Walkins is a dual-sided app that serves clients and professionals in the hair and beauty industry. The app allows clients to effortlessly book appointments with hair stylists, while also providing salon professionals with an efficient platform to manage bookings and streamline their business operations. I was responsible for designing the brand identity and the app interface, ensuring a seamless experience for both users.

For Clients:

Clients often faced challenges booking hair appointments, especially last minute. They needed a solution that would allow them to find available stylists quickly, view reviews, and book appointments in real-time.

Hair salons struggled to efficiently manage their appointments and track client bookings, leading to a loss of business and operational inefficiencies. Walkins provided a platform for them to list their services, manage their schedules, and grow their client base.

I conducted user interviews and competitive analyses to understand the needs and pain points of both clients and salon professionals. Key findings included:

- Clients preferred flexibility in booking last-minute appointments.

- Salon owners needed an intuitive booking system to reduce no-shows and efficiently manage their schedules.

- Both user groups valued real-time updates on appointment statuses.

- Simplified, user-friendly navigation was critical for both sides of the app.

- The client side needed a smooth discovery and booking experience.

- The professional side required robust features for schedule management, appointment tracking, and business analytics.

Design Challenge:

The brand needed to resonate with both professionals (salon owners) and clients (individuals booking appointments). It had to be modern, approachable, and trustworthy.

I created a brand identity that reflected professionalism, elegance, and ease of use. The logo design incorporated flowing, organic lines, symbolizing the beauty and hairstyling industry, while maintaining a clean and modern aesthetic. A calming colour palette of soft blues and warm neutrals was chosen to evoke a sense of trust and relaxation.

To design an intuitive, user-centric app that allows clients to book hair appointments quickly and easily.

- Simple Onboarding: A quick, seamless sign-up process to reduce friction.

- Search and Filters: Clients can search for salons based on location, availability, and services offered.

- Appointment Booking: A step-by-step process for booking, with real-time availability of stylists.

- Notifications: Alerts for appointment confirmations, reminders, and cancellations.

Goal:

To provide salons with a user-friendly system to manage bookings and client interactions efficiently.

- Business Dashboard: Overview of upcoming appointments, client history, and performance analytics.

- Appointment Management: Real-time calendar view, with the ability to accept, decline, or reschedule appointments.

- Client Communication: Built-in messaging for quick communication with clients about bookings.

I aimed to reduce complexity for salon owners with a dashboard that highlighted key information at a glance. The design allowed them to manage appointments quickly, track client activity, and monitor business performance in a way that was both simple and functional.

- Balancing Two User Groups: Designing for two distinct user bases (clients and professionals) required careful attention to differing needs, without overwhelming the interface with too many features.

- Real-time Functionality: Ensuring real-time updates on appointment availability and notifications was a technical challenge, but essential to the app's success.

- User Engagement: The app saw high engagement rates, with users regularly booking appointments and salon professionals reporting increased appointment management efficiency.