Skado didn't start as a business plan, it started in our own kitchens. My longtime friend and collaborator and I both noticed the same pattern at home: food waste wasn't caused by carelessness, but by distraction. We'd buy groceries without checking what was already in the fridge or pantry, end up with duplicates, and miss the chance to cook simple, anti-waste recipes with what we already had before it went off.
We weren't wasting food because we didn't care. We were wasting it because nothing was keeping track for us.
The Idea
That observation became the core of Skado: an app where you log every product you buy, record where it's stored, fridge or pantry, and track its expiry date. Nothing gets lost at the back of a shelf again, and distraction stops being the reason food ends up in the bin.
📦Food inventory
Log what you buy in seconds, so you always know what's already at home.
🗄️Storage tracking
Mark whether each product lives in the fridge or the pantry.
⏰Expiry reminders
Get notified before something expires, with enough time to actually use it.
Make It a Habit
Tracking food is only useful if people actually do it every day. From the very first version, I designed a layer of gamification, challenges, ecoPoints and small rewards, to turn opening the app into a habit rather than a chore, and to nudge users toward the behaviours that actually reduce waste.
A Global Crew
The long-term goal is for Skado to feel at home in any kitchen in the world. To support that, I started designing a crew of mascots built on playful national food stereotypes: an Italian pizza slice, a French baguette, a Japanese nigiri, a Mexican taco, and more to come, each with a personality drawn from the stereotypes of its country. The aim is simple: make Skado a product people genuinely like, not just one they use.
Meet Pizzotto, Skado's first mascot, reacting to what you do in the app.
Recipe completedChallenge wonNew product addedProduct about to expireFood wasted
Building Together
From there, my co-founder and I decided to build Skado together: him on the technical side, me on product and design. Early on, we opened a Discord community to share progress, gather feedback and let early supporters help shape the product with us, alongside a pre-launch website presenting the core features and a public roadmap of what's coming next.
The Vision
Less food in the bin, more recipes on the table, and a mascot crew the world can root for.
Phase 01
Empathize
The Goal for this phase is to understand real users: their
habits, frustrations, and motivations around food waste.
01
4W + H
Framing the Problem
01WHAT
What problem are we trying to solve?
We’re trying to simplify everyday food management by helping people keep track of the products they already have at home, monitor expiration dates, reduce food waste and save money.
02WHO
Who are we solving this problem for?
We’re solving this for people, couples, families and shared households who often forget what they have in the fridge or pantry and need a clearer, smarter way to manage food before it expires.
03WHY
Why are we solving this problem?
Because food waste often happens at home due to forgetfulness, poor planning and lack of visibility over what is already available. Skado helps users make better use of their food before it goes to waste.
04WHAT
What goal do we want to achieve?
To create an engaging and reliable mobile experience that helps users track food, receive smart expiration reminders, discover anti-waste recipes, manage shopping lists and build sustainable habits over time.
05HOW
How are we going to solve this problem?
By designing clear product-entry flows, smart notifications, AI-powered recipe suggestions, shared shopping lists, useful statistics and gamified challenges that make reducing food waste simple, rewarding and part of users’ daily routine.
Empathize
Research
I didn’t want to design Skado based only on assumptions. Market and competitor data helped me understand the scale of the problem, while user insights helped me understand real habits, frustrations and needs around food waste at home.
For this project I focused on both quantitative and qualitative research.
Quantitative research
Market analysis
Competitor analysis
Qualitative research
User interviews
Quantitative Research
Market Analysis
Before designing anything, I needed to understand the scale of the problem. How big is food waste really? Who is responsible for it, and is there an actual market opportunity here? Quantifying the problem gave Skado a solid foundation to build on.
58.2MtonnesEU food waste generated in 2023Eurostat
53%householdsShare of EU total food wasteEuropean Commission
€132B/yearEstimated EU market value of food wasteFood Safety EC
Finding
Why it matters
Households = largest source of EU waste
Focus on home food management, not external surplus
~130 kg of food wasted per person per year
Scale justifies a dedicated consumer product
~69 kg household waste per person per year
Expiry tracking and reminders address a real daily behaviour
~60% of global food waste comes from homes
Skado can position as a habit-changing daily companion
Quantitative Research
Competitor Analysis
I mapped the competitive landscape to understand what already existed and where the gaps were. Rather than reinventing the wheel, I wanted to find the space no one had fully occupied, and design Skado to own it.
