Refining Sustainability in the Beauty Industry — UX Case Study
Design Challenge Overview
As I consider both sustainability and cosmetics to be passions of mine, I wanted to apply my newfound understanding of UX design principles to tackle this problem space.
BEAUTY CYCLE is a full-service recycling program for cosmetic materials. The goal of this application is to alleviate users of the task of sorting through ambiguous materials that lead to “wish-cycling” (placing a questionable item into your recycling bin in hopes it qualifies for curb-side recycling). My vision for this application was to use convenience as the bridge between sustainability and the cosmetic industry.
Role
Product designer, Lead UX/UI designer/researcher
Type
Academic, Individual
Duration
10 weeks
Tools Used
Pen and Paper, InVision, Sketch, POP app, Zeplin
My Process:
Double Diamond Design Approach (say that 10 times fast!)
1. Discovery and Research
The Problem Space
The beauty and cosmetic industry has been and will continue to dominate the market, with the current global market value of ~$532 billion dollars, estimated to grow to a staggering $805 billion dollars by 2023 (yes, billions, as reported by loudcloudhealth). As you can imagine, any industry this large will undeniably have lasting effects on our environment on a massive scale.
“A product does not have to match any criteria to classify itself as eco-friendly, at least not from a legal standpoint.” — frendsbeauty
To make things more complicated, the recycling of cosmetic packaging is not straightforwards. Harmful chemicals in the products themselves, as well as hidden components in packaging (such as springs) make these materials ineligible for regular curb-side recycling.
Although we are beginning to see a shift towards sustainability in the beauty industry, we cannot rely on manufacturers to solve this problem entirely. On an individual level, unavoidable human error and carelessness contributes greatly to the overall inefficiency of curb-side recycling.
Project Objective
To provide a convenient and efficient recycling service that ensures the proper recycling and safe disposal of obscure materials, commonly found in cosmetic packaging and products.
How might we create a solution for cosmetic consumers that will alleviate the task of recycling and safely disposing of cosmetic packaging and finished products?
Project Assumptions
I believe my users have a need for an accessible and reliable cosmetics recycling program.
I believe my users care enough to alter their current recycling routine in order to dispose of their cosmetic packaging properly and sustainably.
The #1 value a user will get from my service is convenience, and the confidence that their discarded materials will be disposed of sustainably.
Research Plan
Hypothesis
I believe cosmetic consumers want to make a difference for the overall benefit of our planet and environment by making more sustainable decisions when disposing of their finished products.
In order to move forwards with my project, I first needed to determine if my project assumptions were true. Was there a need, or even an interest, for this type of intervention in the problem space?
Participant Criteria
- Consumer of cosmetic products (varying from minimally to extensively)
- Individuals that are responsible for their own recycling
- Individuals who have a general knowledge pertaining to the recycling process (in Toronto)
- Ages 17–30 (target demographic: Gen Z/Millennials)
- Those who reside in Toronto
Actionable Plan
I began my qualitative research conducting 5 investigative interviews, both in-person as well as over the phone. I reached out to previous coworkers, family members, and friends to set up 15 minute interview slots. Participants were compensated for their time and cooperation.
2. Define and Synthesize
After conducting the user interviews, I extracted key insights and categorized them into pain points, behaviours, and motivations. Once these insights were grouped appropriately, three main themes emerged. I then further developed insights within these identified themes.
“I’m happy to recycle, I think it’s great for the environment. I do think the ease around it isn’t really there yet, especially for ambiguous items. I honestly never even considered my cosmetic products would need special recycling methods.” — Interview Participant
Inconvenience
Convenience and simplicity are driving factors behind whether an individual recycles or not.
- An item is not properly labelled? It goes in the garbage. Immediate access to a recycling bin not available? Garbage.
Lack of Education
Individuals do not recycle because of confusion surrounding what materials are eligible or not. A general knowledge of separating glass, metal, plastic, paper, etc. is widely known, but there are so many exceptions to the rules.
- Cosmetic products further create confusion, as the average person is not educated on how to recycle these specific materials.
Minimal Incentive
Cosmetic consumers are unaware of the tedious recycling methods that apply to much of the packaging they discard.
- Consumers are not incentivized to add more steps to their recycling process (properly clean out cosmetic packaging before sorting, take apart certain components to make materials eligible, etc.)
