Haven

Smarter Gardening for People & Wildlife

Haven

Smarter Gardening for People & Wildlife

Haven

Smarter Gardening for People & Wildlife

TYPE

Mobile App

Industry

Home & Garden

Duration

10 Weeks

Tools

Figma, Google Workspace, MS Office, ChatGPT, Claude, Otter.ai

Team/Role

UX + Product Design

TYPE

Mobile App

Industry

Home & Garden

Duration

10 Weeks

Tools

Figma, Google Workspace, MS Office, ChatGPT, Claude, Otter.ai

Team/Role

UX + Product Design

TYPE

Mobile App

Industry

Home & Garden

Duration

10 Weeks

Tools

Figma, Google Workspace, MS Office, ChatGPT, Claude, Otter.ai

Team/Role

UX + Product Design

Native gardening can feel like a puzzle—too many sources, too little support. I designed Haven to simplify the process through plant recommendations, visual planning tools, and advocacy support. The goal was to help people create ecologically meaningful spaces and feel confident doing it. Haven emphasizes clarity, community, and purpose-driven interaction.

Native gardening can feel like a puzzle—too many sources, too little support. I designed Haven to simplify the process through plant recommendations, visual planning tools, and advocacy support. The goal was to help people create ecologically meaningful spaces and feel confident doing it. Haven emphasizes clarity, community, and purpose-driven interaction.

Native gardening can feel like a puzzle—too many sources, too little support. I designed Haven to simplify the process through plant recommendations, visual planning tools, and advocacy support. The goal was to help people create ecologically meaningful spaces and feel confident doing it. Haven emphasizes clarity, community, and purpose-driven interaction.

The Outcome

Unified search, planning, and advocacy into one tool for confident native gardening.

The approach

Guided by interviews, usability testing, and synthesis of user goals.

The impact

Helped users move from uncertainty to action, with 87% completing key flows in testing.

The Outcome

Unified search, planning, and advocacy into one tool for confident native gardening.

The approach

Guided by interviews, usability testing, and synthesis of user goals.

The impact

Helped users move from uncertainty to action, with 87% completing key flows in testing.

The Outcome

Unified search, planning, and advocacy into one tool for confident native gardening.

The approach

Guided by interviews, usability testing, and synthesis of user goals.

The impact

Helped users move from uncertainty to action, with 87% completing key flows in testing.

Problem

Gardening with native plants is simple. Finding guidance isn’t.

Problem

Gardening with native plants is simple. Finding guidance isn’t.

Problem

Gardening with native plants is simple. Finding guidance isn’t.

Native gardening can restore biodiversity, combat climate change, and support pollinators—but good intentions often stall out.

Native gardening can restore biodiversity, combat climate change, and support pollinators—but good intentions often stall out.

Native gardening can feel like a puzzle—too many sources, too little support. I designed Haven to simplify the process through plant recommendations, visual planning tools, and advocacy support. The goal was to help people create ecologically meaningful spaces and feel confident doing it. Haven emphasizes clarity, community, and purpose-driven interaction.

Gardeners face fragmented resources, vague guidance, and limited retail options. Tools tend to be generic, leaving out the ecological and regional specificity that native planting requires.

Gardeners face fragmented resources, vague guidance, and limited retail options. Tools tend to be generic, leaving out the ecological and regional specificity that native planting requires.

Gardeners face fragmented resources, vague guidance, and limited retail options. Tools tend to be generic, leaving out the ecological and regional specificity that native planting requires.

As a new homeowner trying to transform my own yard, I ran into these same friction points. Haven became my response: a tool to make climate-conscious gardening easier to plan, advocate, and sustain.

As a new homeowner trying to transform my own yard, I ran into these same friction points. Haven became my response: a tool to make climate-conscious gardening easier to plan, advocate, and sustain.

As a new homeowner trying to transform my own yard, I ran into these same friction points. Haven became my response: a tool to make climate-conscious gardening easier to plan, advocate, and sustain.

Educational mural on the High Line titled “Keep it Wild,” featuring native plants, birds, and pollinators. A pedestrian passes informational panels promoting urban native plant landscaping.

Why now? Native gardening is gaining visibility in public spaces—like the High Line in NYC.

Educational mural on the High Line titled “Keep it Wild,” featuring native plants, birds, and pollinators. A pedestrian passes informational panels promoting urban native plant landscaping.

Why now? Native gardening is gaining visibility in public spaces—like the High Line in NYC.

