Additional week 1- My Contributions to the Community Fridge Locator & Food Listing Design

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In Week 5, my teammate Sagar Chaudhary first introduced the concept of Community fridge locator as a part of our brainstorming on new features .


This week, I advanced that concept by progressing into the design and technical planning phase, creating specific workflows, comparisons, and visuals that will steer development in the upcoming development phgase.

Community Refrigerator Finder – My Design Project

I started by researching mapping APIs to find the best option for FoodNextDoor. I evaluated two primary services:

Google Maps API: extensive global reach (99%) and highly reliable (Google Maps Platform, 2025).
Mapbox: extensively adaptable with offline map capabilities, enabling distinctive fridge pin symbols (Choosing a Map API for Your Next App: Mapbox, Google Maps, or OpenStreetMap? 2021).

Expanding on Sagar’s original concept, I proposed that fridge locations be marked with color-coded pins:



I suggested incorporating filters that allow users to search based on food type or category (e.g., prepared dishes, fresh produce, snacks). 

This enhances the locator's accessibility and user-friendliness for various groups.

Also, I focused on the donor food posting process, transforming the team's idea into an organized design. I developed a wireframe flow (refer to the diagram) illustrating the sequential process:




Include food listing → upload image and type of food.
Provide information → expiration date, serving size, and dietary labels (e.g., vegetarian, gluten-free).
Choose pickup method → fridge drop-off or immediate collection.
Auto-map integration → listing shows up on the locator map instantly.
I opted for dropdown menus and checkboxes for the majority of inputs to make the process fast, minimize mistakes, and allow easy usability across different age groups

References: 

Google Maps Platform (2025) Google Maps API documentation. (Online). https://developers.google.com/maps/documentation?utm.com

Relevant software (2023) -Mapbox vs. Google Maps vs. OpenStreetMap APIs: Finding the Perfect Fit for Your Next App (Article). https://relevant.software/blog/choosing-a-map-amapbox-google-maps-openstreetmap/?utm_source.com

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