Overview
As part of the Interaction Design Studio (DECO2200) at the University of Sydney, our group developed a digital solution to help young adults build effective skincare routines. Skincare advice is widely available online and on social media, but the overwhelming number of options often leads to misinformation and wasted money on unsuitable products. This project aimed to address these challenges and provide a clear, personalised approach to skincare for beginners.
Role
Product Designer
Video Editor
Tools
Figma
Miro
Premiere Pro
After Effects
Team
My Nguyen
+ 2 team members
Duration
Aug - Nov 2023
Achievement
We designed an interactive prototype and co-wrote a visual report of our end-to-end design process that achieved an HD.
Problem
Young adults struggle to build effective skincare routines due to overwhelming product choices and conflicting advice, leading to wasted time, money, and frustration. While their busy schedule prompts demand for short and simple routines, the desire for product tailored to specific skin needs and budgets further compounds the challenge.
Solution
SkinSimple
An all-inclusive skincare app that offers a comprehensive toolkit, essential guides and information to help users easily build and maintain an effective skincare routine, meeting their unique needs.
Skincare Reminder
A built-in reminder system encourages routine consistency without users having to track everything manually. This reduces mental load and helps users stick to their skincare routine.
Achievement
Make skincare more engaging and more motivating for users with a gamifying system. Users will acquire different achievement badges upon completing tasks or achieving a skincare milestone, motivating them to sticking to a routine and improve skin health through positive reinforcement.
process
Choice overload and the fear of misinformation in the current skincare landscape
Skincare gives individuals, especially women, control over their appearance amid societal pressures. However, problems with misinformation and overwhelming number of options presents a barrier to effective skincare solutions for consumers.
79%
of skincare consumers feel overwhelmed by the skincare industry due to the lack of trust in available information.
(Simple, 2023)
31%
of skincare consumers believed that skincare information on social media is misleading and confusing.
(Simple, 2023)
primary research
Understand how users navigate skincare information and make decisions
Key insights
01
Simplicity and familiarity
Users showed a trong preference for straightforward skincare routines using minimal and familiar products that aligns with their schedules.
03
Personalisation
There is a growing demand for personalised skincare solutions that are both effective and budget-friendly.
02
Efficiency and effectiveness
Time constraints, volume of information and conflicting online skincare advice impede effective learning and decision-making admists numerous product choices.
Opportunity
How might we streamline the process of building a skincare routine that accommodates users' specific needs?
personas
Visualise insights into real contexts
Three distinct user personas capturing diverse user groups with varying needs, goals, and skincare experiences emerged from our research. To further contextualize these personas' unique challenges, we've also created accompanying storyboards.
ideate
Brainstorm from various perspectives to generate suitable solutions
Placing these personas and storyboards at the center of our ideation session, we implemented a variety of ideating methods to generate 3 distinct concepts, each addressing specific user needs and usability requirements.
We then used a decision matrix to evaluate these concepts against criteria such as user needs, usability, and feasibility, while also identifying each concept's strengths and weaknesses. Interestingly, the scores were closely matched, which suggested that each concept held significant potential in addressing different user needs, including simplicity, guidance and product credibility. We decided to merge them into a single, well-rounded solution that offered a seamless experience.
Map out the features
Having an idea of what our solution could be, it was time to give it a structure with a sitemap. At this stage, we faced the challenge of deciding how many features to include without overwhelming users and overcomplicating the app. After consulting with our tutor and conducting some informal user tests, we decided the best option was to keep it simple to enhance the app's ease of use.
Prototype & test
Refinement of visuals and usability with rigorous testings and iterations
Our prototyping process went through three iterations: wireframes, mockups, and a high-fidelity interactive prototype.
With limited time, we divided tasks, each team member focusing on one feature while ensuring consistency through collective usability testing and analysis. This approach helped us catch and refine issues early.
I was responsible for designing the "Explore Products" page, which provides key product details like brand names, ingredients, and compatibility. To improve credibility, we included aggregated reviews from social media and blogs, helping users make informed skincare choices.
iteration i: wireframes
Determine a user-friendly and appealing layout for an information-packed feature
The biggest challenge at this stage was making an information-heavy feature both user-friendly and visually appealing. To solve this, I took inspiration from bento layouts and Apple’s widget designs, creating intuitive dashboards for skincare product details. I also applied familiar design patterns from e-commerce product galleries and comparison tables to enhance usability and make product browsing seamless.
Usability testing I
Usability testing insights: strong performance but navigation challenges
We recruited 8 participants and employed 3 usability testing methods, accompanied by task scenarios to comprehensively evaluate the usability of the design. Then, a thematic analysis was implemented to analyze the data.
Key findings
Participants rated the system usability between 72.5 and 92.5, showing strong overall usability. However, many struggled with unclear wording and layout, which slowed down navigation and task completion, highlighting areas for improvement.
ITeration ii: mockups
Improve the desktop app experience by making tools more accessible and visible
Make the content more digestible with more negative space and emphasis on user-related information
Introduce a dedicated tab for reviews to declutter the layout and improve their access
Usability testing iI
Heuristic evaluation revealed 3 areas of concerns
To enhance usability, we conducted heuristic evaluations with six interaction design students, assessing the design against industry best practices. This method helped us identify critical issues early before proceeding to user testing, specifically:
Visibility of System Status
Ambiguous design elements and weak feedback made actions hard to recognize and complete, reducing learnability and efficiency.
Error Prevention
Inconveniently placed buttons and unfamiliar icons/images led to usability confusion.
Aesthetic and Minimalist Design
Text-heavy pages needed more visual hierarchy, and sections lacked sufficient contrast for better scannability.
These insights guided our refinements, ensuring a more intuitive, error-resistant, and visually accessible design.
ITeration iii: Hi-fi prototype
Addressing heuristic issues with visual enhancements
usability outcomes
< 5 mins
were the average completion time for the given tasks on our prototype, highlighting its efficiency.
77
System Usability Scale (SUS) score, indicating a positive system usability.
100%
of the testers successfully completed the given tasks on our prototype.
< 3 errors
were made by each tester when performing an action, ensuring usage safety.
What I learned…
The Power of iteration and user feedback: Engaging in an end-to-end design process in a group setting was both exciting and filled with valuable lessons. One of my biggest takeaways was the importance of iteration and continuous feedback in creating successful designs. Whenever I was unsure about feature placement or information layout, seeking input from users, peers, and tutors provided fresh perspectives and helped guide better decisions. This made user testing a top priority for our team. Investing time and effort into multiple testing rounds allowed us to refine our designs based on real user insights, ultimately helping us better address pain points and improve usability.
The importance of clear communication and organisation: When it came to teamwork, effective communication was undoubtedly essential. Regular check-ins, clear task divisions, and open discussions about design choices kept everything running smoothly. Plus, being organized with our assets, documents, and design files made a huge difference in our efficiency.
Final thoughts: This experience reinforced the value of an iterative, user-centered approach and strong collaboration. Moving forward, I’ll apply these lessons to create more effective, user-driven designs.