UX case study: art gallery mobile app

Project Overview

The task is to design a new app, primarily targeted at individuals who visit art galleries on their own - a group that makes up a high proportion of all gallery visitors.

Goal statement 

The goal of the app is described below: 

The app will allow users greater interaction and connection with art and art enthusiasts. Isolated users will find increased satisfaction by joining with others in an engaging social network, relevant to their needs. 

When the app is launched its effectiveness will be measured by tracking the number of people that use the app, as well as like, comment, or share opinions and information.

Role & responsibilities

My role in this project was as user researcher and designer, completing the project from start to finish. In the UX researcher role I recruited participants, ran all interviews and usability studies before analysing and summarising findings to make amendments to the prototypes. In the UX design capacity I created all wireframes and prototypes, from low to hi-fidelity and designed the style of the end-product.

I felt well placed due to my existing passion for art and awareness of the user group that the app was primarily focussed on, the solo gallery visitor. I have recent research experience, both through studies within my MSc. Psychology and in my previous roles that I considered would benefit the research stages. I have existing fashion design experience that I felt could be successfully applied to the design and style of the app. 

Method & tools

The case study follows the cyclical design thinking process — empathise, define, ideate, prototype and test.

Empathise and Define 

Understanding the user

When recruiting users for initial interviews it was essential that they were representative of prospective users, solo art gallery enthusiasts. These interviewees were recruited from my existing networks and included users interested in art who stated that they often visited galleries alone. 

This convenience sampling allowed me to 

• Draw on existing friends and colleagues to collect data 

• Reach the intended populations using a cost effective and efficient process. 

Drawbacks included

•  narrow audience representation

• elements of my own researcher bias in the selection process

The method produced a wide range of views and enabled the app to be designed for a real, although potentially too narrow, user group.

User interviews

Ten initial interviews were conducted to understand the primary needs of different user groups and the problems faced within gallery settings.

A primary group uncovered were hard-working professionals often single or childless, frustrated by the lack of engaging and thorough information provided in exhibitions, and exacerbated by their inability to visit the museum during the working week. These visitors felt that galleries were a missed opportunity for social engagement.

“…I am surrounded by people , right in the centre of London, but I just feel a bit lonely, it’s not like we can talk…. Recently I met some friends on a course through City & Guilds, we always have the best time together!” — Joanne

Another group was young adults with an interest in building a career within the arts world. They often felt disenfranchised and ignored by the established art world, feeling uncomfortable asking friends to socialise with them at an art gallery or exhibition, as they would be bored or unengaged. 

"yeah, it's something I do, I study fashion at college, I have a few friends who go with me but mostly I just go on my own or with my Mum."

The research was qualitative, using semi-structured interviews, followed by organisation of data through affinity mapping.

Insights

Affinity mapping defined the following primary pain points:

• Lack of opportunity to engage socially within the gallery environment.

• Inadequate notes and information in gallery setting, displayed in disengaging way, without interaction.

• Frustration that further learning opportunities and social opportunities are focussed at inconvenient times.

• Isolated by art gallery or museum, "it's not for me."

Persona

Two primary personas were developed using the data gathered from the interviews and affinity mapping, these personas are varied but are representative of the large variety of prospective users.

Data from the Arts Council suggests that the highest percentage of gallery visitors are within the 25-44 years age bracket with much lower visitor numbers aged 16-24 years. However, there is evidence to suggest that the app would be beneficial to the younger visitors who actually have overlapping issues within the gallery environment. The personas created cover both these age groups.

User journey maps 

Further goals and frustrations were uncovered by looking at the behaviour of our typical users.

The outline of the user journey shows: 

• Initial excitement about gallery visit 

• Emotional satisfaction drops during the visit - lots to talk about, nobody to talk to

• Increased despondency and loneliness by end of exhibition

This completed the initial empathise and define aspects of the project, leading to the ideation stage.

Ideate 

With a deeper understanding of the user and their needs it was time to start developing potential app solutions.

How Might We and Crazy Eights` were used to develop ideas during the initial ideation stage.

Ideation sessions continued with big picture and close-up storyboards, increasing the understanding of the user journey.

These methods helped to develop the app towards a possible solution for users. 

Prototype & Test 

Paper wireframes

The paper wireframes were the next process, selecting the layout and design for individual pages following the fully realised user flow diagram. 

The paper wireframes shown are the like or don’t like artwork, for when the user is viewing the exhibition.

There was a lot of positive feedback from users after the first informal usability study, one user likened it to tinder for art.

Although users wanted more information on what statistics would be available. 

Digital wireframes & low-fidelity prototypes

The paper wireframes were turned into digital low-fidelity wireframes.

Usability study 

After completing the low-fidelity prototypes on figma, a formal usability study was conducted leading to the following findings:

1. The lack of accurate imagery was confusing for users, the statistics were not fully understood and/or realised.

2. The app was not optimised for a gallery setting.

3. The chat function was considered important by almost all users, but was hard to access.

4. The recommendations and suggestions function was considered universally positive.

5. Inconsistent functionality within the app, caused errors and pain points towards the end of the user journey.

Second digital wireframes & low-fidelity prototypes

Updates to the prototypes took into consideration the findings from the usability study.

This included 

1. increased functionality of the recommendations and suggestions page.

2. Optimisation of the chat function, made accessible on all pages.

3. Imagery and content was updated to make a more realistic experience.

4. Audiovisual amendments were made to make the app work as an audio guide during the visit as well as a place to comment and interact.

Final digital wireframes & low-fidelity prototypes

For a new iteration of the prototype we added more screens to cover more elements of the user journey. Users are able to search for exhibitions, user profiles, set up a profile and read transcripts of the the audio information.

Users with varied accessibilities were considered during the app development. Although various considerations were made some extra changes were made later on during the design process.

This is a lesson in making sure that considerations are made at earlier points and users with differing needs are front and centre of user studies.

Icons now include written titles to increase accessibility for visually impaired users.

Users with hearing difficulties have access to transcripts for all audio files. This addition was seen as valuable to all all users in the latest usability study.

Users with physical disabilities can access maps and floorplans prior to their visit, these will have a focus on accessibility and any non-compliant exhibitions will be flagged with an icon.

Please see below for final mock-ups showing onboarding, homescreen and exhibition home, viewing and interaction as well as exhibition end, stats and further exploration.

The prototype can be viewed here:

Impact 

The app has received positive reviews from industry professionals.

Designing the app has enabled me to increase my knowledge within UX research and design enormously.

I understand the importance of the design process, the vital part that UX research plays in developing designs and why this process matters.

Next steps

1. Increase the gamification of the app to see the effect this has on users, hopefully increasing uptake and enjoyment.

2.  Add more social media functionality and increase the usability of the profiles and chat functions, hopefully increasing user interaction.

3. Collaborate with art galleries to provide opportunities for meet-ups and events online or in-person.

Personal Reflections 

1. During the prototype stage I spent too long designing too much of the app before carrying out a usability study and realising a lot of this work was not relevant to the initial, more focused, user journey. I should have checked back more regularly, keeping focused on the users and the task. 

2. The accessibility considerations, specifically the relevance of written descriptions should have been implemented at the very beginning of the prototype stage, I got caught up in the aesthetic design and stopped thinking about the user. 

3. I designed the app at home - but the original function of the app was focused on use in a gallery setting. I should have spent more time in a gallery whilst carrying out research as I think this would have increased the user experience. 

4. I love the emotional connection that the app provides, I think that art is about feelings and this comes through.

5. The case study taught me the practical importance of  design thinking, especially the importance of continued user research at all elelments of the design process.