 %
42 %
STORYBOARD CREATION IDIATION PHASE
THE PERSON
Mary is a middle class housewife with the husband and the son to feed. She is concerned about healthy nutrition for her family and is ready to try new options. Quality and price both are important for Mary.
AWARENESS
FIRST VISIT
When Mary visited the local supermarket she was given an advertisement brochure about Urban Greenhouse in her neighborhood. She decides to take a look at the new place.
During her first visit Mary gets a quick excursion. She visits the store, cafe and the greenhouse, meets volunteers and farmers, tastes veggies that other farmers grew there. She likes it and feels ready to try it.
STORYBOARD CREATION IDIATION PHASE
INITIAL PURCHASE
ENGAGEMENT
LOYALTY
During the first visit Mary learn of the cheap trial plant and beginner’s workshops. She decides that she wants to try, buys 2 seedbeds for 2 months and applies for a workshop.
After 2 months of successful planting Mary sees the results her own harvest of fresh green salad. The process was fun, she grew her plants together with her son and they both made new friends. Mary purchases the annual plan.
Meet Mary, a middle class housewife, loving wife and mother and a devoted urban farmer. She grows enough food to sell a part of it. She sometimes volunteers at the greenhouse to share her experience. She introduces her 2 best friends to urban farming.
STORYBOARD CREATION IDIATION PHASE
THE PERSON
AWARENESS
FIRST VISIT
See the survey on the page 19
Q: What kind of an advertisement will make out customers excited?
Q: What would convince a client to try urban farming?
HWM TEST IT: Create a brochure and give it for evaluation for several people who knows about the project. After getting the feedback and improving it, print it on the glossy paper and give it to people pretending that it is a real product. Discuss the brochure with them.
HWM TEST IT: Make a role play about a first visit to the Greenhouse. Make a mock-up of the facilities at a friend’s place. Learn what excites people most. Ask whether a ‘customer’ ready to try farming after his a her visit.
STORYBOARD CREATION IDIATION PHASE
INITIAL PURCHASE
ENGAGEMENT
LOYALTY
Q: What kind of services and pricing plans would people prefer.
Q: How to make people actively involved with their crops?
Q: How easy it to grow more plants than you need for eating and to sell the rest?
HWM TEST IT: Make up several pricing plans, share them with people interested in farming and ask what plans are the most appealing and why. How could we improve prices or flexibility.
HWM TEST IT: Create a mockup of a mobile application or online service for checking the status of your crops. Share with people interested in farming and get feedback: whether such service is needed, what is good and what needs improvement.
HWM TEST IT: Plant some greens, like melissa. After it grew, use some for cooking and if something is left, try sharing some with friends for a small amount of money. Will they appreciate your offer?
STORYBOARD CREATION IDIATION PHASE
Prototype I AWARENESS BROCHURE
Prototype II FIRST VISIT ROLE PLAY
PROTOTYPING I IDIATION PHASE
AWARENESS
When Mary visited the local supermarket she was given an advertisement brochure about Urban Greenhouse in her neighborhood. She decides to take a look at the new place.
SIDE I
БРОШЮРА
SIDE II
PROTOTYPING II IDIATION PHASE
FIRST VISIT We made a mock-up model of a greenhouse facility at Julia’s place. Several zones were arranges: reception, shop, cafe and the greenhouse. We invited several friends that evaluated the brochure and made an excursion for them, explaining about how the greenhouse work. During her first visit Mary gets a quick excursion. She visits the store, cafe and the greenhouse, meets volunteers and farmers, tastes veggies that other farmers grew there. She likes it and feels ready to try it.
We received a terrific feedback! People said that they would definitely give it a try and purchase a trial plan for themselves or their parents.
IMPLEMENTATION PHASE
URBAN GREEN HOUSE IMPLEMENTATION PHASE
HELP & SUPERVISION
RENT A SEEDBED
SUSTAINABILITY
Volunteers and professional greenhouse workers would provide help and supervision for a customer. For a pay they would also look after an absent farmer’s crops.
Renting a seedbed is the most important service provided in a greenhouse. A farmer’s seedbed is marked with his or her name and, optionally, has a plate with a client’s photo and personal information.
The farming environment is sustainable and ecological. Renewed energy souses, including solar panels, are used, water is being filtered and waste is being utilized. Also, a small ecosystem is created within the greenhouse. For example, bees are being used for fertilization instead of chemicals.
URBAN GREEN HOUSE IMPLEMENTATION PHASE
INFORMATION
URBAN GREEN HOUSE
•5 MIN FROM METRO •INSIDE A LIVING NEIGHBORHOOD
GREENHOUSE
FUNDING: •SPONSORS •CAFE INCOME •FARMING SERVICES
SHOP CAFE RECEPTION
URBAN GREEN HOUSE IMPLEMENTATION PHASE
RECEPTION •INFORMATION •PRICING PLANS
SERVICE •
there or take it away. •
Rent a garden-bed for harvesting greens, vegetables or berries.
•EXCURSION •ORDER SERVICES
Visit our vegetarian cafe, have a healthy meal
•
Buy seeds, crops and gardening tools.
•
Sell your harvest surplus in our store.
•
Buy fresh greens and veggies grown by other urban farmers.
•
Apply for farming service when you leave the city.
•
Attend lectures and workshops about cooking, farming and ‘green’ lifestyle.
URBAN GREEN HOUSE IMPLEMENTATION PHASE
CAFE
TAKE AWAY OPTION
RENT KITCHEN APPLIANCES
CAFE
At first, cafe provides the most of a greenhouses income. In Moscow, most of fast-food and culinary venders near metro stations sell only limited choices of usually unhealthy food. A cafe with healthy offer and a takeaway option would be competitive.
After a farmer gathers his or her harvest, he or she can rent kitchen appliances, prepare there a meal and then pack it or eat it in the cafe.
URBAN GREEN HOUSE IMPLEMENTATION PHASE
SHOP
RENT A SHELF AND SELL YOUR HARVEST A rented shelf of an urban farmer have a plate with his or her name and, optionally, a photo and some personal information. We want our clients to share their success!
• PRODUCTS BY URBAN FARMES • SEEDS • CROPS • FARMING EQUIPMENT Special discounts for beginners, corporate clients and loyal customers.
• BY GREENHOUSE WORKERS With time the amount of products harvested by the facility workers would lessen, while the products grew by the citizens would increase.
WHAT’S NEXT?
As a garden starts with a small crop, this workshop is an important start for our engagement in human-centered design. We learned many things and ready to design for people!
VERONIKA VOLKOVA&JULIA AFITO