Stylo
Augmented Reality based co-design space
for hairstylists and their customers
for hairstylists and their customers
The Challenge
We realized communicating the right hairstyle is an issue both the customer and hairstylists face. How can we improve confidence and trust between them?
Role
I conducted user research, usability testing and designed the UI for hairstyling in the app.
Duration
3 months
Team
Liang Ce
Piyush Dawande
Lidong Liu
Piyush Dawande
Lidong Liu
Tools
Figma
Keynote
Premiere Pro
Keynote
Premiere Pro
Watch our unique A.R. video prototype
Design Process
Research
We conducted interviews with 10 customers who frequent salons and 4 salon hairstylists across Bloomington. A parallel stream of brainstorming helped us bring the budding ideas onto the table as our research progressed.
To understand a salon experience better, we conducted contextual inquiry and artifact analysis with a stylist and a customer.
To understand a salon experience better, we conducted contextual inquiry and artifact analysis with a stylist and a customer.
Synthesis
Using Affinity mapping and journey maps, we understood the interaction between a customer and hairstylist. The pain points we saw were clear but looking at the market, we could not find a solution that addresses all these pain points. To understand how our brainstormed ideas pan out, we conducted co-design workshops with 2 of our participants. The newly suggested designs and improved paved the way for our final concept of an augmented reality based application.
Prototyping
A.R. being a new & upcoming domain, creating prototypes for it was a task. We used paper prototypes to test the flow & functionality of the application itself.
For the augmented reality based hairstyling section, we worked on a video prototype showing how an individual can personalize their own hairstyle. This prototype building process informed us with ways to improve the interactions when a user is holding up the phone, looking at themselves and trying out new styles.
For the augmented reality based hairstyling section, we worked on a video prototype showing how an individual can personalize their own hairstyle. This prototype building process informed us with ways to improve the interactions when a user is holding up the phone, looking at themselves and trying out new styles.
Research Insights
Hair Salons : What's the problem?
1
It's difficult to find a hair salon that one would like.
2
Customers and hairstylist face issue communicating the hairstyle.
3
Customers like a salon because of their favorite hairstylist.
Insight #1
It's difficult to find a hair salon online that one would like.
When a person wants to get an haircut, we found out from our interviews that 7 out 10 participants have had a hard time finding the right hairstylist in Bloomington. These participants either select salons by word of mouth from their known associates or go by online review. In most cases, the endeavor to find a hair salon of ones liking is a process of trial & error, requiring a lot of time and money.
Subjective reviews
7/10 participants find salons & stylists by word of mouth. They have asked their friends or checked customer reviews online for each salon.
They also stated that these recommendations and reviews are subjective and they have to take it with a grain of salt. As a result, customers are going in a salon not expecting it to be a great experience. They consider the first visit at a salon as a trial visit.
They also stated that these recommendations and reviews are subjective and they have to take it with a grain of salt. As a result, customers are going in a salon not expecting it to be a great experience. They consider the first visit at a salon as a trial visit.
Time intensive and expensive
8/10 participants said that they try out different salons before settling on a single salon. This process is time intensive. A participant usually tries a new salon every 1-2 months.
This process is also expensive as the prices across salons range from $20 to $150. Sometimes, a customer might not like the service of a salon and has to go to another salon the next day to redo their hairstyle, adding to the cost. It also means that an upset customer means lost future business for the hairstylist. Matching the customer with the right hairstylist and salon is important.
This process is also expensive as the prices across salons range from $20 to $150. Sometimes, a customer might not like the service of a salon and has to go to another salon the next day to redo their hairstyle, adding to the cost. It also means that an upset customer means lost future business for the hairstylist. Matching the customer with the right hairstylist and salon is important.
Insight #2
Customers and hairstylist face issue communicating the hairstyle.
During the interviews, our participants stated they felt nervous when they discuss the way their hair should be cut & styled. They are unsure if the stylist understood the exact style they want. The stylists also stated that they want to understand the customer's requirements before they start their work. A lot of times, miscommunications lead to the stylists having to provide free fix-up sessions or lose the customers.
Ambiguous verbage
All of out 10 participants have tried to talk about their required hairstyle by using words like 'short', 'more wavy', 'golden color', 'bright red'. These words are subjective to the customers and the stylists understanding of them. The customer & hairstylist spend a lot of time trying to come on the same page about the style.
Even after consultation, the hairstylists we have talked to are very careful in trimming the hair too short to avoid frustrating the customer. The hairstylist is also nervous even if they are skilled in the style required. This results in the haircut session resulting in wrong style or the wrong hair color.
Even after consultation, the hairstylists we have talked to are very careful in trimming the hair too short to avoid frustrating the customer. The hairstylist is also nervous even if they are skilled in the style required. This results in the haircut session resulting in wrong style or the wrong hair color.
Pictures of others
6/10 participants said they use photos of celebrities to help them explain the kind of style they want. The customers really like how the style looks on the person in the image and want the same aesthetic look for themselves.
The hairstylists have noted that although the pictures help, but they need to communicate with the customer that the hairstyle in the picture suits the person because of their facial attributes. If some attributes don't match with the customer's face, it's awkward for the hairstylist to tell the customer that the style won't suit them without sounding offensive. They want to show them what they are imagining with their expertise. So, after the haircut, if the style doesn't suit the customer, the hairstylist is blamed for poor job.
The hairstylists have noted that although the pictures help, but they need to communicate with the customer that the hairstyle in the picture suits the person because of their facial attributes. If some attributes don't match with the customer's face, it's awkward for the hairstylist to tell the customer that the style won't suit them without sounding offensive. They want to show them what they are imagining with their expertise. So, after the haircut, if the style doesn't suit the customer, the hairstylist is blamed for poor job.
