Role

UX Researcher & Designer

Project Type

Research

Client

Mission Zero

Eco Smoker - Understanding and Addressing Cigarette Waste Disposal Problems at THUAS

Eco Smoker - Understanding and Addressing Cigarette Waste Disposal Problems at THUAS

Overview

Overview

Every day, hundreds of students smoke around The Hague University of Applied Sciences (THUAS), but most cigarette butts end up on the ground, even near disposal units. The challenge from Mission Zero was clear. Design an intervention that reduces cigarette litter while raising environmental awareness.

This project explored the behaviors, motivations, and barriers behind cigarette waste disposal and aimed to uncover design opportunities for a cleaner, more sustainable campus.

Every day, hundreds of students smoke around The Hague University of Applied Sciences (THUAS), but most cigarette butts end up on the ground, even near disposal units. The challenge from Mission Zero was clear. Design an intervention that reduces cigarette litter while raising environmental awareness.

This project explored the behaviors, motivations, and barriers behind cigarette waste disposal and aimed to uncover design opportunities for a cleaner, more sustainable campus.

Visit Research Report

Visit Research Report

Visit Research Report

Problem

Problem

THUAS faces a major issue with cigarette waste littering its campus, especially around smoking areas. Despite available disposal units, many cigarette butts end up on the ground due to unclear smoking boundaries, poorly designed bins, social habits, convenience, and a lack of enforcement and awareness.

Research Goals

Research Goals

  1. Understand smoker attitudes, habits, and awareness of cigarette waste.

  1. Understand smoker attitudes, habits, and awareness of cigarette waste.

  1. Identify barriers to proper disposal and patterns in littering behavior.

  1. Identify barriers to proper disposal and patterns in littering behavior.

  1. Identify barriers to proper disposal and patterns in littering behavior.

  1. Identify barriers to proper disposal and patterns in littering behavior.

  1. Explore opportunities for behavioral and design-based interventions.

  1. Explore opportunities for behavioral and design-based interventions.

Research & Insights

Research & Insights

Methods

Methods

• Site analysis

• Site analysis

• Observation (Fly-on-the-Wall)

• Observation (Fly-on-the-Wall)

• Semi-Structured Interviews

• Semi-Structured Interviews

Data Analysis Process

Data Analysis Process

All findings were transformed into data cards and clustered using affinity mapping.

Triangulation across all three methods (site, observation, interview) validated patterns and ensured reliability.

All findings were transformed into data cards and clustered using affinity mapping.

Triangulation across all three methods (site, observation, interview) validated patterns and ensured reliability.

Key Insights / Pain Points

Key Insights / Pain Points

  1. Smoking areas lack clear boundaries and visibility.

  1. Smoking areas lack clear boundaries and visibility.

  1. Lack of enforcement

  1. Lack of enforcement

  1. People imitate others’ behavior.

  1. People imitate others’ behavior.

  1. Little awareness of cigarette butts’ environmental harm.

  1. Little awareness of cigarette butts’ environmental harm.

  1. No reward or feedback loop for correct disposal.

  1. No reward or feedback loop for correct disposal.

  1. Dirty environments encourage more littering.

  1. Dirty environments encourage more littering.

  1. Wind and weather make proper disposal difficult.

  1. Wind and weather make proper disposal difficult.

  1. Bins are small, low to the ground, and hard to see.

  1. Bins are small, low to the ground, and hard to see.

VISUAL SYNTHESIS

VISUAL SYNTHESIS

The affinity mapping led to three core design challenges:

The affinity mapping led to three core design challenges:

  1. Understand smoker attitudes, habits, and awareness of cigarette waste.

  1. Understand smoker attitudes, habits, and awareness of cigarette waste.

  1. Identify barriers to proper disposal and patterns in littering behavior.

  1. Identify barriers to proper disposal and patterns in littering behavior.

  1. Identify barriers to proper disposal and patterns in littering behavior.

  1. Identify barriers to proper disposal and patterns in littering behavior.

  1. Explore opportunities for behavioral and design-based interventions.

  1. Explore opportunities for behavioral and design-based interventions.

DESIGN DIRECTION

DESIGN DIRECTION

How might we design a creative solution that not only makes cigarette butt disposal around the THUAS building convenient and accessible, but also effectively raises awareness about the environmental impact of cigarette butt littering?

