UI / UX case study - a rental / borrowing app

The new Sharing Economy

We're becoming increasingly attune to consumerism and how it negatively impacts the environment - and our pockets. Platforms such as Rent the Runway and By Rotation are taking on the fast fashion industry with their designer clothing loaning service, projects such as the Library of Things are allowing people to borrow useful items for their gardening and DIY needs, and initiatives such as the London Bike Kitchen are helping to combat planned obsolescence by teaching us how to use tools to fix and maintain our bikes.

I set out to design an app which enabled users to borrow or rent things from their local community.

I conducted some interviews to discern what sort of things people would ideally want to borrow rather than buy, and any issues they've encountered when trying to use borrowing services in the past.

I sketched out an ideal userflow experience and then some wireframes, to help map out what information I needed on each screen.

PROBLEM / app solution

TRUST - insurance cover - any item put up for swapping must include a valuation. User profiles for individuals or businesses include ratings, product photos and location

EXPENSE - an option for a swapping system, rather than paying with cash

LACK OF CONFIDENCE / KNOWLEDGE - instructional videos and top tips from users

LOGISTICS - users can opt for delivery in the borrowing process

CHOICE - a wide range of categories