Case Study 1

Towardrobe.io 

  mindful clothing consumption in a warming world

Towardrobe.io was a tool aimed at helping people get more value out of their clothing and be more mindful of their textile consumption habits.

Client
Towardrobe.io

Year
07/17/2020

Users/Audience
women between the ages of 24-45 who use a mobile device daily.

Role
UX/UI Designer

Responsibilities
Research/Synthesis - Ideation - Wireframing - Usability Studies - Hi/LoFi Mockups and Prototypes - Animations

Research and Ideation

I explored the problem space by conducting interviews with subjects from the target demographic. Using the research results, I created personas and distilled insights via empathy/affinity maps to lead design decisions.

Red Routes, User Stories, User Flows

Using the insights gleaned, ideas began to take shape. User stories and flows turned into features such as the price-per-wear tracker and the visual closet. Paper sketches turned into digital wireframes. I identified red routes, created a simple prototype, and prepared for a round of usability testing.

Paper Sketch and Digital Wireframe

Visual Development

I drew inspiration from websites, blogs, and clothing brands. The brand personality was mean to be smart, playful, refined, positive, and encouraging. I chose colors that I felt invoked feelings of calmness, positivity, warmth, and poise.

High Fidelity Mockups & Prototype

In my mockups, I used iconography that was simple and easy to understand as well as subtle imagery in the closet that exemplified a well-organized wardrobe.

I experimented with different animations while creating the prototype.

I held onto some examples of what using the floating action button looked like.

Refining Usability

The low-fidelity usability study helped us add new features. The second round of usability studies helped us refine them.

I changed the options in the outfit builder from vague labels such as “Camera” and “Camera Roll” to more action oriented labels like “Choose Photo” and “Take a Photo”.

This ended up being useful for users for whom English was not a first language as well! A win-win.

Learnings and Outcomes

From the extensive conversations and interviews I conducted during my research, I learned that people want to change their habits to help shift the trajectory of overconsumption in our global community. The features of Towardrobe.io helped users plainly illustrate the value of the clothing in their closets.

Possible next steps included:

  • A social media aspect that allows users to buy/trade/sell clothing items second hand

  • Ability to share virtual outfits to collect feedback and help hone in on personal style