MENU
the khoi app
the app where beauty finds you.
UI/UX DESIGN
iOS APP DESIGN
UX CASE STUDY
my project
in a nutshell
1.
context
Throughout my career, it’s been my mission to apply critical design thinking to every day life. As a beauty-fanatic, I noticed how reliant consumers were on word-of-mouth referrals to discover new services. This highlighted how even high quality beauty services remain hidden in a hard-to-navigate industry.
Over the course of 10 weeks, I challenged myself to research, conceptualize, and design a solution that would innovate the beauty space, addressing a clear gap between consumers and service providers in an often overlooked industry.
role
Product Designer
Project Manager
timeline
Fall 2024, 10 weeks
skills
UI/UX Design
Product Strategy
Project Management
tools
Figma
UXTweak
THE PROBLEM
Beauty service clients struggle to make informed decisions due to lack of transparency and unfamiliarity, which undermines trusts and hinders them from confidently validating artists, share honest reviews, and book appointments effectively.
the solution
KHOI is an innovative startup dedicated to helping individuals discover and book beauty services by providing potential clients with all the necessary tools to efficiently support their decision-making.
Qualitative user interviews and observations with 30 participants comprising of both beauty service clients and professionals
understanding
the user
2.
the goal
To uncover the users’ unmet needs when discovering and booking beauty services through existing platforms and understand how these behaviors influence the users’ decision making process.
93%
validated the credibility of beauty professionals by cross referencing their work on multiple platforms
70%
discovered beauty professionals through word of mouth
70%
expressed a moderate to difficult experience finding beauty professionals
38%
struggled with having clear communication of availability
assessing user behavior
During my research, I observed user behavior when searching for beauty services online. I analyzed these findings through affinity mapping to extrapolate potential trends and patterns.
summarizing influence on decision making
Interestingly, regardless of what platform users preferred when finding beauty services, all participants considered the same key factors when making their decision.
Can you walk me through the process you typically go through when looking for beauty services?
“
“
Convenience
Clear and convenient appointment scheduling
Portfolio
Look for their needs
within professional’s body of work
Network
Recommendations from
friends builds trust and comfort
Location
Proximity of user to professional
Price
Ensure service
is within budget
Reviews
Positive feedback
builds trust
additional key findings
This pain point suggests a lack of support and reassurance for online users, leading to hesitancy and incurring a high interaction cost for users when booking.
This finding highlights the difference in approach to engaging with target audience. There is a noticeable lack of presence for home-based technicians on Yelp or Google, limiting their online visibility.
HOW MIGHT WE...
How might we support users during the decision making phase of their journey
How might we boost visibility of home-based technicians
How might we build trusts between users and service providers
say hello to,
francesca dela cruz
Francesca values trust when it comes to beauty services. She regularly gets her hair, nails, and lashes done, typically booking home-based technicians she finds on social media. Francesca relies heavily on word-of-mouth recommendations or Instagram, but since she moved to San Diego, she finds it difficult to discover new reliable beauty professionals.
23 years old
Marketing Manager
San Jose, CA
Rouge Status at Sephora
Career Oriented
frustrations
Must navigate through various apps like Instagram, TikTok, and Yelp to gather more information before making a decision
Popular review platforms like Yelp do not highlight home-based technicians
Social Media platforms require network in that location making discovery difficult
goals & needs
Find trusted home-based technicians in her new area
A platform that allows her to view pricing, reviews, location, and portfolio
A streamlined booking process that’s easy to use
where we stand
in the market
3.
the goal
To identify popular features and gaps in existing platforms, providing guidance for developing unique, user-centric solutions.
Yelp
Acuity
Booksy
TikTok
in app booking system
user review and ratings
service discovery
pricing transparency
online portfolio
availability insight
in app payment options
appointment management
upload inspiration
chat support
diverse beauty service
business policies
HOW WE STAND OUT
My app encompasses the interpersonal feel of a social media platform with a focus on prioritizing key factors that users value most in the decision-making process.
