Role: UX Designer designing the app for conception to delivery.
Duration: October 2021 - August 2022
Project Vision
This project work has been part of the Google UX Certificate program. Arties is an app that aims at enabling art lovers to visit art galleries around the world virtually. Arties will also break the barriers for people who cannot travel or visit art galleries easily because of physical inability.
User Research Insights
I conducted video interview and created empathy maps to understand the users I am designing for an their need. I identified two primary user groups, one of people with no disability and one of people with disabilities.
The two user groups identified similar pain points related to the experience live in some art galleries, whereas the disability user group identified some barriers that prevent them from going to art galleries.
Main Pain Points
In-gallery Experience
Often art galleries do not offer audio guides and this can have an impact on both people with or without sight disability.
Time Constraints
Working people, people with kids and people with a lot of interests do not have the time they wish to visit art galleries.
Accessibility
Some cities and art galleries are not easy to wander around or reach for people with motorial disability.
Affordability
Art galleries tickets are sometimes expensive, being a barrier for lower income people or for people that want to visit many of them.
Meet the Users
Primary
Name: Tommaso
Age: 37
Family: Girlfiend and a dog
Occupation: R&D Researcher
Tommaso has sight disability and motorial disability caused by a car accident occured 2 years ago. His girlfriend loves modern art and likes going to art galleries opening, he used to accompany her all the time but now it is difficult because of his disabilities.
Secondary
Name: Marta
Age: 30
Family: Single
Occupation: Marketing Manager
Marta is very busy with work, gym and meeting friends, but during the weekend she likes to spend time relaxing with a stroll in her city or visiting museums, galleries or going to the cinema. Due to her busy schedule, she does not have always the time to go to galleries or museum as much as she would like.
Preparing the journey and the wireflow
Mapping Tommaso’s user journey revealed how important it would be for users with special need to access art gallery openings using a virtual tour app.
Taking the time to draft iterations of each screen of the app on paper ensured that the elements that made it to digital wireframes would be well-suited to address user pain points. For the home screen, I prioritised a quick and easy way to view the available exhibitions.
User Testing Insights
Easy Discovery
Users want to have an easier homepage navigation.
Tutorials
Users want a tutorial, guide on how to navigate the tour.
Personalization
Users want a tutorial, guide on how to navigate the tour.
Easiness of Use
Users want a tutorial, guide on how to navigate the tour.
Mockups
Takeaways
Impact
Arties app gives the possibility to anyone who cannot visit physically art galleries to make virtual tours or guided tours. This is true for people with or without disabilities.
Iteraction
While designing Arties I learnt that the first idea that comes up in the designs is not always the most polished and user friendly one. Only testing with users and performing user research gets you to design something that truly benefit users.
Be sure to checkout the process for Arties creation below!