FitScout
This was my first capstone project (conceptual) while studying at Springboard.
FitScout is a content sharing platform that helps online apparel shoppers make smart purchasing decisions for themselves and the planet.
Role
Product Design, UX Research
Industry
Social Media
Platform
iOS
Tools
Figma
Why did I start this project?
In 2020, the COVID-19 pandemic caused a worldwide lockdown that significantly altered our lifestyles. Most of us were forced to stay at home, prompting us to turn to online shopping more than ever before. However, have you ever experienced the disappointment of receiving clothes that are the wrong size or poor quality after being excited about purchasing them online? I believe many people would answer yes.
Apparel is the top category for online purchases in the U.S., and Shopify's Industry Report reveals that apparel markets can have return rates of up to 50%. This made me question of whether online apparel shopping can be improved.
The Solution
A database of authentic customer reviews.
What does it look like?
This mobile app lets everyone share their apparel shopping experience and help each other make smart purchase decisions.
Define the Problem
Online apparel shoppers are always worried about sizing and product quality.
Problem Space
Numerous online merchants do not provide enough information regarding product sizing and measurements, leading to customers experiencing difficulties in selecting the right size. Additionally, customers are unable to assess product quality since they cannot test the clothing or feel the fabric.
This leads to two essential 'How Might We' questions:
💡 HMW help users estimate their sizes more accurately and efficiently?
💡 HMW minimize the differences between what users perceive from the product information and how the actual products look in reality?
How would I measure results?
Increase User Engagement
I would track the number of daily active users and the number of interactions (such as likes, shares and comments) per post. Increasing user engagement can indicate that the platform is providing valuable content and fostering a sense of community among its users.
Maintain a High Standard of Content Quality
Some useful metrics such as the average rating or feedback score of posts, as well as the number of reports or flags for inappropriate content. Maintaining a high standard of content quality can help ensure that FitScout remains a trustworthy and valuable source of information and entertainment for its users.
Conduct the UX Research
Female users have a higher market potential and value
For my secondary research, I started by conducting literature reviews and statistical analyses.
Findings provided insight into customer pain points during online apparel shopping. This helped me understand my target audience and define the target user: females have higher potential and value in online apparel purchases.
Here are the most valuable findings from secondary research:
Women tend to be more hesitant to purchase online because they have higher level of perceived risk for online shopping.
Compared to men, women are more concerned about the pricing, sizing and appearance.
Creating accurate virtual try-on technology is complex
I analyzed three similar digital products, conducted a SWOT analysis and heuristic evaluation, and identified market gaps where my product can excel. I found that while more and more products offer users the ability to measure themselves virtually, virtual try-on technology is still immature and challenging. Rather than focusing on virtual measurement technology, I decided to design a platform to assist customers in making purchase decisions through alternative means.
Strength
Most products enable users to either measure themselves virtually or manually enter their body measurements using their phones.
Weakness
Human bodies, different materials and styles also add to the complexity of creating accurate virtual try-on technology.
Opportunities
Potential partnerships with fashion retailers
Threats
Integration into existing e-commerce platforms or fashion brands' systems
Female customers are concerned about both sizing and quality
I extracted the key themes from my user interviews by using affinity mapping.
All participants were concerned about sizing and whether the actual products would look the same as the ones online.
Customers prefer researching reviews
Most participants also pointed out that they preferred checking out reviews and try-on photos from other customers to help them make better decisions.
The findings listed below helped me identify additional needs of my potential users and guided me during the brainstorming session to generate potential solutions.
Different sizing standards confuse users.
Product quality does not meet users’ expectation.
Research customer reviews with detailed information first
Approach the Problem
Prioritize values of each idea
After examining the user values and feasibility of all the brainstorm ideas displayed below, I decided to build a content sharing platform inspired by the comments I heard in my user interviews. This solution appears to be capable of resolving most of the issues I found among online shoppers, and it is also the most feasible in terms of user interface due to technical constraints.
Visualize ideal paths of search & post
Below is a simplified user flow that highlights the essential steps for searching and posting within the app. Creating a user flow helps me to focus on three important sections of mockups – the home screen, the search and post screens.
