A world without creativity is like a Harry Potter’s novel without magic. Having been involved in the field of design for over seven years, I frequently embark on a quest to discover new and innovative solutions to the unique challenges that come my way.
By day, I am a UX designer, while my evenings are devoted to my passion for painting. I am currently pursuing a Master's degree in Human Centered Design and Engineering at the esteemed University of Washington in Seattle. In addition to this, I hold a Bachelor's degree in Communication Design and a Master's degree in Visual Design.
Prior to joining the University of Washington, I served as an Interaction Designer with the UX Consulting Team at ValueLabs, and also worked as a Visual Designer with Dorling Kindersley books.
When I'm not engrossed in my work, I take pleasure in traveling, meeting new people, taking photographs, and indulging in my love for food. As a painter, you will often find me engrossed in my canvas, lost in the act of creation.
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About the Project
On average, an Indian consumer spends over 10,000 on new clothes every year, but leave ⅓ of it hanging in the wardrobe. Fashion production is a big concern.
The goal of the project is to design a solution which enables users to create a clothing management system, leading to better organization, conscious buying and recycling of clothes which will result in higher personal savings.
Target Audience
The company's target audience is working-class people between the ages of 22-35, who live in the metropolitan cities of India. The target companies are majorly startups and companies with multiple locations throughout India.
Problem Area
In the contemporary context of heightened environmental consciousness, both individuals and organizations have been galvanized into taking active steps towards sustainable living. Many prominent brands have initiated eco-friendly practices in order to reduce their carbon footprint, and consumers have also begun to prioritize ethical and sustainable products. As the harmful effects of climate change continue to escalate, there is an urgent need to address issues such as recycling, upcycling, and leading a zero-waste lifestyle.
However, the problem of clothing waste remains a challenging issue to tackle. Despite the growing awareness around sustainable fashion practices, many individuals struggle to downsize their wardrobes due to time constraints and confusion around how to manage their clothes more efficiently. As such, my project aims to alleviate these challenges and provide users with a practical solution to managing their wardrobes in a sustainable and efficient manner.
Process
Deliver
Discover
Define
Design
Classroom Project
Worked as UX Designer
Duration
3 weeks
#Discover
Desk Research
Impact of Fast Fashion on our lives and environment
190,000 tons of textile microplastic fiber are going into the ocean each year.
Cheap synthetic fibers emit gases like N2O, which is 300 times more damaging than CO2.
20,000 tons of dye are lost to effluence every year, resulting in 20% of water pollution.
We produce 400 % more clothes than we used to produce 20 years back.
Brands release 52 micro collection every year instead of making for 2 seasons, resulting in 80 billion garments produced every year.
Every time we wash a synthetic garment (polyester,nylon, etc), about 700.000 individual microfibers are released into the water, making their way into our oceans.
20,000 people die of cancer and miscarriage every year as a result of chemical sprayed on cotton.
Garment workers are often forced to work 14 to 16 hours a day, 7 days a week. During peak season, they may work until 2 or 3 am to meet the fashion brand's deadline.
168 million children in the world are forced to work because the fashion industry requires low-skilled labor, child labor is particularly common in this industry.
Why do we keep buying things we may never wear?
Garment quality is declining every year. As a result, our clothes immediately look faded, shapeless, or worn out.
Trends are changing so quickly that we cannot keep up. We continue to purchase just to stay up to date.
Cheap sale prices “Sometimes it’s so inexpensive that I have to buy it,”
We buy things based on an idealized way we see ourselves,
not as we actually are.”
People buy something trendy we saw on a celebrity or in a magazine.
People often do not shop mindfully. We buy clothes on impulse.
Some people leave clothes hanging in the closet because they love the garment so much that they don’t want to risk wearing it. They save it for the perfect occasion that never comes.
People sometimes shop to boost their mood or alleviate boredom
Some people tend to think that buying new clothes will make them happy.
Shopping for social interaction and repeating clothes will not put a good image forward. More garments means more social status and money
Some people don’t know how to pair clothes together and it doesn’t match with anything else in our closet.
#Discover
User Research
During the primary research phase, I engaged with prospective users in order to gain insight into their experiences, thought processes, and difficulties. Through these interactions, I sought to identify their behaviors, needs, and goals, with the ultimate aim of understanding their emotions, buying patterns, and decision-making processes with regards to their clothing choices.
