Introducing a younger audience to buying, trading and sharing art.
Role: UX, UI, Research
Length: 4 - 6 weeks
Tools: Figma, AE, Principle
Context: Ungoing passion project
Project overview
Technology has altered the way we communicate. More and more millennials are starting to collect. Whereas young people rather collect what they love, the more traditional collectors focus on art as an investment and are searching for value. This seems to create a gap between primary and secondary markets, making it less accessible for a younger audience, while the younger collectors are also searching for belonging.
Challenge
Improve the way Gen-Z collects online and foster a creative online community.
Solution
A reimagined and more personalised browsing, search and social feature that allows users to chat, share and collect art which increases the opportunity for users to engage with friends, galleries and collectors in a more meaningful and fulfilling way which enhances the feeling of belonging and takes away barriers of connecting with experienced collectors and gallerists due to more direct and informal way of communication.
Approach & Process
To gain a deeper understanding of our consumers' emotions and thoughts, I conducted a qualitative research with the persona’s. Through these insights, I discovered key insights into the factors that affect users when shopping for art online, identifying their unique needs and challenges in this context.
Competitive Analysis
Focus on differentiation as a strategy
After conducting a competitive analysis, it became clear that differentiation was key to standing out in the market. Google Arts & Culture offers a modern look with various themes and familiar UX patterns, while the Artsy app is easy to use and visually appealing, focusing primarily on buying and selling artworks. Wiki Art caters to users who want to read and understand artwork online. To distinguish, it’s requires a unique feature that allows users to connect and chat, enabling them to get input from their peers. This social interaction component not only enhances the user experience but also encourages a sense of community and engagement, setting our platform apart from the competition.
Key Insights & Needs
Younger generation want to have news ways of viewing and acquiring art online due to busy schedules.
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People want to connect through art and value each others opinion
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People want to get outside their own network to form new connections.
User flow
Based on the goals and needs of the user persona I created a simple task flow. This flow defined how the user would interact with the app to complete given tasks regarding, onboarding, browsing and setting up a profile.
JTBD:
"As an artlover I want to be able to personalize my profile before browsing art."
Design System & UI Components
Before designing a high-fidelity prototype, a visual mood board was created for inspiration and to set the feel and direction of the app. I focused on finding different elements (colors, typography, and imagery). Because the art itself is quite colorful at times. To balance that I decided to keep the UI clean, functional and minimal e.g. black and white tones that will go well with the colorful artworks.
Onboarding flow
The onboarding flow starts with asking whether the user already has an existing profile or if they want to sign up. To sign up it asks them to create an account and profile. If users want to create an account they can skip the profile creation if preferred.
Sign up flow
The user can switch between sign in/sign up depending on whether they have an existing account or want to create a new account. When creating the account the user is asked to enter personal details and accept terms & conditions before they can continue.
User Profile Creation
Profile creation allows users to add their interests to their profiles so other users can see what they are all about. Here they can also start following other peers and friends and find out about their art interests. Here a pop up prompt will appear asking the user whether he/she wants to add friends and/or browse for works.
Discover & Settings
They can browse between different categories, explore the latest auctions which will bring them to the home screen or read the news articles. Via settings they can see a full overview and shortcut to an overview of their favourite works, order history, purchases or any other inquires that revolve around personal account settings, payments, data or feedback.
Product Browsing & Artist Overview
Based on the users preferences and saved works users can learn more about about a specific artwork. When clicked on more info it will direct the user to a screen where you can have direct contact with the gallerist.
User Profiles
To create that sense of belonging and personalize the experience of collecting art, there is the option to set up your own profile adding so users can share their thoughts, opinions and reach out.
Posting & Commenting
The post section will enable users to share some of their favourite works and lets them comments and post. The share icon provides the option to repost a post which in turn will then appear onto the profile of the user that reposted it.
Messages, Notifications & Followers
During the decision-making stage, collectors gather extensive information about an artwork, compare it to similar pieces, and consult auction results and peers. Staying connected to their network is crucial. This chat feature allows users to share thoughts and feelings directly within the app, keeping them engaged with their community.
Search & Locations
By helping users locate exhibitions, museums, and galleries in their city, keeping them connected with their network. Users can see if friends are nearby and invite them to visit these locations.
Website & Landingpage
In addition to the app's main features, I designed a web page with easy search filters and an overview of artists, market news, collections, auctions, and community support. Research showed users prefer the app on mobile, so I kept the website clean and simple. User feedback indicated the younger generation's interest in trends, so I included a component to highlight trending topics.
User testing
I conducted a test with a small user group. There was a strong desire for more location-based suggestions for new art events and artworks. Additionally, several users found the font difficult to read, indicating accessibility improvements were needed. This feedback highlighted crucial areas for improvement and provided valuable direction for refining the app.
Next steps
As an art collector myself, diving into the art world was fascinating. With a clear path forward, I plan to add social media integration for seamless connectivity, provide personalized art event and artwork suggestions based on user preferences, and collaborate with gallery curators for insights into the latest market trends.