Project ICA app
Our project focused on enhancing the UX of the ICA app, specifically improving the experience for ICA Stammis Student members. This case study highlights how we designed a prototype to make the app more intuitive, engaging, and better suited to students’ needs.
My role
UX-designer
Duration
3 months (Januari- Mars 2023)
Tools
Figma
The Challenge
With rising food prices, students face the challenge of balancing a tight budget while maintaining a healthy diet. Our goal was to refine the ICA app to better support students’ financial constraints while making smart, nutritious choices more accessible.
The solution
We optimized the ICA app to make grocery shopping easier and more accessible for students. By refining the interface and introducing user-focused improvements, we aimed to help students make smarter, budget-friendly choices while maintaining a healthy lifestyle.
Methodology
To understand student needs, we combined qualitative and quantitative methods, including surveys, interviews, user tests and a System Usability Scale (SUS) survey.
User Interviews
We started by conducting in-depth interviews and surveys with students using the ICA app. Our interview questions focused on understanding how students use the ICA app, their awareness of student-specific features, and their challenges when grocery shopping on a budget. We explored which functions they find most useful, what they feel is missing, and how the app could better support their needs.
The full set of questions can be seen in the attachments beside.
Surveys
After conducting interviews and user tests, we sent out a Google Forms survey to students, receiving around 100 responses. The results highlighted that students prioritize budget-friendly options and discounts when grocery shopping. Many were unaware of features like ”recipes based on offers” and ”shake for recipes,” indicating a gap in feature visibility. Additionally, there was a clear demand for a more personalized experience, where the app adapts to individual dietary preferences and budget constraints.
Results
Usability testing
To validate our design improvements, we conducted usability testing with a group of students. Their feedback helped refine the user interface and enhance the overall experience. Key insights from the testing guided adjustments to ensure the prototype better met student needs.
System usability scale
After testing both the original ICA app and our prototype, participants completed a SUS survey to measure usability improvements. The results showed a statistically significant effect (P-value = 0.01, P<0.05), confirming that our prototype provided a better user experience.
Students particularly appreciated the added focus on budgeting, price transparency, and student-specific features.
Conclusion
Our design improvements aim to make the ICA Stammis Student membership more appealing by incorporating student perspectives. We hope our prototype inspires meaningful enhancements to the app and user experience.
This project reinforced the importance of empathy, research, and design thinking in creating impactful digital solutions. Presenting our work to Björn Lindqvist and his UX team in Stockholm provided valuable insights and a deeper understanding.
