Client
IUBH
My Role
Prototyping, UX Design, User Research
Platform
Mobile
Outdoor Enthusiasts and Sun Seekers Age Range: 18-45 years old Lifestyle: Enjoys spending time outdoors, whether for leisure, sports, or work. Motivation: Prioritizes skin health and wants to prevent sun damage without disrupting their activities. Tech Comfort: Familiar with mobile apps and wearable devices, values convenient and intuitive solutions. Challenges: Struggles with remembering to reapply sunscreen and determining when protection is no longer effective.
While working on the project I came to the following solutions:
In the next section of this case study, you will find an overview of the findings, wireframes, prototypes, usability tests etc.
The desk research for Solar Shield focused on understanding user needs, analyzing competitors, and evaluating existing solutions in the sun protection market. Through affinity mapping, key insights were identified, including challenges with sunscreen habits, low UV awareness, and a need for intuitive, family-friendly tools. Competitor analysis highlighted gaps such as poor UX, limited personalization, and inaccurate UV detection. Existing solutions like UV cameras, reminder apps, and wearables often failed to address these issues effectively. These findings informed the development of Solar Shield, ensuring it delivers accurate UV monitoring, multi-user profiles, and a user-friendly experience.
The user research for Solar Shield involved a comprehensive approach to understand user behaviors, preferences, and needs regarding sun protection. A survey with 50 participants and three in-depth interviews provided valuable insights into sunscreen habits, UV awareness, and expectations from a monitoring tool. To contextualize these findings, storyboards and user stories were created to illustrate real-life scenarios and challenges users face. User requirements were then defined based on this research, emphasizing features like accurate UV monitoring, multi-user support, waterproof functionality, and personalized sun protection recommendations.
The prototyping phase for Solar Shield followed a structured approach to refine the app and physical product design:
These prototypes were essential in validating design decisions, refining user flows, and ensuring both the app and the physical product meet user expectations.
To ensure Solar Shield met user needs and expectations, three usability tests were conducted, each lasting 40 minutes. Participants interacted with both the mobile app prototype and the paper prototype of the UV-monitoring sticker. The usability tests provided valuable feedback on both the app and physical product, highlighting areas for improvement and confirming user satisfaction with the design and functionality. The structured process ensured that Solar Shield is intuitive, user-friendly, and meets real-world needs.
The Solar Shield project was a conceptual design created as part of a university assignment. While the app and prototypes were not developed into a final product, the project was an invaluable learning experience. It allowed me to apply UX design principles, conduct user research, and test usability in a structured and professional manner. The project received positive feedback and earned a high grade, reflecting its strong foundation and thoughtful execution. This experience has strengthened my skills in user-centered design, prototyping, and problem-solving, making it a standout project in my portfolio.