Educational mural on the High Line titled “Keep it Wild,” featuring native plants, birds, and pollinators. A pedestrian passes informational panels promoting urban native plant landscaping.

Why now? Native gardening is gaining visibility in public spaces—like the High Line in NYC.

↑38%

Increase in household gardening spend (2023)

↑38%

Increase in household gardening spend (2023)

↑38%

Increase in household gardening spend (2023)

↑8%

Growth in native plant purchases (2020–2022)

↑8%

Growth in native plant purchases (2020–2022)

↑8%

Growth in native plant purchases (2020–2022)

$127B

Estimated size of the gardening industry (2024)

$127B

Estimated size of the gardening industry (2024)

$127B

Estimated size of the gardening industry (2024)

Discovery

People were ready to plant native, but the guidance was a mess.

Discovery

People were ready to plant native, but the guidance was a mess.

Discovery

People were ready to plant native, but the guidance was a mess.

I wanted to understand why gardening with native plants felt so difficult—even for people who were motivated to do it. To get answers, I ran a 30-person survey, conducted five interviews, and audited both gardening apps and community planning resources.

I wanted to understand why gardening with native plants felt so difficult—even for people who were motivated to do it. To get answers, I ran a 30-person survey, conducted five interviews, and audited both gardening apps and community planning resources.

Native gardening can feel like a puzzle—too many sources, too little support. I designed Haven to simplify the process through plant recommendations, visual planning tools, and advocacy support. The goal was to help people create ecologically meaningful spaces and feel confident doing it. Haven emphasizes clarity, community, and purpose-driven interaction.

I started by pulling key insights from my notes and memory, then used tools like Otter.ai and ChatGPT to review transcripts and validate what I was seeing. That process helped surface the core themes that ultimately shaped Haven’s direction.

I started by pulling key insights from my notes and memory, then used tools like Otter.ai and ChatGPT to review transcripts and validate what I was seeing. That process helped surface the core themes that ultimately shaped Haven’s direction.

Gardeners face fragmented resources, vague guidance, and limited retail options. Tools tend to be generic, leaving out the ecological and regional specificity that native planting requires.

1
Access & Guidance
  • Gardeners needed clearer recommendations and region-specific help. Most tools felt too generic, making planning feel uncertain.

1
Access & Guidance
  • Gardeners needed clearer recommendations and region-specific help. Most tools felt too generic, making planning feel uncertain.

1
Access & Guidance
  • Gardeners needed clearer recommendations and region-specific help. Most tools felt too generic, making planning feel uncertain.

2
Support for Advocacy
  • People wanted to act on climate and biodiversity—but lacked tools to share their goals or advocate effectively.

2
Support for Advocacy
  • People wanted to act on climate and biodiversity—but lacked tools to share their goals or advocate effectively.

2
Support for Advocacy
  • People wanted to act on climate and biodiversity—but lacked tools to share their goals or advocate effectively.

3
Purpose & Community
  • People wanted to act on climate and biodiversity—but lacked tools to share their goals or advocate effectively.

3
Purpose & Community
  • People wanted to act on climate and biodiversity—but lacked tools to share their goals or advocate effectively.

3
Purpose & Community
  • People wanted to act on climate and biodiversity—but lacked tools to share their goals or advocate effectively.

I want to plant more native species, but finding the right plants for my region feels like a full-time job.

I want to plant more native species, but finding the right plants for my region feels like a full-time job.

I want to plant more native species, but finding the right plants for my region feels like a full-time job.

Synthesis & Strategy

To translate insights into action, I scanned the competitive landscape, reframed core problems as “How might we…” prompts, and built a persona to center the experience around real user goals.

Synthesis & Strategy

To translate insights into action, I scanned the competitive landscape, reframed core problems as “How might we…” prompts, and built a persona to center the experience around real user goals.

Synthesis & Strategy

To translate insights into action, I scanned the competitive landscape, reframed core problems as “How might we…” prompts, and built a persona to center the experience around real user goals.

Together, these insights and tools clarified where Haven could make the biggest impact—turning ecological intent into confident action.

Together, these insights and tools clarified where Haven could make the biggest impact—turning ecological intent into confident action.

Together, these insights and tools clarified where Haven could make the biggest impact—turning ecological intent into confident action.

Solutions

Designing for Confidence & Ecological Action

Solutions

Designing for Confidence & Ecological Action

Solutions

Designing for Confidence & Ecological Action

To define scope and structure, I began with a 2x2 matrix to prioritize features that balanced ecological value with user impact. From there, I mapped the product’s architecture and user flows—guided by research themes like clarity, advocacy, and planning support.

