Lumina App (UX Case Study)
Summary
Lumina is a mobile application designed to help people build and maintain their skincare routines. My role in this project is Product Designer.
Context
The project idea stemmed from my personal experience with trying various skincare products and struggling to maintain a consistent routine. The goal is to develop an app that assists skincare enthusiasts in maintaining their routines with minimal effort by incorporating AI functionality.
Target
Audience
Through secondary research on demographic data of skincare product purchasing trends, I identified that women aged 18 to 41 are the primary target demographic for skincare products, buying over 40% of all skincare products (Helpalma.com). While this case study will focus on users who fit in this category, is it important to note that In recent years, skincare also has become more inclusive in terms of skin-tone, gender and age, so expanding future research into a broader audience will be essential.
User Interviews
After identifying the primary target audience for this app, I conducted user interviews with three individuals who fit that category. Below are some memorable quotes from each participant.
Kelsey (31)
"Even though I have interest in skin care, I get confused what I can and can’t mix together."
Jiwoo (30)
"I still don’t have a (skincare) product that I am sticking with for years"
Suhyun (31)
"I probably switch products every 3 to 6 months, but I wish I stick with it longer"
Identifying
User Needs
When asked about challenges they face with their skincare routine, users expressed their concerns that mainly fall into four categories.
Knowledge of active ingredients
With a vast array of products on the market, all users felt the need to conduct their own research to ensure that the active ingredients are safe and align with their skincare goals.
"I get overwhelmed with the huge array of options. I also get confused about what I can mix together and what I can’t."
"I actually look into what is in the product, and I care about its authenticity before I buy it."
"I want recommendations on the ingredients I need… I want to know which ingredients are harmful."
Cost
Even when they find a product they like, the cost often makes it difficult to maintain the routine.
"Finding the product by setting a price range would be helpful."
"Affordability is also a main reason… I switch to a cheaper lotion when I’m on a budget."
Availability
Many products they use are not available at nearby stores, leading to delays in reordering, which can disrupt their routine.
"Most of my products are Korean skincare."
"Sticking with the same product is hard. If you run out and it takes days to get it, you run to the store and get a new product."
Remembering to do it
Participants found it difficult to stick to a routine when unexpected events occurred in the evening or when they were too busy in the morning.
"If I get really tired, I don’t want to do anything (skincare related.)"
"I struggle with trying to stick with things, so I tried journaling… It didn’t work. Habit tracking would be useful."
Developing a strategy
to solve the problem
To address user needs, I will be designing an app that implements the following key features.
1. Help users feel confident with their combination of products through implementing the Ingredient interaction checker that shows what ingredients each products have, and warn the user if there are possible bad interactions.
2. Develop a Intelligent routine building feature takes a picture of the product directions, and build into their existing routine. this will eliminate the need for users to remember what products to use and how often they need to use them
3. Encourage user to stay on track with gamified habit tracking and reminders to replenish their product supply.
Wireframe Sketches
User Flows
Welcome & Onboarding
The first step in the user journey involves guiding users through the sign-up or sign-in process. This ensures their information is securely stored in the database. The flowchart below outlines the tasks users will follow to complete this onboarding step.
Add Products to Routine
A standout feature of the app allows users to easily create a skincare routine by taking a picture of their products. The app's AI assistant then seamlessly integrates the identified products into the user's current routine. The flowchart for this process is provided below.
Ingredient Safety & Compatibility Analysis
Another key feature is the ability to analyze whether the ingredients in the user’s routine are safe and compatible. The chart below demonstrates the steps involved in this analysis.
Key features & Highlights
After identifying the primary target audience for this app, I conducted user interviews with three individuals who fit that category. Below are some memorable quotes from each participant.
Onboarding
When users first open the app, they will go through an onboarding process where they answer a few questions about their goals, level of knowledge, demographics, etc. This information is collected to better understand user needs.
Interacting with the Routine View
The Routine View acts as a dashboard where users can view upcoming tasks to complete their routine. An interactive widget at the top guides users to their next task. Users can mark the routine as complete once finished. Users new to the routine can opt for a step-by-step walkthrough by clicking the “See Steps” button. They can interact with the detailed guide by completing subtasks one at a time.
Smart add a product with Assistant
I aimed to make adding products to an existing routine as effortless as possible. Thus, I developed the assistant view, where users can interact with an AI assistant to perform various tasks. To add a product, users can either take a picture or scan the barcode. The assistant will then retrieve the product details through either the barcode or an image search. Users can utilize the smart add feature, where the assistant considers the product's usage directions and seamlessly incorporates it into their routine.
Run an Ingredient Analysis with Assistant
The Assistant can perform a lookup of all ingredients in the user’s skincare routine. When the user asks the chatbot for an analysis, the Assistant provides a summary of the results. The user then has the option to open the detailed view, where they can access more information and take steps to make their routine safer for their skin.
Profile View
To help the user stay more motivated, the profile view show a weekly score calculated using the user’s performance of keeping to the routine for that week. It also shows the current skincare streak, as well as their all time best. I have added the share button as a way for users to share their accomplishments. The profile view also houses the list of all products that is being used for the user’s skincare routine.
Conclusion
The current design mockups effectively address the main skincare pain points identified through user research. However, it's crucial to question the assumptions made while developing these solutions. For instance, will users truly prefer the AI assistant’s ability to automatically build a routine, or will they value having manual control instead? Additionally, could gamifying skincare progress inadvertently increase stress and pressure, rather than providing motivation?To ensure the solutions are truly aligned with user needs, further research is essential to challenge these assumptions. The next step will be to create a prototype that focuses on a single feature and then conduct user testing to refine the design accordingly.