Digitizing the Pfand System in Germany
Goal is to create a cutting-edge platform that will improve the experience of receiving a refund from Pfand machines. The main goal is to modernise and expedite the bottle refund procedure, provide a simple and effective way to handle their deposits online and make meaningful donations.
TIMELINE
4 months
PLATFORM
Web
MY ROLE
UI/UX Designer
Work type
Uni Project @ Hochschule Rhein-Waal
My Role
I was the selected lead product designer & design director for this project. I collaborated with Hamza Ahmad (UI/UX Designer), Daosuda Boonprasert (Product Researcher), Narjes Naeemi (UX Researcher), and Titixa Kamani (Visual Designer) throughout this project.
01
Problem Statement
Individuals returning bottles in supermarkets face delays and limited options when claiming their Pfandbon rewards due to the lack of user-friendly interfaces and digital alternatives, resulting in inconvenient and inefficient deposit redemptions and many times losing their recipts.
02
Solution
Digitize and automate the management of Pfandbon (deposit receipts) by making a mobile application, improving user convenience and reducing operational costs for retailers.
03
Goals
Business Goals:
Enhance Operational Efficiency: Streamline the management of Pfandbon receipts to reduce administrative burdens and operational costs for retailers.
Promote Sustainability: Encourage recycling by making the deposit return process more convenient and accessible for users.
User Goals:
Increase Convenience: Provide a user-friendly platform for easily storing, tracking, and redeeming Pfandbon receipts.
Improve User Experience: Ensure a seamless and efficient process that reduces frustration and enhances user satisfaction.
04
User Research
Objectives
Identify user needs and preferences with regards to Pfandbon rewards management.
Find out current pain points regarding the bottle/can returning process.
Obtaining information on user attitudes towards digital payouts, donation options, and savings.
Locating close by Pfand machines: How relevant is this for end-users?
Research Methods
Contextual Inquiry
Objective: Observe users in their own environment to gain insight into the process of returning bottles.
Participants: A small number of invited users who return bottles/cans regularly.
Process: Observe and note what steps users take from returning bottles to redeeming their Pfandbon.
Focus Groups
Objective: Controlled group discussions to gather information on user attitudes and probable features within the app.
Participants: 5-8 individuals from the various target segments,
Results
After going through all the user research, we specified the problems and made some personas & user journey maps so we can solve the problem according to those.
05
User flows
We mapped each archetype to their user journey on the app, with their respective success metrics.
On the top, I added our first draft user flow.
On the bottom, we have the newly improved finished user flow.
07
Wireframing
We made wireframes multiple user flows to visualize ideas quickly. My focus at this stage is to diverge first, converge later.
On the top, are some early wireframes of the app.
At the bottom, you can see I refined our wireframes to make them more focused.
08
UI Designs
Then I designed final app screens accroding to the wireframes I refined.
Now a sneak peek into my Final UI Design.
Video Prototype & Interactions
09
Testing & Iterations
The designs have went through at least 2 to 3 iterations per screen during testing.
It is due to several reasons: Discussing with several team members and improving, usability testing on prototype, Slight shift in product roadmap or simply to improve the user experience.
Here are some screens before and after iterations
Home Screen
We started with the home page to access all app features.
First Iteration: We replaced a notification-like charity card, which users ignored and could disappear, with a simple charity detail card.
Second Iteration: We refined the card design for clarity and added horizontal scrolling for easier browsing, reducing actions and saving time.
Charity Payment methods
Initially, users selected the charity amount and could pay via Apple Pay if funds were insufficient, leading directly to a success screen. To enhance the experience, we added a page showing all payment methods and a post-transaction option to share donations on social media.
Transaction dubiousness
Initially, users only had to enter an amount to send money. We added a confirmation page to show transaction details before finalizing. Additionally, a share button on the receipt lets users send it to the recipient for verification, enhancing satisfaction and ease.
Benefit for Marketplace
We added an ads section to let the marketplace promote deals and offers. Now, users can view current store promotions when locating a machine.
10
Impact and Future
The Pfand-Bank app made to transform bottle returns by making them convenient, flexible, and rewarding. It offers digital payouts, donation options, savings, and a Pfand machine locator, enhancing the recycling experience for eco-conscious users, busy professionals, families, and budget shoppers.
Over time, the app will promote efficient recycling and support environmental and social projects, continually improving to meet user needs and advance sustainability.