Design Process
I used the Design Thinking process to explore the problem, empathize with users, and develop impactful solutions. Iterative testing and feedback refined the design, while interviews and affinity mapping brought clarity and focus.
Empathize
Define
Ideate
Prototype
Test
What is Clovi?
The purpose of Clovi is to connect women with curly hair to skilled hairstylists who understand their unique hair texture. It provides personalized recommendations, trusted reviews, and stylist profiles to help users make informed decisions.
The Problem
Women with curly hair often struggle to find hairstylists who understand their textures, resulting in disappointing experiences and damaged confidence. This lack of expertise leads to frustration and hesitation in seeking new styling services.
The Solution
Clovi is designed to guarantee trust and reliability by showcasing certified stylists, verified reviews, and authentic representations of artists' previous work through videos and photographs.
Key Findings: The Impact
1 in 5
U.S women have burst into tears after leaving a hairdressing salon
1 in 5
Ended up going to another stylist to undo the damage
70.3%
Women with textured hair had a bad experience at a salon
Competitive Analysis
A competitive analysis was done to explore how well the market is serving women with curly hair who are looking for hairstylists. This helped me pinpoint both the strengths and areas for improvement. It also provided valuable insights that will guide my upcoming user interviews to enhance the overall experience.
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User Interviews
I conducted three qualitative interviews with women from the target audience.
Research Focus 🔍
Uncovering their behaviors, challenges, motivations, and needs related to curly hair care.
Interview Goal 🎯
Identify pain points in finding skilled hairstylists.
Understand their experiences with hair care services.
Explore what factors build trust and confidence in a stylist.
Participant
Criteria
1. Women with textured hair (curly or coily).
2. Reside in metropolitan areas like Miami.
3. Aged between 22–34.
Interview
Setting
The interviews were conducted via Zoom in participants' natural environments.
Partcipants consent that they will be recorded and transcribe during the sessions.
Interview
Guide
1. How do you typically find a new hairstylist for your curly hair? What are some sources you use?
Interview Guide
Hello, My name is Cynthia,
This interview aims better to understand the challenges women with curly hair face when selecting a hairstylist and how we can tackle these issues. The questions are grouped into behavior, challenges, needs, and motivations. Please provide honest answers. This is a judgment-free zone. This interview will last for 10 minutes. To be transparent, your audio will be recorded and transcribed. Do you have any questions?
Warm Up Questions-
What is your name?
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What is your Occupation?
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What is your age?
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Where do you currently reside?
Problem Space Specific Open-ended questions-
Can you describe your hair texture?
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What is your favorite hairstyle on you?
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How do you usually style your hair?
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What are your biggest challenges in caring for your curly hair? Describe a bad hair day?
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How does your hair affect your daily confidence and self-image?
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What are some icks you get from hairstylists?
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How often do you visit a hairstylist, and what services do you usually seek?
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How do you typically find a new hairstylist for your curly hair? What are some sources you use?
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What are your biggest challenges in finding a hairstylist?
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How do you view the number of hairstylists available in the market? ( too little, too much) how does it impact you when finding someone you trust with your curly hair?
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What do you look for in a hairstylist for curly hair? (e.g., credentials, reviews, personality)
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Have you had positive experiences with stylists who understand your hair texture? If yes, what made them positive?
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Have you had any negative experiences? If yes, what made it negative? How did you handle that?
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What would motivate you to get your hair done more often?
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Do you prefer to book hair appointments online, over the phone, or in person? Why?
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If a platform offered virtual consultations with stylists, would that interest you? Why or why not?
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What information would you need to see on a stylist's profile to feel confident booking with them?
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What things would you like to see on the platform to make the process easier?
Conclusion
Thank you for your time. I appreciate your honest insights! Do you have any questions?
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Affinity Map
I gained great insight from my interviews, based on their experiences with curly hair when finding hairstylists. This feedback included their challenges, motivations, and behaviors. I categorized their quotes into meaningful clusters using affinity mapping to identify common themes.
Common Theme- Epics
For Clovi, this process allowed me to uncover recurring patterns, validate assumptions, and prioritize the insights that would shape the solution. During the interviews, I gathered insights about the experiences of women with curly hair when finding hairstylists. This feedback included their challenges, motivations, and behaviors. Using affinity mapping, I categorized their quotes into meaningful clusters to identify common themes.
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Interview Insights: Understanding Users' Needs and Pain Points
Through the interviews, we uncovered key concerns and desires of users when seeking hairstylists for their curly hair. Their experiences revealed recurring themes around trust, expertise, and accessibility.
01
How They Feel & Their Challenges
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Distrust from Past Experiences: Participants shared stories of hairstylists who failed to understand their curl patterns. This has made them cautious about trying new professionals.
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Hesitant to Explore New Stylists: A lack of widely recognized curly hair experts leaves users with limited options.
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Frustration with Accessibility: They struggle to find stylists who meet their needs in terms of location, affordability, and transparent service offerings.