Get initial feedback on the IA
During the guerrilla usability testing for my sketches with 5 potential users, the biggest issue I noticed was that most participants were confused about the concept and structure of my app.
Improve the navigation and search flow
Based on the problems identified above, I worked towards addressing these issues by coming up with potential solutions:
Adding a search bar on the top to ensure users navigate to the search function more easily
Removing ‘Feed’ tab to create a clear information architecture
I created some basic wireframes to get feedback from my mentor on the app's layout and structure, establishing a standardized visual hierarchy and layout for high fidelity screens.
Validate high-fidelity designs
I conducted usability testing sessions with potential users to validate whether the new layout would solve their problems.
The usability sessions showed that users understood the app's concept better and found it easier to navigate and search.
However, there are still some noticeable issues related to the structure and layout of the content.
Iterate, iterate, iterate
Based on the user feedback of two rounds of usability testing, I refined my design by iterating and addressing major pain points through information architecture.
Changed the ‘Unboxing’ tab to ‘Following’: "Following" is a more intuitive term for users and is what they expect to see on a content-sharing platform. It also matches the content displayed under the corresponding tab.
Removed the ‘Sizing’ tab: to prevent interference when users are supposed to tap the search bar to look for relevant posts for sizing recommendation.
Place the button of ‘Add details’ on the top to let users spot it more easily
Develop High Fidelity Prototypes
Personalize user experience
Onboarding process allows new users to select their favorite styles and enter personal information. This will make them feel more invested in the platform and more connected to the community.
Identify relevant reviews easily
After collecting personal measurement information during the onboarding process, a filter will automatically sort search results to display posts relevant to the products users are interested in. This filter will identify posts that share similar body measurements and types with the user.
Users are also able to narrow down the search results by applying multiple filters.
Share & read real-life experience
Users can upload try-on photos and videos to show other users how products look and fit in real life. By reading reviewers' descriptions and viewing their images, they can also learn more about the product quality and materials.
Retrospective
Navigation
A clear and logical IA is necessary for easy navigation on a content sharing platform that consists of various forms of posts. By organizing content into categories and subcategories, users can quickly find the information they need and avoid frustration.
Content Discovery
To guide users to browse content they may not have found, it's important to provide high-level informational summary pages for each product and related posts, as there may be multiple variations and opinions about each product.
Scalability
As the amount of content on the platform grows, organizing and managing it becomes more challenging. A parent page can help ensure that new content is easily integrated into the existing structure.
What would I have done differently?
During usability testing of FitScout, participants expected some text fields to be pre-filled by the system. To address this, I should have used more anticipatory design by leveraging past users' choices to predict their future decisions, thereby improving the flow.
Next Steps
Develop the high-level product summary page.
Optimize the review process.
Create multiple versions of the post detail page.
Monetize the platform.
More projects
FitScout
This was my first capstone project (conceptual) while studying at Springboard.
FitScout is a content sharing platform that helps online apparel shoppers make smart purchasing decisions for themselves and the planet.
Role
Product Design, UX Research
Industry
Social Media
Platform
iOS
Tools
Figma
Why did I start this project?
In 2020, the COVID-19 pandemic caused a worldwide lockdown that significantly altered our lifestyles. Most of us were forced to stay at home, prompting us to turn to online shopping more than ever before. However, have you ever experienced the disappointment of receiving clothes that are the wrong size or poor quality after being excited about purchasing them online? I believe many people would answer yes.
Apparel is the top category for online purchases in the U.S., and Shopify's Industry Report reveals that apparel markets can have return rates of up to 50%. This made me question of whether online apparel shopping can be improved.
The Solution
A database of authentic customer reviews.
What does it look like?
This mobile app lets everyone share their apparel shopping experience and help each other make smart purchase decisions.
Define the Problem
Online apparel shoppers are always worried about sizing and product quality.
Problem Space
Numerous online merchants do not provide enough information regarding product sizing and measurements, leading to customers experiencing difficulties in selecting the right size. Additionally, customers are unable to assess product quality since they cannot test the clothing or feel the fabric.
This leads to two essential 'How Might We' questions:
💡 HMW help users estimate their sizes more accurately and efficiently?
