Description:

How can designing with anticipation create better design outcomes?

Cultivate began as a project to encourage young adults to engage with gardening, but it quickly became about more than that. Through user research, I realised that confidence to start and flexibility to keep going mattered more than skill or knowledge. Microgreens emerged as the ideal entry point: low-maintenance, fast-growing, and rewarding.

While many existing products help users grow microgreens, I saw limitations in their singular purpose. People need something that fits around real life, where interest comes and go, and routines change. To truly support long-term engagement, I had to anticipate not only how people would start but also how they might pause or stop.

Cultivate is a scalable microgreen-growing solution designed to fit easily into everyday life. Compact, stackable, and low-maintenance, it starts with a starter pack containing everything you need to give it a go, with refill kits for those who want to keep growing. Each seed packet helps support regrowth, making each cycle feel like a fresh, flavourful ritual. Cultivate sits somewhere between a spice mix and an herb pot- inviting users to grow, harvest, and add to meals in a way that feels easy, satisfying, and uniquely their own.

What sets Cultivate apart is how it’s designed to be repurposed. If users want to pause or stop, the components still hold value. Simple design and considered materials allow users to repurpose the product however they choose. This flexibility supports a longer-lasting relationship with the product because it works with people rather than expecting something from them.

Cultivate reflects a more realistic and empathetic approach to sustainability- one that gives users the freedom to engage on their own terms, without pressure. It reflects a design philosophy that meets people where they are and creates lasting value through flexibility, intention, and care.

Cultivate your own experience.