UX Hackathon
TEAM
Rahul Raj Singh
Abhigyan Deka
Harsh Vardhan
DURATION
4 Weeks
TOOLS
PROBLEM DISCOVERED
As part of the Google APAC EDU UX Hackathon, we tackled the challenge of designing inclusive, tech-enabled solutions for grassroots communities. Our focus was on strengthening public service delivery by understanding real pain points, reimagining workflows, and creating impact at scale.
OUTCOME(S)
Designed interventions that improved Anganwadi workers’ daily productivity, reduced ration wastage, and strengthened beneficiaries’ quality of life through better nutrition practices. The project ultimately won the hackathon for its clarity, impact, and implementation potential.
Google APAC UX Hackathon
AI for Fair and Accessible Nutrition for Mother and Child
Collaborator(s)
Acknowledgement
Project Overview
15.8 crore women and children in rural India depend on Anganwadi Centres for their daily nutrition.Yet, outdated processes, logistical delays, and manual systems lead to massive inefficiencies, from under-utilized rations to hours of wasted labour every day.
As part of the Google APAC UX EDU Hackathon (2024), our team of four took on the challenge of designing inclusive, tech-enabled solutions for grassroots communities. Over an intensive 6-week sprint, we combined field research, rapid prototyping, and systems thinking to address critical gaps in public service delivery.
Role
I worked across UX Research, Service/System Design, AI Strategy, UI Design, and storytelling to shape the product from insight to implementation.
Impact
Designed to cut ration wastage by 30%, give Anganwadi Workers 3 hours back daily, and ensure reliable, error-free beneficiary access.
September 2025
Background
Rural India’s public health and nutrition system is anchored by Anganwadi Workers (AWWs), ASHAs, and the monthly Village Health, Sanitation & Nutrition Day (VHSND). AWWs manage the Anganwadi Centre, maintain community records, and support early childhood services. ASHAs act as on-ground mobilisers, visiting homes, guiding mothers, and connecting families to care. VHSND brings everyone together once a month for growth monitoring, maternal care, immunisation, and nutrition counselling. These activities unfold in close-knit village communities, where social relationships, local customs, and trust in frontline workers shape how families engage with health and nutrition services. This is the everyday landscape in which our project is situated.
Design
Process
Across rural India, 15.8 crore women and children depend on Anganwadi centres for their daily nutritional needs. However, the existing system is heavily manual and fragmented. Ration records are maintained on paper, verification is done in person, and communication with beneficiaries is often delayed or unclear. As a result, rations are frequently under-utilized, wastage rates are as high as 40% while Anganwadi workers spend up to 9 hours a day juggling logistics, data entry, and distribution. Beneficiaries face long queues, missed pick-ups, and a lack of transparency around their entitlements. These inefficiencies create a ripple effect: nutritional support is delayed, workers are overburdened, and government resources are wasted at scale.
Empathize
Across rural India, 15.8 crore women and children depend on Anganwadi centres for their daily nutritional needs. However, the existing system is heavily manual and fragmented. Ration records are maintained on paper, verification is done in person, and communication with beneficiaries is often delayed or unclear. As a result, rations are frequently under-utilized, wastage rates are as high as 40% while Anganwadi workers spend up to 9 hours a day juggling logistics, data entry, and distribution. Beneficiaries face long queues, missed pick-ups, and a lack of transparency around their entitlements. These inefficiencies create a ripple effect: nutritional support is delayed, workers are overburdened, and government resources are wasted at scale.
Problem Identification
Ration distribution at Anganwadi centers faces critical accessibility and efficiency issues due to rigid biometric/OTP systems, leading to exclusion of deserving beneficiaries and widespread mismanagement.
01
Facial recognition requires the beneficiary’s face to match the exact pose/condition at the time of registration.
02
Ration can only be collected in person, excluding those unable to be physically present such as pregnant women, the elderly, or the sick.
04
03
OTP failures or changed phone numbers prevent eligible families from accessing their ration.
No fallback mechanism when tech fails and system failures leaving people without support.
Ideation
We explored multiple directions through ideation, using methods like Crazy 8 to rapidly sketch diverse possibilities and Round Robin to collaboratively build on each other’s ideas. These sessions helped us break out of predictable solutions and expand the concept space. We then moved into rapid prototyping, creating quick, low-fidelity models to test assumptions early and refine the most promising directions.
User Flow
Conversational AI interacts with beneficiaries via mobile or WhatsApp to generate QR-based ration tickets, confirm pick-up slots, and provide instructions
Impact
15.8 crore women and children in rural India depend on Anganwadi Centres for their daily nutrition.Yet, outdated processes, logistical delays, and manual systems lead to massive inefficiencies, from under-utilized rations to hours of wasted labour every day.
As part of the Google APAC UX EDU Hackathon (2024), our team of four took on the challenge of designing inclusive, tech-enabled solutions for grassroots communities. Over an intensive 6-week sprint, we combined field research, rapid prototyping, and systems thinking to address critical gaps in public service delivery.
Impact
Designed to cut ration wastage by 30%, give Anganwadi Workers 3 hours back daily, and ensure reliable, error-free beneficiary access.
Conclusion
At the grassroots, technology isn’t just about convenience, it’s about access, dignity, and impact. Poshan Tracker 2.0 transforms daily operations at Anganwadi centers, empowers workers, and ensures every child receives the nutrition they deserve.