💡 HMW minimize the differences between what users perceive from the product information and how the actual products look in reality?
How would I measure results?
User Engagement
I would track the number of daily active users and the number of interactions (such as likes, shares and comments) per post. Increasing user engagement can indicate that the platform is providing valuable content and fostering a sense of community among its users.
Content Quality
Some useful metrics such as the average rating or feedback score of posts, as well as the number of reports or flags for inappropriate content. Maintaining a high standard of content quality can help ensure that FitScout remains a trustworthy and valuable source of information and entertainment for its users.
Conduct the UX Research
Female users have a higher market potential and value
For my secondary research, I started by conducting literature reviews and statistical analyses.
Findings provided insight into customer pain points during online apparel shopping. This helped me understand my target audience and define the target user: females have higher potential and value in online apparel purchases.
Here are the most valuable findings from secondary research:
Women tend to be more hesitant to purchase online because they have higher level of perceived risk for online shopping.
Compared to men, women are more concerned about the pricing, sizing and appearance.
Creating accurate virtual try-on technology is complex
I analyzed three similar digital products, conducted a SWOT analysis and heuristic evaluation, and identified market gaps where my product can excel. I found that while more and more products offer users the ability to measure themselves virtually, virtual try-on technology is still immature and challenging. Rather than focusing on virtual measurement technology, I decided to design a platform to assist customers in making purchase decisions through alternative means.
Strength
Most products enable users to either measure themselves virtually or manually enter their body measurements using their phones.
Weakness
Human bodies, different materials and styles also add to the complexity of creating accurate virtual try-on technology.
Opportunities
Potential partnerships with fashion retailers
Threats
Integration into existing e-commerce platforms or fashion brands' systems
Female customers are concerned about both sizing and quality
I extracted the key themes from my user interviews by using affinity mapping.
All participants were concerned about sizing and whether the actual products would look the same as the ones online.
Customers prefer researching reviews
Most participants also pointed out that they preferred checking out reviews and try-on photos from other customers to help them make better decisions.
The findings listed below helped me identify additional needs of my potential users and guided me during the brainstorming session to generate potential solutions.
Different sizing standards confuse users.
Product quality does not meet users’ expectation.
Research customer reviews with detailed information first
Approach the Problem
Prioritize values of each idea
After examining the user values and feasibility of all the brainstorm ideas displayed below, I decided to build a content sharing platform inspired by the comments I heard in my user interviews. This solution appears to be capable of resolving most of the issues I found among online shoppers, and it is also the most feasible in terms of user interface due to technical constraints.
Visualize ideal paths of search & post
Below is a simplified user flow that highlights the essential steps for searching and posting within the app. Creating a user flow helps me to focus on three important sections of mockups – the home screen, the search and post screens.
Get initial feedback on the IA
During the guerrilla usability testing for my sketches with 5 potential users, the biggest issue I noticed was that most participants were confused about the concept and structure of my app.
Improve the navigation and search flow
Based on the problems identified above, I worked towards addressing these issues by coming up with potential solutions:
Adding a search bar on the top to ensure users navigate to the search function more easily
Removing ‘Feed’ tab to create a clear information architecture
I created some basic wireframes to get feedback from my mentor on the app's layout and structure, establishing a standardized visual hierarchy and layout for high fidelity screens.
Validate high-fidelity designs
I conducted usability testing sessions with potential users to validate whether the new layout would solve their problems.
The usability sessions showed that users understood the app's concept better and found it easier to navigate and search.
However, there are still some noticeable issues related to the structure and layout of the content.
Iterate, iterate, iterate
Based on the user feedback of two rounds of usability testing, I refined my design by iterating and addressing major pain points through information architecture.
Changed the ‘Unboxing’ tab to ‘Following’: "Following" is a more intuitive term for users and is what they expect to see on a content-sharing platform. It also matches the content displayed under the corresponding tab.
Removed the ‘Sizing’ tab: to prevent interference when users are supposed to tap the search bar to look for relevant posts for sizing recommendation.
Place the button of ‘Add details’ on the top to let users spot it more easily
Develop High Fidelity Prototypes
Personalize user experience
Onboarding process allows new users to select their favorite styles and enter personal information. This will make them feel more invested in the platform and more connected to the community.
