DESIGN RESEARCHER
Generative Research with Roots
“It is in the roots, not the branches, that a tree’s greatest strength lies.”
― Matshona Dhliwayo
Project Overview
As the Lead UX Researcher, I conducted generative research to challenge design biases and explore solutions for food insecurity in underserved Black and Brown urban communities. This project was part of the Adobe Creative Jam, where my team had 7-10 days to develop an app prototype under intense time constraints.
Hypothesis & Research Challenge
The initial assumption was that an education-based app could help address food insecurity by teaching individuals about plant-based nutrition and healthy food choices.
However, I challenged this bias with critical questions:
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Was education truly the issue, or were other factors at play?
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Would more knowledge about nutrition actually enable people to make healthier food choices?
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What systemic barriers were being overlooked?
Research Approach
With limited time, I prioritized high-impact research:
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Community Outreach: Connected with mutual contacts in an Atlanta housing group to gain direct insights from residents.
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Expert Consultation: Interviewed a historian specializing in African-American food history to understand systemic influences.
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User Interviews: Conducted three in-depth interviews with:
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Two Black community members
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One Latine Indigenous community member
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Focus Areas: Meal preparation challenges, food access, and decision-making factors.
Key Insights
From User Interviews:
✅ Physical access to grocery stores was a bigger barrier than lack of education.
✅ Many stores carried low-quality produce (often already spoiled or close to expiration).
✅ Time constraints (long commutes, demanding work hours) made home-cooked meals difficult.
✅ Without personal transportation, carrying groceries long distances was unrealistic—prepackaged foods were often the more sustainable option.
From a Public Historian (Subject Matter Expert):
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While legal segregation no longer exists, many urban areas still experience de facto segregation, affecting grocery store placement.
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Local governments must take responsibility for ensuring access to fresh, affordable food without accelerating gentrification.
Impact & Outcomes
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The research debunked the assumption that food insecurity was primarily an education issue.
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It revealed the critical role of infrastructure, transportation, and systemic barriers in food access.
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Findings redirected the design team toward solutions addressing food access and affordability rather than just education.
This led to a pivot in the application idea. Instead of education-based, accessibility became the focus.
One possible solution arose in the form of urban gardening, seed exchanges, and plant-based recipes that focused on Black and Brown representation through recipes as well. Neighborhood connections could support more variety of diet for urban communities.
You can find a clickable prototype here.
Team Members:
Project Manager- Shea Rhim
UX/UI Designer-Caitlin McCall
