2018 - Product Design / Mobile App
Black Hand
Mobile app for the Black Hand skater community. Redeem codes when buying decks, complete your collection and stay updated with brand news.
— Context
A skate brand selling on Instagram that needed to retain
Black Hand was a skate shop that operated primarily through Instagram. Sales were working, but there was no direct channel to keep customers engaged with the brand beyond the transaction.
The challenge was to create a digital experience that turns occasional buyers into a loyal community: something that gives them a reason to come back, recognizes their loyalty and connects them with the skate world the brand represented.
— Solution
An app that turns every purchase into an experience
A mobile app was designed with three pillars: exclusive codes obtained with every deck purchase, a digital piece collection, and a news portal with brand updates, sponsored skaters and competitions.
Every deck came with a unique code. The customer loaded it into the app and unlocked a collection piece. As they completed the set, they gained recognition within the community. The news portal kept the emotional connection with the brand alive.
— Features
Screens designed for skater culture
LoginExclusive access for customers
Login screen with Black Hand branding. Straightforward and frictionless design so the skater gets into the app quickly without wasting time on bureaucracy.
CodesRedeem when buying decks
System for entering the unique code included with every deck. The user enters the code and unlocks a piece of the digital collection. Simple, fast and satisfying.
CollectionComplete your set
Collection progress visualization with all available pieces. Each unlocked piece is marked as completed, generating engagement and motivation to keep buying.
NewsSkaters, competitions and brand
News portal with updated content about sponsored skaters, competitions the brand attended as sponsor and skate world news. Kept the emotional connection alive.
— Tech stack
Design and branding
All app design and visual branding were done in Figma. Graphic assets, collection illustrations and brand visual elements were created with Adobe Illustrator and Adobe Photoshop.
— Results
Design and prototyping in weeks
04
main screens designed with complete flow
03
weeks of design, prototyping and user validation
— HEURISTICS
Best practices applied.
Based on Jakob Nielsen's 10 usability heuristics.
Visibility of system status
The app shows collection progress, redeemed codes and missing pieces at all times. The user knows exactly where they are and how much is left to complete the set.
Match between the system and the real world
Language and aesthetics follow skate culture: direct, no nonsense. 'Redeem code', 'My collection', 'News' are familiar terms for the target audience.
User control and freedom
The user can freely navigate between Collection, Codes and News without forced flows. They can log out at any time and resume from where they left off.
— Next steps
Learn more about Black Hand
Mobile app designed for the Black Hand skater community. Code redemption, digital collection and news portal with sponsored skaters and competitions.