Timeline
2 Weeks
My Role
UX / UI Designer
UX Team
Susan Choi
Dara Hartley
Caroline Morant
Challenge
Design a solution that will create a fun and safe space where anyone can embrace their identity, try new makeup techniques, and see different looks that fit their unique features.
Tools
Sketch | Invision | Zeplin | Craft | Keynote
Methods
Agile | Sprints | Scrum | Screener Surveys | User Interviews | Affinity Mapping | User Persona | Journey Mapping | User Flow | Feature Prioritization | Competitive & Comparative Analysis | Rapid Prototyping | Wireframes | Usability Testing | Iterative design & Testing | Storytelling | Presentation
The Problem
All kinds of people love to experiment and feel confident with makeup yet some people find experimenting and learning about makeup difficult because they are under-represented in the beauty industry as a whole.
Our user struggles to find inclusive sources of inspiration and easy to follow, step-by-step tutorials for applying make up.
How might we help our users to discover and experiment with makeup and new makeup techniques that specifically cater to their unique needs and facial features?
Our Approach
DEFINE
Define an opportunity of improvement for our user's problem.
RESEARCH
Gather data to validate the user's needs and pain points.
DESIGN
Designing and iterating for a solution.
Business Partnership
We believed that in order to accomplish our goal and create this product, having an incredible brand partner would ensure success. Sephora would be the ideal company partner for our application, as it would be a mutually beneficial collaboration. We’d be able to add value to Sephora’s business plan.
Some key factors involve: untapped consumer market, positive PR (brands like Rihanna’s Fenty and Asian YouTube makeup guru’s) are hugely successful and revered because they promote inclusivity and representation.
E-commerce is an extra revenue stream and can only be good for Sephora. Overall, we can both benefiting and growing from this partnership.
How will Sephora benefit?
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Untapped consumer market.
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Positive PR, good for brand reputation.
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Innovative AR tool.
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Additional e-commerce revenue stream.
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Potential UGC content.
How will WORQ benefit?
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Global consumer reach.
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Access to quality content.
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Access to makeup products.
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Funding for continued responsive web development.
Research
Market Research
In our research we saw many makeup apps that utilize augmented reality but on a surface level (to try on virtual makeup for taking a selfie) What we bring to the table is a clean and inclusive app with a very concise focus on confidence building and learning makeup skills that our user can apply for living in the real world, not in a virtual space. As you can see the coveted upper right corner of the competitive matrix (inclusive apps that focus on learning makeup skills) is empty. This is the space that the WORQ app would occupy.
User Research
We were able to understand the market more through our analysis and from there were were able to interview a wide range of users who were part of marginalized groups. We asked questions about their past and recent experiences with makeup and we gathered a lot of data. From there we were able to synthesized our data into 5 key insights.
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Key Insights
Feels empowered and confident with or without makeup.
Needs multiple visual learning points such as images or step-by-step tutorials.
Feels comfortable learning from people they can identify with and who have similar facial features.
Wants a simple and easy way of learning new makeup techniques.
Supports inclusive brands that are socially and culturally responsible and responsive.
The below personification of our users has helped us to synthesize our data from the user research and always keep them in mind when creating a design solution to our user’s needs and problems.
From our insights we created a persona to help us focus and inform every decision in our design process. We introduce to you Taylor.
Taylor struggles to find inclusive sources of inspiration and easy to follow, step-by-step tutorials for applying make up. After seeing Taylor’s struggles and frustrations, from her journey, the problem that we needed to solve became clear. Our team was able ideate and design solutions that would help Taylor's experience be more positive and enjoyable.
Inclusivity | Empowerment | Learning
Introducing the WORQ App
Research to Design
We set out to create a space where people who identify by all races, genders, and sexualities can explore and enjoy makeup on their terms, in a practical and comfortable way. In order to create our design features based on the data insights we collected, we went through paper prototyping, mid-fidelity wireframe design, mid-fi usability testing, hi-fidelity design mockup, and hi-fi usability testing.
Empowering Messages
Taylor feels empowered and confident whether they are wearing makeup or not. We built our app with delightful and empowering messages to support Taylor’s confidence and self-love.
Learning Community
Taylor feels comfortable learning about makeup with people they can identify with, whether it’s close friends and family or people who have similar skin tones and facial features. Our app includes look book categories and themes where Taylor can explore a bevy of diverse and inclusive makeup looks.
Visual Learning
Taylor is a visual learner. They learn makeup techniques in many different ways , from videos, images and step-by-step processes. The WORQ app includes multiple modes for learning.
Simple & Easy
Taylor prefers to learn from content that is simple and easy. The WORQ app contains step-by-step tutorials, augmented reality dotted lines that Taylor can easily follow along and trace on there own face as well as a clearly labeled bottom navigation tool bar when Taylor can easily access tools, step by step overview and tips.
Inclusivity Matters
Taylor wants to see themselves represented and values brands who are culturally responsible. Representation matters. We strived to make the app as inclusive and as diverse as possible from our choice of categories and models, down to our color scheme of royal purple in relation to the LGBTQ community.
Our app reaches all the Taylor’s of the world. Our content library provides that representation plus AR capabilities which allows all the Taylor’s to learn and build confidence in their own facial features and in their makeup abilities.
Conclusion
Our team used Google HEART framework to show how we arrived at the metrics we want to use in order to quantitatively evaluate the success of WORQ.
Next Steps
Next Steps
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E-commerce focus
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Marketing plan & product timeline
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Innovation - What’s next for AR? What’s next in general?