Project Goals:

Reduce Food Waste: The project aims to combat the issue of food waste by enabling vendors to sell surplus or near-expiry food products through the platform. By offering these items at discounted prices, vendors can prevent them from going to waste while still recovering some value.
Affordable Food Access: For consumers, "Shelf Life" provides an opportunity to access quality food items at lower prices compared to traditional retail outlets. This not only benefits consumers financially but also contributes to reducing overall food expenditure for households.
Promote Sustainability: By facilitating the redistribution of surplus food products, "Shelf Life" contributes to environmental sustainability efforts by reducing the volume of food waste that ends up in landfills. This aligns with broader initiatives aimed at promoting responsible consumption and production.

Dual Interface Design:

Mobile UI for Consumers: The consumer-side interface of the application is designed to provide users with a user-friendly experience for browsing and purchasing discounted food items.
Tablet UI for Vendors: The vendor-side interface is optimized for tablets, allowing vendors to list and manage surplus food inventory efficiently, set pricing, and communicate with consumers.

The mobile version of "Shelf Life" offers consumers a convenient platform to access affordable food options from nearby restaurants while contributing to the reduction of food waste. With a user-friendly interface, users can seamlessly browse restaurants in their vicinity, view menus, place orders, and make online payments for pick-up orders. The app emphasizes sustainability by promoting pick-up orders only, eliminating the need for delivery services.

Browse Nearby Restaurants: Users can explore a list of restaurants located near their current location. The app utilizes geolocation services to display distances, allowing users to identify the closest options.
Menu Exploration: Within each restaurant's profile, users can browse menus to view available food items, prices, and descriptions.
Place Orders: Users can place orders directly through the app and pay online using various payment methods. The app ensures a secure transaction process.
QR Code Pickup: Upon successful payment, users receive a unique QR code associated with their order. They present this QR code at the restaurant to collect their order, promoting a contactless pickup experience.
Profile Page: Users have access to a profile page where they can track their order history and view achievements, such as rewards earned through frequent orders.
Settings: In the settings section, users can customize their experience by setting their preferred pick-up location, managing payment methods, and adjusting notification preferences.

Convenience: The app simplifies the process of ordering food by providing a streamlined interface for browsing, ordering, and payment.
Affordability: Users have access to discounted food items, contributing to cost savings on meals.
Sustainability: By promoting pick-up orders only, the app supports environmentally friendly practices by reducing the carbon footprint associated with delivery services.

‍

The tablet interface of the "Shelf Life" app is tailored to meet the needs of restaurant owners, providing them with essential tools to manage their surplus food inventory efficiently and engage with customers seamlessly.

Sales Reporting: Restaurant owners can access detailed sales reports directly from the app's homepage, allowing them to monitor their business performance and make informed decisions.
Application Process: Owners can register their restaurants by filling out an application form within the app. Once submitted, the application is processed, and upon approval, owners gain access to the platform to upload their menu and start selling surplus food items.
Menu Management: Owners have the flexibility to upload and manage their menu directly through the app, ensuring that the latest offerings are always available to customers.
Order Notifications: Owners receive real-time notifications whenever customers place orders, enabling prompt preparation and efficient order fulfillment.
QR Code Scanning: Upon customer arrival, owners can use the app's built-in QR code scanner to easily identify and verify orders, streamlining the pickup process and enhancing customer satisfaction.
Wallet Integration: Owners can link their bank accounts to the app's wallet feature, facilitating seamless transactions and enabling direct transfers of earnings from the platform to their bank accounts.
Customer Reviews: Owners have the ability to view and respond to customer reviews within the app, fostering communication and allowing them to address feedback effectively.

‍

Efficiency: The tablet interface provides restaurant owners with a centralized platform to manage operations, saving time and resources.
Transparency: Real-time sales reporting and order notifications offer owners valuable insights into their business performance and customer interactions.
Convenience: Integrated features such as menu management and QR code scanning streamline day-to-day operations, enhancing the overall efficiency of restaurant management.

‍

Undertaking the "Shelf Life" project has been a transformative learning experience, particularly in designing an application to cater to the needs of diverse user groups.

‍

User-Centric Design: Designing for different user groups required a deep understanding of their unique needs, preferences, and behaviors. This experience emphasized the importance of conducting thorough user research and incorporating user feedback throughout the design process to create intuitive and effective interfaces.
Multi-Platform Considerations: Developing interfaces for both mobile and tablet devices presented challenges in terms of optimizing layouts, navigation, and functionality for different screen sizes and interaction patterns. Learning to adapt design principles to various platforms while maintaining consistency and usability was a valuable skill acquired during this project.
Communication and Collaboration: Collaborating with stakeholders, including developers, clients, and end-users, highlighted the importance of effective communication and collaboration in delivering a successful product. Learning to translate user requirements and feedback into actionable design solutions while balancing technical constraints and business objectives was a significant aspect of this experience.

The "Shelf Life" project has not only contributed to addressing societal and environmental challenges but has also been instrumental in personal and professional growth, laying the groundwork for future success in the field of digital design and user experience.