AHDB Recommended Lists App
Project Overview
What was the problem?
The Agriculture and Horticulture Development Board (AHDB) provides UK farmers and agronomists with the “Recommended List” (RL), a comprehensive dataset of cereal and oilseed varieties. This list traditionally came as a printed booklet distributed annually across the UK. While essential, this physical format posed serious logistical and practical challenges:
➤ Weather-driven variability in crop performance demanded more frequent updates.
➤ Reprinting and distributing updated booklets was expensive and time-consuming.
➤ Farmers had to carry large booklets in the field, which was inconvenient and impractical.
To address these issues, I led the solo UX and UI design of the AHDB Recommended List App. This lightweight, offline-first mobile app delivers up-to-date crop data in a format growers can access anywhere, even with no internet.
Project size: All UK farmers and growers
My role: UX Designer (end-to-end)
Timeline: 12 weeks
Team: Product Manager, Engineering, Stakeholders
Goals
The primary objective was to create a cost-effective, digital alternative to the printed booklet while preserving its utility and trustworthiness.
Specific goals included:
➤ Provide up-to-date crop variety data.
➤ Enable offline access for farmers working in fields with no connectivity.
➤ Offer filters and comparison tools to support decision-making.
➤ Allow printable exports for users still transitioning from print to digital.
➤ Improve the overall accessibility and user experience of the RL dataset.
Impact
The app achieved significant success in both user satisfaction and operational efficiency. It saw high adoption among younger, tech-savvy growers who were more inclined to embrace digital tools over traditional print formats. This shift not only improved the user experience but also led to substantial cost savings for AHDB, as the need for frequent printing and postal distribution of the Recommended List was greatly reduced.
Additionally, the app contributed to a more sustainable solution, significantly cutting down on paper usage and reducing the carbon footprint associated with delivery emissions. Users also provided positive feedback, particularly regarding the app’s ease of use, with many highlighting the value of its offline functionality and the ability to export data to print for record-keeping or collaborative purposes. Lastly, the app’s faster and more responsive updates allowed farmers to make more timely decisions, as they had access to the most current crop data when they needed it, even while working in remote fields.
Process
Research
Define
Ideation
Prototype
Final Design
Research
Understanding the needs and contexts of UK growers was critical to shaping this tool. I conducted 1-on-1 interviews with six farmers and agronomists from diverse regions and farming types.
Methods:
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Grower group interviews
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Observational insights from farm visits
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Empathy mapping
Key Findings
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Internet connectivity is unreliable or nonexistent in many growing areas.
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While some users still preferred the printed RL, most were open to a mobile alternative.
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Users valued the ability to filter by crop characteristics, such as yield, disease resistance, or market category.
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Older farmers needed printable formats, while younger ones expected modern UX patterns.
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Scared to try new things as they think digital tools are complicated
2 Define
Core problem statement:
"How might we provide real-time crop variety data to farmers in an offline environment while preserving the clarity and familiarity of the existing printed format?"
User Needs:
Reliable access to trusted crop data in the field.
A simple, intuitive way to filter and compare varieties.
Printable outputs for record-keeping or collaboration with others.
A sense of familiarity in layout and design, mimicking the RL booklet.
Design principles:
Offline-first, not just offline-capable.
Clarity over complexity—keep interfaces focused and data digestible.
Trust through consistency—respect the existing RL layout structure and branding.
3 Ideation
I sketched out multiple solutions ranging from a responsive website to a mobile app, but based on user insights, the mobile app with offline capability emerged as the best solution.
Key design ideas:
➤ Use a tabular layout similar to the printed RL for familiarity.
➤ Bigger buttons for farmers’ big hands
➤ Allow users to filter by location, crop, resistance, and yield.
➤ Support a "favourites" list and variety comparison mode.
➤ Create a “print to PDF” feature that lets users export data.
➤ Sync updated RL data in the background when connectivity is available.
➤ Allow users to making notes.
Early sketches helped validate the design direction with stakeholders and a small test group of farmers.
4 Prototype
I created mid- to high-fidelity prototypes in Adobe XD to explore flow and interactions.
Prototype highlights:
The home screen has big crop category cards and is easy to access.
Filter interface allowing layered filtering (e.g., "winter wheat" + "resistant to septoria").
Detailed variety view pages showing data points in a scannable format.
Comparison screen allowing side-by-side evaluation of two or more varieties.
Offline state indicators.
Print preview screen that mimics the printed RL layout.
Usability testing:
Conducted informal tests with 3 farmers on prototypes.
Feedback confirmed:
- Very simple and easy to use, no need to spend time to learn.
- Filtering was intuitive and useful.
- Offline indicator and print export were highly appreciated.
- Layout was familiar and easy to scan on mobile.
5 Final Design
Key Features in the Final App:
✅ Offline-first design with auto-updates when online.
✅ Intuitive filtering based on crop type, disease resistance, and region.
✅ Crop variety comparison tool with side-by-side data.
✅ Print-to-PDF feature for legacy users or paper records.
✅ Clean, readable UI that preserved the tabular feel of the printed RL.
✅ Colour-coded visual cues for data interpretation (e.g., resistance ratings).
✅ Accessible table chart
Visual Design Choices:
Font sizes are optimised for readability outdoors for older farmers.
High-contrast themes for field visibility.
Iconography to support users with lower literacy or digital confidence.
No unnecessary animation—speed and clarity were prioritised.
