Shan Wei on Designing Nibbly: Turning Food Waste into Everyday Change

I submitted Nibbly, an app designed to help households reduce food waste. With AI reshaping everyday products, I wanted to show how it can also tackle global challenges like food waste while making life simpler and more enjoyable.

Winning brings both recognition and motivation. It proves that socially responsible design can stand out. Personally, it marks an important milestone and encourages me to keep pursuing sustainable and impactful design.

My inspiration came from everyday observations, reflections on life, and awareness of global issues. I noticed how much food is wasted at home and read studies about food waste around the world. I wanted to make the idea of “zero waste” practical and easy to apply. Nibbly helps users track, categorize, and turn ingredients into meals with AI, representing a shift from “usable” to “sustainable” design.

Nibbly stands out for being simple yet smart. Clear categories like Eat Me First and Still Fresh make tracking easy, while AI-generated recipes turn soon-to-expire items into fresh dishes. This mix of practicality and playfulness makes the app both approachable and effective.

The biggest challenge was reframing food waste from a feeling of guilt into one of opportunity. Many people already feel bad about wasting food, and if the app reinforced that, engagement would drop. I used positive language and light, friendly interactions to make saving food fun and motivating, which encouraged more participation.

I hope this award connects me with more partners who are passionate about using AI in design or who care deeply about sustainability, lifestyle, and education. Already, others in the industry have reached out to learn more about the project, and I believe it will open doors to new opportunities and collaborations.

The response has been very positive. One family shared that Nibbly helped them waste less food and made their kids more excited to cook together. That feedback showed me how design can bring both joy and meaningful change to everyday life.

My advice is to focus on clarity and impact. Clarity comes through iteration, as the saying goes, “make the book thick, then make it thin.” In design, this means expanding your ideas first and then refining them—never settling for your first solution.

Keep asking questions like, can it be simpler, more emotionally engaging, or less expensive? Boil the problem and solution down to their essence. With strong evidence and a clear story, your work becomes far more compelling.

The biggest change today is AI. It has transformed how I work and makes me excited about the future. Designing AI products comes with greater responsibility, and I want to balance creativity with accountability. I embrace challenges, keep learning, and use design to promote sustainable progress.

Don’t wait for perfection to start. Awards aren’t just about winning—they put your work into the industry conversation. Each entry sharpens your storytelling, helps you see your work more clearly, and can open new opportunities. Growth comes through iteration and interaction, both in your design projects and in yourself.

Creativity thrives on connection, not isolation. Share your ideas, collaborate with others, and let different perspectives shape your work. The best results often come from shared knowledge and collective insight.

I dedicate this to the families and communities who shared their stories about food waste. Their experiences inspired me and helped me create something that truly fits into everyday life.

Nibbly is a smart, friendly kitchen assistant that helps households waste less and create more—because small everyday actions can lead to meaningful change.

I will continue developing Nibbly to make it a better product and bring it to more people. I’m also exploring new projects related to sustainability and education. Whatever I work on next, my goal remains the same—to use design to create value and improve everyday life.