ReWork App Prototype | Week 2

Week Overview:

This week provided a deeper dive into market research, positioning, and user personas. The goal for this week was to develop enough content to create a professional, convincing pitch presentation for ReWork. This week was focused on taking market data and truly applying it to the ReWork project idea.

Weekly Goals:

  • Develop Project Abstract

  • Develop User Goals

  • Create Brand Matrix

  • Create problem/Solution statement

  • Competitive Audits

  • Rough Production Timeline

  • Develop 3 behavioral models

  • Begin sketching/ideation

After developing a clear understanding of the problem with last week’s research, I was able to create a strong problem/solution statement and create problem-oriented user goals. Specifically, I found that my target users have four consistent concerns: Cost, quality assurance (key in service differentiation), time, and sustainability.

Three User Personas were developed based on quantitative research findings and observations that I have made in the art school community. I determined that users are likely to be between the ages of 20-30. To summarize the personas that I have created:

  • Jordan Altergott: Workaholic; a full-time photographer/content writer and full-time student, she has strong finance but lacks in time.

  • Chris Yost: Part-time student; a web developer who is returning to school for an education in graphic design. More of a casual student, Chris wants a way to quickly sell art supplies once he’s finished with them.

  • Joseph Le: A college freshman whose tuition is being payed for by his parents. Joseph buys his own art supplies however and is looking for interesting, trendy supplies (i.e. film camera). Many of his decisions are made based on aesthetic and style.

While these personas may morph over time, they will supply an adequate starting point to begin User Interviews, Contextual Inquiries, etc.

I also pursued further competitor research, initiating the creation of a SWOT analysis to help position ReWork amongst other key competitors. Finding that Amazon does not hold large stock on high-quality art supplies (e.g. toned drawing paper) and retro items (e.g. film camera), I have determined that eBay poses more of a threat to ReWork and its services.

Weekly Outcomes:

  • Problem Statement

    • Low-budget artists and students are struggling to buy art supplies and rarely use supplies to completion during their classes/projects. The ReWork app is a location-based service that allows art students or low-budget artists to quickly buy materials from one another at a low cost, recycling materials, saving time/money, and avoiding the hassle of online shipping.

  • Abstract

    • Users will use ReWork to buy and sell used supplies without the hassle of online shipping. Due to the “used” nature of the supplies, costs will be lower than online vendors like eBay or Cheap Joe’s. Users want to be able to buy used supplies online with the assurance that the items will be usable (unusable items are unacceptable to these users, even if refund is available, because their needs are time-based).

  • Competitive Audits

    • Literature reviews for eBay, Cheap Joe’s, and Guiry’s

  • 3 User Personas Developed

  • Sketches and ideation initiated, following layout similar to that of other online vendors.


Bryan McDonaldRework