Farmlink Individual Reflection

Working on the FarmLink challenge was a great experience studying design and systems thinking, and getting ready for the pitch was a real turning point for me. I handled the research, helped shape our solution and market strategy, and worked through the product and engineering details that would make our ideas actually work. Looking at how big delivery services positioned themselves made me think hard about what truly made FarmLink different—and where we were falling short. The actual pitch process taught me even more, as the panel’s feedback was direct and insightful—they called out the technical weaknesses in FarmLink’s platform, from delivery routing failures to a mobile app that just couldn’t keep up with customer expectations. Their push for a scalable tech stack (not just duct-taped solutions) made me realize how critical engineering is to making any strategy succeed, no matter how compelling the business case or the values behind the brand. Hearing industry experts ask tough questions, challenge our assumptions, and emphasize the need for a real well-architected demo changed how I think about product-market fit and the importance of building for scale, not just for early adopters. The project also showed me the power of true needfinding, where instead of guessing what users wanted, I learned to talk to them directly—asking open-ended questions and listening for what wasn’t being said. That’s how we uncovered real issues like budget worries, doubts about farm tech, and frustrations with delivery flexibility. The systems thinking mindset I learned in DESIGN 231 helped me zoom out and see how FarmLink fits into the bigger food system—and how ideas like meal kits or flexible delivery could connect to a wider audience.