Insight #3
Customers like a salon because of their favorite hairstylist.
When a person wants to get an haircut, we found out from our interviews that 7 out 10 participants have had a hard time finding the right hairstylist in Bloomington. These participants either select salons by word of mouth from their known associates or go by online review. In most cases, the endeavor to find a hair salon of ones liking is a process of trial & error, requiring a lot of time and money.
Subjective reviews
7/10 participants find salons & stylists by word of mouth. They have asked their friends or checked customer reviews online for each salon.
They also stated that these recommendations and reviews are subjective and they have to take it with a grain of salt. As a result, customers are going in a salon not expecting it to be a great experience. They consider the first visit at a salon as a trial visit.
They also stated that these recommendations and reviews are subjective and they have to take it with a grain of salt. As a result, customers are going in a salon not expecting it to be a great experience. They consider the first visit at a salon as a trial visit.
Time intensive and expensive
8/10 participants said that they try out different salons before settling on a single salon. This process is time intensive. A participant usually tries a new salon every 1-2 months.
This process is also expensive as the prices across salons range from $20 to $150. Sometimes, a customer might not like the service of a salon and has to go to another salon the next day to redo their hairstyle, adding to the cost. It also means that an upset customer means lost future business for the hairstylist. Matching the customer with the right hairstylist and salon is important.
This process is also expensive as the prices across salons range from $20 to $150. Sometimes, a customer might not like the service of a salon and has to go to another salon the next day to redo their hairstyle, adding to the cost. It also means that an upset customer means lost future business for the hairstylist. Matching the customer with the right hairstylist and salon is important.
Design Ideation
Augmented Reality : a co-design space?
With current advancements in augmented reality, rendering realistic hairstyle is feasible. To communicate style requirements, an augmented hairstyle can reduce the ambiguity in using phrases. It also shows the final outcome of the style on the customer before beginning the session. But such implementations are already available in the industry:
Current A.R. based mirrors
A.R. based mirrors are expensive. Also, as seen in the image above, the customer has limited view of their head, so they cannot look at the hairstyle from different angles. This affects their decision making even with a visualized hairstyle.
What if mobile phones are used as A.R. cameras?
Mobile phones are less expensive as both the customer and the hairstylist will have a phone. This reduces the hardware investment for the hairstylist.
The mobility of a phone gives another advantage:
full coverage of the head. Using 2 mobile phones can create a 3D space in which the customer's hairstyle can be seen from different angles. If both the customer and the hairstylist can see the new style from different angles, communication barrier between them will be reduced.
The mobility of a phone gives another advantage:
full coverage of the head. Using 2 mobile phones can create a 3D space in which the customer's hairstyle can be seen from different angles. If both the customer and the hairstylist can see the new style from different angles, communication barrier between them will be reduced.
Design Ideation
Haistylists are artists: inspiration from the tattoo industry
Hairstylists are artisans of hair. They can transform a person just by working their magic on the hair. Same is true for tattoo artists, the artisans of skin. But, all hairstylists are considered same by hair salons. We found this by looking at hair salon websites and tattoo studio websites:
Putting tattoo artist's work before the customers provides them understanding of the type of tattooing work the artist is skilled at. This helps with their decision to go with a tattoo artist, rather than a tattoo studio. Similarly, stylists are good at certain work like perming or straightening or a specific style/genre of hairstyling. We also found that Asian and American hair has different texture to them, making it important that the customer go to a stylist who can style a particular texture.
What if we use A.R. based hairstyles to create a hairstylist's portfolio?
After a great styling session, the 3D model is a reference to the original request style. This also profiles the hairstylists expertise pretty well.
This way when the customers give feedback online, the feedback can be tied to a particular style that was requested.
Design Concept
Final concept : bringing it all together
Search for an hairstylist based on your hairstyle.
The 3D model generated for the hairstyle of your choice is used to match you with stylists who are experts in that style. This includes hair length, hair coloring, perming, etc.
Co-design the hairstyle together with your favorite stylist.
With the concept of Augmented Reality as a co-design space, the hairstylist and their customer can discuss and edit a hairstyle before the actual hair cutting begins.
Effecting communication
Watch the video to see how visual assistance through AR can help with better hairstyling sessions.
Design Deliverables
Wireframes
Usability Test Results
We recruited 2 male and 2 female participants to test the usability of our design. The participants were required to use the application to find themselves an hairstylist and to see if the user flow of the application works with their requirements.
1
Customers could explain the exact hairstyle they want through the AR feature.
Participants liked the fact that the augmented reality is at a stage that their hairstyle can be visualized to their hairstylists. Although, our prototype was just a video and paper prototypes, they could imagine the potential of such an application.
"I could never explain what I want to my stylists, I can see this helping me 'show' my preference by just putting on the style on my head.”
2
The hairstylist platform and A.R. based hairstyles feel like different applications
Our participants commented that the A.R. styling and the hairstylist platform seem to be made into one application without a design rationale and user flow to connect them together.
“This is cool! But, I feel the A.R. is just an add-on to the platform, which I can get from Instagram as well. I don't feel like I would use this much.”
My Takeaways
What did I learn?
1
Consciously recruiting participants that represent different facets of the populations is really important for the design to be wholesome and successfully.
2
Augmented Reality can be an effective design solution if incorporated in a problem space at the right moment.
What can I improve?
1
We did not externalize our implicit assumptions about the design space until midway through the project, which made us redo some of our research.
2
We did not design AR gestures to be incorporated in Stylo, which we should've pushed for during the final weeks of the project.
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