I and My Gallery
Project name - I and my Gallery
Project client - The ArtGroup
Project date - Sep, 2020 - April, 2021
Background
I and My Gallery is an online art gallery which aims to connect the community through creative visual arts. It serves both artists and art lovers.
The website was first launched in 2020.
Overview
This project focuses with designing of an art gallery website. The gallery is a bridge between the artist and the customer (art lovers).
During the lockdown due to COVID19 pandemic artists are able to create their works, but there is a shortage of gallery to show their works. Therefore the gallery continuously improves it's website to serve both the artist and the community by creating better website.
Goal
The goal of this project is to redesign the website that fully functions to fulfill the need of the artists and art lovers (users) by implementing the galleries goal.
Conducting user research to identify potential user problems. To display art works in a better way for a better online communication. To upgrade the gallery from B2C to C2C.
To increase users by 30% with an easy, functional and user friendly website.
My role
I am one of the four design team at Blen for this project, I have lead and worked most of the design process with the following duties:- Research potential users pain points, Creating sketches, Storyboard, low and high fidelity wireframes, prototyping and mockups that are used for our usability test before the end result of the project.
Visit website
The design process
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Understand
Research
Data collection
Competitor analysis
User stories
Define
Ideate &
Design
Test
Launch
Ideating
Before we start the design process we sat down and discuss on possible ideas in brief. We discussed for whom we are designing for? What are our users motivations and experiences? What we want to achieve?
Generating ideas started with writing and sketching on a paper, where ideas can easily flow. We decided to work on ideas that are worth to continue in developing further steps.
Assumption
The project assumes that good research will create a great design result. The project assumes to create a platform for millions to connect.
The relationship between art lovers and the artist is not well organized. Which impacts the life of the community as a result of the design process.
It is assumed that great design delivers the best of user experience to improve both users and the business.
It's assumed that in the future the gallery will benefit from ads.
Target audience
The target audience for this project is mostly ages 21- 60, primarily in the United States.
People who have access to internet.
People who loves art and looking for art works and artists.
People who own a business and bought their houses recently or owns a house or an apartment that needs an art work.
Ready to meet artists for a better knowledge about art.
People who wants to spend and invest their money on art.
Knowing the problem
To find out the problem we discussed with the gallery director, and we were able to manage a user research to identify core problems related with the user as our main area of interest.
We understand that there are few visitors because art lovers couldn't directly contact the artist. On the other hand artist are not able to sell their works directly to art lovers. Customers are frustrated because they couldn't know the story behind the art work.
The website is not well structured and grouped. It is difficult to post an art work, recived feedback, edit and track changes. It is not possible to engage with the platform even if the aim of the gallery is to do so. This created frustration for artists who simply send their work and wait for a miracle to come. Moreover the website visitors couldn't know the price of an art work and are unable to negotiate. There are no direct connection among artists and art lovers.
The success metrics
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Increase visitors by 30%
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Provide an easy-to-use website marketing system for art lovers
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Providing the right information on artists to help them deal the business by themselves
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Increase the number of users with the online marketing platform
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To see the community engaged in the art business
Competitor analysis
Singularart.com
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Less white space usage
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Too much information
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Good grouping
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Commercial gallery
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Have features i.e upcoming events
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Contacts are via the gallery
returnonart.com
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Good, simple, and welcoming
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No bulk information
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Easy to walk through the website
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Good usage of space
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Commercial gallery
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Contacts are via the gallery
Persona 1
User empathy map
User journey map
Why sketching
Sketching storyboards helps to better understand the persona that represent the user. As a core element of our design strategy knowing our user is an important step in designing the website. Sketches gives us a clear picture to whom we are designing for in keeping the goal of the project.
Storyboard - Persona 1
Persona 2
User empathy map
Storyboard - Persona 2
Earlier sketches
Current sketches
Earlier wireframes
Current wireframes
Customer
Log in
Log in
Home
Gallery
Artists
Individual artist
Single art work
Message
Comment
Artists
Log in
Sign in
Home
Individual page
Add
Edit
Message
Inbox
Message
Iterating
After carefully assessing the main problems we were able to redesign the website's UI and all the visual elements using new sketches and wireframes with new features including a landing page to login for both the artists and their clients. Artists and customers can fully control their page including posting an image, edit, comment, delete, send and receive direct messages.
The new section in the redesigning process with "featured artist of the month" page will help the website for more visitors that enhances the traffic.
Style guide
Mockups
Sign in
Home
About
Gallery
Solution
After carefully looking at the usability test result we were able to create all the design elements that needs work to meet the need of our users and the gallery goals. In solving the problem we created a page that helps users to connect directly with the artist. A very careful and well focused design approach was given to create the best solution. All the process starting from ideating, research, creating wireframes , mockups, prototyping, usability test brings us to the best solution. Our usability test was a part of our solution.
The process in design is a part of our final product, having multiple discussions to come up with the best solution.
Accessibility
Accessibility is inclusive design. Designing accessibility in mind is the power of better design and it removes barriers to empower all users to be productive. When it comes to accessible design whether it is permanent, temporary or situational disability all are experiencing limited mobility. I have put all the necessary effort to make the website accessible by people with disabilities and also by all. I have created the design elements and content of the website using the web content accessibility guidelines (WCAG) to the best of my knowledge to make it perceivable where people can see the content, operable where people can use the product by type, understandable where people can get clear and simple language, robust where people can use different assistive technologies. I have used hierarchy in text size, clear color contrast, focus state, interactive state, grouping similar items, and multiple visible indicators to make the product accessible by everyone. After all inclusive design is simply a good design.
Usability test
Our usability test helped us to see where we have to work more, We use 6 participants (3 artists and 3 customers). One of the participants were frustrated because they were not able to see the search bar.
Overall 83.3%participants enjoyed the experience, they were happy using the website with its easy step to complete the task they were given.
We have got a great ideas from our usability test where we applied in our design process.
Outcome
The website is well received by the client. With the help of our design we have seen satisfaction in our prototype usability test. Artist will be fully beneficial from their art works. The website not only helps to buy and sell art works but also it will build strong relationship for further artistic projects. We have tested the final version of the website and it is ready to be released shortly.
What comes next
The sketches help me to create the right design to iterate a better experience to users, for a better performance and functionality.
What comes next is to create a mobile app design.
To make sure everything is perfectly working as it is designed.
A followup to the website by testing, iterating and improve.
Learning
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Decision making
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Resolving an issue
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Time management
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Importance of teamwork and collaboration