Competitor Analysis
The market already contains strong solutions, but most focus either on external surplus food rescue or on basic inventory tracking, leaving a clear space for Skado.
Main competitors
Product
What they do
Gap for this project
Too Good To GoSurplus marketplace
Buy discounted surplus food from local stores and restaurants
Focused on external food rescue, not what users already have at home
OlioFood sharing platform
Share free surplus food and items with people nearby
Relies on local network activity; no personal pantry management
KitcheHome food management
Expiry reminders, shopping lists and recipe suggestions
Opportunity for a more engaging, gamified and emotional experience
NoshAI food inventory
AI-based inventory tracking, recipes and waste habit analytics
Opportunity to improve UX, onboarding, gamification and family use
Positioning map
Product
Home inventory
Expiry alerts
AI recipes
Shopping list
Gamification
Family use
Too Good To Go
Low
Low
Low
Low
Med
Low
Olio
Low
Low
Low
Low
Med
Med
Kitche
High
High
Med
High
Low
Med
Nosh
High
High
High
High
Low
Med
Skado
High
High
High
High
High
High
Research Synthesis
Key UX Opportunities
With the data in hand, I moved from observation to interpretation. What were the structural problems users faced? And more importantly, where could a well-designed product actually make a difference? These are the five opportunities I decided to pursue.
Key UX Opportunities
01
Move beyond tracking
I noticed early on that most food apps feel like chores. You open them, you tap, you enter data, and you leave. I didn't want Skado to feel like that. The goal was to make adding a product effortless, something you barely notice you're doing.
↳ Implication
Product entry via voice input, AI assistance, barcode scanning or quick-add patterns. If it takes more than a few seconds, people stop doing it.
02
Turn reminders into action
A notification that just says 'your yogurt expires tomorrow' is noise. I wanted every alert in Skado to carry a next step: a recipe, a quick-use idea, a reminder to share with the family. The difference between a notification you ignore and one you act on is simple: one gives you something to do.
↳ Implication
"Your yogurt expires tomorrow. Use it in a 5-minute breakfast recipe." Actionable, not just informational.
03
AI recipes driven by urgency
Most recipe apps start with 'what do you feel like eating?' Skado starts with 'what do you need to use first?' That shift (from inspiration to urgency) was one of the most important design decisions I made. The AI doesn't just suggest meals; it prioritises the ingredients that matter most right now.
↳ Implication
Recipes surface products close to expiration first, not just general food preferences.
04
Build retention through gamification
Food management is a repeated behaviour; it happens every day. But it's not naturally exciting. I wanted Skado to reward the actions that actually matter, and make the habit worth forming.
↳ Implication
ecoPoints connect to meaningful behaviours:
Using a product before it expires
Completing an anti-waste recipe
Reducing weekly food waste
Sharing a shopping list with family
05
Make impact visible
People don't change habits because of abstract goals. They change when they can see progress. I designed Skado's stats so users could track exactly how much food they saved, how much money they kept, and how their habits improved week over week.
↳ Implication
Key metrics shown to the user:
kg of food saved
Money saved
Recipes completed
Products used before expiry
Weekly/monthly improvement
Research Synthesis
Final Insight
After gathering and analysing all the data, I synthesised everything into a single, clear conclusion: the north star that guided every decision in the phases that followed.
Final Insight
What the research told me clearly is this: the market gives people tools to rescue food from restaurants or track what they bought at the supermarket. But almost no one is solving for what happens inside the kitchen, every day, before food silently expires. That's the space Skado lives in, and it's wide open.
Before talking to real users, I built a set of hypothetical archetypes grounded in the research, giving the team shared language and a concrete picture of who we were designing for. Five personas, five different relationships with food, five distinct motivations.
Proto-Personas
Five personas covering the main behavioural archetypes identified during research, differing in household composition, primary motivation and technical confidence. Together they define the full design space Skado needs to address: from solo professionals to families, from budget-driven students to sustainability advocates and health-focused cooks.
PrimarySolo Habitant
Marco Ricci
28 years old · Roma
Marco is a software developer in Rome. He lives alone, shops on weekends without a list and relies entirely on memory. By mid-week he has no idea what is in his fridge, and by the weekend he finds expired products. He feels guilty about waste but has never found a tool simple enough to actually use.
"I open the fridge and find three yogurts expiring today, and no idea what else is in there."
