Overview
The Olho no Prazo app was developed to solve a critical challenge in the food retail sector: efficient expiration date management in supermarkets.
According to data from ABRAS (Brazilian Supermarket Association), 37% of perishable product losses in the sector occur due to inadequate expiration management. The same study indicates that in 2023, 54% of the segment's technological resources were directed towards loss prevention – a 2 percentage point increase compared to 2022 – signaling a growing trend in the adoption of specialized software for expiration management.
Facing this scenario, we created an accessible and intuitive solution that replaces manual spreadsheets and centralizes all critical information in a single system. The objective? To automate inventory management for small and medium-sized markets. Olho no Prazo was born to solve a very common problem in markets: organizing and controlling product expiration dates.
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💪 Team: Isabel Freitas e Camila Fonseca
🛠️ Tools: Figma, Adobe Photoshop, Adobe Illustrator
📅 Project Duration: 3 meses
🎯Activities: Desk research, Entrevistas com usuários, Style Guide, Fluxos e arquitetura, Prototipação de interface, Handsoff.
🛠️ Tools: Figma, Adobe Photoshop, Adobe Illustrator
📅 Project Duration: 3 meses
🎯Activities: Desk research, Entrevistas com usuários, Style Guide, Fluxos e arquitetura, Prototipação de interface, Handsoff.
O início
The project aimed to develop an MVP (Minimum Viable Product) focused on essential functionalities, with a reduced development cost to make it accessible to small businesses.
To understand the competitive landscape, we conducted a detailed benchmarking analysis, examining the limitations and opportunities offered by existing solutions. This stage allowed us to identify:
◉ Common terms and patterns in the market
◉ Established best practices
Gaps to be explored
Tools & Methods During this phase, we utilized:
◉ Stakeholder Map (to identify key actors)
◉ CSD Matrix (Certainties, Suppositions, and Doubts)
◉ Screen flow analysis of competitor products
◉ Activity Flow (to map critical user journeys)
◉ Persona Mapping (with a focus on real users)
Discovery
During our research, we identified that the main challenges in expiration date management were directly linked to a lack of inventory visibility. This prevented the efficient application of methods like FIFO (First In, First Out), an essential practice in food retail.
With well-defined Personas and Activity Flows, we meticulously mapped the roles of the Manager (in strategic control) and the Stock Clerk (in daily operations). We also analyzed consumer behavior to understand the market's true needs. This stage was enriched by the collaboration of various stakeholders, allowing us to generate valuable insights and validate our hypotheses directly with clients, solidifying the foundation for the proposed solution.
The activity flow was of great importance for developing the screen flow, allowing us to understand the user's real needs at each point of navigation.
Based on the identified needs, we developed two complementary applications: a mobile app for the stock clerk, focusing on the practicality of checking new, near-expiry, or expired products, along with including alerts to prevent oversights; and a desktop version for the manager, with strategic functions such as complete registration and broad inventory visibility. These solutions were validated in conjunction with the client and the project manager, ensuring they met both operational and managerial demands in an integrated manner.
Sketches and Wireframes
After validating the screen flows, we moved on to designing the layout and organization of each feature. We developed initial sketches that evolved into detailed wireframes, forming the foundation for the high-fidelity prototype. Once the prototype was ready, we conducted usability tests to validate both the proposal's adherence and the navigation logic, ensuring the experience made sense for the end-users.
Style guide
To ensure the product's consistency and scalability, we developed a comprehensive Style Guide. This guide establishes crucial variables such as colors, typography, iconography, interface components, and spacing patterns, aiming to optimize usability and reduce implementation costs.
Prototype
With the Style Guide in place, we progressed from low to high-fidelity wireframes to validate the interfaces with client-provided prospects. The feedback gathered led to significant adjustments and the inclusion of a new strategic feature: the printing of offer labels. This allows managers to highlight products nearing expiration, thereby increasing sales opportunities.
Handoff
Upon delivering the clickable prototype, we initiated the handoff to the development team. Through detailed meetings, documentation, and specific notes on the application's behavior, we ensured a smooth implementation with minimal communication friction and the successful application of all validations. We continued to monitor development to guarantee alignment with the approved prototype.
Key Success Metrics
To monitor post-launch performance, we proposed key metrics focused on expiration control and loss reduction, which are at the core of the product:
◉ Adoption: New establishments and products registered.
◉ Retention: Users who update their inventory weekly.
◉ Response: Actions taken following expiration alerts.
◉ Loss Reduction: Comparison of expired products before and after app usage.
◉ Satisfaction: NPS (Net Promoter Score) on the loss prevention experience.
Our expectation is that Olho no Prazo will empower small businesses to reduce financial losses by optimizing expiration management in an accessible and practical way.