02
What They Need
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Verified and Trustworthy Stylists: Users want assurance that stylists have proven expertise with curly hair, ideally through certifications, reviews, or before-and-after photos.
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More Representation and Specialization: There’s a demand for a larger pool of skilled curly hair professionals, making it easier for users to find a stylist who truly understands their hair type.
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Better Accessibility and Clarity: Detailed stylist profiles, clear pricing, and convenient locations are essential factors that users consider before booking a service.
03
Next Steps: Prioritizing Trust & Expertise
I chose Trust and Expertise as the guiding theme because it received the most consistent feedback across interviews, highlighting a clear opportunity to design a user-centered solution that empowers women to find skilled professionals they can rely on.
User Persona
Meet Alicia – A busy professional and one of Clovi’s core user personas, created based on interviews.
User Journey Map
How Might We...
How might we make it more convenient for women with curly hair, aged 22–34, to find skilled hairstylists they trust to meet their unique hair care needs?
User Stories
User stories bring the persona Alicia to life by capturing her specific needs, goals, and challenges in a relatable way. I generated around 30 user stories to ensure a comprehensive understanding of Alicia’s experiences, focusing on her desire for convenience, trust, and expertise when finding a hairstylist
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As a woman with curly hair between the age of 22-34, I want to receive accurate cost estimates for services before booking so that I avoid unexpected charges.
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As a woman with curly hair between the age of 22-34, I want to know the typical duration of services so that I can plan my day and avoid wasting time.
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As a woman with curly hair between the age of 22-34, I want a feature that confirms price changes before services start so that I am aware of any adjustments in cost.
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As a woman with curly hair between the age of 22-34, I want to view pricing transparency in each stylist’s profile so that I know exactly what each service will cost.
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As a woman with curly hair between the age of 22-34, I want a refund or touch-up policy if services don’t meet my expectations so that I feel my money is well-spent.
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As a woman with curly hair between the age of 22-34, I want the ability to choose stylists with lower cancellation rates so that I avoid last-minute rescheduling hassles.
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As a woman with curly hair between the age of 22-34, I want to rate the value of services based on quality and price so that I can help others make informed choices.
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As a woman with curly hair between the age of 22-34, I want to filter out hairstylists according to my budget so that I can pick from a list I can afford.
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As a woman with curly hair between the age of 22-34, I want the ability to reschedule if my stylist is delayed so that I don’t waste my time waiting.
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As a woman with curly hair between the age of 22-34, I want to access promotions or discounts for high-value services so that I can make the most of my haircare budget.
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As a woman with curly hair between the age of 22-34, I want to see a personalized feed of stylists specializing in curly hair so that I can find the best matches for my hair type.
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As a woman with curly hair between the age of 22-34, I want a filter to find stylists with specialized skills for curly hair and narrow it down to three choices so that I can pick the best stylist for me.
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As a woman with curly hair between the age of 22-34, I want to see portfolios with curly hair examples on a stylist's page so that I can assess their past work with similar hair types.
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As a woman with curly hair between the age of 22-34, I want a platform that includes skill tags like “curl definition” or “curl colorist” so that I can match with a stylist for my needs.
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As a woman with curly hair between the age of 22-34, I want stylist profiles to showcase experience with a variety of curl patterns so that I know they can handle different types of curly hair.
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As a woman with curly hair between the age of 22-34, I want to save my favorite hairstylist so that I get advice that suits my texture.
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As a woman with curly hair between the age of 22-34, I want a top three recommended stylist list based on my needs and past client reviews so that I can pick the best stylist for me.
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As a woman with curly hair between the age of 22-34, I want to search for well-rounded stylists who provide multiple curly hair services so that I can meet all my hair needs with one professional.
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As a woman with curly hair between the age of 22-34, I want to see a personalized feed of trending hairstyles so that I have a reference picture to show my hairstylist.
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As a woman with curly hair between the age of 22-34, I want to complete a hair questionnaire so that I have a report on my hair needs to provide to my stylist.
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As a woman with curly hair between the age of 22-34, I want to see ratings for stylists’ punctuality so that I can choose someone who respects my time.
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As a woman with curly hair between the age of 22-34, I want stylists to have profiles that detail their professional standards so that I feel confident they’ll provide a quality experience.
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As a woman with curly hair between the age of 22-34, I want a feature that shows if a stylist often cancels or reschedules appointments so that I can avoid unreliable professionals.
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As a woman with curly hair between the age of 22-34, I want to receive notifications for any schedule changes so that I’m not left waiting unnecessarily.
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As a woman with curly hair between the age of 22-34, I want to see reviews focused on stylists' communication skills so that I can choose someone who keeps me informed.
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As a woman with curly hair between the age of 22-34, I want to book with stylists who focus solely on my service during my appointment so that I feel valued as a client.
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As a woman with curly hair between the age of 22-34, I want a feature that highlights cleanliness ratings of salons so that I feel comfortable with the environment.
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As a woman with curly hair between the age of 22-34, I want a mechanism to report unprofessional behavior so that I feel supported in finding respectful and focused stylists.