Interview Takeaways — there is definitely an interest for this intervention in the problem space. People want to make a difference, most of the time, they are just unsure how to. Or, they are unaware if their actions have an impact at all, positive or negative.
Competitive Analysis
Market and Competitor Research
When conducting a competitive analysis, I was surprised to find that the cosmetic recycling space is largely untapped.
The (Future) User
With preliminary and qualitative research complete, I started thinking about exactly who I would be designing this service for. Additionally, I turned my attention towards how this solution would benefit cosmetic consumers and promote sustainability.
Persona
Navigating the Current Space
The area of intervention I decided to focus on was leading up to the disposal process. As my interviews indicated, many cosmetic consumers are loyal to brands, but more importantly, specific products. More often than not, individuals are re-purchasing staple items in their routine, meaning, it would not be easy to convince Mikaela to replace her favourite mascara based on sustainability alone.
Therefore, instead of proactively trying to alter consumer behaviour to reflect sustainability, I thought the greatest area of opportunity was at the end of the products’ lifecycle.
3. Develop and Ideate
User Stories, Task Flow, Sketching & Ideation, Wire-framing, and User Testing
User Stories
“As a ___ , I want ___ , so that___ .”
In order to define the main task flow of my digital solution, it was important to first create a list of user stories. These were written from the perspective of a user, more specifically, a consumer of cosmetic products.
Once these stories were written, I grouped them into epics not unlike the aforementioned themes that arose from user interviews. These three epics consisted of:
- Cosmetic recycling programs — convenience, accessibility, incentive
- Education on hard-to-recycle cosmetic materials
- Purchasing cosmetic products — decision making
I chose to focus on the epic of “cosmetic recycling programs”, as these user stories encompassed majority of the pain points, behaviours, and motivations synthesized earlier. Creating a convenient method of recycling these materials was the number one value a user could expect to receive from this solution.
Task Selection
With the core epic and user story in mind, it was time to create a primary task flow for my proposed digital solution.
“As a consumer of cosmetic products, I want access to convenient recycling programs, so that the task of sorting recyclables and safely disposing of cosmetic packaging is done correctly.”
Sketching and Ideation
Now it was time to put all the research and ideas I had into action! In one of my interviews, a participant said something that stuck with me until the very end of this process. It became the foundation of my vision.
“I wish there was some sort of app for all this… an app like Uber. You call a car, but instead of picking you up, they come get your recycling.”
Genius! Thank you participant #3 (you know who you are). I began to look for UI elements that represented the core features of my application. I focused on cosmetic apps, recycling/waste management apps, and ride-share apps. I then curated a mood-board, and began my sketches.
Paper Prototype
I began with a simple paper prototype that illustrated the main functionality of my app. I used this as a starting point in order to see what ideas I needed to further develop, and those I could do without. Right off the bat, the initial screen illustrating a map was very confusing for users. The screen added no context or functionality to the product.
Concept Ideas: Features
With my primary task flow, UI inspirations, and paper prototype, I went back to my pen and paper and began sketching out concept ideas for more possible features.
iOS Design (most commonly used among my target demographic/persona)
Uber UI Inspo (“scheduling a ride” into “scheduling a pickup”)
Rewards tab (added incentive)
Calendar (for recycling schedules)
WireFrames
With the concept ideation process complete, the next step was to translate these paper sketches into greyscale mid-fidelity wireframes using Sketch. These wireframes were turned into an interactive prototype in which my first round of user testing would be based on. See it here!
User Testing
This round of user testing was to determine if the primary task flow could be completed. Users were asked to schedule a pickup for their recyclable materials.
Key Insights
Users had no problem navigating the screens or completing the task at hand, however, there were a few issues consistent amongst the testers that arose.
- Icons were not completely straightforwards or intuitive, the star icon was assumed to represent favourites rather than rewards
- Tab bar did not have an iOS feel
- More screens were needed for pickup options to account for real-world situations (where exactly would the materials be picked up?)
Wire Frames Second Iteration
Keeping the user test results in mind, I translated the most important and impactful feedback into the next design iteration. Prototype Version 2.
More User Testing
This second round of user testing was critical in determining whether or not I had successfully and appropriately incorporated the feedback received from my first iteration. Did my design alterations create a more functional application?
