Unlock Your DIY Potential — One Project at a Time!

DIY Blueprint is your all-in-one digital platform designed to empower DIYers by simplifying project planning, material sourcing, and community support. Whether you're tackling home projects, learning new skills, or sourcing the best materials, DIY Blueprint helps you stay organized, motivated, and connected — making every step of your journey feel empowering, fun, and rewarding. Through user-centered research, iterative design, and usability testing, I created a structured and approachable solution that ensures users can complete their DIY projects with confidence and ease, celebrating every accomplishment along the way.

Background

DIY projects have exploded in popularity—helped by blogs, Pinterest boards, and endless YouTube tutorials. But for many hobbyists and budget-conscious homeowners, the dream of “doing it yourself” often turns into a stressful, fragmented experience. Instead of feeling empowered, DIYers found themselves overwhelmed by scattered resources, unsure where to begin, and often abandoning projects halfway through. As someone who believes DIY should feel creative and exciting (not frustrating and confusing), I asked:

Challenge

How might we empower DIYers by providing structured project guidance, affordable material sourcing, and a supportive community—all in one approachable platform?

Solution

DIY Blueprint—a digital platform designed to make DIY more achievable, less overwhelming, and truly empowering. It offers step-by-step project tutorials, material comparison tools, community support spaces, and features that help users manage their time, save money, and celebrate their progress.

Role: Sole end-to-end UI/UX Designer, UX Researcher, Brand Designer

Tools: Figma, Figma Jam, Microsoft Excel

Duration: 10 weeks

Skills: User research, information architecture, interaction design, branding, wireframing, prototyping, testing

Key findings from my competitive analysis included:
→ A lack of structured project planning
→ No simple way to compare material costs across stores
→ Inconsistent or hard-to-find community support
→ Navigation overload—too much information, poorly organized

It became clear: DIYers didn’t need more content—they needed better, more structured support.

Curious about real user experiences, I then conducted an online survey (20 respondents) and 6 one-on-one interviews (in-person and over Zoom).
Some of the things I wanted to uncover:
→ How people planned their DIY projects
→ Their biggest frustrations
→ Their dream Wishlist for a DIY app

Sample questions I asked:

  • "Where do you currently get guidance for DIY projects?"

  • "What’s your biggest frustration when tackling a project?"

  • "If you could wave a magic wand, what would make DIY easier?"

Key Insights:

  • 74% struggled most with time management during projects.

  • 68% found material sourcing and price comparison frustrating.

  • 80% wanted structured, step-by-step guidance instead of cobbling together random advice.

  • Many valued the idea of community—to ask questions, get inspired, and troubleshoot.

I then organized all this feedback using affinity mapping, grouping major themes into:
→ Planning & Time Management
→ Material Sourcing
→ Learning Resources
→ Community Support

This exercise would go on to shape the backbone of DIY Blueprint’s platform.

RESEARCHING THE DIY EXPERIENCE

I wanted to better understand why so many people struggled with DIY, despite the countless resources available online. To uncover the root causes, I followed an iterative, user-centered design process, allowing research findings and user feedback to guide each decision. I began with a competitive analysis, focusing on popular platforms like YouTube, Facebook Marketplace, Pinterest, and Etsy.

According to a 2021 report by Statista, the global home improvement market size was valued at over $800 billion, with the DIY sector making up a substantial portion of that market. This growth in the DIY space highlights the increasing demand for accessible, efficient solutions, yet many DIYers still face challenges in navigating the abundance of resources available to them.

DEFINING THE USERS

With real voices and patterns in mind, I first wanted to focus on who I was designing for and what kind of journey they would take while visiting the future solution. I created two core personas to guide my design decisions:

  • Olivia Carter – The Hobbyist:
    A creative marketing coordinator who loves starting projects but often struggles to plan them or stick to a budget.

  • Ethan Roberts – The Practical DIYer:
    A software engineer who wants efficient, reliable tutorials to tackle home repairs without the fluff or confusion.

