PROJECT: xChange
ROLE: Designer, Researcher
RESPONSIBILITIES: Research, Ideation, Wireframing, UI design, Figma Prototyping
OVERVIEW:
For the final project in my UX Prototyping class, my team developed and prototyped different features of "xChange," a clothing exchange platform that allows students to swap clothes safely via an on-campus locker system.
PROBLEM STATEMENT:
Our platform is oriented around the UN's Sustainable Development Goal #12: Responsible Production and Consumption. Our goal was to reduce clothing consumption by providing university students with a convenient and secure way to exchange clothes.
PROCESS:
We began by conducting market research to ensure that our product was both desirable and feasible. This research informed our decision to prioritize safety, leading us to design an on-campus locker system as the primary exchange location. We developed multiple prototypes to evaluate different aspects of the platform, including lo-fi and hi-fi wireframes, a 3D model of the xChange room, and a video prototype demonstrating the user experience.
Our lo-fi and hi-fi wireframes focused on the key features of the website, particularly the AI-powered search tool, which allows users to upload images of clothing items and find similar pieces for exchange.
We used SketchUp to design the xChange room, where lockers would allow students to exchange items by leaving them in designated lockers with passcode security. This setup offered users a familiar, gym-like locker system, ensuring ease of use.
KEY FEATURES:
xChange Room: A secure, on-campus room equipped with lockers where students can safely exchange clothing. This feature was crucial to alleviating safety concerns.
AI Search Feature: Users can upload images of clothing they are interested in, and the system will return similar items available for exchange.
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Exchange Process: After finding a match, students can initiate an exchange request via an internal messaging system, which allows them to negotiate or finalize the swap and gives them instructions for using the xChange room.
Video Prototype: Our video showcased the user journey, from discovering an item they like to completing the exchange through the xChange room.
TAKEAWAYS:
One of my key takeaways was the importance of balancing design creativity with user-centered practicality. Since there are currently multiple other online marketplaces, we had to be intentional about our user and market research so we could target new areas of user needs and set our platform apart.
OTHER PROTOTYPING PROJECTS:
Video Protoype Here!Throughout this prototyping class, I designed and prototyped other artifacts with a variety of technologies. Click on the links below to check out my best projects and their process write-ups on Medium!