The tab bar icons were changed for a cleaner look, and replaced with more intuitive ones to avoid confusion. More importantly, I added extra screens to create a more completed task flow. It was important for users to feel like this app could be used in a real-world situation — it seemed very unrealistic that a pickup could be scheduled for any day and time. Therefore, a list of available options was added. Next, users questioned the reliability of this app if a user scheduled a pickup to an office building or condominium complex. To tackle this, I added more refined options for users to specify exactly where their materials could be picked up.
Key Insights
- Lipstick pattern background is distracting, takes away from the text
- Consistency of standards — the list view for the pickup option dates/times should be in the same format as the list view for pickup instructions
- Tab bar functionality should be flushed out
Wireframes Third Iteration
Iteration is key! With the user testing complete, I developed my final round of greyscale wireframes that would be ready for some design feedback. I had my peers and educators take a look and see if there were any final changes I could apply as I began colour injection and branding. See my final prototype here!
4. Deliver
Visual Identity
When I first began curating my mood-board, I really wanted to focus on creating a clean, crisp, and minimal design. The beauty industry, aka the cosmetic industry, is widely associated with an array of colours. Eyeshadow palettes, blushes, bronzer, the whole rainbow can be found at every twist and turn. Neutrals, glitter, and bright bold colours were all in the realm of possibility.
It was important to elicit a look and feel that was both cosmetic and fun, but also reflected the almost industrial theme that appears in recycling applications. For this reason, I chose to stick to neutral colours in order to achieve a happy medium.
Brand Name and Logo
BEAUTY CYCLE was the brand name I decided on after many iterations. It encompassed the function of the application most appropriately.
The cycle of our beauty products through our possession, from the initial purchase, all the way to the discarding (recycling) of them.
Rinse, and repeat.
High-Fidelity Design
Bringing my designs to life. Final prototype here!
Responsive Marketing Website
When creating the supporting marketing website for BEAUTY CYCLE, I really wanted to highlight the bold and vibrant colours of cosmetic products to contrast the muted and neutral tones in the application itself. I was very heavily inspired by Apple’s marketing sites, and decided to create a mockup-heavy design to showcase the different features. View the mobile version here!
Multi-Platform Challenge
Another fun design challenge we were tasked with consisted of a one-day challenge, where we were encouraged to think about the use of our digital solution through an alternative platform. I chose to design a voice user interface to explore an entirely new channel.
Reflections and Learnings
Design Impact
I believe the impact of my design will help to refine the recycling space, and hopefully spark sustainable behaviours. As the world trends towards digital solutions, I’m confident that services like these will soon become the norm.
Future Considerations
Recycling is not the end-all-be-all solution to saving our environment. It’s definitely important for everyone to do their part, but the sad reality is that we are producing more than we need globally. The cosmetic industry contributes to this problem greatly, but unless things change at a massive scale, the deterioration of our planet is inevitable.
I do believe forming sustainable habits is necessary, but moving forwards, I would definitely want to tackle this problem at the manufacturing level.
What I’ve Learned
I can honestly say that these passed 12 weeks have not only been some of the most stressful in my life, but also the most productive and satisfying. Diving into this UX diploma at BrainStation, I really wasn’t sure what I was getting myself in to. But boy am I glad I took the plunge.
If there is one thing I have taken away from this experience, it is to respect the design process. Don’t just do it for the sake of doing it, or to say you “followed the process”. Use the process, really appreciate each step and for what it adds to the bigger picture, and make it your own. That being said, I have also learned to welcome pivots and changes to your design solutions with open arms. To really accomplish a human-centred design, you need to remove your personal bias from the equation (scary, I know).
Having a background in psychology, I always understood the need for neutrality. However, translating that into a design process made it feel a little more personal. Just remember — it’s OK to not be “right” the first time! The iteration process is crucial and constant, do not shy away from it.
Acknowledgements
Finally, I got to experience the power of collaboration in its entirety. I could have never gotten through these passed 3 months without the endless help and support from my educators, TAs, and classmates, who I am happy to call my friends now.
I am so grateful for all the experiences BrainStation has provided me with, and I am very excited to represent them as I move forwards into this new role. Developing these skills has sparked a passion in me for human-centred design, and I look forwards to many more design challenges!
Thank You
For taking the time to read my capstone journey.
You can find me on LinkedIn.
Or take a look at my Portfolio.
