The Challenge
People who make and craft things tend to collect a variety of materials to use for their next creation. This collection is commonly referred to as a STASH. Makers need a better way to keep track of their stash and their current projects in a more visual way as many creative individuals really do like to be organized!
Solution
Build an app for makers to visually keep track of their creative projects and stash of materials.
Include opportunities for users to give away, buy, sell, or trade extra stash items with other makers in the community.
App Screens
User Research
Questions & Results
I interviewed makers at a local craft show asking:
What kinds of materials do you use to make your art?
How do you keep your materials organized?
Would you like to better organize your materials?
What do you do with materials that you don’t use?
Any selling or trading?
Do you use any apps or programs to keep track of your materials?
What about your product ideas?
Do you keep any of these online?
USER RESEARCH - PERSONA
ANNA - THE LOGICAL CREATIVE
Bio: When Anna had her son, she re-discovered her passion for sewing after making some items for him. She started a side business where she makes and sells children’s clothing and accessories.
Goals: To run her craft business like a business so she can someday make it her full-time job. Better organize her crafting activities like a pro while still having fun.
Motivations: Loves making her creative visions a reality and being able to share her gifts with others. Wants her side business to bring her joy and not feel like a chore or add stress.
Frustrations: Software programs for tracking projects and supplies are too complicated and not visual-based. Doesn’t have a lot of time to track every single little thing. Doesn’t know exactly how much money her supplies end up costing, but wants to.
Behaviors: Stores a large stash of fabric in plastic bins and enjoys sorting by color. Keeps notebooks of ideas, and often starts a new idea before finishing the last. Winds up with a lot of extra materials that she’s not sure what to do with.
User Flows
Version 1
Version 2
Through Card Sorting and Feature Ranking with users, I discovered makers were less interested in what to do with their supplies than they were in a system that quickly and visually helped them organize projects and stashed materials.