💼OccupationSoftware developer
🏠LivesAlone
💻Tech comfortHigh
🎯MotivationSave money and reduce guilt around waste
Goals
–Know what's in the fridge without opening it
–Get recipe ideas for food about to expire
–Track food with minimal daily effort
Pain points
–No visibility into what he has at home
–Buys duplicates of items already in the pantry
–Discovers expired food too late to use
Key needs
–Fast, frictionless product entry
–Expiry alerts with actionable next steps
–Recipes driven by urgency, not inspiration
SecondaryFamily Manager
Giulia Ferrara
34 years old · Milano
Giulia is a primary school teacher managing food for her partner and two children. She shops twice a week with a rough mental plan but struggles to track what was bought when. Food waste is both a financial and ethical concern. She would adopt any tool that helps her coordinate with her partner and reduce what ends up in the bin.
"By Saturday I've forgotten what I bought on Monday, and I find it expired in the back of the drawer."
💼OccupationPrimary school teacher
🏠LivesPartner + 2 children
💻Tech comfortMedium
🎯MotivationReduce family food waste and save money
Goals
–Know what food is in the house at any time
–Plan family meals efficiently across the week
–Coordinate grocery shopping with her partner
Pain points
–Hard to track across two weekly shops
–Kids' preferences add complexity to meal planning
Luca is an engineering student sharing a flat with three roommates. His budget is tight and grocery shopping is uncoordinated; they buy duplicates, food disappears from the fridge without explanation, and by month-end he realises a large slice of his budget went to waste. He would use a tool if it helped him and his flatmates stay organised.
"We keep buying the same milk three times in a week because nobody checks what we already have."
💼OccupationEngineering student
🏠LivesShared flat (4 people)
💻Tech comfortHigh
🎯MotivationStretch his student budget further
Goals
–Coordinate food shopping with flatmates
–Stop buying duplicates and wasting money
–Know what is in the shared fridge before shopping
Pain points
–No system for shared household food management
–Unclear food ownership in a shared fridge
–Budget overruns from uncoordinated shopping
Key needs
–Shared pantry visible to all flatmates
–Real-time shopping list coordination
–Budget tracking and waste cost awareness
TertiaryEco-Conscious
Sofia Gentile
31 years old · Firenze
Sofia is a marketing manager who structures her life around sustainability. She shops local, buys organic, composts and tracks her carbon footprint in other areas. But she still wastes food, and the gap between her values and her actual behaviour is a genuine source of frustration. She wants a tool that makes her food choices measurably better.
"I buy organic and local, and I still end up throwing it away. It makes me feel like a hypocrite."
💼OccupationMarketing manager
🏠LivesAlone
💻Tech comfortHigh
🎯MotivationReduce her environmental footprint through food choices
Goals
–Eliminate food waste as part of her zero-waste lifestyle
–Measure the actual environmental impact of her food choices
–Find creative uses for unusual seasonal or organic produce
Pain points
–Organic food is more expensive to waste
–No tool connects food choices to environmental impact data
–Seasonal produce variety makes meal planning harder
Key needs
–Impact stats: kg saved, CO₂ avoided, money saved
–Recipes for unusual or seasonal ingredients
–Gamification that rewards sustainability-aligned behaviour
TertiaryHealth-Focused Cook
Andrea Moretti
45 years old · Bologna
Andrea is a freelance consultant who follows a strict Mediterranean diet and cooks from scratch daily. He meal preps on Sundays and buys in bulk from specialty stores. When work disrupts his plan, expensive fresh and specialist ingredients expire unused. He wants a system that integrates meal planning with what is actually in his pantry.
"I spend more time managing food than actually cooking it, and I still waste expensive ingredients."
💼OccupationFreelance consultant
🏠LivesWith partner
💻Tech comfortMedium
🎯MotivationReduce planning overhead and stop wasting specialty ingredients
Goals
–Integrate meal planning with real-time pantry state
–Spend less time managing food, more time cooking and eating
Pain points
–Bulk buying leads to waste for perishable ingredients
–No recipe suggestions filtered by his specific dietary plan
–Any change to his weekly schedule cascades into food waste
Key needs
–Diet-aware recipe suggestions based on pantry state
–Meal plan adjusted automatically when something expires soon
–Smart bulk-buy alerts based on usage patterns
Qualitative Research
Empathy Maps
For each persona, I built an empathy map to go deeper than demographics, exploring what they say, think, do, feel, where they struggle and what they hope for. The goal was to build genuine empathy before jumping to solutions.
Empathy Map
Marco Ricci's Empathy Map
Primary persona
💬
Says
Direct expectations
"I have no idea what's in my fridge right now."
