Lasso Loop
A companion app to the Lasso home recycling appliance
UMSI Capstone Project
Aug 2024 - Dec 2024
UX Design & Research
Figma
Background
Designing the first companion app for Lasso’s in-home recycling appliance
Lasso Loop is an in-home recycling appliance that can automatically identifies, cleans, and sorts recyclables into internal containers.
Now they want a mobile app to accompany the appliance. In 2024, they patterned with Umich to design the app.
Design Challenge
How might we create an engaging and educational companion app that goes beyond basic controls to help users build sustainable recycling habits?
Jump to Final Design
User Research
We gathered real user voices through surveys and interviews
We surveyed 30 pre-sale customers and interviewed 14 participants to learn about their expectations, pain points, and motivations. We recruited them with stakeholder support, including both pre-sale customers and potential recycling enthusiasts.
Scripts and notes for user interviews and surveys
Efficiency, Embedded Education, and Motivation drive engagement
We synthesized the responses and summarized as three design requirements.
Design Requirements
01 Core Utility First: Make essential tasks quick and accessible
02 Micro-Education in Flow: Integrate learning into everyday use, avoiding standalone tutorials
03 Motivation Through Progress: Visualize impact and rewards to encourage consistent recycling
Where the design journey begins ↓
Wireframes
Feature List and Wireframes
Feature List
We created a feature list to define what users needed most and used it to shape the app’s architecture.
Mid-fidelity Prototypes
We quickly prototyped wireframes with the team so we could tweak the layout without getting caught up in the details.
Testing + Improvements
3 major improvements in the design
We tested our mid-fidelity design with 8 participants, focusing on scanning, scheduling, and impact tracking. Some parts worked, some didn’t. So we iterated and refined the experience. Here’s what changed.
01 Restructured Navigation
Users often mistook the scan icon for a menu. We clarified its purpose by making it a main tab, improving visibility and reducing confusion.
02 Simplified Impact Tracking
Participants found it hard to track progress due to dense text and repetition. We reorganized the data and added visuals to improve clarity.
03 Unhid Pick-Up Scheduling
Users struggled to locate the scheduling feature when it was buried in settings. We made it more intuitive by placing it directly where and when it is needed.
Final Design
01 My Lasso
Core Utility First
🧩 Features
Prioritized quick access to recent activities and machine signals.
Ensured essential tasks are clear and actionable from the home screen.
02 Container
Core Utility First
Micro-Education in Flow
🧩 Features
Made scheduling and container status accessible in one tap.
Integrated actionable tips within the container view, so users learn recycling details during use.
03 Scan
Core Utility First
Micro-Education in Flow
🧩 Features
Enabled fast, confident scanning anywhere.
Embedded micro-education by showing recyclability feedback right after scanning, avoiding separate tutorials.
04 Impact
Motivation Through Process
Micro-Education in Flow
🧩 Features
Separated key metrics and added visual breakdowns.
Highlighted rewards and impact clearly to motivate continued recycling habits.
Reflection
🙋♀️ Ask users before you build
At first, we were excited to brainstorm: points system, gamified rewards, bonus features... it felt like we were building something fun. But once we started talking to actual users, we realized none of that was what they asked for. They just wanted something that worked. That shifted everything, we stopped designing for excitement and started designing for clarity.
✂️ Less is more, but only if it’s intentional
Throughout the process, we constantly asked ourselves: does this feature solve a real user need? If not, we cut it. That meant stripping out things we initially liked, or redesigning screens multiple times to reduce friction. It wasn’t about minimalism for its own sake, it was about focus. Learning to say no was just as important as designing the right yes.
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