Problem:
Costume Coordinators waste their limited time and production resources looking for information scattered amongst spreadsheets and binders.
Solution: By creating software that prioritizes organization and efficiency in the most time-consuming responsibilities of a costume shop, Costume Coordinators can focus on the most important parts of their job.
Discovery and Research
Through conversations with fellow Costume Coordinators, I found many were receptive to integrating software into the most antiquated aspects of the job – budget tracking and receipt reconciliation. Costume Companion would best serve as a data and asset management platform, synthesizing data from receipts, invoices, assets, and paperwork into a comprehensive financial tracking experience.
From the same conversations and USA829’s recent internal study regarding union Coordinators, I zeroed in on who would be using this software. In New York, most of the budget tracking is done by coordinators, but it's important that assistant designers can easily access and understand the budget, as they are often the liaison between the coordinator and costume designer.
Information Architecture
Before putting pencil to paper, I laid out the general "flow" for the software, deciding when a user should be given new options.
Wireframes
Coordinators often bounce between multiple tasks, so I focused on creating an experience that would work well with interruptions. Implementing a step-by-step process that allows the user to easily save their work made the most sense.
Returns
TThe trickiest part of this design was figuring out an elegant solution for someone making a return. In the interest of organization, it was important that the user could see all transactions that have occurred with a purchase receipt. In the end, the simplest solution won out: Items can be individually tagged on a receipt as returned, then the user can attach the return receipt and make any necessary edits.
Option 1
Option 2 (Solution)
Creating a New Project
Adding a Transaction
Design System
As coordinators are in and out of their budget all day, keeping the platform visually simple and free from any distracting graphics or colors makes it easier to find what you need efficiently.
Delivered Designs
The platform simplifies managing receipts for different elements, and returning items is equally effortless. With adaptable project and user settings, Costume Coordinators can swiftly adjust to industry changes. Ultimately, Costume Companion saves days of time, enabling efficient bank statement reconciliation.
Explore the Full Designs below!
Reflections
This idea has been clanging around in my head since I was working as a Costume Coordinator, it's gratifying to see it fleshed out. This is also my first UX project, I learned a lot about the design process relating to UX. However, it strikes me that no matter the medium, some things remain the same when it comes to design:
- Design in service to someone; whether they are a character in a play or someone using an online service.
- Collaboration brings forth the most thoughtful and nuanced designs.
- It is eimportant to know when to establish a pattern and when to break a pattern.
It is affirming to see that I can design to make life simpler. I would love to expand this project eventually; Creating new features that allow for further data customization into glanceable tables and spreadsheets.