PROBLEM
The problem I aim to address is the lack of an integrated and user-friendly platform for fashion designers, tailors, and seamstresses to efficiently manage their businesses while ensuring the proper storage of client designs and measurements.
Currently, many professionals in the tailoring industry struggle with disparate tools and manual processes, such as paper records, handwritten invoices, manual communication, cash transactions, offline storage of data, appointment scheduling by phone and so on, making it challenging to streamline communication, track purchases, and manage invoices and billing effectively.
My goal is to provide a tailored solution that simplifies these tasks, allowing businesses to focus on their craft and provide an enhanced customer experience.
SOLUTION
To develop a mobile application that serves a dual purpose: a repository for storing client designs and measurements, while also providing a robust platform for fashion designers, tailors, and seamstresses to efficiently manage their businesses through integrated messaging, purchase tracking, and streamlined invoice and billing functionalities.
MY ROLE
As the project’s sole designer and innovator, I took full responsibility for every aspect of the project which included comprehensive research, creation of prototype and wireframing, as well as design work.
THE PROCESS
RESEARCH
Although I had a clear vision for this app, I aimed to validate whether designers experienced any challenges or could find value in this application. To initiate the research phase, I reached out to designers in my community; I solicited their input through a concise questionnaire, and the following were the questions they were presented with:
What are the most significant challenges you face in managing your tailoring business?
How do you currently store client designs and measurements, and what difficulties do you encounter with the existing methods?
If yes to question 1, where or how do you store it? In a book, on the phone? Where on the phone?
How do you currently communicate with your clients? What methods do you use for messaging and updates?
How do you track and manage client orders, invoices, and billing?
Would an app that combines clients’ designs, measurements, messaging, invoices, billing, and purchases prove beneficial in effectively running your business?
Are there any emerging trends or demands in the tailoring industry that you believe the app should address?
COMPETITIVE ANALYSIS
Next, I searched to find out if there were mobile applications in existence that were meant to solve the same problems. I came across a handful of apps however, they came with so many limitations. I narrowed them down to 3 applications I felt came the closest to being competitors for Seam-plify
With all the information collected, I was able to summarize user’s frustrations. Those who are unaware of existing apps and still rely on paper notebooks expressed their dissatisfaction with outdated and laborious methods. They expressed a desire for an app to simplify these processes and also suggested the need for appointment-setting features.
On the other hand, users of existing apps have raised concerns about their limitations. They've expressed frustration over the inability to edit preset measurement fields, add custom fields, lack of backup options, restricted language support, the incapability to incorporate and share images of work-in-progress for client approval or revisions, the absence of note-taking functionality, the absence of being able to receive payments, send invoices and message clients.
As a result of the feedback received in the research stage, I compiled a list of features that must be integrated into the app to ensure an exceptional user experience.
Add custom measurement fields.
Edit preset fields.
Variety of language choices.
Share and upload photos.
Ability to add notes.
Schedule appointments.
Add payment options.
Add a messaging/texting option.
Include billing and invoicing.