"I keep buying the same things I already have."
"Throwing food away makes me feel terrible."
🧠
Thinks
Mental model
I should have a system but it feels too complicated.
Cooking with what I have would save money.
There must be an app that actually makes this easy.
🙌
Does
Observed behaviour
Shops without a list, relying on memory.
Opens the fridge, closes it, and orders delivery instead.
Discards food at the end of the week without a plan.
❤️
Feels
Emotional state
Frustrated when he finds expired products.
Guilty about wasting food he paid for.
Overwhelmed at the idea of tracking food systematically.
⚠️
Pains
Friction points
No visibility into what is in the pantry or fridge.
No system to alert him before something expires.
No quick way to find recipes for what he already has.
✅
Gains
Desired outcomes
Know what to cook without opening every cupboard.
Never buy something he already has.
Finish the week with less waste and more money saved.
Empathy Map
Giulia Ferrara's Empathy Map
Secondary persona
💬
Says
Direct expectations
"I need my partner to know what we have before he shops."
"The kids only eat half of what I buy for them."
"I can't keep all of this in my head."
🧠
Thinks
Mental model
If we had one shared list, we'd stop doubling up.
Planning is harder when four people have different tastes.
Every wasted product is money I could have spent elsewhere.
🙌
Does
Observed behaviour
Shops twice a week with a rough mental plan.
Sends shopping list messages to her partner via WhatsApp.
Cooks different meals for children and adults.
❤️
Feels
Emotional state
Overwhelmed by the logistical complexity of family food management.
Frustrated when food she bought for a specific meal goes unused.
Relieved when the week's meals come together without waste.
⚠️
Pains
Friction points
No shared system visible to both her and her partner.
Children's changing tastes make planning unpredictable.
She forgets what was bought during the first of two weekly shops.
✅
Gains
Desired outcomes
A shared pantry both she and her partner can update in real time.
Meal suggestions that account for the whole family's preferences.
Fewer duplicate purchases and less end-of-week waste.
Empathy Map
Luca Bianchi's Empathy Map
Tertiary persona | student
💬
Says
Direct expectations
"Someone ate my food from the shared fridge again."
"We bought three cartons of milk this week."
"I can't afford to waste food on a student budget."
🧠
Thinks
Mental model
If we had a shared list we'd save a lot of money.
Buying in bulk seemed smart but half of it expires.
I need to be more strategic but I never have time.
🙌
Does
Observed behaviour
Shops impulsively without checking the shared fridge.
Splits grocery costs unevenly with flatmates.
Throws food away at month-end when he realises the waste.
❤️
Feels
Emotional state
Budget-anxious: food waste translates directly into financial stress.
Frustrated by the uncoordinated chaos of shared living.
Embarrassed to raise the food-organisation topic with flatmates.
⚠️
Pains
Friction points
No shared system for a multi-person household.
Ambiguous food ownership leads to food disappearing or being wasted.
Uncoordinated shopping leads to expensive duplicates.
✅
Gains
Desired outcomes
A shared pantry all flatmates can see and update.
Fewer duplicate purchases that eat into the monthly budget.
Clear food ownership so nothing is eaten or wasted accidentally.
Empathy Map
Sofia Gentile's Empathy Map
Tertiary persona | eco-conscious
💬
Says
Direct expectations
"I buy organic but I still throw it away."
"I want to see my actual environmental impact from food."
"Wasting food makes me feel like a hypocrite."
🧠
Thinks
Mental model
My food waste is undoing all my other sustainability efforts.
There has to be a smarter way to plan around seasonal produce.
Organic food is more expensive: wasting it is doubly wrong.
🙌
Does
Observed behaviour
Shops at farmers markets and local organic stores.
Composts what she can't use and tracks her carbon footprint.
Meal-plans inconsistently, often diverging from the plan mid-week.
❤️
Feels
Emotional state
Committed to her values but frustrated by persistent waste.
Guilty when she identifies the gap between intention and action.
Eager to find tools that confirm her choices are making a difference.
⚠️
Pains
Friction points
No tool connects food choices to a measurable environmental impact.
Seasonal and organic produce is harder to plan meals around.
Good intentions are not enough to prevent structural food waste.
✅
Gains
Desired outcomes
CO₂ saved, kg recovered, and money saved displayed clearly.
Recipe suggestions for unusual seasonal ingredients she already has.
Evidence that her sustainable choices are making a real difference.