The KHOI app is proud to highlight the work of home-based beauty professionals whom are often overlooked in traditional business listing and review platforms.
key takeaways
Instagram’s ability to highlight small businesses/home-based technicians serves as strong point, however, there are no ability view unbiased reviews. There are little said in the comment sections and testimonials on story highlights are hand picked by the businesses themselves
Yelp and Google provides users with a plethora of decision-making metrics, however, only showcase establish businesses, limiting the online visibility of home-based technicians
While Acuity offers appointment management capabilities, their interface does not support users when discovering new beauty technicians
Booksy is the most similar in app concept, however, lacks the community and trusts that KHOI aims to provide
walking through my
ideation process
4.
identifying needs and opportunities
To begin the ideation process, I assessed key factors influencing decision-making behavior alongside common user frustrations to identify their needs. I then mapped potential opportunities for each finding and created a mind map to brainstorm solutions. This initial step is crucial for me in generating ideas that were user-centric.
trends and patterns
Decision Factors
Visibility
Pain Point
wants and needs
opportunities
visualizing generated ideations
During my long brainstorming session, I strived to spark creativity within my solution.
I began mass producing sketches based on the ideas generated by my mind map to better visualize these ideas and explore more solutions without limitations.
exploring low-fidelity prototypes
After generating these ideas, I combined them into three low-fidelity prototypes which aims to support users during their decision-making process.
Prototype A (Social-Media Inspired)
This design takes inspiration from social media platforms like Instagram, offering a visually engaging, scrollable feed where users can discover beauty professionals. The layout emphasizes user profiles, reviews, and recommendations, making it feel familiar for those used to social networking apps.
Prototype B (Matchmaking Based)
This prototype functions similarly to a matchmaking platform, helping clients find beauty professionals based on compatibility. Users can browse matches, view featured artists, and engage in chat conversations before booking, fostering a more personalized and interactive connection between clients and professionals.
Prototype C (Yelp Inspired)
Drawing from Yelp’s, this version prioritizes enables users to explore service providers through ratings, reviews, and recommendations while integrating a check-in feature for real-time engagement.
comparative usability testing
I conducted a comparative usability testing among 5 participants. I gave participants scenarios that represented the six decision-making factors and asked them to select which of the following three prototypes they would likely use and why.
My objective was to test the usability of each prototype and understand which variation aligns best with the user’s needs.
It is important to note that the sample size for this study was limited due to time constraints and recruitment challenges. However, qualitative findings from this sample still revealed key trends that informed iterative design improvements.
Most users favored Prototype A stated usefulness of reading reviews with referrals
Review Scenario
4/5
All users favored Prototype A since they can view mutuals and number of referrals
Network Scenario
5/5
Most users favored Prototype A for its “familiarity”
Portfolio Scenario
3/5
All users favored Prototype A for its intuitive content layout when booking
Convenience Scenario
5/5
Most users favored Prototype C as it appeared to provide most info. about the business
Pricing Scenario
3/5
Users who favored Prototype C stated usefulness of map
Location Scenario
3/5
key takeaways and next steps
Most users preferred Prototype A overall, which leveraged social networking to build trusts and reputation among beauty professionals
Users who favored Prototype A stated they enjoyed its efficient discovery process, accessible appointment making interface, and transparent review system
Users preferred Prototype C for Pricing and Location details it’s ability to display business information in a clear and communicative manner
Moving forward, I plan to create a new prototype that combines users’ preferred features from Prototypes A and B, by leveraging the social media feel of Prototype A to bridge the gap between discovery and trust and provide transparent business information of Prototype C
iterating through
design decisions
5.
mid-fidelity design
I began by combining the strongest aspects of my low-fidelity sketches into a hybrid mid-fidelity prototype, which served as a foundation for future iterations.
high-fidelity design iterations
I conducted an informal usability test to evaluate my first design iteration, focusing on three key objectives:
User Engagement – How well did users interact with the prototype?
Decision-Making Support – Did the prototype effectively assist users in making informed choices?
Clarity & Usability – What aspects of the design caused confusion?
