The Challenge

Many grocery shopping apps try to help users organize their lists, but very few actually improve the in-store shopping experience. Users end up wasting time backtracking, forgetting items, or adding duplicates due to the lack of live list collaboration and store-aware organization.

Design Process

I focused on iterations to refine the design. The process was lean, aiming to deliver a feasible, user-friendly experience.

• Discovery: Researched existing grocery shopping apps to identify gaps in navigation and collaboration features.
• Wireframing: Created sketches and low-fidelity wireframes for key features, such as the home screen and store layout sharing.
• Validation: Shared early mockups with friends and family to understand how the app’s simplicity could solve real-world problems.
• Design Iteration: Refined the design based on feedback, focusing on simplicity and usability, while adding key features like live list collaboration.

Designing the Interface

I aimed to design Carto to be minimal and intuitive, replicating the simplicity of jotting down a list on paper while offering the advantages of seamless sharing and keeping your lists perfectly organized. Sharing and collaborating on lists should feel natural and effortless.

First draft & how it turned out

My inital idea was to have all the user's lists on the home screen, but I later decided to have a more minimal approach with a single list view. The idea was to keep the app as simple as possible, while still allowing for easy navigation and list management.

What I Learned

• Designing for mobile apps
• Less is more – focus on core features to avoid overwhelming users
• Smart defaults, like layout-sharing, reduce friction