Slow Fashion: Clothing a Better World

An app designed to minimize users’ climate footprint in regards to their clothing choices.

Time Frame: Spring Semester 2023 (16 weeks)
Skills: 
- User Research
- UI/UX Design
- Graphic Design
- Design Critique
Tools: Figma, Mural, Slack, & Canva

Each week we were exposed to a new, common design method or process. As individuals we then applied these design methodologies to our chosen topic. Concepts covered include sketching, brainstorming, visual research, Interviewing, field research, moodboards, brand books, co-designing, mind mapping, and concept presentations. We would give and receive feedback with our classmates, a group of about a dozen students, and apply advice from our professor as well.

Successes
1. Sustainability takes a holistic approach to production and logistics to minimize environmental impact. x
2. Sustainability reduces pollution, causes fewer greenhouse gas emissions, conserves resources, wastes less, and preserves wildlife to have a positive societal impact. x
3. Governments across the world are enacting laws in order to stop the spread of climate change through sustainable actions. x

Failures
1. Companies actively participate in greenwashing: giving the false impression that they practice sustainably by using mislead or outright false information. x
2. Misinformation is stopping sustainability efforts such as renewable energy. x
3. Corporations and companies that profit off of poor sustainability efforts and loose regulations actively lobby against sustainability efforts and win. x

User Interviews

Three people were chosen forinterviews that included questions such as context-setting, backgrounds, and high-level thoughts. 
 Insights:
- 2/3 of interviewees focused their sustainability practices to clothing and fashion.
- Interviewees felt like they have a role to take in sustainability, but felt disempowered by the current state of the movement.
- Sustainability has issues with affordability. 

Problem Statement

The 4W’s method was made to formalize a statement.

Mindmapping

Collaborative Storyboarding

Wireframing

Crude Prototype & User Testing

This was my first time creating a Figma prototype, so my time was spent understanding designing and functionality. Pressed for time, my goal was for users to be able to see what the content of the app will be and how it will be organized. 

Insights:
- Users were able to understand what the content of the app would look like and felt it important and useful in our current climate.
- Design for better directional navigation especially with the bottom app bar.
- Incorporate and fine-tune details so that the brand goals stand out much more by going more in depth on each of the brand’s features.

Reflections
Working in Figma

I was able to learn a lot about Figma and prototyping with it for a turnaround of ~2 weeks! Some design elementst hat could have been incorporated were back buttons and scrolling as these were things users looked for. 
 

Additional Research & Elements

The users I designed for appreciated the app design as well as the approach I took with their problem. An emphassi on market competition and consumer anaylsis would be helpful in setting itself apart and being viable in the long terms. An additional element that could would be in line with the app would be the inclusion of a forum that allows users to connect over sustainable fashion. 

Giving & Receiving Feedback in Design

Providing constructive critique was critical to the progress me and my classmates made each week. Methods like the “I like, I wish, I wonder” and “Name something you would do” will follow me wherever I go. I learned my capabilities on designing on my own, and how collaborating through discussion and testing improves upon my skills.