Identify relevant reviews easily
After collecting personal measurement information during the onboarding process, a filter will automatically sort search results to display posts relevant to the products users are interested in. This filter will identify posts that share similar body measurements and types with the user.
Users are also able to narrow down the search results by applying multiple filters.
Share & read real-life experience
Users can upload try-on photos and videos to show other users how products look and fit in real life. By reading reviewers' descriptions and viewing their images, they can also learn more about the product quality and materials.
Retrospective
Navigation
A clear and logical IA is necessary for easy navigation on a content sharing platform that consists of various forms of posts. By organizing content into categories and subcategories, users can quickly find the information they need and avoid frustration.
Content Discovery
To guide users to browse content they may not have found, it's important to provide high-level informational summary pages for each product and related posts, as there may be multiple variations and opinions about each product.
Scalability
As the amount of content on the platform grows, organizing and managing it becomes more challenging. A parent page can help ensure that new content is easily integrated into the existing structure.
What would I have done differently?
During usability testing of FitScout, participants expected some text fields to be pre-filled by the system. To address this, I should have used more anticipatory design by leveraging past users' choices to predict their future decisions, thereby improving the flow.
Next Steps
Develop the high-level product summary page.
Optimize the review process.
Create multiple versions of the post detail page.
Monetize the platform.
More projects
FitScout
This was my first capstone project (conceptual) while studying at Springboard.
FitScout is a content sharing platform that helps online apparel shoppers make smart purchasing decisions for themselves and the planet.
Role
Product Design, UX Research
Industry
Social Media
Platform
iOS
Tools
Figma
Why did I start this project?
In 2020, the COVID-19 pandemic caused a worldwide lockdown that significantly altered our lifestyles. Most of us were forced to stay at home, prompting us to turn to online shopping more than ever before. However, have you ever experienced the disappointment of receiving clothes that are the wrong size or poor quality after being excited about purchasing them online? I believe many people would answer yes.
Apparel is the top category for online purchases in the U.S., and Shopify's Industry Report reveals that apparel markets can have return rates of up to 50%. This made me question of whether online apparel shopping can be improved.
The Solution
A database of authentic customer reviews.
What does it look like?
This mobile app lets everyone share their apparel shopping experience and help each other make smart purchase decisions.
Define the Problem
Online apparel shoppers are always worried about sizing and product quality.
Problem Space
Numerous online merchants do not provide enough information regarding product sizing and measurements, leading to customers experiencing difficulties in selecting the right size. Additionally, customers are unable to assess product quality since they cannot test the clothing or feel the fabric.
This leads to two essential 'How Might We' questions:
💡 HMW help users estimate their sizes more accurately and efficiently?
💡 HMW minimize the differences between what users perceive from the product information and how the actual products look in reality?
How would I measure results?
User Engagement
I would track the number of daily active users and the number of interactions (such as likes, shares and comments) per post. Increasing user engagement can indicate that the platform is providing valuable content and fostering a sense of community among its users.
Content Quality
Some useful metrics such as the average rating or feedback score of posts, as well as the number of reports or flags for inappropriate content. Maintaining a high standard of content quality can help ensure that FitScout remains a trustworthy and valuable source of information and entertainment for its users.
Conduct the UX Research
Female users have a higher market potential and value
For my secondary research, I started by conducting literature reviews and statistical analyses.
Findings provided insight into customer pain points during online apparel shopping. This helped me understand my target audience and define the target user: females have higher potential and value in online apparel purchases.
Here are the most valuable findings from secondary research:
Women tend to be more hesitant to purchase online because they have higher level of perceived risk for online shopping.
Compared to men, women are more concerned about the pricing, sizing and appearance.
Creating accurate virtual try-on technology is complex
I analyzed three similar digital products, conducted a SWOT analysis and heuristic evaluation, and identified market gaps where my product can excel. I found that while more and more products offer users the ability to measure themselves virtually, virtual try-on technology is still immature and challenging. Rather than focusing on virtual measurement technology, I decided to design a platform to assist customers in making purchase decisions through alternative means.
