UX design

RESEARCH

OBJECTIVES

I started the research phase by defining research objectives to better understand the needs and challenges of artists and craftspeople. I focused in particular on 4 areas: wellbeing, development, networking, and platforms (online and offline).

IN-DEPTH INTERVIEWS

Based on the research objectives, I prepared about 50 interview questions which were later used in 10 in-depth interviews conducted by the whole project team. I conducted 2 interviews myself and participated in 3 others as an observer and note-taker. 

To recruit interviewees, I prepared the recruitment screener with characteristics and quotas that would ensure diversity and inclusion of the sample.

ANALYSIS

I ensured that all notes were taken in a standardised format, including a transcribed text of the interviews, to facilitate later aggregation of insights. I provided templates for affinity diagrams, which were used to analyse the interviews individually and across cases. This was the basis for creating thematic clusters, conducting rainbow analysis and ultimately defining the most common patterns. 

RESULTS

The research phase resulted in the formulation of conclusions and recommendations, and the creation of 2 personas that highlight the main needs and challenges of artists and craftspeople.

DEFINITION

CJM & VPC

To further explore the key needs and challenges of artists & craftspeople and begin to define solutions, I created the Customer Journey Map (CJM) and Value Proposition Canvas (VPC). 

Collected insights made it clear that there are 3 main needs of artists & craftspeople to address:

MVP

Therefore, our vision was to create a space where artists and craftspeople can promote and sell their work, learn from each other and foster community without feeling overwhelmed. Our mission was to provide a platform that promotes arts and crafts, solidifies the community and offers essential business knowledge. 

Above findings were the base for Minimum Viable Product (MVP) definition:

Some of the ideas were excluded from the MVP for future development, such as price comparison, product originality and quality verification, brand verification, event management, external announcement base. These features were more complex and some required real data collection.

COMPETITORS ANALYSIS

To better assess the market situation, I collected 30 inspirations from different platforms in the digital world. From these, I identified 2 direct and 20 indirect competitors of our product and 8 non-competitors. I then selected the top 5 inspirations and analysed their features in the context of our product.

MARKET POTENTIAL

I did some additional market research which showed that there is significant potential for arts and crafts related products:

• The global arts and crafts market size was valued at USD 43.4 billion in 2023 and is expected to grow at a CAGR of 8.96% from 2024-2030, when it will reach USD 79.2 billion (Verified Market Research)

• There were 2.71 billion online shoppers globally in 2024, this marks a 2.7% increase from 
the previous year (SellersCommerce)

• Mobile commerce was attributed to 60% of global eCommerce sales in 2023 (SellersCommerce)

PLATFORM

I chose the mobile application as the most suitable solution for the product due to the continuous increase in the use of mobile phones over desktop computers and tablets (Statcounter), the increasing market potential for mobile shopping, as well as various usability aspects of mobile phones, such as easy access, frequent use and high user engagement. 

USP

I identified the product's unique selling point (USP):

• It is a dedicated solution for artists and craftspeople, as opposed to the "do-it-all" tools currently on the market.

• It is a compilation of the most needed features that others may offer, but not in exactly the same combination.

KPIs

Finally, I defined key performance indicators (KPIs) to measure the success of the product:

MODELING

USER FLOW

To validate the MVP ideas and turn them into real designs, we identified 5 key user scenarios with the project team and looked at each in detail. I focused on the scenario where persona Helen is looking for a mentor. 

I created a flowchart that reflected each step of the mentor search. 

WIREFRAMES

I then drew paper wireframes to see how the process could be translated into a digital solution. 

PROTOTYPING

MID-FIDELITY PROTOTYPE

Following paper wireframes, I created an interactive mid-fidelity prototype in Figma for the mentor search user flow. The main screens of the flow were:

DESIGN KIT

I also created a component library based on the iOS Design Kit:

TESTING

SUMMARY

Given the available prototype, I defined the research objectives and prepared a test scenario with 2 use cases (1 for each persona). I created a recruitment screener to ensure a diverse distribution of participants. I conducted 2 moderated usability tests (out of 10) and collected notes and transcripts on a standardised observation sheet. All findings were later analysed, clustered and stored in the severity matrix to highlight: critical issues, major issues, minor issues, suggestions and positive feedback. The test results revealed 2 critical and 8 major issues, which we addressed as a first priority, and 11 minor issues, which we tackled as a second priority. 

ISSUES

In the process of finding a mentor, 2 minor problems have been identified:

OVERALL SCORE

There were also 3 suggestions and 31 positive insights about the app. The overall experience of using the app was positive - the final score on the System Usability Scale (SUS) was 77/100. Some of the testimonials:

FINAL PROTOTYPE

The final application consisted of the following user flows:

• Finding a mentor

• Creating educational content

• Searching for a tutorial

• Adding 
and selling a product

• Buying 
a product

With all the fixes in place, the application was ready for the next round of testing.

Project conducted within the framework of the UXD / Product Design postgraduate studies at SWPS University.