Nikisthetics
Nikisthetics is a nail salon started by Nikita out of her apartment in 2019. Since then, she has been able to grow her client base exponentially. Nikita needs a platform where Nikisthetics clients can manage their appointments, and track their services.
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UI/UX
Prototyping
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Creation of integrated scheduling platform
Creation of client dashboard
Not in the scope:
Business facing interface
Online shop
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5 weeks
Problem
Currently, Nikisthetics clients have to manually message her through Instagram to book, cancel, or modify appointments. Clients also have a hard time finding all relevant info and have to reach Nikisthetics directly for prices, gift cards, appointments, etc.
Solution
An online platform that provides new and existing clients the ability to seamlessly book, cancel, and modify their appointments, without having to message back and forth with Nikita. The online platform will include a client dashboard that allows clients to sign up for a membership, participate in a loyalty program, and view detailed information about the services offered at Nikisthetics.
Research
To find Nikisthetics competitors, I did a Google search for salons in the Montreal area that offer similar services.
Nstyle Nail Lounge
Advantages
Offers a student discount
Modern website with a booking system
Extensive list of services with certified beauticians
Highly rated reviews on google
Clean and luxurious salon in a convenient location
Disadvantages
Price point is on the higher side
Hard to find specific service on booking page due to long list of services
No guest checkout option to book appointments
Unable to choose your preferred beautician during online booking
Salon Vong
Advantages
Offers an extensive list of services
Located in the downtown area
Use of vegan high quality products
Disadvantages
Online booking system available however, it is not intuitive to use, the prices are not listed, nor the length of each service.
The list of services under the booking page is very long and confusing and displayed in both languages side to side, which can be confusing and crowded
Website has a dated UI
No client loyalty program
The Ten Spot
Advantages
Well known franchise in North America
Strong loyalty and membership program
Very stringent cleaning practises
Ability to host private parties
Disadvantages
Booking feature is not intuitive, have to click multiple drop downs to book multiple services
Prices not listed on the services page
Font on website is small with a light colour and hard to read
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Dianna is a busy, working professional who has a sophisticated style. She likes to get dressed up and treat herself for special occasions. Dianna loves coming to Nikisthetics to get a classic manicure with a nude nail polish to compliment her style every couple of months.
Personas
These are the 2 personas at Nikisthetics.
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Nicole is a regular client who is passionate about fashion and self-care. Nicole likes to pamper herself, and getting her nails done is an integral part of her self-care routine. She loves getting her nails refreshed every 2-3 weeks. Nicole also loves to keep up with the trends and try new nail designs every time she visits Nikisthetics.
User Flows
Below are the account creation, appointment booking and membership creation user flows on the Nikisthetics website. These are the main actions a user would perform on the website.
Preliminary Sketches
Visual Design
The style guide is modern, clean, and fun which reflects the Nikisthetics brand. The use of neutral colours with the pops of green let the design feel fresh, but is also inclusive, and lets the images on the website stand out. Since clients will be uploading their own images of nail designs done, the neutral colour palette allows for that without making the UI feel too heavy.
Usability Testing
Usability Testing was conducted with 5 users. From my usability testing, all users were able to understand what the website was offering through exploring the homepage. Users were able to seamlessly login/create an account when prompted to do so.
Some changes to implement from usability testing:
Stronger sense of direction after logging in and landing on the client dashboard.
Adding a save button under system settings, for when changes are made.
Rework “edit membership” user flow to allow clients to make changes.