Linda KrestanovaTomas Sebastian2 min

Cannabis App Design Concept by STRV

DesignNov 5, 2019

Design

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Nov 5, 2019

Design

2 authors

2 min read

Linda KrestanovaCommunications Manager

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Cannabis has come a long way. There are thousands of stylish dispensaries profiting from the soon-to-become $19B industry.

But when it comes to e-commerce, it isn't quite there yet.

From weed puns to lack of information, purchasing cannabis products can feel overwhelming for new users.

Our design concept changes that. By creating a flow of simple questions, we figure out what a user is looking to do during the day, what state he/she wants to achieve — and recommend products based on this personalized data.

Without making a single "high" joke. Really.

When STRV designer Tomas Sebastian decided to create a concept for Weedmaps, an app that allows users to review cannabis strains and find local dispensaries, he came across two main challenges found within the cannabis industry:

  • Inexperienced consumers are overwhelmed by information.
  • There is still a social stigma surrounding marijuana.

Tomas felt that the cannabis-related apps already on the market weren’t doing a great job at solving either problem. They seemed outdated, not very user-friendly and didn’t help users pick the best product for their needs. Considering just how strongly apps within other markets focus on those elements, Tomas’ approach became:  

“Let’s make this weed app as good as top food delivery apps.”

Here’s how he did it.

User-friendly Design

Modern Design

  • Utilizing common patterns and practices
  • Sticking to colors that are familiar, pleasant
  • Avoiding well-known, stigmatized symbols like marijuana leaves

Set of Icons

  • Symbols on the Discovery Screen (first screen) that don’t overwhelm the user
  • Help users easily recognize a product’s main qualities, and what they can expect
  • Soft colors for calm, sleepy, etc./ Deeper colors for energized, motivated, etc.

Familiar Language

  • Skipping jargon familiar only to enthusiasts

Personalized Suggestions

  • The onboarding process is a “flow” made of simple questions that help identify what a user is looking for/needs
  • The answers help suggest products that suit the user best
  • Questions include the main purpose: Medical vs. Mood
  • Experienced users can easily skip this flow

More Data = Improved Results

  • Because every product’s effects tend to slightly vary from user to user, follow-up questions serve an important role
  • Once the user has used the product a few times, he/she answers a few questions about the experience
  • With more user data, suggested products are better tailored to each user — based on users’ tolerance, taste preference and more.

Tomas and the STRV team chose to work on this design concept based on the current trends and our experience with — and interest in — the cannabis industry (check out what we did for Eaze HERE).

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