INTRODUCTION
THE PROBLEM
why is it so hard to get dressed everyday?
When it comes to finding the right outfit for an occasion, avoiding outfit repetition, or making more sustainable fashion choices, managing a closet can become overwhelming. I wanted to create a solution that would help users take full control of their wardrobes and make more conscious fashion decisions.
Many people feel as though they have "nothing to wear", even though their closets are filled with clothes. Feeling overwhelmed, users tend to rely on the same few pieces, leaving other items forgotten or unworn, creating frustration and decision fatigue, especially when they just want to feel confident in their outfits .
THE SOLUTION
ensemble is a wardrobe-tracking app that allows users organize their wardrobe, plan outfits efficiently, and track how often they wear each item.
The app provides users with tools so that they can become more conscious about the clothes in their wardrobe and that they can make clothing decisions with more confidence.
BACKGROUND
RESEARCH
why do people struggle with picking outfits in the first place?
We started by conducting one-on-one interviews with 5 users about their wardrobe experiences and clothing habits. These conversations revealed several common challenges:
OVERWHELMING OPTIONS
Users felt like they had too many clothes which made it overwhelming to decide what to wear on a daily basis.
OUTFIT REPETITION
Users tended to wear the same clothes repeatedly, often forgetting about
their other clothes.
GUILT OVER UNUSED ITEMS
Users often felt guilty about purchasing items that they rarely wore, so they find it difficult to get rid of unused items.
Through our research, we discovered that documentation is essential for users looking to improve their style. By keeping a visual and organized record of their wardrobe, users can see their outfits over time, identify patterns, and make more mindful decisions about their fashion choices. Documenting outfits, wear frequency, and styling combinations gives users a clearer sense of what works, what doesn’t, and where there are gaps in their wardrobe. This process not only helps users stay organized but also encourages them to experiment with new looks and elevate their personal style. These findings led us to develop an app that would help users document their outfits quickly and efficiently.
IDEATION +
DESIGN
USER FLOWS
it’s time to focus on the user’s journey.
We mapped out a user flow that highlights the key steps users will take while using it. Our goal was to keep things simple and intuitive, so users can easily navigate through the app and get things done without feeling overwhelmed. Here’s a quick look at the user flow:
WIREFRAMES
let’s start designing!
After establishing the user flow, we created low-fidelity wireframes to visualize the app’s layout and structure. These allowed us to quickly iterate on designs and gather user feedback, ensuring we focused on usability before moving to high-fidelity designs.
USABILITY TESTING
how does ensemble work in the real world?
We conducted sessions with real users to observe how they interacted with the app's features and identify any pain points. This allowed us to gather valuable feedback on the user experience, helping us understand what worked well and what needed improvement.
While the users were able to navigate through the flows with ease, we realized that one of the flows (adding clothes) was very repetitive and tiring after multiple repetitions. We adjusted the flow to be more concise and allow users to add more information later at their own pace.
FINAL DESIGNS
ENSEMBLE
presenting ensemble!
By tracking the clothes in one's wardrobe, people can become more aware of the clothes they are (and aren't) wearing. This way, they can spend less money shopping for new clothes and more time being creative with their existing clothes.
TAKEAWAYS
NEXT STEPS
where can we go from here?
Working on this project has helped me understand the importance of user testing. It is important that we are not accidentally creating more problems for the user and that the overall experience should be beneficial to the user.
A potential next step is to introduce a social aspect to Ensemble. Imagine being able to ask friends or strangers to create outfits using your clothes or snooping through your fashionable friend's closet to get inspiration!