Empathy Map
Andrea Moretti's Empathy Map
Tertiary persona | health-focused
💬
Says
Direct expectations
"I meal-plan meticulously but life always gets in the way."
"Buying in bulk is cheaper but half of it expires before I use it."
"I spend more time managing food than cooking it."
🧠
Thinks
Mental model
I need a system that knows my dietary restrictions.
If meal planning was linked to pantry state I'd waste nothing.
Tracking macros is fine but tracking expiry is exhausting.
🙌
Does
Observed behaviour
Cooks from scratch daily following a Mediterranean diet.
Bulk-buys from specialty stores on a bi-weekly basis.
Meal preps on Sundays but deviates mid-week when work disrupts plans.
❤️
Feels
Emotional state
Disciplined about his health but frustrated by planning complexity.
Guilty when expensive specialty ingredients expire unused.
Satisfied and in control when the week's meal plan executes perfectly.
⚠️
Pains
Friction points
Bulk buying creates waste risk for perishable ingredients.
No recipe suggestions filtered by his specific dietary requirements.
Any deviation from his weekly schedule cascades into food waste.
✅
Gains
Desired outcomes
Meal planning that adapts in real time to pantry state.
Diet-aware recipe suggestions based on what is actually available.
Smart alerts when bulk-bought perishables need to be used soon.
Qualitative Research
Current Experience Journey
I mapped the complete experience each persona goes through today, without Skado. From shopping to throwing food away, step by step, emotion by emotion. Understanding the current pain points at each stage was essential before designing a better path.
Marco Ricci
Marco's Current Experience
The solo professional's weekly food cycle, before Skado exists.
Shopping
Storing
Days pass
Buying again
Expiry day
Throwing away
Same next week
🙂😐😕😤😠😔😮💨
Motivated
Neutral
Uncertain
Annoyed
Frustrated
Guilty
Resigned
ActionGoes to the supermarket and buys based on memory.
ActionUnpacks groceries and stores them loosely.
ActionForgets what was bought. Opens fridge without a plan.
ActionBuys items he already has at home.
ActionDiscovers expired yogurt and vegetables.
ActionThrows away food and wasted money.
ActionThe cycle repeats with no structural change.
Thinks"I know what I need. I'll remember."
Thinks"Done. I'll sort this properly later."
Thinks"What do I even have in here?"
Thinks"I was sure I was out of this."
Thinks"Again. How did I not see this coming?"
Thinks"I need to do better."
Thinks"I'll be more careful this time."
PainNo list: he overbuys or forgets essentials.
–
PainNo visibility into what is available or expiring soon.
PainSpends money on duplicates unnecessarily.
PainNo reminders about products close to expiry.
PainEnvironmental and financial guilt with no path forward.
PainIntention alone doesn't fix a structural problem.
OpportunityAI-suggested shopping list from pantry state.
OpportunityAuto-add products via receipt scan or barcode.
OpportunityVisual pantry overview with expiry proximity.
OpportunityProactive alerts with a recipe suggestion.
OpportunityImpact stats that motivate change, not shame.
OpportunitySkado makes the right behaviour the easiest behaviour.
Giulia Ferrara
Giulia's Current Experience
Managing food for a family of four across two weekly shops.
First shop (Mon)
Storing (Mon)
Second shop (Thu)
Weekend cook
Finding waste
Throwing away
🙂😐😕😤😠😔
Organised
Neutral
Uncertain
Stressed
Frustrated
Guilty
ActionPlans Monday's shop mentally and buys what she thinks is needed.
ActionStores the food, tries to remember what she bought.
ActionShops again, unsure what's left from Monday.
ActionTries to plan weekend meals but realises things have expired.
ActionFinds expired produce in the back of the fridge.
ActionDiscards food in front of the children.
Thinks"I think I know what we're missing."
–
Thinks"Did we use the mozzarella yet?"
Thinks"I can't use all of this before it goes off."
Thinks"Again. That was expensive."
Thinks"I'm setting a bad example."
PainNo shared list: her partner doesn't know what was bought.
–
PainBuys duplicates of items from the first shop.
PainNo reminders about what's expiring soonest.
PainWaste is both financial and emotional; she prides herself on good management.
–
OpportunityShared household list updated in real time.
OpportunityAuto-inventory from receipt scan.
OpportunityFridge overview before heading out.
OpportunityWeekend meal suggestions based on expiry priority.
OpportunityWeekly waste report with improvement tips.
OpportunityFamily impact stats visible to the whole household.
