Through Innovate @ UCLA, I was selected as one of 45 students for the Young Tech Professionals Program. In this quarter long program, we used digital skills, such as the Design thinking framework, and professional skills like project management, to build an MVP and present it to industry professionals. Our project won the top award for Spring 2024, showcasing the intersection of business, social impact, and technology.
Role + tools
TIME
Responsibilites
TEAM
Lead UI/UX Designer
Figma, Mural
March - June 2024 (10 Weeks)
User Research, Prototyping, Usability Testing, Storyboarding
2 Product Managers, 2 Business Developers 2 UX/UI Designers,
Create a platform for users to shop secondhand while educating them on the implications of fast fashion
To shop sustainably without compromising the affordability and convenience that fast fashion offers
01. Research
Defining key words
To better understand the problem space, I defined some key words before I moved on in the process.
Environmental tracking
Track environmental impact —CO2 emissions, waste, water, and electricity saved from transactions
Nearby and local
Emphasize local buying and selling to reduce carbon emissions from long-distance shipping
Community marketplace
Connect mindful shoppers to buy and sell gently-used items, promoting a circular economy and reducing waste
Target users
Our primary focus was to keep the platforms cohesive, straightforward, and intuitive so that it would be easy for anyone to use.
Earliest adopters
Young adults that are sustainability conscious and interested in secondhand fashion
Practical
Older adults who value convenience and want to save money by purchasing high-quality, gently used items
Curious
Young adults who want to make an impact and need a place to start are eager to contribute to sustainability
User interviews
I was able to conduct 6 user interviews with people in each target audience group to better understand how their consumer habits influence their shopping decisions, preferences for sustainable practices, and the challenges they face in transitioning to more eco-friendly options.
"The quality of secondhand items is so unpredictable. Sometimes I get great pieces, but other times they are worn out or damaged"
- UCLA Student (20)
"I don't have time to browse all the clothing in thrift stores. It's overwhelming, and I leave empty-handed because I can't find what I need"
- Software Engineer (24)
"Many sellers on Depop mark up their prices too high. On top of that, the shipping fees often make it even more expensive"
- UCLA Student (21)
01
Users frequently encounter unpredictable item quality and have difficulty trusting seller descriptions
02
Many sellers mark up their prices excessively, making it hard to find affordable secondhand items
03
Users often lack the time to browse thrift stores, making the experience overwhelming and unproductive
04
Many users feel disheartened about sustainability, believing their individual efforts aren't making a significant impact
User personas
Based on the user interviews, I created 6 user personas to reference while I was designing. Shown are 2 personas depicting our target user but also a swing user.
Competitive analysis
Based on this competitive analysis, we discovered several gaps that our app aims to address, setting us apart from key players such as Depop, Poshmark, and Facebook Marketplace.
02. Ideation
Information hierarchy
Before moving onto drafting solutions, we created an information architecture to better understand the process of purchasing an article of clothing and the key features to include in each step.
During the onboarding process, I emphasized the importance of keeping it under 8 screens and ensuring each screen was skippable to maintain user interest.
Our meetup workflow emphasizes a streamlined process for setting up a meetup date directly from a listing.
Drafting solutions
Using the Crazy 8 design sprint method, I redesigned the landing and product listing pages to be user-friendly and tailored to individual preferences without overwhelming users with options.
PAIN POINT
Users frequently encounter unpredictable item quality and have difficulty trusting seller descriptions
Reviews and Meetups
Buyers can upload photos of their purchases to help future buyers compare with original listings.
Accessible reviews button summarizes key points from previous reviews for a quick overview
In person meetups for buyers to inspect the item before purshasing
PAIN POINT
Users are often too busy to browse thrift stores, making the experience overwhelming and unproductive.
Personalization and Booking
Users personalize their experience by selecting preferences like sizing, style, and color during onboarding
A meetup button allows users to input their availability for in-person meetups tailored to fit their schedule
An appointments page lets users view upcoming meetups and add them to their Google Calendar for easy scheduling.
