Capstone
It all begins with an idea. My idea. Capstone is a ten week industry project where individuals choose an open topic and problem space to explore and solve for. My concept was exploring how to solve safety in the Sex Work industry through vetting clientele.
This is a particularly passionate project for me to work on, as I value human safety and rights, especially of marginalized communities. Workers need to have more control and a voice in the industry, and I designed this app to empower that belief.
Introducing Swerk
Swerk is an app designed to eliminate some of the risk of operating independently as a Sex Worker.
Many independent operating Sex Workers often only have themselves to rely on. With an ongoing history of unsafe conditions, they have to proactively protect themselves. Having a network of communication and creating safe resources for Sex Workers to access could help to eliminate the dangers of operating within this industry.
Problem Space
Independent female sex workers in Toronto are subject to more violent scenarios than other women, ranging that on average 45-75% of all sex workers will experience violence in the workplace from a client. Many Sex Work do not feel safe to contact police, and therefore clients go unreported and are not charged, leading to occurrences of repeat offences. Women in the Sex Work industry need to have a safe space to vet clients with one another and share experiences to prevent further harm
Exploratory Sketches
Home Page/ Profile
Community feed
Client Profile
Client Database
Solution Sketches
Greyscale Mid-Fidelity Wire Framing
Example Prototype 1
An internationally recognized symbol for Sex Worker Rights is the Red Umbrella. The associations came in 2001 from the world gathering in Italy where the display and mass gathering protest took place.
Adding an emotional response and a recognizable symbol to a brand increases the awareness and comfortability to its users. This is also an effective brand symbol, as many Sex Workers are very private about their professional career. This allows for a sense of community, and those “in the know” to be able to identify with it easily.
Brand Identity
Red is a particularly difficult colour to use, as it is often associated with alerts or systems notifications
It is also a strong colour with various and conflicting emotional and psychological responses
EXAMPLE: Red often is associated with violence, and aggression, while also passion and love
Dark red however is often reflected with a sense of elegance and power, furthering why it is an excellent choice as a brand colour for this design given the multiple connotations associated with it, and the theme of safety behind the app
Prototype
Hi-Fidelity
Marketing Site and Mobile Responsive
Creating a site to highlight features and use cases for users is crucial in having the product gain awareness and drive sales
This is marketing site is directed at a specific user and group of individuals, so speaking to them directly and compassionately is key in having trust and reliability in the product.