Luca Bianchi
Luca's Current Experience
The uncoordinated rhythm of a shared student flat.
Month-end check
Shopping
Shared fridge chaos
Buying duplicate
Expiry end-of-week
Budget overrun
😕😐😤😠😔😮💨
Stressed
Neutral
Annoyed
Frustrated
Guilty
Resigned
ActionReviews bank statement and realises how much was spent on food.
ActionGoes to supermarket without checking the shared fridge.
ActionStores food in the shared fridge with no labelling or ownership.
ActionBuys items a flatmate already purchased the day before.
ActionFinds expired food that nobody claimed.
ActionRealises food waste ate into this month's budget again.
Thinks"How did I spend that much on groceries?"
Thinks"I'll just grab what I think we need."
Thinks"I don't even know what's mine anymore."
Thinks"We have five of these now."
Thinks"Someone should have used this."
Thinks"I'll try to be more careful next month."
PainNo visibility into the cost of food waste over the month.
PainNo shared list: buys duplicates of what flatmates already bought.
PainFood disappears without warning, eaten by flatmates or expired.
PainBudget wasted on unnecessary duplicates.
PainNo accountability for food waste in shared household.
–
OpportunityBudget tracker showing food waste in euros.
OpportunityShared live list all flatmates can edit.
OpportunityIndividual ownership tagging in shared pantry.
OpportunityDuplicate alert before checkout.
OpportunityExpiry notifications shared to all flatmates.
OpportunityMonthly waste-to-savings summary to reinforce behaviour.
Sofia Gentile
Sofia's Current Experience
A sustainability-driven shopper still struggling with food waste.
Farmers market
Home planning
Mid-week drift
Composting
Sustainability guilt
Next market
😊😐😕😕😔😤
Enthusiastic
Neutral
Uneasy
Mixed
Guilty
Frustrated
ActionBuys seasonal organic produce with genuine excitement.
ActionTries to plan meals around what she bought.
ActionDeviates from her meal plan due to work or social commitments.
ActionComposts the produce she couldn't use in time.
ActionRealises her food waste undermines her broader sustainability efforts.
ActionShops again, trying to buy less, but the same pattern recurs.
Thinks"This is exactly how food should be bought."
Thinks"I should be able to use all of this."
Thinks"I won't get through all of this before it goes off."
Thinks"At least it's not going to landfill. But I still wasted it."
Thinks"I buy organic and local but I'm still wasting it."
Thinks"I'll be more careful about what I pick up this time."
–
PainSeasonal variety makes it hard to plan standard meals.
PainFresh organic produce has shorter shelf life than standard.
PainComposting doesn't reduce waste; it just lessens the guilt.
PainThe gap between values and actual behaviour is a real source of distress.
–
OpportunitySkado suggests recipes for unusual seasonal produce before she shops.
OpportunityAI recipe suggestions from pantry contents.
OpportunityAdaptive reminders when the meal plan is falling behind.
OpportunityShow CO₂ impact of waste even when composted.
OpportunityPositive framing: show how much was saved, not just what was wasted.
OpportunityPre-market suggestions based on what is still in the pantry.
Andrea Moretti
Andrea's Current Experience
A disciplined home cook undone by any disruption to his routine.
Sunday planning
Bulk shopping
Mid-week cooking
Schedule disruption
Ingredients expire
Throwing away
Replanning
😐😊😊😕😠😔😐
Methodical
Satisfied
In control
Anxious
Frustrated
Guilty
Tired
ActionPlans the week's Mediterranean meals manually on paper.
ActionBuys for the week from specialty stores, feels organised.
ActionCooks as planned: everything works.
ActionA work commitment means he can't cook as planned.
ActionFresh produce and specialty ingredients expire unused.
ActionDiscards expensive Mediterranean ingredients he sourced carefully.
ActionStarts over next Sunday knowing the cycle may repeat.
Thinks"If I plan this right, nothing will be wasted."
Thinks"Everything I need for the week is here."
Thinks"This is exactly how it should be."
Thinks"I need to move meals around but I don't know what will expire first."
Thinks"That was expensive. I had a specific plan for that."
Thinks"I spent time finding these and now they're in the bin."
Thinks"I'll account for disruptions in the plan this time."
PainManual planning doesn't account for what's already in the pantry.
–
–
PainNo system to help him adapt his meal plan to the new reality.
PainSpecialty ingredients can't be found in regular supermarkets; the loss is significant.
–
–
OpportunityMeal planning integrated with live pantry state.