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As a woman with curly hair between the age of 22-34, I want an option that lets stylists confirm and commit to my appointment so that I feel assured about my booking.
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As a woman with curly hair between the age of 22-34, I want to receive reminders if my stylist has a history of lateness or cancellations so that I can plan accordingly.
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As a woman with curly hair between the age of 22-34, I want to see a personalized feed of trending hairstyles so that I have a reference picture to show my hairstylist.
As a woman with curly hair between the age of 22-34, I want to see a personalized feed of stylists specializing in curly hair so that I can find the best matches for my hair type.
As a woman with curly hair between the age of 22-34, I want to receive reminders if my stylist has a history of lateness or cancellations so that I can plan accordingly.
Chosen User Story
As a woman with curly hair aged 22 to 34, I would like a personalized feed featuring stylists who specialize in curly hair. I want the option to filter and find stylists with specific skills for curly hair.
Task Flow
Based on the experience map and chosen user story, I created a task flow to outline the step-by-step process for Alicia to filter, discover, and book a trusted hairstylist.
UI Inspiration Board
For Clovi’s UI, I created an inspiration board by mixing and matching elements from apps like Uber, Pinterest, and Chick-fil-A. I analyzed their clean layouts, intuitive navigation, and user-friendly interfaces, pulling design elements that stood out—like clear visuals, smooth flows, and engaging content. This process helped me identify what works well and adapt it to create a unique, polished design that aligns with Clovi’s user needs and brand identity
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Sketches
Using my UI inspiration board as a guide, I sketched out initial ideas for Clovi’s interface, pulling elements like clean layouts from Uber, visual engagement from Pinterest, and intuitive flows from Chick-fil-A. These sketches allowed me to explore different concepts quickly, mix and match design patterns I admired, and lay the foundation for a user-friendly, cohesive interface tailored to Clovi’s brand and user needs
Design
Clovi’s bold, unique, and elegant identity guides its design.
Color Strategy:
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Isla: Soft, calming elegance.
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Mimi: Bold blue for trust and sophistication.
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Balanced Palette: One pop color, two natural tones for consistency.
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60-30-10 Rule: Ensures a polished, inviting, and trustworthy look.
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Typography
Typography Selection:
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Kaisei Decol (Headings): Bold, elegant, and easy to read for a sophisticated touch.
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Wix Madefor (Display Text): Modern and versatile for clarity across screens.
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Result: A polished visual hierarchy that enhances readability and user experience.
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WordMark
For Clovi’s wordmark, I wanted a design that felt as bold, unique, and elegant as the brand itself. The goal was to create something clean, modern, and memorable using the clover shape. I explored various versions. The final wordmark balances simplicity and personality, ensuring it stands out while remaining versatile across digital and print platforms. The rings in the center symbolize connection, a core value of the brand, and are highlighted in red to represent love. This version captures Clovi’s essence: a brand that’s approachable, trustworthy, and inspiring for women with curly hair
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Accessibility
Accessibility was a key focus in Clovi’s design to ensure inclusivity.
Key Adjustments:
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Contrast Testing: Issues found on Stylist Profile and Recommended Stylist pages.
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Fixes: Deepened blue tones for readability and adjusted gray hues in the search bar for clarity.
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Result: Improved visibility while maintaining a clean, user-friendly design.
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Low Fidelity Wireframes
I designed Clovi’s mid-fidelity wireframes in Figma, optimized for iPhone 15/15 Pro dimensions. Using a 4-point column layout with 16-pixel margins,
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User Testing
I tested five participants to gather real-time feedback and refine the design. This round focused on layout, action buttons, and usability using a grayscale mid-fi wireframe.
Insights & Next Steps:
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Tasks felt intuitive, but issues included pre-selected buttons, filter navigation, and alignment.
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Participants suggested adding a back button and more entry points to stylist profiles.
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Next, I'll refine functionality, improve navigation, and enhance visual alignment.
Hi-Fidelity Wireframes
After the first usability test, I refined key areas to enhance the user experience. These improvements shaped version 2 of Clovi, ensuring a smoother, frustration-free flow.
Key Updates:
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Improved button functionality and filter navigation.
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Enhanced visual alignment for a seamless experience.
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Added a back button and multiple ways to access stylist profiles.
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Integrated stylist recommendations for effortless browsing.
For the final version, I designed a high-fidelity prototype, incorporating color, typography, and branding to bring Clovi to life.
Final Design Focus:
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A bold, elegant, and user-centered experience.
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Thoughtfully chosen colors and visuals for a polished, inviting look.
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A seamless blend of functionality and personality to enhance the hair care journey.
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Next steps
Next, I’ll focus on user testing to refine Clovi and ensure it meets real user needs. I plan to add a detailed hair ID survey, with AI-powered analysis to determine hair type (e.g., 3A or 4C), along with a personalized profile featuring tailored stylist recommendations, tips, and services. These additions will make Clovi even more intuitive and empowering.
Find me on Upwork
© 2025 Cynthia Orelien