Role
UX Research, Interaction, Visual design, Prototyping & Testing
Date
2023
Tool
Figma, Figjam, Notion, Adobe Photoshop
Overview
SmartDrip represents a fusion of style and technology, redefining the way individuals interact with their wardrobes. This case study explores the development of SmartDrip, an innovative mobile app that offers more than just wardrobe organization – it personalizes the fashion experience through intelligent technology.
Problem
Many individuals struggle with overwhelming wardrobe choices, underutilization of clothing, difficulty in keeping up with fashion trends, and a lack of personalized fashion guidance
Solution
SmartDrip revolutionizes wardrobe management by offering intelligent organization, personalized outfit suggestions based on AI analysis, trend updates, and an interactive social platform, transforming the experience of personal style management into an efficient, enjoyable, and tailored journey.
Research: Understanding the Modern Wardrobe Paradox
A revealing study by Fashion United uncovers a surprising aspect of our wardrobes: a significant number of people use less than half of the clothing they own. Reasons range from clothes received as gifts that don’t fit personal styles, to items bought as hopeful future wears, to impulse purchases. This insight by the Fashion United Study highlights a key area SmartDrip aims to address: optimizing wardrobe usage to ensure every item is valued and worn.
courtesy of Movinga
Nearly 61% of Americans often struggle to find something suitable to wear despite owning a full closet. This data by Trunk Club points to a common disconnect between owning clothes and effectively utilizing them, emphasizing the need for a solution like SmartDrip to simplify daily outfit selections.
Immersion into the World of Fashion
Embarking on an exploratory journey, I immersed myself within the digital environments of leading wardrobe management platforms: Smart Closet - Your Stylist, GetWardrobe Outfit Planner, Whering: Digital Wardrobe, and Acloset: AI Fashion Assistant.
Through active participation and observation, I navigated each platform’s offerings, from interface design to feature sets, to unravel the user experience nuances. This hands-on exploration provided me with valuable insights into what these platforms excel at and where they falter, laying a foundational understanding of the digital wardrobe management landscape.
Competitive Analysis of Leading Closet Management Apps
We undertook an in-depth analysis of customer feedback and reviews of today's fashion-forward apps, Smart Closet, Acloset, and Whering to gain insights into their strengths, areas of improvement, and overall user experience.
This table presents a streamlined, breakdown of these apps in terms of their strengths, drawbacks, and neutral aspects. Such a comparative structure is immensely useful when assessing platforms side by side, highlighting where each shines and where they might fall short.
Key Findings
User Experience and Usability:
After conducting a comprehensive analysis of digital wardrobe management apps, the following key findings emerged:
Acloset and Smart Closet are highly rated for their intuitive interfaces and smooth operation.
Whering is commended for its unique organizational tools, though users report crashes and upload issues.
The demand for more customizable user experiences, including improved search functions and background editing tools.
Market Positioning and Unique Features:
Carving the Niche: Standout Features in Wardrobe Apps
Each app's unique selling point resonates differently with users: Acloset for usability, Smart Closet for its interface, and Whering for its pricing model and extensive tools.
The pricing structure is a significant consideration for users, with clear preferences for straightforward and value-for-money options.
Users' suggestions for customization hint at opportunities for apps to differentiate themselves further in a saturated market.
Syncing Style with Technology: Integration and Performance
Users value integration with e-commerce platforms, pointing to the importance of a seamless transition from wardrobe management to shopping.
Technical stability is a shared concern, with a strong call for addressing app crashes and ensuring reliable performance.
Feedback indicates a need for ongoing app updates that reflect users' evolving needs.
Seeking Opportunities To Innovate
Preliminary Ideation To Prepare The
Design Solution
The design solution started off with a simple site map showing how the user navigates through the application. This will help me in understanding ways users can interact with the product, as well as creating navigations that will help the user’s achieve their goals.
Preparing the Journey
Seamless user journey within the app as we delve into how this intuitive digital wardrobe simplifies wardrobe organization delivers personalized outfit suggestions, and keeps users effortlessly stylish.
Wireframes from Insights
Seamless Onboarding Experience
In order to customise the app experience to each user, some personal info were collected that will inform and help create personalised experience
Wardrobe (Empty State)
Adding clothes to digital wardrobe
Social Feed (share your style and engage with others)
Social Shop (Find clothing from fashion brands and stores)
Schedule outfit before hand (#OOTD)
Prototype
Measuring Success
Although this is not an app currently in the market, there are still KPI’s in which I could set to measure the success of the app:
Number of downloads, reviews, and ratings.
No of post creations.
Time spent on the app
Monthly active users (MAU)User satisfaction
These metrics can indicate how the app is being used if there is value, and whether this app is successful.
Conclusion
This has been an interesting project so far. It allowed me to learn about the wardrobe and fashion industry and why it is so popular in different parts of the world, from remote villages in West Africa to developed places like New York, US.
This is the first time I got to learn so much about the fashion industry and styling of clothes. I may consider being a fashion model as a hobby if I conquer my fears.
