Kostandinos Hodaj
UN (2021) estimates that food waste contributes 8-10% of global greenhouse gas emissions, and households waste globally 569 million tonnes of food per year. This research project explored the possibilities offered by a food management app to reduce this waste. The study examined if incorporating gamification and digital nudges can enhance users' intrinsic motivation. The research took a mixed-methods user-centered design approach. Two versions of an app were created. Version A has gamification and digital nudges, while Version B has no such features. A between-group test with 30 participants was conducted. Each user got to interact with one version. IMI surveys and interviews were conducted to gather both quantitative and qualitative data.
The goals for this research were to understand how much adding game-like elements to a food management app could actually motivate people to cut back on food waste by getting them into more sustainable cooking habits. The research also aimed to figure out how well digital nudges worked in getting users to actively use an app designed to help waste less food. A key part was also comparing the user motivation levels between app Version A, the one with the gamification and nudges, and Version B, which was the same but without those extra features. And finally, the research evaluated how easy and satisfying both of those app versions' designs were for users to work with.
Both versions of the app boosted users' intrinsic motivation. There were improvements in all 4 IMI subscales compared to when they started. However, there wasn't a statistically significant difference in how much motivation improved between the 2 groups. This suggests that the core functionalities of food inventory management, recipe suggestions, and expiration tracking were strong motivators in themselves.
In terms of how easy the apps were to use, both versions did well. Version A got 82.2 on the SUS scale, while Version B scored a little higher at 86.1. However, the difference wasn't statistically significant.
The user interviews offered plenty of insights. For instance, users really loved the core features, especially being able to track expiration dates and get recipe ideas using ingredients they already had. Digital nudges were generally seen as helpful and something users wanted. However, gamification got a mixed reaction. Some users enjoyed the game elements, but a good number felt they weren't really needed for this kind of app. They pointed out that saving money and reducing waste was already motivating enough.
The findings suggest that while technology can definitely help people waste less food, the main focus should probably be on building solid core features. When adding gamification or nudges in this context, it's best to keep user preferences in mind. Including options for users to opt-out or control how often they get notifications would be beneficial.
This thesis set out to investigate if a mobile food management app with gamification and digital nudges could motivate users to cut down on household food waste more than just a standard app. A mixed-methods study was conducted with 30 participants, using two different app versions, one that included gamification and nudges, and one that didn't. It found that both versions of the app significantly boosted users' intrinsic motivation for cooking more sustainably. However, adding gamification and nudges didn't result in a statistically significant improvement in motivation. Core functionalities, like tracking food inventory and getting recipe ideas, were already strong motivators. Qualitative data highlighted that users generally liked the idea of helpful nudges, especially reminders, but their feelings about gamification in this kind of app were mixed.
Hi, I'm Kostandinos Hodaj, a creative and detail-oriented UX designer with a background in visual communication. My academic and professional experiences designing digital products and collaborating with diverse stakeholders have developed my understanding of user research and design thinking principles on a proficient level. For me, design is making things work for people. It's all about creative ideas, communicating concepts with visuals, empathizing with users' needs, and solving real problems. Food waste is one such real enviromental issue. To help expand on the ways to combat food waste, my research project focused on evaluating the impact of gamification and digital nudges on household food waste reduction.