Subsequently, I grouped users of various age groups, demographics, and social statuses into a single segment, which enabled me to create two distinct user personas that condensed their goals, motivations, and pain points. This exercise was particularly helpful in highlighting the fact that individuals have varying needs and expectations, and that catering to these nuances is key to delivering a superior user experience.
Some examples of the questions I asked included:
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What fuels your decision to purchase new clothes?
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How do you plan your outfits for different occasions?
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What is the most important aspect of a piece of clothing to you (e.g. quality, style, comfort, etc.)?
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Have you ever experienced any difficulties or frustrations when shopping for clothes?
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How do you stay informed about new fashion trends?
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How often do you purchase new clothes?
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How often have you bought clothes that you have only worn once or twice?
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Do you usually remember what you already have in your closet when you shop online or in-store?
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Do you know about the environmental impact of the clothing industry?
Core Findings
The results of the interviews conducted with prospective users revealed a consensus among participants that they were utilizing only a fraction of their wardrobe, with up to 70% of their clothing remaining unworn on a weekly basis. Participants reported difficulties in remembering items they had worn in the past, often leading to duplication of outfits. Moreover, getting dressed was reported as a tedious task, with participants spending significant time deciding on what to wear. This process was often frustrating due to the difficulty of finding clothing items that matched what they already owned or that suited their individual tastes. As busy individuals, participants were seeking solutions that were quick and efficient.
Notably, the interviews also indicated a general lack of awareness among consumers regarding the harmful impact of the clothing industry on the environment. Many participants had not previously considered this aspect, emphasizing the importance of raising awareness about sustainable fashion practices.
#Discover
Market Research
As part of my research process, I conducted a comprehensive competitive study to gain a better understanding of the current solutions available in the market, as well as identify potential gaps. Specifically, I evaluated the offerings of Cladwell, Depop, and thredUP, carefully examining each company's website, mobile application, and in-store offerings.
To effectively evaluate each competitor, I developed a set of assessment criteria that encompassed several key factors. These included task orientation, navigation and information architecture, page layout and visual design, as well as writing and content quality. By utilizing these criteria, I was able to conduct a thorough analysis of each competitor's strengths and weaknesses, identifying potential areas for improvement.
Each app and service featured a uniquely different and idiosyncratic onboarding process.
UX
Depop is an innovative online marketplace that fosters creativity and encourages users to employ "it-girl" branding techniques. However, it's worth noting that the onboarding process can be lengthy, comprising of four initial steps followed by an additional five steps to create your shop. In total, users are required to complete a nine-step process before they can engage with the app fully.
In contrast, thredUP offers a streamlined and concise two-step onboarding process. This swift onboarding process allows users to engage with the app quickly, providing a seamless user experience. The app allows users to donate clothing by requesting a bag, filling it up, and mailing it back to thredUP for an account credit. Though it's worth mentioning that appraisals on thredUP can be lower, and users are restricted to spending the account credit only on the platform.
On the other hand, Cladwell provides an effortless categorization of different garments by simply uploading photos. The app automatically removes the background, and clothes can be categorized by season, color palette, garment type, etc. This categorization system enables users to easily organize their wardrobe and share their fashion ideas with others on the platform. Users can also follow and be inspired by others who share their unique sense of style on Cladwell.
Overall, each platform offers a unique user experience, catering to the different needs and preferences of their respective audiences.
UI
Depop's interface is heavily inspired by Instagram, giving the app a social media feel that encourages users to not only interact with the items they wish to purchase but also with the seller themselves. The platform places greater emphasis on fashion and self-branding rather than environmental activism.
thredUP, on the other hand, boasts a clean and minimal user interface that heavily features a green color palette to reinforce the company's commitment to sustainability. The UI design reflects the brand's eco-conscious values and provides a visually pleasing experience for users.
In contrast, Cladwell's user interface is more tailored towards female users, with a color palette and overall look that predominantly features shades of pink. This design choice appeals to their target audience, providing an aesthetically pleasing and personalized experience for users.
#Define
User Persona and Journey map
Redefined Design Question
I began this project with the overarching goal of addressing the issue of clothing waste and promoting mindful shopping. As I delved deeper into the research, I realized the need to redefine the design question to:
How can we create a system that helps users better organize their wardrobes to encourage conscious buying and recycling of clothes?