Text Field
Button
Button
Button
Button
Button
Discover
Location
Username
Tag
# recs
save
Username
Tag
# recs
save
Username
Tag
# recs
save
Username
Tag
# recs
save
Username
Tag
# recs
save
Username
Tag
# recs
save
Image
Name
# of referrals
Location
Review
Bio
Username
Book
Refer
Image
Image
Image
Image
Image
Image
Image
Image
Image
Image
Image
Image
Image
Image
Image
Image
Image
Image
Image
Image
Image
Image
Image
Image
Save
Send
Chat
Posts
Services
Username
Service
Image
Image
Sub Header
Paragraph
Instructions
Image
Image
Sub Header
Paragraph
Image
Image
Sub Header
Paragraph
Chat
Username
Service Name
Policy
Policy
Image
Price
Paragraph
Paragraph
Paragraph
Paragraph
Paragraph
Info 1
Info 1
Info 2
Info 2
Service (2)
Explore More
Image
Image
Sub Header
Paragraph
Image
Image
Sub Header
Paragraph
Chat
Username
Date & Time
Date
Sub Header
More
Caption
Mon
Tues
Wed
Thurs
Fri
Sat
Sun
Day
Afternoon
Evening
Button
Button
Button
Button
Button
Button
Button
Button
Button
Button
Button
Button
Button
Button
Button
Button
Button
Button
Button
Button
Button
Button
Button
Button
Image
Upload
Image
Upload
Image
Upload
Chat
Username
Confirm
Payment
Contact Info
Caption
Image
Image
Sub Header
Service Name
Special Request
Text Remind.
Price
Caption
N Character
Paragraph
Card
Date
Time
Location
Info.
Text Field
Text Field
Confirm
Chat
referral feature
After
Before
a
b
c
Key Takeaway
In my first iteration, I introduced a feature displaying the total number of people who referred a beauty provider, along with an option to save the artist or their post for future reference. The goal was to provide metrics that inform users about the provider’s reputation.
Users found the "total count of recommendations" feature beneath feed posts (A) confusing, often mistaking it for a like count
Since the feature failed to meet user expectations, I refined it by quantifying the total number of users who saved the provider’s post instead (B) and relocating the referral count to the provider’s main profile page (C) for clearer visibility.
chat feature
After
Before
a
b
Key Takeaway
During my initial usability testing, it became clear that users highly valued effective communication with service providers
Many participants expressed a desire for a chat feature to discuss appointment details. However, a chat feature was already implemented at the top of the provider’s profile (A), indicating poor visibility.
To enhance discoverability and accessibility, I repositioned the chat feature into the navigation bar (B), ensuring users could easily locate and utilize it for seamless communication.
final frames
try out my final prototype!
showcasing
the final product
6.
Discover and Book
Discover your next go to beauty provider and book all within one app.
The KHOI app provides supports you by localizing key metrics to inform your decision making.
Refer to a Friend
Love your service? Spread the word!
Great recommendations should never go unheard. Refer a friend and help others discover top beauty pros.
Direct Messaging
Great glam starts with great communication.
Filter by service type and connect directly with providers and friends
Unbiased Reviews
Real reviews, real experiences.
Share honest feedback anonymously, free from social pressure—only verified clients can leave reviews, ensuring trust and authenticity.
Save to Collection
Keep your beauty faves all in one place!
Save professionals and their posts to your collections for easy access and future bookings.
my reflection
and takeaway
7.
key takeaways from this project
This project was my first startup initiative and solo design project, and it was challenging not having a team to bounce ideas off of. Without the usual collaboration and feedback, I had to push myself to be resourceful by leveraging ideation methods, user testing, and actively listening to users to inform my design decisions. This experience forced me to think creatively, rely on best practices, and embrace uncertainty as part of the design process. Moreover, throughout this project, I gained a deeper understanding of designing with empathy. That empathy requires me to actively listen to the experiences of my users and uncover the latent needs that explains their behavior.
Beyond UX, this project also challenged me to adopt a business mindset. I meticulously developed the branding to establish a powerful identity, performed research to understand where my product stands within the market and think critically about how trust, engagement, and retention contribute to the product’s long-term success.
Balancing user needs with strategic decision-making helped me bridge the gap between empathetic design and business viability, giving me a holistic perspective on product development.
next steps
Currently, the app centers around the point of view of the client. Future iteration plans includes further testing, inclusion of service provider flow, and recruitment of developers to implement the final product.