In the summer of 2023, I developed a mobile application aimed at simplifying the process of purchasing clothes from various physical clothing establishments. The mobile application enables users to effortlessly browse and select clothing items from their preferred physical clothing store, facilitating instant delivery to their doorstep without the need for in-person visits to clothing establishments.
When shopping for clothing, visiting a physical clothing store presents several drawbacks. These challenges encompass the need to physically travel to the clothing store, maneuver through crowded aisles, and endure lengthy wait times in queues.
My solution aims to address the challenges associated with shopping for clothing in physical clothing stores. By leveraging technology and e-commerce, Levitate provides a convenient and efficient alternative that eliminates the need for customers to physically travel to clothing stores, navigate crowded aisles, and endure lengthy wait times in queues. Through the mobile app, users can browse and purchase clothing items from the comfort of their own homes, benefiting from a seamless online shopping experience and instant doorstep delivery.
This feature eliminates the need for customers to physically travel to clothing stores and empowers them to track their instant doorstep clothing delivery.
This functionality enables users to browse and select a physical clothing store from a wide variety of other physical clothing stores.
This feature enables users to finalize their clothing selections from the shopping cart and purchase clothing items.
I began my research stage by gathering data and information from many sources about the clothing industry, delivery industry, and its participants. By doing this, it helped me to discover the behaviors, attitudes, and pain points of the users I was designing for.
When visiting a physical clothing store, individuals must allocate time for travel, parking, and navigating through multiple aisles to locate their desired items. This process can pose challenges, particularly for individuals with busy schedules, as it demands additional time and effort.
Physical clothing stores are not easily accessible to everybody, especially those that live far or in remote places or have disabilities that affect mobility. This can negatively affect them because it restricts their options for buying clothing and diminishes their shopping experience.
Physical clothing stores often experience overcrowding, particularly during peak hours or busy seasons. This can lead to challenges in navigating through crowded aisles and enduring lengthy queues in checkouts, causing stress and inconvenience for shoppers.
Having a persona spectrum helped me know who I was designing for
After my research of the clothing industry, delivery industry, and its participants, I developed a persona spectrum that encompasses different types of users. The primary user group I focused on is the average clothing shopper, as they exhibit a multitude of pain points in their shopping experience. Additionally, I identified delivery drivers as a secondary group, given their direct interaction with the clothing shopper.
In order to gather additional data, I conducted a survey and distributed it on various social media platforms. The purpose of the survey was to gauge the general inclination of individuals towards using mobile applications for receiving clothes through delivery services. The survey yielded the following significant findings:
Finding 1: The survey revealed that a majority of individuals prefer using mobile applications for receiving clothes through delivery services, indicating a growing trend in online shopping convenience.
Finding 2: Among the surveyed participants, the younger demographic showed a higher inclination towards using mobile applications for receiving clothes, suggesting a shift in consumer behavior driven by technology adoption.
Finding 3: The survey findings highlighted specific features and benefits that users value in mobile applications for receiving clothes, such as ease of use, quick delivery, and a wide range of available clothing options.
During the survey, participants were queried regarding their shopping habits, including frequency and preference for online versus physical clothing stores. A majority expressed a preference for shopping in online clothing stores.
As part of the survey, participants were asked to rate their past experiences with online clothing stores on a scale of 1-10. The analysis revealed that a significant majority of respondents had positive experiences, with the younger demographic showing a particularly enthusiastic response towards online shopping.
In the survey, 100% of the participants preferred expedited delivery or instant doorstep delivery options for online clothing stores, as they were dissatisfied with the extended shipping times provided by some retailers.
Talking to a physical clothing shop owner
As part of my research, I interviewed the owner of a physical clothing store who had successfully expanded their business to the online clothing space. The purpose of this interview was to gather valuable insights and validate specific assumptions.
Leveraging comprehensive research and a deep understanding of the target audience, I developed detailed personas and organized the users into two key groups: the average clothing shopper and the delivery driver. Throughout the design process, these user groups played pivotal roles as integral components of the overall solution.
A user journey map was meticulously created to comprehensively understand pain points and areas requiring design attention. The user journey map below vividly captures the interactions of an average clothing shopper using the mobile application, with a specific focus on identifying key pain points. Through analyzing the user journey map, a key pain point was identified: the lack of physical clothing store options on the Hub page. Addressing this particular pain point will enhance the mobile app's user experience and increase overall satisfaction.
After conducting a thorough analysis of the user journey map, I made a significant enhancement to the Hub page, primarily by increasing the number of featured physical clothing stores. This valuable enhancement was then translated into a concrete feature and seamlessly integrated into the final prototype through the creation of preliminary sketches and wireframes. The primary objective of this enhancement was to address a specific pain point, particularly the lack of physical clothing store options that were identified during the user journey analysis.
Following the creation of preliminary sketches and wireframes, a conclusive decision was made to adopt a specific wireframe for the Hub page, which emerged as the optimal choice. This singular wireframe, before the design iterations, was the final prototype selection for the Hub page.
After the completion of the wireframing process, the user flow was carefully crafted to outline the sequential steps within the mobile application. This thorough process aimed to enhance the visual representation of the user's interaction and navigation journey, highlighting significant screens, actions, and decision points encountered along the way. By structuring the user flow, a comprehensive visualization was achieved, offering valuable insights into the overall user experience and facilitating a more streamlined and intuitive design.
During this phase, the main goal was to validate the user flow of the mobile application. To achieve this, a high-fidelity design was carefully developed to accurately depict the intended user flow.
Design iterations were thoughtfully executed to enhance specific elements of the mobile application, resulting in improved recognition and comprehension. Various design components were modified and adjusted, leading to a polished and visually pleasing final result that ensures the app's interface is intuitive and user-friendly.
The visual aesthetics of this Hub page are subpar and unappealing, primarily due to the absence of color elements, resulting in challenges in comprehension and effectively differentiating information.
The visual aesthetics of this Hub page have been successfully enhanced through the strategic incorporation of color elements and an intuitive design concept, resulting in a more appealing overall appearance. The revamp accentuates key elements and improves the Hub page's recognition.
After finalizing the high-fidelity design, the visual system was established, which directly contributed to enhancing the overall aesthetics and user experience of the mobile application.
Before finalizing this project, I conducted usability tests to evaluate the product's usability and user experience. Throughout these tests, I closely observed users as they interacted with the product and engaged in specific tasks, such as finding clothing items, navigating to the "My Shopping Cart" page, and exploring various clothing categories. My primary objective with these usability tests was to assess the effectiveness, efficiency, and overall satisfaction of the users' interaction with the product.
As a result of conducting thorough usability tests, the mobile application received favorable feedback. All participants demonstrated effortless navigation within the app, displaying a clear understanding of its buttons, and experienced smooth transitioning between different pages. The positive outcomes from the usability tests confirmed that the implemented design iterations had a significant impact on enhancing the overall user experience.
Designing this mobile application was a challenging process that demanded a lot of patience and hard work. I had to create many different screens for the app and pay close attention to every detail. Doing the same thing over and over again was tiring, and I realized the importance of taking care of myself and managing my time well. Making something that looks beautiful and appealing takes a lot of time and effort. In the future, I'll remember to balance my creativity with self-care to stay productive and healthy while working on design projects.