OpportunityAuto-add items to pantry from shopping receipt.
OpportunityPositive reinforcement when the plan is on track.
OpportunityPlan-rebalancing suggestions based on expiry order.
OpportunityUrgent expiry alerts with alternative recipe suggestions.
OpportunityImpact tracking that shows money saved over time as motivation.
OpportunitySmart planning that builds in buffer for schedule changes.
Phase 02
Define
Transforming research findings into a clear problem definition:
user needs, pain points, design principles and the challenge
that guided every decision that followed.
02
Synthesis
From Research to Focus
After weeks of research, I had a mountain of data. The real work here was making sense of it, identifying the patterns that mattered and translating them into a direction concrete enough to design against.
After analysing the research findings, the main challenge was not simply helping users 'track expiration dates'. The deeper problem was that people often lose visibility over the food they already have at home.
Key design direction
Skado needs to reduce the cognitive effort of managing food at home and help users take action before products expire.
Problem Framing
Key Pain Points
These four pain points emerged consistently across all five personas. They aren't symptoms of bad habits; they're structural problems that no existing tool has solved well enough.
🧊
Lack of visibility over current inventory
Users don't remember what they already have in the fridge or pantry and only realise it when it's too late.
Design implication
Skado should give users a clear and immediate overview of everything they have at home.
✏️
Manual entry of products is inefficient
It's perceived as boring, repetitive, or complex, especially for elderly users or time-constrained students.
Design implication
Product entry must be as fast as possible via barcode scanning, voice input and AI assistance.
🔔
Ineffective or poorly targeted notifications
Reminders are often too generic, too late, or not customisable enough to match user routines and habits, I need something like duolingo.
Design implication
Every alert should carry an actionable next step: a recipe, a quick-use idea, or a family reminder.
🍳
No ideas or suggestions for what to cook
There's a missing link between what users have at home and what they could cook, which leads to frustration and waste.
Design implication
Recipes should surface the ingredients that matter most right now, sorted by urgency, not inspiration.
Problem Framing
User Needs
From the pain points, I distilled six core user needs: the concrete things Skado must deliver to be genuinely useful, not just interesting.
User need
Why it matters
Know what food they already have at home
To avoid duplicated purchases and forgotten products
Be reminded before products expire
To act before food becomes waste
Get simple suggestions for what to cook
To reduce the effort of deciding how to use expiring ingredients
Add products faster
Manual input can become a barrier to long-term use
See the impact of their actions
Visible savings and progress increase motivation
The experience to feel rewarding
Habit-building requires engagement, not just utility
Problem Framing
Problem Statement
A single clear statement of the problem Skado is solving. This became the anchor for every design decision in the phases that followed.
"
Busy households need a simple and engaging way to track food, remember expiration dates and use products before they expire, because poor visibility and lack of planning often lead to unnecessary food waste and extra spending.
"
Product Direction
Product Goals
The Define phase crystallised into six product goals. Not feature lists: intentions. The outcomes Skado must achieve to be worth building.
01
Improve food visibility
Help users understand what they have at home, where products are stored and which items require attention first.
02
Prevent waste before it happens
Notify users before food expires and encourage timely action, rather than simply showing expired items after the fact.
03
Make recipes contextual
Recipe suggestions should prioritise ingredients users already have, especially those close to expiration, not generic preferences.
04
Reduce manual effort
Adding and updating products should be as fast as possible through barcode scanning, receipt import, AI assistance and voice input.
05
Increase motivation through gamification
Reward anti-waste behaviours using ecoPoints, challenges, levels and progress indicators that make the habit worth forming.
06
Make impact measurable
Show users exactly how much food, money and environmental impact they've saved over time, so progress feels real.
Product Direction
User Needs & Business Goals
Good design isn't a trade-off between user value and business value. I mapped how every user need connects to a product response and a business outcome, to show they pull in the same direction.
User need
Product response
Business value
Remember expiring food
Smart expiration reminders
Increases retention and recurring app usage
Know what is available at home
Fridge and pantry inventory
Creates daily utility and habit formation
Find ways to use ingredients
AI-powered recipe suggestions
Differentiates Skado from basic trackers
Save money
Food and spending statistics
Strengthens perceived product value
Coordinate with family
Shared shopping lists
Supports future Family subscription plan
Stay motivated
ecoPoints, levels and challenges
Encourages engagement and repeat sessions
Reduce food waste
Impact dashboard
Strengthens sustainability positioning
The design challenge
How can Skado help users reduce household food waste by making food tracking easier, expiration reminders more actionable, and sustainable habits more engaging over time?
