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Revamp in Style - Beauty
on the go!
OVERVIEW
Following Style Studio Inc.’s acquisition of the Mountain View salon, opportunities were presented for the improvement of the current day-to-day practices for customers, specialists, and management alike.
This case study was conducted to thoroughly understand the variety of user experience issues in the current workflow of Style Studio’s Mountain View salon, and in turn, address these issues through developing a digital product aimed at smoothening the experience of all stakeholders.
ROLES
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UX Research
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Interface Design
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Prototyping
TEAM
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Self-led
TIMELINE
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August 2023 - Present (Ongoing)
BACKGROUND
The two-decade-old Mountain View salon encountered operational constraints, preventing the previous owner from modernizing the business's systems to align with current technological and internet standards.
Despite the contentment of the specialist roster with the existing system, it was found that the current process was inefficient and outdated for clientele and scheduling. This inefficiency obstructs the pathway for business growth and service prospects, calling for a comprehensive reevaluation.
USER RESEARCH
Initial research focused on cosmetology specialists and working adults as prospective customers, revealing challenges in accommodating walk-ins and inquiries due to time and management constraints; achieved through personas and empathy maps.
"I'd love to accept new clients if only managing my own schedule wasn't consuming too much of my time and energy."
"Scheduling appointments take too much effort -- calling, waiting for someone to answer, inquiring about timeslots and services...I wish there was an easier way"
USER PROBLEM
Recurring pain points centered on time constraints, scheduling challenges, management issues, and information-related hurdles. These include:
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Limited client accessibility to salon contact and service information
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Substantial time and effort invested by clients and specialists in calls or contact inquiries
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Specialists' challenges in self-managing schedules
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Limitations in management and accessibility of the salon’s overall schedule.
Current User flows
Style Studio Specialist
Style Studio Client (Prospective & Regular)
DESIGN SOLUTION
To address these key issues that hinder or unnecessarily complicate the workflow of stakeholders, I designed a dedicated mobile app. This platform would help streamline daily user flows by significantly reducing steps and efficiently managing salon resources and appointments.
Due to resource and time constraints, the case study is divided into two phases:
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Phase I - Client version and:
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Phase II - Admin version
Target User flows
via Style Studio App
Style Studio Specialist
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Style Studio Client
PHASE I
IDEATION
The main objective of Phase I was to establish a user-friendly platform for clients, providing easy access to salon information, including contacts, services, and specialist details, coupled with an improved booking process compared to traditional phone-based exchanges.
To inform the design process, I conducted competitive audits to analyze trends and effective features utilized by both direct and indirect competitors. Following this, an ideation session was conducted to identify and prioritize essential features for inclusion in the app.
Feature Ideation Notes
WIREFRAMES
In response to the increased presence and widespread use of online booking and service apps, particularly influenced by the COVID-19 pandemic, the UX principle of Consistency was strategically applied. This involved drawing inspiration from and implementing established product structures and features found in mainstream apps, including DoorDash, Uber, GrubHub, and others.
Paper Wireframes
Digital Wireframes
Before
After
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UI DESIGN
I tailored a design system to harmonize with Style Studio Inc.'s branding and visual standards. The UI design reflects the identity of the brand, embodying a sleek and minimalistic style that is portrayed through the use of the brand's signature colors: black, white, and a muted ruby pink; all while ensuring WCAG compliance.
Mockups
TESTING, DATA COLLECTION, & ITERATION
Points for improvement and revisions were identified through usability tests, AB testing, and interviews. Insights from testing informed iterative refinement. Key performance indicators (KPIs) included time on task, error rates, and conversion rates.
Data Organization
Remote usability studies revealed Version A's outperformance, with a 29.24% improvement in time on task and a 28.57% reduction in error rates.
Ver. A
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Ver. B
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Positive feedback included aesthetic cohesiveness, layout and process simplicity, intuitive navigation, and convenient structuring.
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Areas of improvement included the calendar's color contrast and specialist tab placement.
Iterations
COHERENT ONBOARDING
Seamless onboarding with a 2-step sign-up process for new users.
A navigation tutorial was integrated to serve as an initial guide for newcomers on the app's layout and different pages.
FUNCTIONAL LAYOUT
Established a simple yet efficient layout for the app's multiple tabs and pages. The homepage's easy-access menu, combined with the navigation bar's conventional page access, ensures users experience smooth navigation throughout the app
EFFICIENT BOOKING
The 3-step booking process for services and specialists of Style Studio. Users now seamlessly choose their desired service or specialist, configure settings, and navigate through intuitive pages, streamlining the process for a minimal yet functional experience.
MOVING FORWARD
I am extremely proud of the work I've accomplished on this case study. I'm elated at the thought of my vision coming to life and being able to assist with the day-to-day workflows of all stakeholders at the salon.
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Though the journey proved to be fruitful by equipping me with new skills and processes, there were points for improvement with the approach used. Moving forward, I will ensure to include a more diverse set of users for usability testing, and I have come to find that in-person usability tests may prove to help gather more accurate data, which were hindered due to time and resource constraints.
I also had to reconstruct my approach to designing for user needs such as the mindset of "less is more" that applies to site mapping and design navigation (such as the existence of multiple access points); all of which will be implemented in the next phase of this case study.
PHASE II
IDEATION
The primary goal of Phase II was to create an intuitive platform catering to specialists and management, facilitating seamless access to salon schedules and enhancing the booking management process beyond traditional methods used.
The design process was informed by insights derived from the initial research conducted with the specialists' group. A list of desired features was compiled to effectively address pain points identified among users, formed alongside Phase I's ideation notes.
Feature Ideation Notes
