Living costs are rising, food scarcity is becoming more prevalent, and time is always in short supply. CreateIT was designed with a simple yet powerful goal: to help users save money on groceries by leveraging the ingredients they already have at hand. This mobile application prototype integrates with APIs to recommend meals based on available ingredients, offering a practical and delicious solution to everyday meal planning.
Overview
During the first year of my degree in Information Technology, I was given a task to develop a mobile application prototype as part of the Information Technology Professional Practice class. This project involved working in a team of four, with each member assuming a role typically found in a real-world project team:
- 🖌️ Graphic Designer
- 📊 Marketing & Domain Researcher
- 💻 Software Developer
- 🔧 Quality Assurance Tester
Although we each had distinct roles, collaboration was key, and we worked across all areas to deliver a cohesive and realistic project.
Problem under Analysis
The core objective was to design a mobile application prototype that addresses a societal issue. After much brainstorming—and many hungry study sessions—we decided to tackle a growing problem: the rising cost of food.
While solving world hunger was beyond our scope, we identified a feasible approach: helping users make the most out of the ingredients they already own by recommending recipes. 🍳 This concept not only saves money but also reduces food waste.
Reasons for this Approach
We chose this direction after evaluating key factors such as:
- The demographic most affected by rising food prices
- The availability of major food retailers across South Africa
Our team, CreateTech, aimed to mimic the essential functionality of a food purchasing app, with features including but not limited to:
- 👤 User Login/Signup
- 🛍️ Browsing Products
- 🛒 Purchasing Products
- 📈 Finalizing the Purchase & Receiving a Receipt
The scope was intentionally kept manageable, ensuring we could deliver a functional prototype that met our objectives.
CreateIT is more than just an app—it’s a digital companion for foodies who want to save money, reduce waste, and get inspired in the kitchen. 🍽️ Whether you're a student on a tight budget or someone who loves experimenting with ingredients, CreateIT offers a helping hand (and a tasty meal) every time.
Tip
Greatest failure in life is not falling: it's never taking that leap.