Cropler
Revolutionizing Farm Management
Cropler is designed to bridge the gap between advanced agricultural technology and practical farming needs, offering real-time field insights through innovative multispectral camera technology and intuitive data visualization.
Client
Cropler
Services
Product Design, UI/UX Design, Brand Identity, Marketing Design
Industries
AgriTech
Date
2023
Overview
As Head of Design at Cropler, I joined a small talented team that had already developed an innovative multispectral camera for agricultural monitoring. My challenge was to transform this groundbreaking technology into a market-ready product. The goal was twofold: create a cross-platform web app that would effectively visualize the camera's data, and develop a comprehensive product ecosystem ready for market launch, solidifying Cropler's position as an agritech innovator.
The Difference of Cropler Technology
Cropler's "One Plant to See Them All" concept uses strategically placed multispectral cameras for daily, high-resolution crop health monitoring. This technology surpasses satellite and drone imaging by providing consistent data regardless of weather. Farmers and agroholdings gain access to real-time NDVI measurements and precise vegetation mass growth data, enabling timely decisions on irrigation, fertilization, and pest control.
By reducing the need for frequent field visits and providing accurate, actionable insights, Cropler not only saves time and resources but also enables more precise and efficient farm management, ultimately leading to optimized crop yields and reduced operational costs.
NDVI (Normalized Difference Vegetation Index) images, on the other hand, reveal plant health by highlighting areas of active growth or stress.
Simplifying Complexity
The primary challenge in the Cropler project was transforming complex agricultural data into an intuitive, user-friendly product. Our multispectral camera captured a wealth of information — NDVI, RGB images, air temperature, and dew point — through 24/7 monitoring, complemented by Sentinel satellite data. The task was to integrate these diverse data streams into a cohesive, cross-platform solution, simplifying access, analysis, and decision-making for farmers and researchers.
This required creating a visual narrative of crop development while ensuring the product remained accessible across various contexts, from muddy fields to office desks. The challenge lay in balancing data complexity with user-friendly design, all while adapting to the unique needs of the agricultural sector.
Unearthing User Needs
Our research involved in-depth interviews with farmers and agronomists, complemented by feedback from early adopters. This process revealed crucial insights about user needs and product functionality.
"
I need to see how my crops are progressing over time, but not just for one field. I want to compare several parcels side by side to make better decisions.
Visual timeline with RGB and NDVI images, featuring multi-parcel comparison capabilities.
"
Our farm has both tech-savvy youngsters and experienced old-timers. Whatever you're building needs to work for all of us.
Intuitive interface with smart contextual onboarding, accommodating users of all technical proficiencies.
"
I don't just rely on one source of information. I need to see data from my field cameras, historical records, and satellite imagery all in one place to get the full picture.
Comprehensive data integration, combining field cameras, historical records, and satellite imagery for holistic insights.
"
Farming doesn't wait. When something's happening in my fields, I need to know right away so I can take action.
Real-time, customizable alerts for critical crop stages and field events.
"
I'm not always at my desk. Sometimes I need to access information while I'm out in the field, and other times I'm doing planning work in the office.
Cross-platform accessibility, optimized for both field and office environments.
"
There's a lot of fancy tech out there, but what I really need is something that's easy to use and actually helps me do my job better.
User-centric design focused on practical, farming-specific features that enhance operational efficiency.
From Concept to High-Fidelity
To streamline our design process, we utilized a robust component library, enabling rapid progression from concept to high-fidelity designs. This approach allowed us to focus on solving complex UX challenges specific to agricultural data visualization while maintaining design consistency. We quickly developed interactive prototypes, which we then tested extensively with our partners - farmers and agronomists.
Their real-world feedback was invaluable, helping us refine the user experience and ensure the product met actual field requirements. This iterative process of design and partner testing accelerated our timeline and resulted in a more user-centric, field-ready solution.
Designing the timeline proved to be our most challenging task. We drew inspiration from video editing products, using their interfaces as references. This approach not only helped us create an intuitive way to visualize crop data over time but also provided valuable patterns for adapting the feature to mobile devices.
Farmers wanted to compare their fields easily, even when they were miles apart. We also made this happen pretty easily: used a pattern of overlaying tracks and effects, similar to what you might see in video editing. To keep things neat and informative, we put the additional data from sensors in a simple table at the bottom.
Before I joined the team, the product owner, a former agronomist, had already developed a prototype platform using the SuperSet tool to validate the idea. It had excelled in complex agricultural data visualization but lacked a user-friendly interface. Despite this, it has provided valuable insights that have fastened our design process.
One More Thing
While we've covered the main features, there's a whole world of basic functionality working behind the scenes – everything from assigning cameras to fields to managing farms and organizations. But here's something I'm excited to share: we had this amazing concept that, unfortunately, didn't make it to the final product.
Our vision was to develop a system for registering every single event happening in the field. We're talking about dozens of personalized activities, covering everything from initial field preparation right through to harvest time. Imagine having a detailed record of every step in a crop's journey!
Beyond the Design Role
As the sole designer in startup, my role extended significantly beyond traditional design duties. While developing Cropler, I assumed various responsibilities to meet the diverse needs of our growing company. My tasks included creating our visual identity, developing numerous marketing materials, and preparing presentations to attract clients and partners. Additionally, my background in philology proved valuable as I contributed to our blog and crafted content for social media platforms.
From MVP to Global Stage: The AGRITECHNICA Sprint
Our already tight deadlines were suddenly accelerated by an exciting opportunity to showcase Cropler at AGRITECHNICA 2023 - a chance to unveil our product to the world and forge crucial industry connections. Fortunately, our MVP was ready and field-tested by this time. As a digital designer, I found myself unexpectedly diving into stand design and print production — a challenging yet exhilarating new territory.
The event was a whirlwind of presentations, pitches, and networking, reminiscent of a tech-focused Disneyland for this Agritech newcomer. Our efforts paid off tremendously: we secured contracts for over 300 devices with major dealers across North America and Europe, generated more than 50 quality leads. As I watched farmers engage with our product, witnessing firsthand the positive impact Cropler was having on their operations, I knew we had created something truly transformative for the agricultural community.
Reflections
While my journey with Cropler has come to an end, the impact of our collaborative efforts continues to resonate. The work we accomplished during those intense early days laid a strong foundation for the product's future development. It's gratifying to see how Cropler has continued to evolve and thrive, building upon the core concepts and user-centric design principles we established.
