Agwise Internship
Design system and carbon intensity tool for agriculture startup
I worked at a technology agriculture company during the summer of 2024. Built a consistent design system implemented across all digital platforms - web, mobile, and desktop -ensuring consistency and scalability. Led UX research and UI design for the 0-to-1 CI score tool, creating a new tool to calculate farmers' carbon intensity. Conducted a full UX audit and redesign of B2B and B2C platforms, significantly enhancing user engagement and satisfaction. The project is under development. Contact me for more information.
ROLES
UX Research
UI Design
Motion Graphic Design
TEAM
UXUI Designer/ Me
CEO/ Sarah Martello
Product Manager/ Kasra Ahmadi
Marketing/ Jennifer Liu
UXUI Designer/ Kiran Chand Yellamelli
UXUI Designer/ Albert Zhang
Software Engineer/ Sai Sriram Kurapati
Software Engineer/ Sai Krishna Sangeetha
DURATION
2 Months
Internship @ Agwise
00
SNEAK PEEK
Working in a fast-paced smart agriculture company pushed me to adapt to a quick, agile workflow. We had a sprint meeting every Wednesday to set our goals for the next week. Smart agriculture and carbon intensity scores are new areas that only a few companies are working on. The design requirements changed weekly based on stakeholder input and updates to laws. I also did a lot of research on relevant laws and tried to understand different concepts related to carbon intensity and foliar script during the summer.
01
PROBLEM
Poor user experience, lack of consistent UI design system
Previous interface
The startup company did not have designers previously; the product manager and the CEO designed the interfaces, resulting in a lack of consistent design across the product. The company aims to expand its product line to include three different tools: CI Score, Haney AI, and Foliar Script within the larger platform. Therefore, establishing a consistent design system is crucial to building the brand and maintaining visual consistency across different products.
Additionally, the original product lacked hierarchy, making it difficult for even the product manager to find specific functions within numerous categories.
02
SOLUTION
A cohesive design system across mobile, tablet, and desktop; delivering 9+ variations of the Carbon Intensity Tool; recreating the user flows and interfaces for the integrated platform and the company website, elevating the entire digital experience
Screenshot of variations in Figma
Reimagine the future of agriculture - An AI-powered all-in-one farm management platform
03
REFLECTION
During this internship, I gained hands-on experience building a product from scratch alongside a designer, developers, and a product manager. Working within the agriculture sector was new and challenging, but it pushed me to quickly learn about carbon intensity and related tax regulations and understand the importance of adaptability in product design.
Working in a startup environment, we followed agile methodologies, setting and assessing weekly milestones. We engaged a farming consultant to test the product, refining designs based on his feedback. Since carbon intensity tax is a niche area with complex regulations, I regularly adapted the interface as new information surfaced. I also learned to present my manager with multiple design solutions, ensuring flexibility and faster decision-making.
Adapting to agile development and moving fast
This was my first time building a large, cross-platform design system. It felt challenging at first, but after researching existing frameworks like Material Design and exploring the Figma Community, I collaborated with another designer to complete it. The design system streamlined the process of building interfaces across platforms, saving us significant time.
Design system thinking
Without a senior designer on our team, I sought mentorship outside the company. The Figma Community proved to be a great resource, and I connected with mentors online who offered valuable guidance throughout the project.
Seeking guidance beyond the team
NEXT PROJECT
An autonomous ride-hailing service to offer patients with mobility disabilities customized and enjoyable ride experiences.