Every design choice—from navigation to tone of voice—was intentionally crafted to meet Olivia and Ethan's specific needs. With a clear understanding of their pain points, I was able to focus on solving the main problems highlighted by user insights. To guide the design process, I developed a series of POV statements and HMW questions, which allowed me to begin refining the solution and ensure it truly addressed the needs of users.

POV Statements:

·      "I’d like to explore ways to help DIY enthusiasts with limited time effectively manage their projects because many struggle to complete tasks due to time constraints from their busy schedules."

·      "I’d like to explore ways to help DIY learners source materials easily and affordably because many struggle to find specific tools and materials, especially when prices are high, or availability is low."

HMW Questions:

·      "HMW help users break down large DIY projects into smaller, manageable tasks that can fit into a limited timeframe?"

·      “HMW have a list of alternative items that could also be used for the DIY project to help save money?”

ORGANIZING THE EXPERIENCE

Before diving into design, I needed to ensure the app’s structure would feel natural to users.
I ran a closed card sort (via FigJam) with 5 participants from my survey pool.
The goal? Validate how users would intuitively group different platform features.

Key learnings from the card sort:
→ Budgeting tools belonged under Project Management
→ Learning tutorials and community discussions needed to be separate spaces
→ Material sourcing deserved its own clear category

These insights helped me draft a simple, intuitive sitemap with clear pathways:

  • Home

  • Project Management

  • Material Sourcing

  • Learning Hub

  • Community

Designing DIY Blueprint

User Flows

I mapped out core journeys, like:
→ Olivia wants to find and source materials for a new project → Navigates to Project Management → Sourcing → Compares prices → Saves items to Wishlist → Adds to Shopping List.

Other flows included posting in forums, following a tutorial, and starting a new project.

Wireframes

I started with low-fidelity sketches and moved to mid- and high-fidelity prototypes, testing with real users at every stage.

  • Early feedback pushed me to simplify navigation.

  • Mid-fidelity testing fine-tuned material preview comparison clarity.

  • High-fidelity testing focused on adding a review feature, as users valued seeing feedback before committing to materials or tutorials

Branding the Experience

I wanted DIY Blueprint to feel empowering, structured, and welcoming.
To reflect this:

  • Primary Color: Soft Sage Green (#A7B79B) — calm, encouraging growth.

  • Secondary Color: Warm Terracotta (#D8A67F) — creativity and warmth.

  • Neutral: Light Cream (#F4F1EB) — soft, clean backdrop.

  • Typography: Montserrat (headings) + Lato (body) — modern yet friendly.

The overall brand voice is approachable, hands-on, and quietly confident—just like the best DIY mentors.

Testing & Iterating

I conducted remote usability tests with 5 participants using mid- and high-fidelity clickable prototypes.

Tasks tested included:

  • Starting a new project

  • Sourcing and saving materials

  • The checkout experience

Key Findings:

→ Users loved the Wishlist feature—it made material sourcing feel manageable and motivating.
→ Users wanted more photos/a slideshow of the product

Key Mid-Fi Iterations:

  • A back button was added to all comparison pages.

  • Added a working AR material preview comparison clarity button

Key High-Fi Iterations:

  • Made the homepage action-driven, allowing users to jump straight into key tasks.

  • Added a review feature, as users valued seeing feedback before committing to materials or tutorials 

OUTCOMES & REFLECTIONS

After the revisions were done, the final prototype was finished while combining it with the User Interface and branding made beforehand. The DIY Blueprint turned a fragmented, overwhelming DIY experience into one that feels achievable and supportive.

Key Lessons:

  • Frequent usability testing saved me from major reworks.

  • Early card sorting built a much stronger, user-friendly foundation.

  • Designing for user emotion (confidence vs overwhelm) is just as crucial as designing for functionality.

If I Could Improve:

  • I would introduce open card sorting earlier to further validate my categories before building.

 

FINAL THOUGHTS

Leading DIY Blueprint end-to-end—from user research to wireframing, branding, prototyping, and testing—taught me the importance of staying grounded in real user needs at every stage. More than just a product, DIY Blueprint is an experience that empowers users to bring their creative visions to life with confidence, community, and clarity.