To define scope and structure, I began with a 2x2 matrix to prioritize features that balanced ecological value with user impact. From there, I mapped the product’s architecture and user flows—guided by research themes like clarity, advocacy, and planning support.

To define scope and structure, I began with a 2x2 matrix to prioritize features that balanced ecological value with user impact. From there, I mapped the product’s architecture and user flows—guided by research themes like clarity, advocacy, and planning support.

Core Features

With structure in place, I mapped Haven’s core features to what mattered most to users: finding native plants, connecting with others, and organizing their gardens. The navigation framework reflected this—anchoring the experience in real goals, not just app screens.

Core Features

With structure in place, I mapped Haven’s core features to what mattered most to users: finding native plants, connecting with others, and organizing their gardens. The navigation framework reflected this—anchoring the experience in real goals, not just app screens.

Core Features

With structure in place, I mapped Haven’s core features to what mattered most to users: finding native plants, connecting with others, and organizing their gardens. The navigation framework reflected this—anchoring the experience in real goals, not just app screens.

Find Native Plants

Enables quick plant ID via camera, with browsing organized by clear, science-based categories.

Mobile screen from the Haven app showing the ‘Find Plants by Type’ feature, allowing users to browse native trees, shrubs, flowers, and other plant types in their ecoregion. Users can add selected plants to their custom collections.

Find Native Plants

Enables quick plant ID via camera, with browsing organized by clear, science-based categories.

Mobile screen from the Haven app showing the ‘Find Plants by Type’ feature, allowing users to browse native trees, shrubs, flowers, and other plant types in their ecoregion. Users can add selected plants to their custom collections.

Find Native Plants

Enables quick plant ID via camera, with browsing organized by clear, science-based categories.

Mobile screen from the Haven app showing the ‘Find Plants by Type’ feature, allowing users to browse native trees, shrubs, flowers, and other plant types in their ecoregion. Users can add selected plants to their custom collections.

Connect with the Community

A social layer that invites gardeners to share, learn, and advocate together.

Community feed screen in the Haven app featuring educational content on phytoremediation and a list of native plants used to purify soil and water. Includes options to verify observations and access know-how tips.

Connect with the Community

A social layer that invites gardeners to share, learn, and advocate together.

Community feed screen in the Haven app featuring educational content on phytoremediation and a list of native plants used to purify soil and water. Includes options to verify observations and access know-how tips.

Connect with the Community

A social layer that invites gardeners to share, learn, and advocate together.

Community feed screen in the Haven app featuring educational content on phytoremediation and a list of native plants used to purify soil and water. Includes options to verify observations and access know-how tips.

Organize and Plan

A visual toolkit to help users design meaningful gardens that grow over time.

Saved collections screen in the Haven app displaying user-created garden zones like backyard, rain garden, and pollinator patch. Allows users to add native plants to each area for personalized garden planning.

Organize and Plan

A visual toolkit to help users design meaningful gardens that grow over time.

Saved collections screen in the Haven app displaying user-created garden zones like backyard, rain garden, and pollinator patch. Allows users to add native plants to each area for personalized garden planning.

Organize and Plan

A visual toolkit to help users design meaningful gardens that grow over time.

Saved collections screen in the Haven app displaying user-created garden zones like backyard, rain garden, and pollinator patch. Allows users to add native plants to each area for personalized garden planning.
Testing & Iterations

Evolving the Design Through Usability Feedback

Testing & Iterations

Evolving the Design Through Usability Feedback

Testing & Iterations

Evolving the Design Through Usability Feedback

This phase of the project focused on translating early ideas into testable interfaces. As concepts evolved, I used usability feedback to refine structure, streamline flows, and improve clarity across key interactions.

This phase of the project focused on translating early ideas into testable interfaces. As concepts evolved, I used usability feedback to refine structure, streamline flows, and improve clarity across key interactions.

This phase of the project focused on translating early ideas into testable interfaces. As concepts evolved, I used usability feedback to refine structure, streamline flows, and improve clarity across key interactions.

Reflection

What Haven Proved & Where It Could Go

Reflection

What Haven Proved & Where It Could Go

Reflection

What Haven Proved & Where It Could Go

Testing showed that Haven filled a critical gap in native gardening tools by uniting advocacy, education, and ecological planning in one experience.

Testing showed that Haven filled a critical gap in native gardening tools by uniting advocacy, education, and ecological planning in one experience.

