Sneakpeak
A Reimagined Sneaker Drop Experience
Background
Sneaker enthusiasts and collectors eagerly await sneaker releases. Some releases are only available for a limited period, as well having very limited quantities, making them highly coveted and valuable. It can get overwhelming and confusing for sneaker enthusiasts to keep track of the multitude and frequency of sneaker drops.
My Role
I worked as a the sole Product Designer for my capstone. I conducted user research, user interviews, sketches, mid fidelity screens, user testing, final screens, and developed visual identity
Scope
UX/UI Design, User Testing, User Interviews, Research, Pitch presentation
Tools
Figma, Figjam, Notion, Photoshop, Illustrator
Be in the loop for every sneaker release
Sneaker releases can be a difficult experience for Sneakerheads to follow and experience. My goal was to develop a platform that enhances the experience of sneaker drops.
I began looking to solve a problem with making Basketball training more accessible
When I started my research looking into a problem I and other players were facing. My initial idea focused on tracking progress when working out and finding a place where to play in Basketball.
And then I noticed something strange
When I started my research looking into a problem I and other players were facing. My initial idea focused on tracking progress when working out and finding a place where to play in Basketball.
And then everything changed….
Real Problem
Difficulty to track multiple releases from different brands and experience sneaker releases.
Over the past years, demand for limited sneakers has grown because of “hype culture” from social media. For many, it is difficult to pay high markups for resale prices on limited sneakers. The problem is being able to follow sneaker releases from multiple brands.
Goal
Improve the experience of following releases by making the information easier to manage.
Develop an essential product for Sneakerheads or people who are learning about sneakers releases. The goal was to develop an experience that is more engaging and personalized compared to reading an article about sneaker releases. We sought to design a solution that simplifies the process of tracking multiple releases and makes browsing and learning about sneakers more enjoyable and personalized for sneaker enthusiasts.
Research
Why are Sneakerheads using different platforms to track sneaker releases?
In the initial stages of my capstone research, I reached out to several Sneakerheads to understand how they keep track of sneaker releases. I discovered that there was no single app that was universally used by both Sneakerheads and resellers.
To gain deeper insights into this issue, I conducted a competitive analysis of the top three apps frequently used by the Sneakerheads I interviewed and what a journey map of Sneakerhead would look like.
To gain a comprehensive understanding of sneaker culture and the challenges Sneakerheads face when it comes to finding and tracking sneaker releases, I conducted interviews with a diverse range of individuals. These interviews included new sneaker enthusiasts, seasoned collectors with over a decade of experience, and even those who run their own sneaker businesses. Through these interviews, I observed recurring patterns in behaviors and challenges, such as difficulties in tracking releases due to the use of various platforms and apps, frustrations with the release day experience, and the impact of resell prices on buying decisions.
Insights
Success Metrics
How can we develop a reliable platform to make sneaker releases easier track and manage.
The success metrics below focus on concerns we gathered during user interviews regarding the previous platform.
Ideation
Develop a product that combines key features from the platforms being used by Sneakerheads.
After identifying the main reasons why Sneakerheads have used multiple platforms to track sneaker releases for different brands, I focused on developing insights gathered into sketches. The ideas below focuses on improving the experience of sneaker releases before, during, and after.
Development
Mid-Fi sketches with 2 divergent directions
Following the development of multiple solutions of how to answer the how might we’s for the product, I decided to develop 2 divergent mid-fi flow and see how users would react to these proposed solutions.
Through conducting interviews, I was able to determine pain points users have with their experience of participating in sneaker releases. It was here were I was able to determine features users prefer in certain platforms they use. From our 2 concepts, I was able to notice patterns that users preferred when it comes to managing information about sneaker releases and improving their experience during a release.
User Testing
Final Design
Introduce saving sneakers in the onboarding process and lead users to their personalized watchlist page
During the onboarding process users select brands and sneakers they want to follow. This was a way for users to see how saving works in the product and how it would look.
Personalized Sneaker Experience
Based from interviews and user testing it was apparent that current platform do not give a personalized experience to Sneakerheads. This is where “My Watchlist” comes in as a personalized experience within the Sneakpeak app.
Sneaker drop watching made easier!
With current platforms having a difficult experience with searching specific dates and releases, the goal was to make browsing sneaker drops easier to search and sort.
Sneaker Calendar
Discover Page Screens
Discover Page
The New Experience For Sneaker Drops
Sneaker releases can be one of the most nerve-racking experiences for sneakerheads to experience. One of the unique features of Sneakpeak is the Launch Room. Launch Room is an interactive waiting room for Sneakerheads to meet.
Branding Sneakpeak
The goal for this project was to develop a unique and punchy branding for the Sneakpeak branding. The logo, colors, and typography was carefully chosen to reflect this sentiment.
Retrospective
Developing a unique brand identity
Sneakpeak was developed with a unique brand identity in mind. During this capstone project, I was able to explore my creative freedom and develop an identity for the platform. Using unique font combinations, developing a unique color palette and logo pairing made this project one I am very much proud of.
Building the Design system
During the development of the project, I was able to successfully build a design system unique to the app. Setting font styles, the color palette, and icons were some I had to both curate and make from scratch.