Posty: AI Compost Companion
OVERVIEW
Designed during a 48-hour AI Design Hackathon, Posty reimagines composting as a shared urban experience, using AI to bridge human behavior and ecological needs in future cities.
PROJECT TYPE
TIMELINE
April 11-13, 2025
SOFTWARES
Final Pitch Video
Problem
Composting Is Mandatory, But Nobody Wants to Do It
Composting in New York City is legally required, but the system is broken.
Most residents don’t compost because it’s confusing, inconvenient, or simply not rewarding. As a result, over 1 million tons of food waste end up in landfills each year, releasing methane 80× more harmful than CO₂.
research
Understanding the System
I began by mapping how composting actually works in NYC — from household collection to processing facilities. I analyzed city policies on waste separation and diversion goals to identify gaps between infrastructure and participation. The research revealed a fragmented system: city routes, community drop-offs, and uneven education. Composting wasn’t lacking tools; it was lacking connection.
key insights
Understanding the People
To design for behavior change, I went into the field to talk to the people making — or avoiding — composting decisions every day.
I visited the Lower East Side Ecology Center, a local non-profit leading compost programs, and learned about their methods for encouraging participation, their limitations, and what community incentives actually work.
I also conducted street interviews with New Yorkers across different neighborhoods. Their feedback revealed emotional and practical barriers.
These insights grounded the project in empathy. Composting wasn’t about lack of awareness — it was about lack of emotional connection, visibility, and payoff.
key insights
People change habits when new behaviors feel easier, more rewarding, and more visible than the old ones.
How might we
iterations
Defining Our User: Frank
With our insights defined, we developed a user narrative around Frank, a 26-year-old New Yorker who’s never composted and doesn’t see the benefit. Designing for Frank helped us keep empathy at the center, addressing skepticism and inconvenience head-on.
Storyboarding the Composting Journey
We began visualizing how an AI system like Posty could fit into everyday life. Our storyboards mapped the emotional arc from “I have to compost” → “I want to compost,” showing how small moments of feedback and humor could transform user perception.
Sketching the System Together
Next, we moved to rapid whiteboard sketching to translate story moments into functional touchpoints.
We mapped out possible user flows, AI feedback loops, and incentive systems, focusing on how Posty could connect digital rewards to real-world community outcomes. These early sketches helped us see how the emotional beats from our storyboard could translate into interactive screens.
Visualizing the Concept with AI
We used Sora AI to generate visuals and motion references for our prototype video. I helped guide the prompts to reflect real NYC environments and user insights, bringing our concept to life quickly and authentically.
final product
Turning Composting Into a Game Loop
Posty transforms composting into a visible, gamified loop of Compost → Track → Earn. Watch our solution video here:
How posty works
last thoughts
My Role
Led primary research on New York City’s composting systems, policies, and infrastructure.
Conducted field research and interviews with the Lower East Side Ecology Center and New Yorkers to uncover behavioral and emotional barriers.
Synthesized findings into insight themes that informed our design decisions.
Led AI generation and motion graphics to visualize our concept for the hackathon presentation.
Ensured all design choices were informed by policy context, data accuracy, and community relevance.
Next steps
If extended, I’d focus on integrating with NYC sanitation data, adding accessibility features for diverse users, and developing localized incentive systems to strengthen neighborhood engagement.
Reflection
Winning first place at the AI Design Hackathon was rewarding, but the real takeaway was learning how thoughtful design can make complex systems feel human and actionable.