From Ick to Impact: Normalizing edible insects through service design
BugBox is a speculative service design concept that explores entomophagy (eating insects) as a sustainable alternative protein source. The project envisions a meal-kit delivery service designed to gradually normalize edible insects by prioritizing education, trust, community, and environmental stewardship.
Rather than forcing behavior change, BugBox proposes an incremental adoption model that meets curious, climate-conscious eaters where they are and supports them as they move from apprehension to advocacy.
- Core77 Student Service Design Award winner
- UW HCDE Graduate Award for Innovation
- Featured in Designing Up (UW HCDE annual publication)
Graduate Service Design Project · University of Washington (HCDE) · Fall 2021 · Instructor: Dr. Tyler Fox
Team: Brayan Zavala, Sean Hornita, Quilla Vasquez Graces, Honson Ling
Service designer and researcher. Contributed to ecosystem mapping, research synthesis, journey mapping, service blueprinting, narrative prototyping, and the overall service concept and visual direction.
Context
Cricket protein requires roughly 100 liters of water, compared to 22,000 liters for beef. Insects also require far less feed to produce the same amount of protein.
Environmentally, the case is compelling. Culturally, the reaction is immediate rejection.
In the U.S., insects are associated with waste, fear, and contamination. The barrier to adoption isn’t lack of information. It’s emotion.
This project asked a different question: What would it take for people to feel safe, curious, and open instead of disgusted?
The Problem
Most attempts to introduce insect protein focus on education or shock value. Both approaches tend to fail.
People don’t need to be told insects are sustainable. They need help crossing a psychological boundary.
The challenge was not to sell a product, but to design a pathway from avoidance to acceptance.
Constraints
- 10-week academic timeline
- Limited budget for prototyping and live events
- Deep-rooted cultural aversion to insects
- Requirement to design a complete service ecosystem, not a single artifact
These constraints forced us to prioritize leverage over scale.
Users & Job Story
We focused on environmentally conscious adults who cared about sustainability but were repelled by the idea of eating insects.
Success Metrics & Baseline
Near-zero willingness to try insect protein
Strong associations with danger, dirt, and fear
Low trust in preparation and cleanliness
Increase willingness to try insect protein to 50%+ after exposure
Engage participants in multiple touchpoints
Create a progression tool that 80%+ found intuitive
Measure attitude shifts at each stage of the journey
Sentiment tracking before/after touchpoints
Workshop feedback + qualitative quotes
Progression tool comprehension check
Research & Key Insights
We conducted surveys with 25 participants and a co-design workshop with 5 participants, combining quantitative sentiment tracking with qualitative exploration.
Three insights shaped the entire system.
Disgust dominates first impressions
Trust and cleanliness mattered more than novelty
Social proof changed minds faster than facts
Seeing others try insect protein—and enjoy it—was more persuasive than statistics alone.
Design Strategy
Instead of confronting the “ick factor,” we designed around it.
Our strategy rested on three principles:
1. Familiarity before exposure
2. Progressive disclosure over persuasion
3. Community over individual conversion
The Service Ecosystem
We designed a phased ecosystem that guided people from curiosity to comfort at their own pace.
Where: Farmers markets and pop-up tastings
What: Snack foods (chips, cookies) made with invisible insect flour
Messaging focused on sustainability benefits, taste/texture, and familiarity—not novelty. Insects were intentionally de-emphasized visually.
We designed a conceptual comfort-level slider that asked: “How adventurous are you?”
Users could self-select their pace:
- Snacks
- Protein powders
- Premade meals
- Meal kits with whole insects
No pressure. No hierarchy. Just agency.
To normalize behavior, we designed social touchpoints:
- Community dinners
- Cooking classes
- Restaurant partnerships
- A “Bug Ambassador” program encouraging peer invitation
Storytelling and shared experience replaced persuasion.
An interactive impact tracker showed water saved, emissions reduced, and environmental impact per serving.
Progress was framed as contribution, not sacrifice.
Visual & Interaction Design
The visual system intentionally avoided fear-based climate messaging.
Design principles
- Earth tones and biophilic patterns
- Warm, abundant imagery
- Clear hierarchy and generous spacing
- Focus on finished dishes, not raw ingredients
The goal was to make sustainability feel inviting, not moralizing.
Prototyping & Iteration
We tested low-fidelity prototypes across settings:
- In-class critiques
- Informal tastings
- Co-design workshops
- Role-play scenarios
Feedback consistently pushed us away from shock and toward gentleness. We refined pacing, language, and visual emphasis to support progressive disclosure.
Collaboration
Our team of four worked closely across disciplines:
- Research
- Service blueprinting
- Visual identity
- Community engagement
We partnered with farmers market coordinators, local restaurant collaborators, and faculty advisors. Clear role ownership and frequent synthesis kept the system cohesive despite time constraints.
Results & Impact
- Participants who initially refused insect protein willingly tried snack samples
- 60% expressed interest in exploring additional insect-based products
- Community events generated positive word-of-mouth
- The project received national and academic recognition, validating the approach
More importantly, participants reported feeling curious instead of repelled.
Lessons Learned
- Psychological safety is a design requirement, not a bonus
- Gradual exposure builds trust faster than persuasion
- Social experiences outperform individual nudges
- Sustainability messaging works best when framed around abundance, not fear
What’s Next
- Longitudinal adoption tracking
- Additional restaurant partnerships
- A scalable farmers market service kit
- A digital platform for recipes, storytelling, and impact tracking
Final Reflection
From Ick to Impact showed that even deeply rooted aversions can be reshaped through thoughtful design.
By respecting emotional boundaries and designing for trust, we transformed a taboo into a conversation—and curiosity into participation.
The project reinforced a belief that continues to guide my work: people don’t resist change because they don’t care. They resist when the path feels unsafe.
Design’s role is to make that path feel possible.