Evolving the skincare space through design thinking, testing and leading.

Explore, explore, explore…

I was fortunate enough to work on a project with Design for America and skincare company, Melé. Design for America (DFA) is a network of innovators using design thinking skills for local social impact. Melé creates science-backed skincare to protect, elevate and nourish melanin-rich skin. I partnered with a group of designers to brainstorm, ideate and explore the problem space:

How can we build an authentic skincare movement that centers science, self-esteem, and healthy practices so everyone can love the skin that they’re in? 

Additional questions we asked during brainstorming were -  what could Mele improve on and overall, what problem are we trying to solve? We threw out a bunch of possibilities like accessibility, and research. Out of all of the options, we linked three topics together - education, science and authenticity. We wanted to provide Mele customers with the necessary information to confidently make their purchases while being authentic (transparent with ingredients, true to their branding, etc.) during this process. 

‍

The Current and the Potential Customer.

It was advantageous to look at both potential customers and current customers. A persona was created to explore any similarities and gaps that we can fix. The returning customer is confident in the brand and the science behind the ingredients. The new customer is open to trying new skincare and building a routine. 

‍

Who are our stakeholders and how can they help?

I also wanted to look at those who could help Mele educate their customers and we really wanted to understand what these Stakeholders do and their possible reach to consumers. I brainstormed using a Stakeholder Power-Interest Matrix. Prioritizing stakeholders who have a strong interest in educating the customers as well as having the power to influence the customers. I picked Social Media Influencers who have the resources to really reach a wide customer pool as well as the Scientists who could provide that information to share with those customers. 

Looking more specifically at what they do - I created a Stakeholder Journey for both the Scientists and the Social Media influencers to really envision how they work with Mele and engage with the customers. This will provide good insight for working through our future solutions and a way to bridge any gaps between stakeholders to company relations. 

‍

‍

Gathering insight.

I created a user survey to get a better understanding of customers and prospective customers. 

I wanted to get insight on their thinking process when purchasing skincare. The results showed that most wanted to consider ingredients before purchasing. 

Another question I wanted to ask was what type of learner the customer was. This will help understand how users and customers grasp and retain information. Most were visual learners - information presented in graphic depiction, such as arrows, charts, diagrams, symbols and more. 

‍

A note on leading.

Design leads were assigned at the beginning of the project however, our lead had unexpectedly dropped from the project. I took the initiative and took the lead (after asking if anyone else wanted to). As an unexpected Design Lead, I provided space to:

• Encourage team members thoughts and ideas. This was done by arranging weekly meetings and collaborating on a shared Figjam board.
• Highlight each team member’s strengths. Understanding each team member and what skills they have plus, what they want to work on. 
• Organize and move forward as a team. 

‍

Our idea on the screen.

We created wireframes with a few possibilities of our idea and also brought them through to testing. There were 3 types of views we created: interactive, static and mobile. The interactive allowed users to use the QR code and walk through the customer journey. 

‍

What do the testers think?

Testing lasting for a week and was split between the members of the group by type of flow: interactive, static and mobile. An important feature we wanted highlight was the likeliness of the QR code and the flow from product page to purchase. The flow that was the most impactful was the interactive flow because it is the most intuitive. 

‍

‍

‍

‍

‍

‍

‍

Presenting our final look.

We presented our project to the Design for America and the Unilever team. We received positive feedback such as a great visual layout, specific personas and a new way of working with QR codes. 

‍

Lessons Learned.

• There are many solutions to a broad problem statement - it’s best to categorize them for clarity. 
• It is important to keep up the momentum of the project.
• Sharing ideas in an open space brings great collaboration.

‍