myInk
My Ideal Tattoo Experience
Based on extensive user research into the ideal experience of getting a tattoo, myInk was created to help users through their personal tattoo journey. Through a mobile app, users can get the information and resources they need to make the best decisions for themselves.
Research Objective
Over the course of ten weeks, a dedicated team of five women, known as The Ink Girls, embarked on a transformative research process. To understand the experiences and feelings of the users, we needed to observe, listen, and interact with them.
This immersive exploration aimed to gather invaluable insights for future designers, empowering them to craft the ultimate user experience regarding the tattoo process. The group conducted extensive research, culminating in a framework of findings. Using the knowledge gained from our collective efforts, I then designed a final product, myInk.
Observations
The team wanted to examine people doing tattoo-related activities in their natural environment in an ethical, non-intrusive manner. We visited tattoo shops, bars, and cafes, and even attended a tattoo convention one weekend. The Ink Girls observed the initial design of a tattoo, people getting inked, and the aftercare process. We listened to the conversations between tattoo artists and their customers and developed a better understanding of both user groups.
We were able to not just observe people getting tattoos, but the culture surrounding tattoos. We witnessed a community come together.
Some of our best observation insights were made at the Savannah Tattoo Festival. It was a three-day festival for tattoo artists and potential clients from around the country held at a local convention center. Artists set up booths where anyone could make an appointment to get tattooed. There also were art and product booths, talent shows, and even awards for a variety of tattoo categories.
The team observed and spoke to a wide variety of people, of all ages and demographics. During this phase, we were able to better understand tattoo culture.
Interviews
It was important to find out all we could about a user’s experience getting a tattoo. To understand the why, the team conducted interviews with multiple types of users. Because our interviewees were from various parts of the world, we were able to learn how different societies perceive tattoo culture.
“My tattoo has a specific meaning to me. It is a reflection of myself, which represents the story of my life, to remember my past, and my ideologies and act as an inspiration for the future. It is a constant reminder of the best moments and new beginnings.”
We made a selection of questions for three categories of users - tattoo artists, people with a tattoo, and people without a tattoo. We spoke to artists, users who were covered in tattoos, some who were just starting to think about getting inked, and others who swore they would never do it. We organized our responses into a spreadsheet with the three user sections mentioned. The team then coded categories from responses.
“It is meditative. If I am in a bad place I get a tattoo to feel the pain. It’s a mental experience. Getting a tattoo feels like home.”
Cultural Probe
A cultural probe is a collection of tools, artifacts, and tasks with the purpose of provoking the user to observe and think about their environment in different ways. With minimal intervention, we hoped to get insights from participants’ environments to help identify problem statements, uncover new opportunities, and provide us with more ideas.
Based on the information needed to research the topic, we selected two sets of open-ended questions to obtain relevant data from people who don’t have tattoos and people who have tattoos. We finalized the concept with approximately 14 data sets.
With the cultural probe, the participants revealed an intimate perspective of their tattoo experiences through questions, photos, and short conversations with team members. We were fortunate enough to capture insights from people of all ages, backgrounds, and ideologies.
Tattoo User
Non-Tattoo User
Affinity Mapping
After a month of collecting data, The Ink Girls spent two weeks in this stage. We created a large affinity diagram using over 1200 post-its. We started by writing down every data point we had collected during our research phase on yellow post-its, then created bundles from those to eventually develop more significant and encompassing ideas.
From 1200 post-its, we were able to narrow it down to identify sixteen different user experiences. Because we intentionally gathered data from both tattoo and non-tattoo users, we grouped those sixteen user experiences into two frameworks to direct future design research and solutions for each user type. In each framework, the more substantial amount of data collected for a specific idea would be emphasized through size and font.
Framework
The purpose of this model was to organize all of the insights we gathered about our users into a framework that described their feelings, opinions, and experiences. This framework model is intended to be a summary of the research from the user’s perspective. Different levels of insights can be found inside this framework from the highest frequency to the lowest.
Our key finding for this user is presented in the middle circle of the framework. The most important data points we discovered in our research are closest to the center. The phrases farther away are lower frequency data points.
Tattoo User
Non-Tattoo User
My Ideal Tattoo Experience
The group finished the project by creating a magazine, explaining all of the research we had done and the insights we had gained. From here, I worked on my own to create a design solution for the biggest problems we discovered in our research.
myInk App
Pulling key insights from the framework above, the myInk app is the key to a unique community surrounding tattoo culture. It is a place to share your designs, get advice on future tattoos, and build relationships through body art. The community is open to people around the country, but you can connect your location to link with local artists and other users in your area. The key offerings include the ability to chat with artists and other users, share and comment on tattoo ideas and final inks, and be a part of a community of acceptance and inclusion.
One of the most unique things about the myInk app is the ability to design your own tattoo. Through research, I learned people who doubt their design or drawing skills keep them from feeling confident about illustrating the image they see in their head. Tattoo artists are truly artists and do the majority of the design work. But when the user is able to clearly articulate what they are envisioning, their artist understands what they want faster and users are more excited about their final design.
Within the Design tab, users can design a tattoo with zero prior design or drawing skills. The augmented reality feature lets users see what their design would actually look like on their body. And once satisfied, they can share it with their community or their tattoo artist.
As I learned in my ten weeks of research, the permanent nature of tattoos has both pros and cons in users’ minds. The potential regret one might have later, the stigma still surrounding tattoos, and the pain of the process all leave people hesitant to get inked. But this permanency and the painful process are also drivers for users as well.
Our bodies cannot always show who we truly are on their own. But tattoos are a way of further expressing who we are, what we have been through, and what is most important to us. myInk is a platform to support users through the entire process of getting tattoos. It is a place that will always celebrate the art of your body, even if you cannot share that same excitement with those around you for fear of judgment.
