Researching skate shoe wear issues
2018
Persona & Journey map
Context
Returning to skateboarding after a 15-year break, I noticed a shared frustration among my friends and me: having to discard a pair of shoes because only one wears out—an issue inherent to skateboarding, especially with trick-heavy practices.
Challenge
While we had a solution in mind—an app to connect people and exchange shoes—it was crucial to validate that this issue truly resonated with the skateboarding community. We found mentions of the problem online, but our assumptions needed to be verified through firsthand research.
As a side project done in my free time, I knew I wouldn't be able to commit to it on a regular basis, so I focused on building a solid research foundation I could return to later.
My approach
I researched online for mentions of the problem and existing solutions, then conducted interviews with skateboarders at various skateparks around Toulouse, France.
Throughout the process, I documented insights and ideas to make it easy to revisit the project later or share it with potential collaborators.
Outcome
Persona
A primary profile emerged from the interviews. Its key attributes and behaviors are captured in the following persona.
Persona created from user interviews (2018)
Journey map
The interview protocol was designed to gain a deep understanding of how skateboarders manage their shoes. This journey map highlights the phases experienced by Alex, my primary persona, when dealing with skateboarding shoes. A recurring pain point—repairing shoes—emerged as a central challenge in the process.
Journey map based on user interviews (2018)
Next steps
While I haven’t resumed work on this project yet, I’m still interested in exploring the idea further—either on my own or in collaboration with others in the skateboarding or circular economy space.