How might we design a creative solution that not only makes cigarette butt disposal around the THUAS building convenient and accessible, but also effectively raises awareness about the environmental impact of cigarette butt littering?

DESIGN VISSION

DESIGN VISSION

A redesigned smoking environment that feels organized, visible, and interactive:

A redesigned smoking environment that feels organized, visible, and interactive:

  1. Clear boundaries define smoking zones.

  1. Clear boundaries define smoking zones.

  1. Eye-level disposal units make bins impossible to miss.

  1. Eye-level disposal units make bins impossible to miss.

  1. Visual campaigns show the real impact of cigarette waste.

  1. Visual campaigns show the real impact of cigarette waste.

  1. Sheltered areas counteract weather barriers.

  1. Sheltered areas counteract weather barriers.

IDEATION AND FINAL DESIGN

IDEATION AND FINAL DESIGN

Ideation technique: Sketchstorming

Ideation technique: Sketchstorming

CONCEPTS, PROTOTYPING AND TESTING

CONCEPTS, PROTOTYPING AND TESTING

Decision

Decision

To arrive at a final concept, I carefully analyzed the results from my evaluation matrix and decided to combine 2 Ideas. Merging these two directions creates a more complete and practical solution that addresses the main user pain points while remaining easy and intuitive for smokers to use.

To arrive at a final concept, I carefully analyzed the results from my evaluation matrix and decided to combine 2 Ideas. Merging these two directions creates a more complete and practical solution that addresses the main user pain points while remaining easy and intuitive for smokers to use.

The integrated solution

The integrated solution

  1. Phone Case Butt Holder:

    A small compartment built into a phone case that allows users to temporarily store their cigarette butts when a bin is not immediately available. This ensures they always have a convenient and accessible way to keep their waste until proper disposal.


  2. Smart Disposable Bin and App:

    The smart bin, equipped with sensors and facial recognition technology, counts each disposed cigarette butt. The connected Eco App then shows users the positive impact of their disposal habits, such as contributions to recycling plastic products and insect repellents for underserved communities.


  3. Awareness Poster

    I also created a poster to raise awareness about cigarette butt pollution. While valuable for communication, it did not address the usability and convenience issues as directly as the other two ideas. However, the poster plays an important supporting role by visually reinforcing the problem and encouraging users to participate in the solution.

  1. Phone Case Butt Holder:

    A small compartment built into a phone case that allows users to temporarily store their cigarette butts when a bin is not immediately available. This ensures they always have a convenient and accessible way to keep their waste until proper disposal.


  2. Smart Disposable Bin and App:

    The smart bin, equipped with sensors and facial recognition technology, counts each disposed cigarette butt. The connected Eco App then shows users the positive impact of their disposal habits, such as contributions to recycling plastic products and insect repellents for underserved communities.


  3. Awareness Poster

    I also created a poster to raise awareness about cigarette butt pollution. While valuable for communication, it did not address the usability and convenience issues as directly as the other two ideas. However, the poster plays an important supporting role by visually reinforcing the problem and encouraging users to participate in the solution.

Takeaways

Takeaways

Throughout the process, I learned to translate cultural identity into digital form, experimenting with different visual patterns and interactions that capture the raw, expressive nature of hip-hop while remaining functional and intuitive. Testing and iteration taught me the importance of small usability details and how even subtle adjustments can make navigation feel more coherent.

Throughout the process, I learned to translate cultural identity into digital form, experimenting with different visual patterns and interactions that capture the raw, expressive nature of hip-hop while remaining functional and intuitive. Testing and iteration taught me the importance of small usability details and how even subtle adjustments can make navigation feel more coherent.

Kingsford

Thanks for checking out my portfolio, If you’ve made it this far, chances are we should talk. Let’s create something unforgettable.

Created by Kingsford

Kingsford

Thanks for checking out my portfolio, If you’ve made it this far, chances are we should talk. Let’s create something unforgettable.

Created by Kingsford

Kingsford

Thanks for checking out my portfolio, If you’ve made it this far, chances are we should talk. Let’s create something unforgettable.

Created by Kingsford

Resume

Resume