THE PROJECT
This project was created as part of my UX/UI course at Coursera by the California Institute of the Arts. I created this project from inception to final design, through research, ideation and UX design principles.
Duration: 4 weeks
Methods: surveys, interviews, card sorting, affinity mapping, wireframes, prototyping.
Tools: Figma.
PROBLEM
Since moving to Australia, I've been amazed by the amount of furniture that ends up on the sidewalks, waiting to be picked up by the council or other neighbours. Unfortunately, many of these pieces deteriorate due to exposure to the weather, as they are often not suitable for outdoor use, let alone for several days.
​
In a time when home trends constantly evolve, some people purchase furniture for short-term use. Many of these items are of exceptional quality and have the potential to last for generations.
​
To address this issue, I have created an app that connects people with similar interests, allowing them to acquire these items before they start deteriorating. Additionally, the app provides users with ideas and inspiration to reinvent, reimagine, repurpose, and transform preloved pieces of furniture rather than purchasing new ones.
​
By doing so, we can save money, reduce consumerism, protect the environment, and enhance people's creativity.
PROCESS
1
Research
Research
Research
2
Define
3
Ideate
Ideate
4
4
Prototype
5
Iterate
RESEARCH
COMPETITOR ANALYSES
To have a better understanding of the competitive landscape, I analyzed three of the leading apps for buying second hand furniture. My findings revealed that although all three apps offered effective tools, none of them included a feature for offering creative ideas and inspiration for refurbishing these items.
SURVEYS AND INTERVIEWS
Following the completion of competitive analyses, I conducted a survey to 25 people to understand their needs and behaviors, and find the pain points. Furthermore, I engaged with 5 people from work to do face-to-face interviews. This allowed me to receive valuable feedback in the process.
​
​
KEY FINDINGS AND INSIGHTS
The surveys and interviews helped me understand the needs and preferences of my users. From these interactions, I gleaned some key findings that helped shape my project.
Considering that most people are willing to pick second hand furniture, I believe a tool that connects them with other people would be very helpful. Most people I interviewed are interested in recycling and creating things on their own.
As this application makes it easier for people to obtain these items, it will save them from having to go through the trouble of looking for them on their own. Providing this solution will save them time and effort. Obtaining the items in a simpler way reduces the steps and will encourage people to create and design in their own style.
All in all, I believe they will benefit from a mobile app that offers multiple resources for remodeling furniture and at the same time connects people with same interests.
DEFINE
The insights I gathered during my research helped me develop three user personas.
Kate
Age: 16
Occupation: Student
Status: Single
"I want to design my bedroom with my personal style".
Creative. Friendly. Explorer
Kate is a 16 year-old a student, who is very creative and is willing to study interior design at Uni. She wants to design her own room with a vintage look, aiming to distinguish herself from her twin sister. She is discovering her own style.
Kate is not working yet, so she needs to design her room with little to no money.
Goals and interests.
- Find furniture and items for free.
- Needs ideas for redesigning her bedroom.
- Find free furniture in her area as she doesn't want to go too far.
Pain points and concerns
- Furniture and items she likes are very expensive.
- Some apps for buying are not trustworthy and is worried about getting scammed.
- Lack of offer in vintage style items.
Scott
Age: 43
Occupation: Carpenter
Status: Married
"I love creating my own things for the farm, and teach my kids how to do it".
Hardworking. Eco-conscious. Devoted.
Scott is a carpenter that lives on a farm with his wife and kids. He is very handy and is constantly finding ways on how to make their home look better, by fixing and creating new things.
Goals and interests.
- Reduce furniture waste.
- Repair items instead of getting rid of them.
- Find a way to donate items he no longer needs as he has too many.
Pain points and concerns
- People leave furniture on streets and council doesn't pick them up for weeks.
- People don't know how to recycle.
- Worried about consumerism in the society.
Claire
Age: 35
Occupation: Part-time accountant
Status: Single
"I want to create a beautiful nursery for my little one".
Economical. Caring. Socially conscious.
Claire is pregnant, and works part time. Claire is on a budget and is trying to get her home ready for her new baby, but doesn't want to start buying all those things needed for the nursery room. She's very creative, and is not willing to spend much money, so she has been collecting plenty of things from her parents house to upcycle.
Goals and interests.
- Upcycle furniture she got from her parents.
- Furnish her child's room.
- Needs ideas and tips on how to work on certain materials.
- Wants a way to express her creativity while she still has some free time.
Pain points and concerns
- Furnishing a room can be very expensive, considering all the new things she already bought.
- Some tutorials can be overwhelming.
- Parents get rid of things after their kids used them just once, and believes they can last longer.
SITEMAP
I conducted card sorting and affinity maps to organize and understand users’ needs. The following sitemap shows how the app would be organized and displayed, according to the information I gathered with the research.
IDEATE
LOW FIDELITY WIREFRAMES
Prioritizing simplicity and user-friendliness as the main objectives for FurniFinder, I minimized the number of screens to highlight the main functions of the app. I crafted some low-fidelity wireframes, trying to make it as intuitive as possible.
TEST
USABILITY TESTS
​
I conducted usability tests to see how the users interacted with the app. I observed if users understood how to use the app and if they were able to complete the functions such as logging in, searching and posting items, and sending a message to other people.
Thanks to the usability tests I was able to identify and solve a few issues.
Issues
- Users wanted more filters when looking for an item
- Add more videos and inspiration as they didn’t know where to start from
- Users mentioned they would also want updates on auctions
- Suggested to add the option of whether items can be picked up from homes or footpaths.
- In “condition” users need specific info if it needs basic repairing, or a big repair.
- Add the option of available or pending
- Change typefont for clickable texts
ITERATE
DESIGN CHANGES
I made some changes based on the user feedback and reached out to fellow designers for their opinions. As a result, I developed an updated high-fidelity version of the app, built upon the suggestions received.
Although I liked the idea of the logo I had in mind, I opted for something more simple. I also wanted it to be colourful, and I chose green and purple as a good combination for a creative app.
The things I added are: more filters when searching for an item; the option of whether items can be picked up from other people’s homes or from a specific location in a footpath; whether the items are “available”, “pending” or “unavailable”, so users don’t go all the way to the place and items might not be available any more.
FINAL PRODUCT
Following various tests and iteration, I designed my final product aligned with all the objectives I had set in place. It includes 4 main functions for users to utilize, while maintaining an attractive visual design and user-friendly interface.
