Design
I started sketching out a few concepts based on the design requirements. I knew I wanted to incorporate the camera to improve usability of tracking the diet. This would most likely require the solution to be a mobile application and would be the child's experience. I went with a virtual pet concept based on competitive research. This allowed the user to get instantly rewarded and provided long term user goals.
Research
I began by reviewing the product, diet and comparative analysis with similar business.
 App Site Map of HuePet application. |  |
|---|---|
 |  First character design confused users. They thought the pet was asking to grow up into one of the vegetables. Weird cannibal experience. |
 Created a prototype in Proto.io to test and refine application experience. |  Updated Pets to be monsters. Improved usability of product. |
 I used adobe animate to create pet animations. |  Full Animation Cycle for HuePet |
 Baby HuePet Still Cycle. Pets are always active. |  Application user flows consolidated on one screen. |
 Documentation displaying HuePet can always be interacted with. Important with the minimalist design of application. |  Created horns, hats and glasses as accessories for the store. Testing determined which ones were more desirable. Still need to add ninja! |
 HuePet website design |
Role:
Project Manager
Lead Designer
QA
Tools:
Proto.io
Adobe Animate
Adobe Photoshop
Project:
Mobile Application
Branding
Findings:
Current product required significant effort with no immediate or long term rewards. The process was too time consuming with low motivation to continue.
The branding and product missed with regards to parents and children. Branding and experience didn't engage children and parents weren't given much validation or support.
Design Requirements:
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Improve product usability
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Provide motivation to participation for children and parents
Problem
Huetrition promotes a healthy diet for children based on hue. The color of food is determined by its nutrients. A diet of multiple colors is more varied and thus healthier. Huetrition had an existing website that allowed parents and children to add their daily diet for earn points and rewards. Great idea but had low user adoption and usage.
Once concept was somewhat flushed out I built a prototype with Proto.io to test and get client approval. Through testing I wanted get feedback on branding, usability and was this even fun?
Children got the concept and through testing I was able to iron out all of the usability details and experience timing. I did find the initial pet design was an issue. Too vegetable looking and didn't understand why a vegetable would eat another vegetable (creepy). The title HuePets came from a test subject as well. Client loved the brand.
Development
Holding many roles in the project after design phase I managed the development from resource allocation to project management. I usually don't like this due to conflicting priorities of what's best for the user vs. hitting deadlines.
I held weekly scrums and client reviews. Mid way through development I had to make the call to find another developer due to product quality. It was a scramble but found a good resource to complete project.
Solution
Developed a new sub-brand called HuePets. HuePets is a mobile application for parents and kids to reward healthy eating habits through a food color scanning game. The game will connect real-world activities to a digital character, allowing for a visual sync of the user’s daily food intake. Users will scan the color of their meals through the application and be rewarded with level points and digital coins. Level points allow the pet to evolve and digital coins can be used to purchase accessories for the pet. Application is available on iOS and Google Play store.
Hindsight
Due to project short timeline I went with first appropriate developer and wish I would have waited a little longer before making the call. Some initial features were lost due to this along with time maintaining quality control.
Overall I am satisfied with the product and the client has a real brand that can grow into something big.
