Austin James
Industrial Design
Hi, I'm Austin - I like to think of myself as a creative digital designer.
Final year project
Reducing Domestic Food Waste through efficient Inventory & Management Systems
pantree.
Introducing my Final Year Major Project, entitled "Reducing Domestic Food Waste through Efficient Inventory & Management Systems". "pantree." is a kitchen device with the primary function of kitchen scales, which pair with an iPhone, iPad, Android or Android Tablet & is my final solution to the project title.
pantree, Top-Down
pantree provides users with the ability to track both their food consumption & purchases, allowing them to better spend (and save) their money, as well as creating a change in attitudes towards food waste and unnecessary purchasing. As an aid it helps reform users' existing habits surrounding food, promoting better practices when it comes to meal planning & automating what can otherwise be a somewhat arduous process.
pantree, Hi-Fi App Screens
Aligned with both M&S and Ocado, "pantree" shares a similar vision statement to these brands, promoting affordability and quality to users, alongside providing them with a service that reduces their food waste production & ultimately saving them money. "pantree" comes with its own associated app, optimised for both tablet and mobile devices, which is where users can track their leftovers, create meal plans, shopping lists, find recipes and even shop for food items (exclusively Ocado & M&S consumables).
the 'rooBell
Deliveroo's latest addition, the 'rooBell, is a delivery verification system that was designed in response to a live brief. Over the course of 9 Days, I created a system where users can better track & verify their orders, providing a new system for how deliveries could be managed. It was a very fun project to engage with and I was particularly proud of the branding of the project, which followed the app's UI quite closely.
'rooBell, Deliveroo On-the-Go
Deliveroo On-the-Go is a standout feature of this project, where users can dock their 'rooBell from their front door and order Deliveroo whilst out and about (think Subway in the Park or sunset Sushi on the beach). It's secure due to being a device separated from the user's phone, which means Live-Tracking won't be made possible with a phone's GPS, instead of using the 'rooBell as a GPS locator.
e-ven
This is a personal project that I began (and initially finished) in my second year at Loughborough. I later returned to the project and revamped it, updating the visuals, re-designing some UX elements and overhauling the UI to present the project as it currently is. e-ven is an app aimed at university students to aid in them managing their work-life balance and providing them with a useful tool after moving away from home (for the majority, for the first time).
e-ven, Hi-Fi Screens
To date, this is one of my favourite projects, it was self-initiated and really shows off my area of chosen focus - UI & UX design. Although I have since grown from this project and further developed my visual presentation skills, I'm very proud as this project started my personal design career and inspired me to further explore UX as a potential career path. (If you'd like to see some of my other UX/UI projects though, take a look at my website, link above!)
Austin James
Final year project
Reducing Domestic Food Waste through efficient Inventory & Management Systems
Work Experience
Plan London - Junior Designer
At Plan London I encountered my first digital design role, initially being tasked with re-designing the company website (which is now live). I learned many things whilst in this role and it provided me with an introduction to what a UX role could potentially look like in my future. If anything, this was the push I needed to immerse myself into the realm of UX & UI design, which has since proved itself my favoured area of design.
Nestwork - UX/ UI Designer
This job has taught me to fully engage with projects that align with my personal values and motivations - it makes the work not only feel more worthwhile but also provides a higher sense of satisfaction. Being involved in this company's development has really helped me value my independence while working and has developed my self-confidence, especially regarding professional decisions as a designer.