.svg)
Project Summary
Problem
Mainstream fashion intervals have gravely grown the ease to which consumers shift items from their closet to the landfill. Sellers of previously loved items feel like they can't trust the digital market because it requires many laborious and confusing steps. Although thrift culture is well known, and has always seemed to gather an audience, the pace of growth has remained stagnant and faith in the quality for purchasing second hand items virtually is low. How can we grow the membership of and confidence in thrifting, whilst, maximizing the value of the existing communities interaction via a digital platform?
Solution
The goal of Thrift-Chic is to refresh the digital second-hand experience by offering users more ways to advocate for sustainability and providing thrift experts an expansive network.Through the app active accomplished thrifters can engage with other hobbyists and fashion folk, and even businesses, for commerce and inspiration. The added value will be in the capability the app provides to users where the process of sending/receiving items is simplified
My Role
UX / UI Designer
My Responsibilities
- UX Research
- Scrum Master
- Branding & Identity
- Market Analysis
- Project Lead
User Research
%201.png)
%201.png)
Pain Point 1
Current methods of selling goods are complex and not thrift focused, which results in many items not being sold.
Pain Point 2
Notwithstanding the substantial segment of the total waste volume clothing makes up a 'Zero waste initiative' is either not offered by organizations or incomplete.
Pain Point 3
The community of thrift is large but isolated. The enterprise of thrifting seems to have, through unspoken habit, become an unnecessarily lonely thing.
User Persona
.png)
The Market
Wireframes
Style Guide
Hifi Mockups
Elevating Design with User-Centered Precision
In the quest to create exceptional user experiences, I embarked on a journey from lo-fi to hi-fi design, guided by invaluable user feedback and rigorous UAT. Here's a glimpse of the transformation:
- Low-Fidelity Beginnings: The journey commenced with low-fidelity iterations - the raw canvas upon which ideas took shape. Simple wireframes and sketches allowed for quick ideation and the exploration of multiple design directions.
- User-Centric Refinement: Armed with feedback from real users, the designs underwent a transformative process. User Acceptance Testing (UAT) uncovered insights that became the cornerstone of our redesign. User preferences, pain points, and aspirations were carefully considered.
- High-Fidelity Realization: The lo-fi concepts evolved into high-fidelity designs. Each pixel meticulously placed, interactions polished, and visual aesthetics refined to create a visually engaging, intuitive, and functional interface. The result is a refined user experience that not only meets but exceeds user expectations.
The transition from lo-fi to hi-fi designs reflects the power of user feedback and the iterative design process. It's a testament to the principle that designing for the user is an ever-evolving journey, driven by insights, creativity, and a commitment to excellence. Explore the visuals to witness this journey unfold.
Lightbox Me> *select pic
.png)
.png)
.png)
%201.png)
.png)
.png)
.png)
.png)
.png)
Interactive Prototype
Play Me > *select pic*
Usability Testing
Testing Methodology and Results
Our usability investigative strategy was inclusive of A/B testing which was conducted via survey, as well as, moderated and remote testing whereby users were given a task framed as a scenario. A/B testing was an aid in determining users preferences of things like typography and color, while remote and moderated testing enhanced choices we made when setting gutter size and selecting the type of navigation style (such as, breadcrumbs and bottom nav).
Notable Results
- 50% failure rate for identification of evaluation tool' steps
- Users did not select any gradient designs but, rather, preferred less primary color differences, and
- 6 out of 11 Participants remarked that the use of top navigation with bottom navigation was confusing
.png)
.png)
Conclusions
LESSONS LEARNED
In this section, we'll explore some valuable insights and takeaways that revealed themselves during the life of this project and how we either implemented or planned changes .
- Existing thrifters were already quite familiar with the expected experience of existing apps, so the features needed to be enlivening.
- Test participants' data indicated the need for a simplified navigation choices and the preference for bottom nav.
- In order to avoid confusion it was truly important that users know where they were at every frame within the app.
NEXT STEPS
One of the preoccupations we had throughout researching and designing the app was attempting to deliver a valuable community experience that was a vast improvement from our competition. Our research indicated that this is what would encourage users to really leverage our app for purchases, selling, and potential future (paid) member benefits. Next steps include developing on this feature
