Virtual Hairality: Project Summary

Personal UX concept project | 2 Weeks | Individual

The below case study showcases a summary of the project. To read my full UX process please click here.

Research Methods + Deliverables

• Competitor research, user interviews, persona, problem statement

• Ideation, storyboard, app map

• Usability testing, low fidelity wireflow, mid fidelity prototype and a colour palette.

The objective of the project

To create a digital solution that will minimise customer dissatisfaction at hair salons over the course of 6 months initially, and help salons increase customer retention rate over a year period.

The problem hair salons currently face

Hair salons, like other companies offering such services, face the struggle of customers getting a haircut but never coming back due to dissatisfaction. Reports indicate that 96% of unhappy clients don’t complain when they are dissatisfied with a haircut, and 91% of these customers leave and never return. Although research shows that high prices are a strong factor for dissatisfaction, it’s an element beyond my control, so therefore this project will focus on other factors.

I arrived at a solution to the problem through competitor analysis and user interviews which informed the ideation stage, and therefore the end design

The solution was a tablet app which creates a 3D visual of the customer’s head and current hairstyle to see the haircut from all angles at the salon. It will be used primarily by the hairdresser to create the style using in-app tools, based on their initial understanding of what the customer wants. It can also be used by the customer should they wish to. The tablet will be integrated into the wall of hairdressing salons and attached by a cable so the hairdresser can map their customer’s head while the customer is sitting on the chair. This takes inclusive design into account for those customers who are less able to move.

What makes the app unique?

It will be used primarily by the hairdresser and not the customer, with advanced hair cutting functions for the customer to visualise what their haircut will look like before it’s cut. It supports the ability for the customer to converse with the hairdresser through the use of the app to create a satisfying experience.

Assumptions

I assume that there is technology available which can map the customer’s head and will support the in-app functions.

Building the mid-fidelity prototype and conducting usability tests enabled me to understand the complexity for a new user

I created the mid-fidelity prototype using Sketch and Marvel. I carried out the test virtually with three of the original interviewees, including the hairdresser. It was important for me to watch them talk through their process through a video call while they conducted each task, and to speak out loud. This gave me the opportunity to see their facial reactions while navigating through the app to spot any difficulties. I made it clear in the usability tests to focus on the functionality and not the colours.

Conclusion

This solo concept project was incredibly rewarding. The Interaction Design Foundation’s online user experience course provided me with strong fundamentals and concepts to propel my thinking and help me critically analyse my design decisions with the user in mind.

The next phase of the build would be to develop this app further by conducting more usability tests with hairdressers and customers, eventually building the hi-fidelity app and launching it! After this, the success would primarily be measured by customer retention rate over several months and satisfaction surveys.

Learnings + Roadblocks

I faced a lot of challenges during the process - one of which was securing time from interviewees (who have very busy schedules and are sometimes impossible to get hold of!) and improvising with the time and tools I had available. Secondly, the actual app build lead to a few roadblocks - creating an app that was as intuitive to use as possible but still including crucial features, of which there were many. This became evident while creating the app map, however I managed to add most of the considerations by the final version.

As I started building the mid-fidelity prototype in Sketch, I discovered a large handful of missing functions which were fundamental to the usability. I started incorporating them in as I went along, but in hindsight it was paramount to test low fidelity versions with users to save time and money. I also had difficulty in visually representing the camera functions while creating the prototype as I needed to show the different head angles. I overcame this by discovering a 3D model head which I used as a placeholder in the app instead of a blurry grey screen.