Testing showed that Haven filled a critical gap in native gardening tools by uniting advocacy, education, and ecological planning in one experience.

Key Outcomes

1
Filling a Market Gap
  • Testing confirmed the value of uniting advocacy, education, and community tools in one experience—positioning Haven as a purpose-driven alternative to generic gardening platforms.

1
Filling a Market Gap
  • Testing confirmed the value of uniting advocacy, education, and community tools in one experience—positioning Haven as a purpose-driven alternative to generic gardening platforms.

1
Filling a Market Gap
  • Testing confirmed the value of uniting advocacy, education, and community tools in one experience—positioning Haven as a purpose-driven alternative to generic gardening platforms.

2
Proven Usability
  • Two rounds of usability testing validated Haven’s intuitive structure and task flow. By the second round, the app achieved an 87% success rate in key workflows, with users responding to the tone, clarity, and helpfulness of its features.

2
Proven Usability
  • Two rounds of usability testing validated Haven’s intuitive structure and task flow. By the second round, the app achieved an 87% success rate in key workflows, with users responding to the tone, clarity, and helpfulness of its features.

2
Proven Usability
  • Two rounds of usability testing validated Haven’s intuitive structure and task flow. By the second round, the app achieved an 87% success rate in key workflows, with users responding to the tone, clarity, and helpfulness of its features.

3
Scalable Design
  • Haven’s modular structure supports flexible growth by enabling connections with researchers, community advocates, and real-time

3
Scalable Design
  • Haven’s modular structure supports flexible growth by enabling connections with researchers, community advocates, and real-time

3
Scalable Design
  • Haven’s modular structure supports flexible growth by enabling connections with researchers, community advocates, and real-time

Usability test results showing success rates and completion times for key Haven app tasks. Flows for browsing and saving scored highest, while plant detail access presented opportunities for improved guidance.
Usability test results showing success rates and completion times for key Haven app tasks. Flows for browsing and saving scored highest, while plant detail access presented opportunities for improved guidance.
Usability test results showing success rates and completion times for key Haven app tasks. Flows for browsing and saving scored highest, while plant detail access presented opportunities for improved guidance.
Key Flows: From Planning to Planting

These flows show how research and testing shaped Haven’s final design, highlighting interactions across planning, discovery, and advocacy.

Key Flows: From Planning to Planting

These flows show how research and testing shaped Haven’s final design, highlighting interactions across planning, discovery, and advocacy.

Key Flows: From Planning to Planting

These flows show how research and testing shaped Haven’s final design, highlighting interactions across planning, discovery, and advocacy.

Where Haven Could Grow From Here

Haven’s modular design system is built to scale. Future versions could integrate real-time plant data, citizen science contributions, and community tools that connect gardeners with conservationists and each other.

Where Haven Could Grow From Here

Haven’s modular design system is built to scale. Future versions could integrate real-time plant data, citizen science contributions, and community tools that connect gardeners with conservationists and each other.

Where Haven Could Grow From Here

Haven’s modular design system is built to scale. Future versions could integrate real-time plant data, citizen science contributions, and community tools that connect gardeners with conservationists and each other.

These additions would help Haven evolve into a living platform for ecological change, bridging individual action with shared purpose.

These additions would help Haven evolve into a living platform for ecological change, bridging individual action with shared purpose.

These additions would help Haven evolve into a living platform for ecological change, bridging individual action with shared purpose.

Mission & Vision

Haven’s mission is to empower gardeners with accessible, science-based tools that simplify native plant selection, planning, and care. The vision is a future where every garden enriches nature and fosters environmental stewardship.

Mission and vision statement for the Haven app overlaid on a native garden in bloom. Mission: to empower gardeners with accessible tools for native plant care. Vision: a future where every garden supports nature and environmental stewardship.

Mission & Vision

Haven’s mission is to empower gardeners with accessible, science-based tools that simplify native plant selection, planning, and care. The vision is a future where every garden enriches nature and fosters environmental stewardship.

Mission and vision statement for the Haven app overlaid on a native garden in bloom. Mission: to empower gardeners with accessible tools for native plant care. Vision: a future where every garden supports nature and environmental stewardship.

Mission & Vision

Haven’s mission is to empower gardeners with accessible, science-based tools that simplify native plant selection, planning, and care. The vision is a future where every garden enriches nature and fosters environmental stewardship.

Mission and vision statement for the Haven app overlaid on a native garden in bloom. Mission: to empower gardeners with accessible tools for native plant care. Vision: a future where every garden supports nature and environmental stewardship.