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A tool to calculate complex optimum nutrient output

What I did

  • Wireframes
  • Rapid Prototypes
  • Visual Design
  • Wireframes
  • User journeys
  • Style Guide
  • Responsive Design
  • HTML & CSS

With local information about nutrition, agriculture, gender and environment criteria relevant to your project, Agrifood can help your team select the best food combinations to promote in Nutrition-Sensitive Agriculture Programmes.

Having previously worked with The London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine (LSHTM) we designed and built Agrifood, a complex tool to calculate optimum nutrient output based on geographical and social factors, climate conditions and crop availability.

We initially conducted a workshop with Frances Knight and Prof Elaine Ferguson two key stakeholders from LSHTM. It was clear at this point that they had a clear requirement to take a very complicated calculation and translate this into an easy to user web based interface. We identified several key tasks. 1) Importing existing known food data. 2) Being able to edit this data as is required. 3) The initial setup of what became known as an analysis. Required detail specific to the analysis includes location, target group, e.g. under 16's, pregnant women, and energy requirements. 4) Adding foods based on known factors. 5) Identifying criteria, from 27 provided, specific to the analysis, e.g. Extent to which food is consumed locally, Estimated length of time to harvest maturity, suitability of product to local soil quality or type. 6) Applying weightings to the criteria, e.g. the food type must be particularly tolerant to flooding, as the analysis takes place during the monsoon season. 7) A detailed set of results, with the option to drill down into ver specific detail as required.

Initially we created a set of detailed wireframes covering the initial setup, food input, and criteria selection for the analysis which became interactive prototypes. As part of our user-centred design approach an test system prototype was demonstrated at a conference in India, to which the feedback was very positive.

Initial concepts for selection of food types, list of existing analysis and applying filters
Detailed concepts for displaying analysis results
Detailed concepts for editing key properties

This was then followed by a set that covers the fine tuning of results. Agrifood incorporates a multi-criteria decision tool used to provide advanced weighting based a number of critical factors. Likelihood of water availability as an example, in a region typically affected by drought for prolonged periods.

The final interface showing results and filtering
The final interface for creating and editing the analysis criteria

Branding

The style guide was created in conjunction with client feedback, including LSHTM brand management, which also fed into the design of core UI functionality.

Results

The client recently completed a detailed set of on-site user tests in Africa and the feedback has been very positive.

The client expects Agrifood to become a key tool in continued community development.

The full story

View the project at www.agrifoodtool.org

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