Strength
Most products enable users to either measure themselves virtually or manually enter their body measurements using their phones.
Weakness
Human bodies, different materials and styles also add to the complexity of creating accurate virtual try-on technology.
Opportunities
Potential partnerships with fashion retailers
Threats
Integration into existing e-commerce platforms or fashion brands' systems
Female customers are concerned about both sizing and quality
I extracted the key themes from my user interviews by using affinity mapping.
All participants were concerned about sizing and whether the actual products would look the same as the ones online.
Customers prefer researching reviews
Most participants also pointed out that they preferred checking out reviews and try-on photos from other customers to help them make better decisions.
The findings listed below helped me identify additional needs of my potential users and guided me during the brainstorming session to generate potential solutions.
Different sizing standards confuse users.
Product quality does not meet users’ expectation.
Research customer reviews with detailed information first
Approach the Problem
Prioritize values of each idea
After examining the user values and feasibility of all the brainstorm ideas displayed below, I decided to build a content sharing platform inspired by the comments I heard in my user interviews. This solution appears to be capable of resolving most of the issues I found among online shoppers, and it is also the most feasible in terms of user interface due to technical constraints.
Visualize ideal paths of search & post
Below is a simplified user flow that highlights the essential steps for searching and posting within the app. Creating a user flow helps me to focus on three important sections of mockups – the home screen, the search and post screens.
Get initial feedback on the IA
During the guerrilla usability testing for my sketches with 5 potential users, the biggest issue I noticed was that most participants were confused about the concept and structure of my app.
Improve the navigation and search flow
Based on the problems identified above, I worked towards addressing these issues by coming up with potential solutions:
Adding a search bar on the top to ensure users navigate to the search function more easily
Removing ‘Feed’ tab to create a clear information architecture
I created some basic wireframes to get feedback from my mentor on the app's layout and structure, establishing a standardized visual hierarchy and layout for high fidelity screens.
Validate high-fidelity designs
I conducted usability testing sessions with potential users to validate whether the new layout would solve their problems.
The usability sessions showed that users understood the app's concept better and found it easier to navigate and search.
However, there are still some noticeable issues related to the structure and layout of the content.
Iterate, iterate, iterate
Based on the user feedback of two rounds of usability testing, I refined my design by iterating and addressing major pain points through information architecture.
Changed the ‘Unboxing’ tab to ‘Following’: "Following" is a more intuitive term for users and is what they expect to see on a content-sharing platform. It also matches the content displayed under the corresponding tab.
Removed the ‘Sizing’ tab: to prevent interference when users are supposed to tap the search bar to look for relevant posts for sizing recommendation.
Place the button of ‘Add details’ on the top to let users spot it more easily
Develop High Fidelity Prototypes
Personalize user experience
Onboarding process allows new users to select their favorite styles and enter personal information. This will make them feel more invested in the platform and more connected to the community.
Identify relevant reviews easily
After collecting personal measurement information during the onboarding process, a filter will automatically sort search results to display posts relevant to the products users are interested in. This filter will identify posts that share similar body measurements and types with the user.
Users are also able to narrow down the search results by applying multiple filters.
Share & read real-life experience
Users can upload try-on photos and videos to show other users how products look and fit in real life. By reading reviewers' descriptions and viewing their images, they can also learn more about the product quality and materials.
Retrospective
Navigation
A clear and logical IA is necessary for easy navigation on a content sharing platform that consists of various forms of posts. By organizing content into categories and subcategories, users can quickly find the information they need and avoid frustration.
Content Discovery
To guide users to browse content they may not have found, it's important to provide high-level informational summary pages for each product and related posts, as there may be multiple variations and opinions about each product.
Scalability
As the amount of content on the platform grows, organizing and managing it becomes more challenging. A parent page can help ensure that new content is easily integrated into the existing structure.
What would I have done differently?
During usability testing of FitScout, participants expected some text fields to be pre-filled by the system. To address this, I should have used more anticipatory design by leveraging past users' choices to predict their future decisions, thereby improving the flow.
Next Steps
Develop the high-level product summary page.
Optimize the review process.
Create multiple versions of the post detail page.
Monetize the platform.