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Women's Empowerment Initiative

Desi Aroma

Founded by two NID alumni, Desi Aroma is a community-driven initiative that empowers housewives in Gandhinagar by transforming their love for home-cooked food into a source of income and recognition, while serving affordable, wholesome meals to students.

Client

Personal Project

Date

2 months

Industry

Social Innovation

Scope of work

Service Design

System Design Design

Brand Design

Mobile App

UX/UI

Video Production

🏆 Second Runner-Up User Interface Design Category

From concept to scalable experience.

System-Level Analysis of gandhinagar

Primary & Secondary Research •  Focus Groups • System Mapping • Insights Articulation • Opportunity Mapping

The above shows a system map of Gandhinagar, later digitized for presentation purposes as shown below.

*Original artifacts shown as-is in 2018, not recreated. Please use the custom-built zoom feature to view the research text in detail.

From Observations to Insights

Synthesizing user interviews and discussions to uncover patterns, needs, and opportunities that informed design decisions.

Insights from Interviews & Group Discussions
One-to-one interviews with potential customers
  • Limited time to cook → dependence on restaurants and mess food
  • Carrying home-cooked food leads to cold, soggy meals
  • Strong need for fresh, homemade food
  • Existing services lack authentic “home-style” taste
Food tasting workshop with students
  • Willingness to pay ₹100–₹150 for non-veg meals
  • Cost sensitivity; preference for simple, homely packaging
  • Quantity transparency expected in online menus
  • Demand for personalization and portion options
  • Interest in multiple meal sizes and special meals
One-to-one discussions with homemakers
  • Family approval is critical for homemakers’ participation
  • Homemakers’ schedules revolve around family needs
  • Retired individuals seek meaningful engagement
  • Stored homemade snacks fit anytime consumption needs
Insights from Food Business Owners
  • Cook selection is key to consistent homemade taste
  • Limited local market → right customer targeting needed
  • Importance of tracking customer preferences
  • Loyalty requires assurance and stability for home chefs
Insights from Interviews & Group Discussions
One-to-one interviews with potential customers
  • Limited time to cook → dependence on restaurants
  • Carrying home-cooked food leads to cold, soggy meals
  • Strong need for fresh, homemade food
  • Existing services lack authentic home-style taste
Food tasting workshop with students
  • Willingness to pay ₹100–₹150 for non-veg meals
  • Cost sensitivity; preference for simple packaging
  • Quantity transparency expected in online menus
  • Demand for personalization and portion options
One-to-one discussions with homemakers
  • Family approval is critical for homemakers' participation
  • Homemakers' schedules revolve around family needs
  • Retired individuals seek meaningful engagement
  • Stored homemade snacks fit anytime consumption needs
Insights from Food Business Owners
  • Cook selection is key to consistent homemade taste
  • Limited local market → right customer targeting needed
  • Importance of tracking customer preferences
  • Loyalty requires assurance and stability for home chefs
Insights from Interviews & Group Discussions
One-to-one interviews with potential customers
  • Limited time to cook → dependence on restaurants
  • Carrying home-cooked food leads to cold, soggy meals
  • Strong need for fresh, homemade food
  • Existing services lack authentic home-style taste
Food tasting workshop with students
  • Willingness to pay ₹100–₹150 for non-veg meals
  • Cost sensitivity; preference for simple packaging
  • Quantity transparency expected in online menus
  • Demand for personalization and portion options
One-to-one discussions with homemakers
  • Family approval is critical for homemakers' participation
  • Homemakers' schedules revolve around family needs
  • Retired individuals seek meaningful engagement
  • Stored homemade snacks fit anytime consumption needs
Insights from Food Business Owners
  • Cook selection is key to consistent homemade taste
  • Limited local market → right customer targeting needed
  • Importance of tracking customer preferences
  • Loyalty requires assurance and stability for home chefs

Comparative Analysis

A comparative study was conducted to benchmark existing services, understand gaps in homemaker recognition, and identify best practices in community-driven food initiatives.

*Original artifacts shown as-is in 2018, not recreated. Please use the custom-built zoom feature to view the research text in detail.

Stakeholder Mapping 

Mapped stakeholders to understand roles, influence, and interactions within the service ecosystem.

*Original artifacts shown as-is in 2018, not recreated. Please use the custom-built zoom feature to view the research text in detail.

Journey Mapping

Mapped end-to-end journeys for chefs and customers to uncover pain points, opportunities, and key touchpoints.

*Original artifacts shown as-is in 2018, not recreated. Please use the custom-built zoom feature to view the research text in detail.

Service Blueprint

A service blueprint was developed to align user interactions with operational processes and dependencies.

*Original artifacts shown as-is in 2018, not recreated. Please use the custom-built zoom feature to view the research text in detail.

Brand Building

Brand Strategy • Identity Design • Social Media Campaigns • Marketing Collaterals • Packaging Design • Sourcing • Brand Awareness

*Original artifacts shown as-is in 2018, not recreated. Please use the custom-built zoom feature to view the research text in detail.

Concept Video

A concept video was created to explain the service clearly to stakeholders, helping them understand the vision, features, and benefits.

Key Service Metrics

10

Service POC
Duration

6

Home
Chefs

135

Total
Orders

81

Total Customers

62%

Repeat Customers

Service to Interface

User Persona • User Flows • Wireframing • Design System • Prototyping

An app-based platform was envisioned as part of the scaling strategy, and a prototype was developed to demonstrate its functionality and potential.

OTHER PROJECT.