PAIN POINT
Users feel disheartened about sustainability, believing their individual efforts aren't making a significant impact
Environmental impact tracking
Clear metrics like water saved, waste diverted, energy conserved, and CO2 reduced are shown on their profile.
Metrics are translated into relatable equivalents, such as showers or bags of garbage, reinforcing their contribution to sustainability and motivating continued eco-friendly practices.
Community impact is displayed, showing how many clothes have been given a new home.
03. Finalize
Usability testing
I was able to conduct some quick usability testing with 4 students - each student was asked to think out loud as they went through the prototype. Here was some of the main feedback, which was then applied into iterations:
"The icons felt too small on smaller devices and were hard to find on screens with lots of color behind them"
- UCLA Student (20)
"I like the focus on individual and community impact, but I couldn't tell the difference when looking at it"
- UCLA Student (21)
"I usually skip explanations about fast fashion and sustainability during onboarding because I don't find them important."
- UCLA Student (20)
More resources
When testing our wireframes, we discovered that many users felt our core mission to reduce fast fashion needed greater emphasis throughout the app.
Upon onboarding, users see a powerful statistic about fast fashion waste, immediately engaging them and highlighting our mission's urgency.
Landing page provides upfront resources, consistently reminding users of the importance of sustainable shopping, whether they dive deep or just skim.
Beneath each listing's price, the environmental contribution is displayed, showing how their purchase helps reduce waste and making their shopping experience more meaningful.
Visual details
To build familiarity with users, the buttons, tabs, icons, and colors follow market-standard design systems. I benchmarked these elements against leading companies like Calendly and Airbnb to ensure a user-friendly and intuitive experience.
Accessibility & Inclusivity
To ensure legibility across all screens, I set all font sizes to be at least 10px. Additionally, I prioritized copy inclusivity by using clear, accessible, and natural language.
For example, instead of technical jargon, I used phrases like: "When is [name] free?" to make the experience feel more intuitive and relatable, just like a real-life conversation.
Final Solution
User Journey: Onboarding
Upon onboarding, users are greeted with a sign-in and welcome screen, followed by the stark realities of fast fashion's impact.
Users can personalize preferences like size, style, and color, and rate listings to enhance recommendations and reduce search time.
Users can complete a product tour that highlights our calendar feature, a centralized hub for all meetup-related activities.
User Journey: Navigation Bar
Homepage offers personalized suggestions based on activity and location.
Search bar allows users to find specific items or refine search with filters.
Message center enables direct communication with sellers and offers an AI-powered shopping assistant
User profile page showcases personal and the community environmental impact, along with liked items
User Journey: Meetup Request Demo
Diving a little deeper into meetup requests. Emily (from our user personas) has a trip coming up and wants to find some new clothes. She still wants to: save money, be a conscious consumer, and save time.
Item is in great condition, within walking distance, and in her budget
Saved 25 watts of electricity by shopping sustainably.
Chooses a meetup spot that fits her schedule, is in a public place for safety, and does not compromise her other time commitments.
Final Thoughts
key Takeaways
Constraints
Room for improvement
Next steps
During the 10-week period, we primarily focused on enhancing the buyer journey. However, I would have liked to expand on the seller journey as well, recognizing that one user could take on both roles
Given the in-person user interactions, I recognize the need for more inclusive designs and a stronger emphasis on user safety. It’s crucial that we create an environment where all users feel secure and respected
Introduce clothing filters by age range to cater to diverse demographics. Display verification badges on profiles to indicate verified users, helping to build trust within the community.
key Learnings
Leave your ego at home!
Be proactive
I learned the importance of humility; understanding that my solutions is not always ideal and finding value in critiques from both designers and non-designers. I also found it helpful to be curious in understanding other projects and how other design teams operate.
One big learning was that there is no right answer when it comes to design; a lot of it falls under a gray area, and it comes down to making smart decisions based on different perspectives. Instead of constantly waiting for approval, I learned to be proactive and own my project.
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