product.
Galleries is an app concept where users engage, from curation to memberships, with art on their own terms.
duration.
12 weeks (Feb/Apr 2022)
team.
Gabrielle H.
role.
Researcher, Interaction Designer, UX Writer, UX/UI Designer
tool.
Figma
problem:
We faced a tiered problem (1) collecting art is an expensive hobby, making quality art experiences less accessible for art enthusiast on a budget; and (2) more serious art collectors want a space to curate their own collections.
goal:
Make art experiences more accessible and personal.
directive:
Design solution must be a mobile application.
research.
Interviews were conducted with several individuals, as the first step in my research. My findings in those interviews were used to create an aggregated empathy map that anchored the user personas I created. Those personas were then used to inform the user journeys + stories. I also conducted a competitive audit, and used audit findings to create the competitive analysis report that proved valuable during my ideation phase.
Before I conducted the interviews, general assumptions were made about general patterns/set of habits e.g., participants would prefer to online shop for pieces. However, after the interviews it was clear to me that each participant’s motivation, purchasing habits, and past experiences with art very much dictated their current patterns.
"Art is a frequency. Vibrate accordingly."
Biggest frustration: 'I hate when I can't find pieces that resonate with how I am feeling.'
GOALS
~ home full of conversational art work
~ greater confidence purchasing online
~ gallery-like home
"Budget should not dictate art accessibility."
Biggest frustration: 'Inaccurate online descriptions and poor quality artwork.'
GOALS
~ secure budget-friendly, high quality pieces
~ greater confidence when purchasing online
ideation.
Keeping the goal of making art more accessible and personal in mind, when I began the wireframing process I knew that since the most important aspects would be customization, it was important that at every stage of navigation users felt in control.
Understanding the variation in interaction with the arts, and the desire for readily available funds when it came time to purchase art, we prototyped a space where users could feel like both needs were adequately addressed.
usability studies.
Early concepts required that users complete twelve fields before creating a profile. However, after the usability studies, the information required to create an account was significantly reduced down to five fields. The revisions also meant that there was now only one page between the home screen and a user’s profile page.
Early concepts also relied more heavily on larger amounts of copy to navigate users throughout the app. After the usability studies, action navigation had a more prominent design, reflecting only necessary wording.
(key insights)
there were too many steps for the user between the homepage & the member profile;
users felt that too many personal details were required to create a simple profile;
page navigation paths weren't always intuitive for the users;
users had trouble locating buttons to move to next step
before usability study.
after usability study.
solution.
sticker sheet.
The second usability study reinforced that it wasn’t clear to users that they could pay with a built-in savings account feature -- they often opted for other payment methods when placed side-by-side.
To make it more apparent that they could use their art savings account i.e., “Art funds” I revised the design to separate out the options, making the “Art funds” option the default and changing the wording from “Rewards” to read “Art funds”.
Also, interactive features were redesigned to highlight interactivity through the addition of color as well as a redesign to encourage action i.e., “Try a new experience.” Lastly, the “Back” button was added to every page for easier, more intuitive navigation.
before usability study 2.
after usability study 2.
hi-fi prototype
takeaways.
Impact:
“I really love the visual style you are going with here, the use of images and well-placed layout make it feel attractive.” - Classmate review
“I've never heard of this period, so I like that it gives artists a place to showcase their art pieces and another way to interact with customers and art collectors.” - User review
What I learned:
The design always comes back to the user. As a UX designer, when you begin adding elements that confuse the user or distract from the main flow/function of the product, it shows - and user feedback will always bring you right back to the start - your original goal.
solution.
Customize Your Experience.
In just a few clicks, users can interact with art in ways that feel personal to them.
By using individual tags to curate their own galleries, users create an experience that reflects how they feel and a personalized profile to match.
Create A Savings For Art.
Users can opt-in to an art savings feature, where they decide how much they want to contribute on a periodic basis. When they see an art piece or experience they like, they can use their saving's funds to purchase.
