Daikin
Mobile application design
/2020
Tapestry
Data Platform
UI & Brand design
/2019
SERVICES:
UI Design
Brand Design
Marketing Strategy
Communication Design
Scope & Solutions
Tapestry is an open-source data platform that promotes sustainable architecture through free access to design performance data. I began working with the startup as a consulting designer and strategist in early 2019.
User engagement was critical to the platform's success at this early stage. In order to deliver maximum impact with minimal time and resources, I focused on two key goals to address in the MVP:
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Refining the search function and layout.
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Building a recognizable, credible brand.
Identity
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I drew inspiration from the qualities of physical tapestries and the client's mission statement:
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An open and accessible community.
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Colorful and diverse.
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The weaving together of pieces from many different sources.
I delivered a wordmark with letterforms constructed like a patchwork of bright jewel-tone colors that reflect a modern take on the medieval tapestry. Once we tested these concepts on the website, however, we found that the colorful logo competed too much with the content on the site. (Since access to information is Tapestry's key differentiator, it didn't feel right to detract from that with a busy logo.)
So I went back to work on the wordmark, drawing upon much of the same inspiration as before, but this time focusing on simplicity. The result is a very simple block of white Roboto text on a black background with a triangular void cut out of Tapestry’s first capital “T”. It can be easily modified for different applications in the future.
I analyzed a variety of competing and popular websites from Ecomedes, to Pinterest, to Nordstrom, gathering data on formatting, functionality, and placement of elements to better understand where our users might expect to find the search bar, filters, etc.
There's a lot of information on the site, so the search and filter function were incredibly important. This information needed to be front and center, but since the site is still very new, the "about" and "feedback" sections also needed to be easy to find at first glance. Balancing both proved to be a challenge.
I went through several iterations before landing on a design that uses color to divide the header into two parts — one for the logo, login, and site info, and another for refining search results.
Navigation Interface
GOALS:
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Standardize the navigation pane to follow typical design patterns for sites with advanced search functions.
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Establish a memorable look and feel.
The original Tapestry layout.
Looking at layout and functionality of various sites with similar levels of complexity compared to Tapestry.
Experimenting with different layouts for the navigation and header.
High fidelity mockup late in the design process. We continue to iterate on this design.
Looking Ahead
The kit of parts I created can be easily modified, expanded, and iterated upon as we further develop the site and glean new insights from our users.