CONTEXT

Can you really be an ink master and not tattoo on darker skin?

So, picture this: pandemic hits, and I'm stuck at home with nothing but time on my hands. Naturally, I decide to binge-watch all 13 seasons of Ink Master. Something I noticed while watching was how contestants on the show would do anything in their power to avoid getting darker skinned human canvases.

LAYING THE FOUNDATION

Gathering insights from current apps

After thinking back on those instances, I started wondering what sort options black people have to find tattoo artists.

Apps like Tattoodo & Yelp had no way of intuitively looking for tattoo artists skilled on tattooing darker skin tones.

THE RESEARCH

Understanding the black tattoo experience

I set some time aside to speak with seven black folk that had previously gotten tattooed to assess their process of getting a tattoo. After digesting those conversations, there were three major insights that I took note of.

WHAT THEY SAID....

INSIGHTS

No comfort / trust

Black clients place a high premium on mutual trust and compatibility when selecting an artist.

Referrals are king

Black clients place a high premium on mutual trust and compatibility when selecting an artist.

No portfolio diversity

Black clients place a high premium on mutual trust and compatibility when selecting an artist.

THE PROBLEM

Inadequate representation of skilled tattoo artists for skin of color presents a barrier to quality tattooing experiences for Black individuals.

USER JOURNEY

Finding opportunities through Simone's experience

With Simone in mind, I took some time to envision the parts of her journey through getting a tattoo that could be improved. From there I was able to start brainstorming solutions for this new app.

BRAINSTORMING APP REQUIREMENTS

How can I improve Simone's confidence while selecting an artist?

I generated some actionable HMW statements to help generate a range of solutions while still remaining on target.

EXCERPT OF MY NOTES

INFORMATION ARCHITECTURE

Laying the foundation

Once I had an idea of the features I wanted to prioritize, I moved on to establishing the framework of the app. I used the insights from a card sort I conducted to form the sitemap.

APP SITEMAP

LOADS OF SKETCHES

A case of the crazy 8s

I wanted to generate different ideas for each of the screens I had in mind so I opted to do series of crazy 8 sessions. I was able to explore a range of screen styles

APP SITEMAP

WIREFLOW

Can you really be an ink master and not tattoo on darker skin?

Using my sketches, I built and iterated each of the screens. As I designed each of the screens, I tightened up the user flow through mapping out the users journey through each of the wireframes.

VISUAL IDENTITY + UI KIT

Defining iNKD's presence

When it came to the branding, I wanted to communicate iNKD's expressive and fun personality through the through the bombastic color orange. After sorting out the brand identity, I went on the develop the hi-fidelity screens.

USER JOURNEY

TESTING + MAKING IT BETTER

Iterations were made using the insights found from the usability test

I had six people complete several scenarios to analyze the ease of navigation and gauge the impressions of the app overall. Through the testing, I was able to identify some changes to reduce some confusion.

Before

After

Clearer button copy

The original copy 'book now' was confusing to users because the rest of the appointment booking flow was geared towards requesting an appointment.

Before

After

Improved navigation

The '+' symbol led to some confusion in terms of creating a new post. It was replaced with the pencil symbol to increase familiarity with the button.

FINAL PRODUCT

Can you really be an ink master and not tattoo on darker skin?

Using my sketches, I built and iterated each of the screens. As I designed each of the screens, I tightened up the user flow through mapping out the users journey through each of the wireframes.

PLAN FUTURE TATTOO PROJECTS

REQUEST REFFERALS AND VIEW COMMUNITY POSTS

SORT TATTOO ARTIST PORTFOLIO & REVIEWS

BOOK APPOINTMENTS WITH EASE

IN RETROSPECT

Test early & at all stages

In hindsight I would have loved to incorporate more feedback at the earlier stages of wireframes (i.e. paper prototypes or low-fidelity) Incorporating feedback from there would have made me feel more confident about my design decisions from paper to pixels.

Keep priorities straight

This project taught me a lesson about prioritizing features. Despite having these huge feature ideas, I needed to think about the core features that were necessary.