Brainstorming
Following interviews, surveys, and thorough primary and secondary research to identify user requirements and problems, I conducted a brainstorming session to generate potential solutions to address the identified issues.
#Design
Information Architecture
The aim is to construct a content and navigation system in a way that makes it easy for the user to adjust to the functionality of the product and find everything they need without much effort. I worked in depth to understand how the navigation would be structured and to ensure content was where users would expect to find it.
Wireframes-LOFI
The intent was to generate as many ideas as possible in the form of rough sketches. Multiple sketches were made of the same screen to choose the one that suits the user's need.
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High Fidelity Wireframes
Based on the comprehensive analysis of the final paper wireframes, I have crafted high-fidelity wireframes for the application. The background screen and primary and secondary colors have been deliberately chosen to maintain neutral tones that facilitate the display of clothing items.
The next step involved assessing the effectiveness of the application in terms of user experience. To achieve this objective, I conducted six usability tests utilizing an interactive prototype developed in Figma. The results were measured using the System Usability Scale (SUS), and the average approval rating was an impressive 98.8%.
Notwithstanding the test's positive outcome, I identified areas of potential improvement in users' interactions with the application, particularly concerning the donation screen. Consequently, I subsequently refined the design to enhance the final user interface.
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User Registration
A series of screens that guide users through various login process.
The onboarding screens will give more clarity to the most important features of the app, which are sustainable wardrobe management, creating looks (both manually and with AI and machine learning, hassle free donation and daily, weekly and monthly outfit planning.
Onboarding
Home
The home page of the application offers convenient shortcuts to various features, commencing with the option for first-time users to add outfits to their wardrobes. Subsequently, users are prompted to create looks for different occasions, which can be accomplished in three distinct ways.
The first method entails manually mixing and matching various items from the wardrobe to create a unique look. Alternatively, users may leverage the machine learning model integrated within the application to generate fresh outfit combinations based on their preferences and previously selected items. Finally, user can also upload a photo and allow the system to scour the wardrobe database to identify similar looks.
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Wardrobe
Undoubtedly, the most critical tab within the application is the wardrobe section, as every feature is dependent on it. The wardrobe is divided into three subcategories to enhance its organization and ease of use.
Firstly, the active wardrobe section encompasses all current clothing items. Secondly, customers can add new outfits to their wardrobe through three distinct methods: manual entry, photo upload, or barcode scanning for newly acquired garments. Finally, the third category includes a calendar for daily, weekly, and monthly outfit planning, further optimizing the wardrobe's functionality.
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Donation
The third tab of the application is dedicated to donations, offering users the opportunity to contribute to various non-governmental organizations (NGOs) affiliated with the app. Users can either schedule a home pickup or send the parcel individually. As a token of appreciation, every donation earns the user a scratch card that contains coupons from other sustainable brands.
To maintain simplicity while providing ample information, the donation ordering process was designed with user convenience in mind. Once a user selects a box size, they are redirected to a screen that prompts them to enter the mailing address where they wish to receive their box and select the NGO they would like to donate to, accompanied by a brief description of the NGO.
Community
The fourth tab within the application is dedicated to building a community, providing users with access to news, stories, and educational topics centered around sustainability.
Users can participate in online workshops, lectures, and offline events such as thrift shops, altering workshops, or clothes swapping drives. The section also includes a profile page that displays dedicated badges earned by the user based on their contributions to the environment.
Figma Prototype
After incorporating the feedback we iterated on our previous designs to create a Hi-Fi Prototype that can be viewed below.
Takeaways & Reflection
DOING ORGANISED RESEARCH
As a UX designer, I cannot emphasize enough the importance of conducting organized research. It serves as the backbone of my work, enabling me to create user-centric experiences that truly make a difference. Through structured research, I gain valuable insights into the needs, behaviors, and preferences of the users I am designing for. This knowledge forms the bedrock of my decision-making process, ensuring that every design choice is informed and purposeful.
SEEK FEEDBACK EARLY
Involving users and stakeholders from the beginning allowed me to gather valuable insights and make well-informed decisions. By seeking feedback at an early stage, I was able to identify potential issues and areas for improvement before investing significant time and resources. It helped me validate my design assumptions and ensure that the final product aligned seamlessly with user needs and expectations.