Phase 03
Ideate
Exploring possible solutions, from brainstorming to feature
prioritisation, user flows and information architecture,
before converging on a clear product direction.
03
Bridge
Design Challenge
Coming out of the Define phase, everything crystallised into one question: the challenge that became the north star for the entire ideation process.
Design Challenge
How can Skado help users reduce household food waste by making food tracking easier, expiration reminders more actionable, and sustainable habits more engaging over time?
Ideation
How Might We…
I translated each pain point into a 'How Might We' question to frame ideation around real user problems rather than assumed solutions.
Pain point
How Might We…
Users forget products at home
HMWhelp users keep visibility over the food they already have?
Expiration dates are easy to miss
HMWremind users at the right time without notifications feeling annoying?
Users don't know what to cook
HMWturn expiring ingredients into useful, contextual recipe suggestions?
Adding products manually can feel boring
HMWmake product entry fast, simple and low-effort?
Shared households create confusion
HMWhelp families and roommates coordinate food and shopping together?
Sustainability can feel abstract
HMWmake the user's positive impact visible and genuinely motivating?
Food tracking can feel repetitive
HMWmake reducing food waste feel rewarding and habit-forming?
Ideation
Brainstorming Solutions
I explored multiple directions before deciding on anything. The goal here wasn't to find the right answer; it was to generate enough options to find the best ones.
User need
Possible solution
Remember products before they expire
Smart expiration reminders
Reduce manual input
Voice-based product entry with AI
Know what is inside the fridge / pantry
Home inventory organised by storage location
Use expiring products
AI-powered recipe suggestions
Stay motivated
ecoPoints, levels, streaks and weekly challenges
Understand personal impact
Dashboard with food saved, money saved and recipes generated
Product Scoping
Feature Prioritisation
Not everything could go into v1. I used a Must / Should / Could / Later framework to decide what was essential for the MVP and what could evolve with the product.
Priority
Feature
Reason
Must have
Add food products
Core action required to make the app useful
Expiration date tracking
Directly addresses the main pain point
Smart reminders
Helps users act before food becomes waste
Storage location
Helps users know where products are kept
Should have
AI voice input
Reduces friction in product entry
Recipe suggestions
Turns expiring ingredients into action
Shopping list
Helps prevent duplicated purchases
Could have
ecoPoints and levels
Increases engagement and retention
Impact statistics
Makes savings and sustainability visible
Later
Family plan collaboration
Strong business opportunity, but can evolve after MVP
Store partnerships
Future monetisation and ecosystem expansion
I prioritised features based on three criteria: user value, feasibility for an MVP and alignment with Skado's core mission. The first version needed to focus on the behaviours most directly connected to reducing food waste: adding products, tracking expiration dates and receiving timely reminders.
Product Scoping
User Flows
I mapped the four main flows that define how users interact with Skado. The goal was not just to map steps, but to identify the moments where good design makes the difference between action and abandonment.
The most important flow was not simply adding a product, but helping users complete the full anti-waste loop: notice an expiring item, find a way to use it, mark it as used and receive feedback for the positive action.
Product Scoping
Information Architecture
I organised the app's structure around the main user goals: checking what needs attention, managing inventory, finding recipes and tracking progress. The IA was designed for action, not passive data storage.
Skado
🏠Home
Expiring soon
Suggested actions
Daily challenge
Quick add
🧊Inventory
Fridge
Freezer
Pantry
Other
🍳Recipes
Recommended for you
Use first
Saved recipes
Skado AI
🤖AI
Voice input
Add products
Generate recipes
Food suggestions
📊Progress
ecoPoints
Level
Food saved
Money saved
Recipes generated
The information architecture was organised around the main user goals: checking what needs attention, managing food inventory, finding recipes and tracking progress.
Concept
Early Concept Direction
The ideation phase closed with a clear product concept built around four pillars. These became the framework for every design decision in the Prototype phase.
🔍
Track
Help users add and monitor food products at home with minimal friction.
🔔
Act
Notify users before products expire and suggest concrete next steps.
🍳
Cook
Generate recipes based on available and expiring ingredients.
🏆
Progress
Reward users and show their positive impact over time.
Phase 04
Prototype
Turning ideas into tangible, testable artefacts, from rough
wireframes to high-fidelity interactive flows, so we can learn
fast and fail cheaply before writing a single line of code.
