An art information app for an independent art gallery
The product:
Maude Gallery is an imaginary art gallery located in a metropolitan area. Its goal is to provide more information about the artwork on display, and connect visitors to the artists in the community.
Project duration:
April 2022 - June 2022
The problem:
Visitors want to know more about the artwork on display in the gallery.
The goal:
Design an app for Maude Gallery that allows users to learn more about the artwork and the artists, as well as provide a way to purchase the art.
My role:
UX designer designing an app for Maude Gallery from conception to delivery.
Responsibilities:
Conducting interviews, paper and digital wireframing, low and high-fidelity prototyping, conducting usability studies, accounting for accessibility, and iterating on designs.
User research:
A primary user group identified through research
was professional adults who want to know more about the artwork and artists in their community.
Research revealed that other user problems included not being able to purchase artwork online, not being able to read the information about the artwork, and lack of accessibility.
User journey map:
Mapping Ella’s user journey revealed how helpful it would be for users to have access to screen reading technology within the app.
Wireframes:
As the initial design phase continued, I based screen designs on feedback and findings from user research. A key user need to address in the designs was equipping the app to work with assistive technologies.
Low-fidelity prototype:
Using the completed set of digital wireframes, I created a low-fidelity prototype. The primary user flow navigated from the homepage to the artwork page. I included the step of adding the artwork to a shopping cart, so the prototype could be used in a usability study.
Mockups:
After the usability studies, I replaced the "Add to Cart" icon with a clearly labeled button and removed one of the accessibility icons to allow for more white space to balance the block of text.
The second usability study revealed that users found that the gradient background color on the “About the Artist” page made it difficult to read the buttons.
High-fidelity prototype:
Impact:
The app makes users feel connected to the artwork on display in the gallery.
Quote from peer feedback:
“I learned so much more about the artwork than I would have just browsing the gallery.”
What I learned:
While designing the Maude Gallery app, I learned that the first ideas for the app are only the beginning of the process. Usability studies and peer feedback influenced each iteration of the app’s designs.
